NEWS DIGEST, Afternoon
13 Feb. 2019: 07 Jamadiul-II 1440:Vol:11, No:127
INDIA
Rafale deal 2.86% cheaper, saved 17.08% on enhancements, claims CAG report
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/rafale-deal-2-86-cheaper-india-saved-17-08-on-enhancements-cag-report-5581679/
New Delhi: Rafale deal negotiated by NDA Govt was 2.86 per cent lower than the previous one from UPA-era, according to a Comptroller Audit General report. CAG report on Capital Acquisitions in Indian Air Force, which includes a price comparison of Rafale deal, was tabled in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday morning. Compared to the earlier deal, according to the CAG report, in which 126 Rafale jets were to be purchased, the country has saved 17.08 per cent in costs towards the India Specific Enhancements to be fitted in the 36 Rafale jets under the new deal. CAG also noted that there was an improvement of only one month in the delivery schedule of 2016 contract in comparison to the 2007 offer.The report examined the pricing of the deal but did not include the pricing details. The prices were redacted on the insistence of the Ministry of Defence which cited the Indo French Agreement of 2008 and the provisions of IGA.CAG report, however, highlighted the drawbacks of settling for a ‘Letter of Comfort’ rather than a sovereign guarantee by French govt.The report noted that 2007 UPA deal included a 15 per cent bank guarantee against advance payments. indian express
On Rafale audit report, Congress hits out at CAG with ‘a big question mark’
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/on-rafale-audit-report-congress-hits-out-at-cag-with-a-big-question-mark/story-YeA4T1zvrCA9i4JNWKiPmJ.html
New Delhi:In a series of tweets, Congress has rejected the Govt ’s claim that the Comptroller and Auditor General report on Rafale deal has proved it right. The party has said that CAG report hides “behind the Aligned Price” making the comparison between the costs of 2007 and 2016 Rafale deals meaningless.Hours after CAG report was tabled in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress said, “This is the first time in history that a CAG report to Parliament has redacted numbers.This in itself raises a big question mark on the report. The comparison of the prices is based on Aligned Price, the calculation of which is opaque.” Responding to CAG, Congress said, “Bank guarantee which was present in the previous deal and would have constituted an additional 7% cost is not present in the new deal. So so-called savings of 2.86% can be attributed to the cost of missing bank guarantee.” “The reason the numbers have not been declared is that dollar for dollar, the deal costs more than before. The report has hidden behind Aligned Price. The lack of numbers makes comparison of costs meaningless,” reads one of the tweets posted by Congress party.Hours before CAG report was tabled, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had taken a jibe at the Centre and had said that the report held no value."Man who was then a negotiator is now preparing the report,” he added.
Modi govt’s Rafale deal was ‘costlier, slower on delivery’ than UPA era offer
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/modi-Govt -rafale-deal-was-costlier-slower-on-delivery-than-upa-era-offer
Modi govt’s new Rafale deal for 36 flyaway aircraft was not on “better terms” than the offer made by Dassault Aviation during the procurement process for 126 aircraft under UPA Govt ,The Hindu reported today referring to a dissent note by 3 senior defence ministry officials. 3 officials – MP Singh, Adviser (Cost), a Joint Secretary-level officer from the Indian Cost Accounts Service; AR Sule, Financial Manager (Air); and Rajeev Verma, Joint Secretary and Acquisitions Manager (Air) – were the domain experts on the seven-member Indian Negotiating Team (INT), according to the report.In a yet another revelation by the national daily in the ongoing Rafale saga, it stated that the officials had recorded their views in a strong note of dissent on 1 June 2016, concluding that the delivery schedule of the first 18 of 36 flyaway Rafale aircraft in the new deal “was slower than the one offered for the 18 flyaway aircraft in the original procurement process”. “Note was submitted to Deputy Chief of Air Staff (DCAS) in his capacity as chairman of the negotiating team at the end of Rafale negotiations,” it revealed.A dissent note by members of the Indian Negotiating Team, the report said, found that the French side's offer did not conform to the promise of better terms contained in the joint statement issued by PM Narendra Modi and ex-President Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015.It further stated that the benchmark price determined for the aircraft and weapons packages in the new deal was €5.06 billion. However, the dissent note revealed that the final price for whole Rafale package shot up to €7.87 billion.The final price offered by French Govt was 55.6% above the benchmark, the experts noted. Incidentally, in Dec.last year,the Supreme Court had given Modi Govt a clean chit on the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France and dismissed all the petitions seeking a direction to CBI to register an FIR for alleged irregularities in the deal.“To establish ‘better terms for price’,”report quotes note, adding, “French side was repeatedly asked to align the commercial offers submitted by Industrial Suppliers in MMRCA process to scope of supplies as per 36 Rafale procurement.” However, “French side refused to take cognisance of this aspect.”On the delivery of the aircrafts, note, according to report, stated, “In MMRCA process, first 18 flyaway aircraft were being delivered between T0+36 months to T0+48 months whereas in delivery schedule offered by the French side, first 18 aircraft will be delivered between T0+36 months and T0+53 months.”The Hindu’s latest report, however, contradicts claims made by Modi Govt as defence for its version of deal that it was a cheaper and ensured faster delivery of fighter aircrafts It had reportedly made same argument before the SC while justifying the deal of fighter aircrafts. The report however apprehended if the dissent note put forth by the 3 domain experts was a part of material submitted in a sealed cover to the SC.nationalheraldindia
Rafale deal not on ‘better terms’ than UPA-era offer: The Hindu report
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rafale-deal-not-on-better-terms-than-upa-era-offer/article26253566.ece?homepage=true
Parliament LIVE: Citizenship, triple talaq Bills lapse as Rajya Sabha adjourns sine die
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/parliament-live-updates-lok-sabha-rajya-sabha-rafale-citizenship-bill-triple-talaq-5581392/
New Delhi:A CAG report with details of Rafale deal was tabled in the Rajya Sabha today, but was not taken up for discussion as the House was adjourned sine die. The report disclosed that NDA’s deal for 36 aircraft is 2.86 per cent cheaper than the deal which was negotiated by UPA Govt. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, and Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, are set to lapse with the conclusion of the session. Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu expressed dismay at the lack of business transacted this session. It passed the Motion of Thanks on President’s address, interim Budget and Finance Bill today without debate. Lok Sabha,meanwhile, passed Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill and Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment).The lower house is also likely to discuss other bills including The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019, and The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2018. Today is the last day of session and also marks the conclusion of 16th Lok Sabha ahead of the polls.indianexpress
14 AMU students book for sedition: New video exposes dangerous plan of Republic TV to cause unrest on AMU campus ahead of Lok Sabha polls
http://www.jantakareporter.com/entertainment/new-video-exposes-dangerous-plan-of-arnab-goswamis-republic-tv-to-cause-unrest-on-amu-campus-ahead-of-lok-sabha-polls/232165/
Authorities in Aligarh have banned mobile internet in the city including the campus of AMU until 12 noon on Thursday. This was after representatives of Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV were engaged in a scuffle with AMU students following their allegedly provocative broadcast from the campus.According to a new circular, the district administration of Aligarh has ordered the internet provider companies to ban mobile internet in the city starting from 2 pm on Wednesday till 12 noon on Thursday. The order to ban mobile internet services followed an FIR filed against at least 14 students of AMU for Tuesday’s scuffle. Shockingly, these 14 students have also been booked under sedition charges. Explaining the rationale to book 14 students for sedition, Aligarh SP Ashutosh Dwivedi told Janta Ka Reporter that this was because these students were accused of shouting Pakistan Zindabad, India Murdabad slogans. He, however, admitted that there was no evidence to support these allegations. He said, “We’ve asked AMU administration to give us the CCTV footage, which we hope to receive by Wednesday.”Reacting to the filing of FIR under sedition charges, local student Sharjeel Usmani tweeted, “9 charges including Sedition against 14 AMU students. No action on the complaint filed by us.”Usmani, who was witness to allegedly provocative broadcast by Republic TV representatives on Tuesday, also took to social media to inform about the attack on an MA student Mohammed Arif Khan ‘near Chungi gate.’ He wrote, “He has been beaten with rod, and baseball bats as the injuries suggest and is still unconscious. Don’t leave the campus,people.”On Tuesday, 2 Republic TV representatives, identified as Nalini Sharma and Sumaira Khan, were accused of describing AMU as ‘the university of terrorists.’ This had evoked angry reactions from the students on the campus. Aligarh SP Ashutosh Dwivedi had later told Janta Ka Reporter that 2 women did not have permission to broadcast live from inside the campus, let alone making extremely provocative remarks during their live broadcast. Meanwhile, a video footage captured by a student shows Sharma doing a live broadcast on an issue, which was completely unrelated to the AMU. This, according to local students, was a part of Republic TV’s plan to cause unrest in an already sensitive campus ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. In the video, Sharma is seen reporting on Akhilesh Yadav being stopped from boarding a plane at Lucknow airport from Aligarh even though there was no editorial justification for this broadcast from AMU campus. This video clearly exposes dangerous plan by Goswami’s channel, which was founded with help of BJP MP Rajeev Chandrsekhar in 2017, to cause unrest on the campus of AMU ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.Janta Ka Reporter
14 AMU students booked for sedition after fracas with Republic TV crew
https://scroll.in/latest/913063/14-aligarh-muslim-university-students-booked-for-sedition-after-fracas-with-republic-tv-crew
Jharkhand govt bans PFI again for allegedly ‘anti-national activities’
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/jharkhand-govt-bans-pfi-again-for-anti-national-activities/articleshow/67965624.cms
Ranchi:6 months after the Jharkhand high court quashed the state govt’s ban on Popular Front of India (PFI), Govt on Tuesday issued another notification banning the outfit under Section 16 of Criminal Law Amendment Act. Raghubar Das Govt had imposed a ban on the outfit on Feb.21, 2018, saying its members were “internally influenced” by ISIS. In August, Jharkhand high court quashed the ban. Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay said that the notification seemed to have been issued in “haste and in an imprudent manner being totally oblivious to the absence of congealed materials to declare PFI as an unlawful association”.An official in the state home department on Tuesday said: said, “Last time, though the ban was under this same section, the Govt did not provide adequate reasons on why the ban was must. More so, it was not notified in the gazette. As a result,the HC wasn’t convinced that due procedures were followed. However, this time we have recorded proper evidences of their suspicious activities not just in the state, but also tried to establish its links in anti-national activities outside the state as the reason for the ban,” he said.Advocate general Ajit Kumar said that the state was well within its right to do so by following proper procedures. A notification issued on Tuesday by the state home,prison and disaster management department stated that any association with the organization, providing monetary aid and keeping literature related to its terror policies would be termed as an illegal act. “PFI has been engaged in activities which is dangerous for peace, communal harmony and secular structure of the country. Keeping in view the facts and proofs provided by Jharkhand police, the department is certain the organisation is involved in anti-national unconstitutional, illegal and communal activities,” the order stated. Listing out 4 specific reasons for the decision, the home department said PFI is engaged in disturbing law and order and public peace,promoting communal disharmony and carrying out anti-national activities besides having links with other terror organisations.TOI
Bhima-Koregaon case: SC sets aside Bombay HC order refusing Maharashtra Police 90 days' extension to file chargesheet against Gadling
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bhima-koregaon-case-sc-sets-aside-bombay-hc-order-refusing-maharashtra-police-90-days-extension-to-file-chargesheet-against-gadling/article26256250.ece?homepage=true
New Delhi: The Supreme Court today set aside an order passed by the Bombay High Court, which refused the Maharashtra Police a 90-day extension to complete its investigation and file chargesheet against lawyer Surendra Gadling and others accused of Maoist links in the aftermath of Bhima-Koregaon violence.Gadling will not be eligible for default bail now.The HC order, on Oct.24, had opened the window for Gadling, Nagpur University professor Shoma Sen,activists Sudhir Dhawale, Mahesh Raut and Rona Wilson to seek default bail. They were arrested on June 6 by Pune Police and a case was registered against them under the various provisions of UAPA and IPC.“The police started the investigation but could not complete the same. On Sept.3, 90 days were completed since the date of arrest of the respondents,”Maharashtra Govt petition filed through State counsel Nishant Katneshwarkar said.The petition argued that under Section 43-D (2) of UAPA Act, the trial court may, on the report of the public prosecutor, extend the detention of the accused for another 90 days. On Sept.2, the trial court had allowed an extension of 90 days, following which Gadling and the others moved the High Court, which set aside the trial court order. The HC however stayed its order till Nov.1 to give the State time to appeal the SC.The State Govt argued that the HC resorted to a “pedantic view rather than resorting to a pragmatic view”. The HC concluded that the report for the 90-day extension of detention was filed before the Sessions Judge by the case investigating officer instead of the public prosecutor as required by law. thehindu
Chhattisgarh: 2 ex-SC judges to head panels on press and illegal arrests
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/chhattisgarh-two-ex-sc-judges-to-head-panels-on-press-and-illegal-arrests-tribals-maoists-5581000/
New Delhi: The newly elected Congress Govt in Chhattisgarh is set to announce a commission headed by Justice AK Patnaik, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, to look into allegations of police excesses and illegal detention of those, including tribals, in the name of fighting Maoists. It will also announce a committee which will work towards drafting a Bill aimed at strengthening freedom of speech and expression for journalists in the state.Sources said that Justice Patnaik had given his “in-principle” approval for the one-man commission which will be assisted by local journalists, lawyers, police and civil society members.The commission’s findings are expected to form the basis for corrective action, including release of those wrongly accused or arrested.“In almost each case, along with some specific persons picked up and charged as Maoists, many unnamed persons, mainly tribals, are picked up and put behind bars for an indefinite time,” said an official. Sources said that often, with paucity of evidence, these cases collapse in courts but cause harassment and alienation of tribals.Justice Patnaik was most recently in the news over supervising the controversial CVC enquiry against ex-Director, CBI, Alok Verma. indianexpress
In letter to Chhattisgarh CM, minister alleges fake encounter
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/chhattisgarh-in-letter-to-cm-bhupesh-baghel-minister-alleges-fake-encounter-5581048/
Article 35A in SC:Separatists call for 2-day shutdown, state seeks adjournment till elected govt is in place
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/article-35-a-in-sc-separatists-call-for-two-day-shutdown-state-seeks-adjournment-till-elected-govt-is-in-place-5581084/
Srinagar:As the petition against the Article 35A is coming up in Supreme Court this week; the separatists have called for a complete 2 day shutdown across the state on Feb.13 and 14. The counsel for the state Govt has sought adjournment saying the “sensitive” matter should be heard when an “elected Govt is in place”.The joint separatist leadership, comprising of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Fraooq and Yasin Malik, has called for a shutdown on Wednesday and Thursday. “People of J&K will forcefully resist every challenge by New Delhi to change the demography of the State by rolling back hereditary state subject laws of 1927, being contested in the Supreme Court of India through their agents,” the joint separatist leadership said. “Late announcement and ambiguity over the dates of hearing of 35A and 370 by Supreme Court on 13 or 14 of February is worrisome, and indicates of mischief”.Calling it an “extremely critical issue of the very existence” of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the separatist leadership has warmed of mass agitation across the state if the special position of the state is tinkered with.The petition challenging Article 35A is listed in the SC between Feb.12 and 14. The state counsel Shoeb Alam has sought the adjournment of the case.indian express
Divisional status to Ladakh: Kargil residents continue protest against naming Leh as HQ
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/divisional-status-to-ladakh-kargil-residents-continue-protest-against-naming-leh-as-headquarters-5581043/
Srinagar :The temperature dropped to minus 17 degrees Celsius on Monday night, but that did not stop thousands of protestors from marching the streets of Kargil to prevent new Divisional Commissioner of Ladkah, Saugat Biswas, from entering the town.Jammu and Kashmir administration has conferred divisional status to Ladakh and making it the third province of the state. SRO also said Leh would be the divisional HQRS.This decision has not gone down well will the people of Kargil, who have demanded that the divisional headquarters be on a rotational basis biannually between Kargil and Leh.On Tuesday — the fourth day of the protest — Kargil observed a complete shutdown. indian express
JD(S) releases full audio tape purportedly involving its MLA, Yeddyurappa, 3 BJP men
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/jds-releases-full-audio-tapes-the-offer-was-20-crore/article26256841.ece?homepage=true
Bengaluru:In the wake of criticism that Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy,on Feb.8, released only edited excerpts of a purported conversation of BJP State chief BS Yeddyurappa trying to woo a JD(S) MLA,JD(S) today released an alleged entire recording of conversations, including excerpts,spanning 80 minutes. Sharanagouda, son of Gurumitkal JD(S) MLA Naganagouda, has claimed he met Yeddyurappa at Yadgir Circuit House on Feb.7 night and recorded the conversation. Yeddyurappa, who first denied meeting MLA, on Feb.10, accepted he met Sharanagouda that night and that the voice in the clip was his, but it was edited.Now the entire audio tape has been released to counter Yeddyurappa's rebuttal, sources said.In entire tape, purportedly Yeddyurappa, is heard speaking about the Speaker in the singular, how he has to accept resignations but hasn't spoken anything about paying Speaker.It is another person, purportedly BJP MLA Shivanagouda Nayak, who 'brought' Sharanagouda to Circuit House. He allegedly makes reference to Speaker being paid ₹50 crore during their conversation in the car. The tape includes a long conversation, after the purportedly Sharanagouda speaks to the purportedly Yeddyurappa, with men, purportedly Nayak, former journalist and advisor to Yeddyurappa MB Maramkal and Hassan MLA Preetam Gowda in a separate room.thehindu
NU Faculty, Students' Union Call Academic Council's Meeting on EWS Quota ‘Illegal’
https://www.news18.com/news/india/jnu-faculty-students-union-call-academic-councils-meeting-on-ews-quota-illegal-2034513.html
New Delhi: JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) and Students’ Union on Tuesday denounced the calling of an emergency meeting of Academic Council to discuss the adoption of 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS).JNU administration adopted the UGC’s notification on reservation for economically weaker sections for admission in Central Educational Institutions at 149th meeting of Academic Council (AC). The faculty and Students’ Union questioned the validity of such a meeting that violated clauses and made a "mockery of consultative process in academic matters". The democratically elected bodies of JNU accused administration of not respecting the university’s Act and statutes. As per the statements by both the bodies, the meeting was convened at 5.00pm through an email sent at 4:45pm.“Instead of rescheduling the meeting to a later date, as asked for by many members, and instead calling an AC meeting at a 15-minute notice, JNU admin.has once again revealed its utter contempt for all that makes a university,” JNUTA head Atul Sood and secretary Avinash Kumar said. News18
Efforts to revive Khalistan-linked terrorism in Punjab
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/efforts-to-revive-khalistan-linked-terrorism-in-punjab/articleshow/67958238.cms
New Delhi: NIA has registered seven terror-related cases in Punjab which were aimed at reviving the Khalistan-linked terrorism in the state, the Lok Sabha was informed Tuesday. Union minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir said NIA has registered 5 cases related to murder and two cases related to attempt to murder in Punjab during 2016-17."The objective of which was to destabilise the law and order situation in Punjab and to revive Khalistan linked terrorism in the state," he said, replying a written question.PTI
Anand Patwardhan says his documentary on Babri Masjid 'age-restricted on YouTube'
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/entertainment/377798-anand-patwardhan-says-his-documentary-on-babri-masjid-age-restricted-on-youtube
Renowned filmmaker Anand Patwardhan has said his National Award-winning documentary "Ram Ke Naam", based on the Babri Masjid demolition, has been age-restricted on YouTube. The director said the video sharing website is "catering to Hindutva goons who want to kill all secular content."1992 documentary explores the campaign waged by the Hindu-nationalist Vishva Hindu Parishad to build a Ram temple at the site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, as well as the communal violence that it triggered. The film had received a 'U' certificate from Central Bureau of Film Certification and was shown at prime time on DD after the High Court ordered its telecast in 1996.Devdiscourse News
‘Modi, Kodnani attended college events, why opposition to Mevani’
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/modi-kodnani-attended-college-events-why-opposition-to-mevani-mohanbhai-parmar-vice-principal-5581061/
Ahmedabad:Mohanbhai Parmar,44, in-charge vice-principal of HK Arts College, Ahmedabad, who resigned with in-charge principal Hemantkumar Shah on Monday, had been teaching as a faculty of Economics at the college since 2004.Hailing from Mota Goraiya village in Ahmedabad district,Parmar completed his Master’s degree from Gujarat Vidyapith.Speaking on the cancellation of permission for auditorium where Mevani was to speak, he says, “At the annual function, students of the college are awarded medals and prizes and Mevani.Being an alumnus who has risen from the grassroots, students would have got inspiration and motivation from him. But political leaders and a student party view him as a separatist.” Naming political leaders who have participated in the college events in the past, Parmar says,“Leaders like Ashok Bhatt (ex Speaker), Narendra Modi, Mayaben Kodnani (ex minister) and Haren Pathak (ex MP) have attended college events. So why opposition to Mevani’s visit now?”indian express
Hemantkumar Shah: From ‘loved child of RSS’ to fierce Modi critic
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/from-loved-child-of-rss-to-fierce-modi-critic-hemantkumar-shah-gujarat-college-mevani-event-5581062/
‘Want to see Modi become PM again’: Mulayam springs surprise in LS
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/want-to-see-modi-become-pm-again-mulayam-singh-yadav-springs-surprise-in-ls/story-2n3fkFnBSokXmFSsZBaREO.html
At a time when the entire opposition looks to corner the BJP-led Govt at the Centre, Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav has heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech on the last day of the current Lok Sabha. Yadav said he would like to see PM Modi re-elected to the office again.He said, “I want to congratulate the prime minister. The prime minister has taken efforts to take everyone along. I want all the members to get elected again and you (PM Modi) become the prime minister again.”Yadav’s comments have come at a time when his son and the Samajawadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav is trying to cobble up an opposition unity to defeat Modi Govt in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Under Akhilesh Yadav, SP buried its long rivalry with BSP to enter an alliance in a bid to challenge BJP in Uttar Pradesh, where the ruling party had won 71 of 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2014.HT
Today no one dares scare away anyone from Kairana: CM Yogi
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/meerut/today-no-one-dares-scare-away-anyone-from-kairana-cm-yogi/articleshow/67964221.cms
Muzaffarnagar: Barely months away from the 2019 General Elections, UP CM Yogi Adityanath raked up the Kairana exodus issue during his speech in the state assembly on Monday. Later in the evening, he also tweeted, “Today no one dares scare away anyone from Kairana and Kandhla. Govt has decided to install a PAC company between Kairana and Kandhla.” CM’s remarks came almost two years after the then BJP MP Hukum Singh had alleged that fear of Muslim criminals was driving Hindus out his constituency -- Kairana. Singh’s allegation, made in the run up to UP assembly elections held between February and March, 2017, became a major poll issue. However, in May 2018 bypolls necessitated by the death of Hukum Singh, UP got its first Muslim MP in Tabassum Hasan who beat, ironically, Mriganka Singh -- the daughter of the man who raised the exodus issue. Giving details of the PAC camp in Kairana, Shamli SP Ajay Kumar said, “To build PAC camp, 75-acre land has been identified. A firing range will also be built in the area.” SP added that a thousand PAC personnel will be deployed in the region to help maintain law and order whenever required. TOI
1985 anti-quota riots: Ahmedabad court acquits BJP corporator, 5 others in cop murder case
https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/1985-anti-quota-riots-ahmedabad-court-acquits-bjp-corporator-five-others-in-cop-murder-case-119021201314_1.html
Ahmedabad:5 persons,including a sitting BJP corporator, accused of murdering a police constable during 1985 anti-quota riots, were acquitted by a local court on Tuesday. Additional Sessions Judge AR Patel acquitted BJP corporator Mayur Dave, Vijay Shah, Kiran Shah, Dhruv Vyas and Madhukar Vyas for the lack of evidence.They were accused of killing constable Lakshman Desai in the city's Khadia locality after a stir against quota for OBC in Govt jobs and education turned violent.There were 11 accused in the case out of which 2 BJP leaders -- ex Gujarat minister Ashok Bhatt and ex Union minister Harin Pathak--were acquitted in 2006. Their acquittal was challenged by widow of deceased constable.Later the SC upheld their acquittal.IANS
Rajasthan introduces 5% quota bill for Gujjars, 4 other communities
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/rajasthan-introduces-bill-to-provide-5-quota-to-gujjars-four-other-communities/article26257166.ece?homepage=true
Rajasthan Govt today introduced a bill in the Assembly to give 5% quota in jobs and educational institutes for Gujjars and 4 other communities. Rajasthan Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutes in the State and of Appointments and Posts in Services under State) Amendment Bill, 2019, was presented by Energy Minister B.D. Kalla. Gujjars have been holding demonstrations since Friday across the State for quota. The bill seeks to increase backward classes’ reservation from the present 21% to 26% with 5% reservation for Gujjars, Banjaras,Gadia Lohars, Raikas and Gadaria.PTI
EWS quota won’t apply to Marathas:Fadnavis govt
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ews-quota-wont-apply-to-marathas-says-devendra-fadnavis-govt-5581055/
Mumbai:The dominant Maratha community in Maharashtra won’t benefit from 10 per cent quota in jobs and education announced by Centre for economically weaker sections(EWS) in general category. On Tuesday, a notification issued by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led general administration department regarding the implementation of the 10 per cent quota in Maharashtra made it clear that the reservation won’t be applicable to Maratha community.indian express
Upper caste family stalls baraat of Dalit groom in UP
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/upper-caste-family-stalls-baraat-of-dalit-groom-in-uttar-pradesh/articleshow/67968281.cms
Agra: Upper caste members of Musmuna village in Mathura stopped 'baraatis' (guests accompanying the bridegroom) of a local girl from Valmiki sub-caste from taking out the ceremonial procession. The incident took place on Sunday night when a Jatav groom, Mahesh Kumar from Peergarhi tappa village, was taking out his wedding procession to the bride Kajal's home in Musmuna village. The bride's family members, who were with baraatis noticed a tractor-trolley, which blocked the way to the venue, Bride's uncle, Vijyendra Singh told TOI, "We requested the Brahmin family to remove the tractor-trolley as it was blocking the way, but they did not listen to us. They used casteist slur and manhandled our family members". Then the bride's family called up UP 100. Following this, the members of Brahmin family removed the tractor-trolley, but a few youths from their family stopped the DJ from playing music. Singh said, "To save the situation baratis decided to go to the bride's house without the procession and music." TOI
Activists demand cancellation of bail of main accused in Mohsin Sk lynching case
http://twocircles.net/2019feb12/429157.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
Around 200 activists from different groups such as Muslim Manch, Jamiat Ulema Hind, Dalit Yuva Andolan and others protested in front of the Yeruda Jail, Pune demanding the cancelling of the bail of Dhananjay Desai, the main accused in the lynching of Mohsin Shaikh in 2014. They also submitted a petition to the DCP to re-arrest Dhananjay Desai.Desai had appealed for bail on January 17, 2019, in the Bombay High Court which was granted to him following which he was released on Feb.9, 2019.The court had granted Desai a conditional bail and had undertaken a statement from him that he will not make any public appearance or give speeches or run any organisations.No sooner had he come out his supporters and the members of Hindu Rashtra Sena (HRS) carried out a huge rally from the jail till his residence waving the saffron flag, bursting firecrackers and chanting “ Jai Shri Ram”.TwoCircles
Tribute to Shahid Azmi – the laywer who defended innocents
http://twocircles.net/2019feb12/429152.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29
Mumbai: A Shahid Azmi Memorial Lecture was organised at Marathi Patkar Sangh CST Mumbai by Innocence Network India on 11 Feb. the day Shahid Azmi was martyred.Justice Parrikar Retd.Judge Bombay High Court, who was the chief guest appreciated the work done by the legal cell of Jamiat Ulema represented by Adv Shahid Nadeem Ansari. Justice parrikar also called the ‘Bhopal encounter’ a fake one and requested all law abiding citizens to join the cause of fighting for justice.The memorial lecture was delivered by ADvocate Shahid Nadeem who spoke about the extensive work done by the legal cell and have so far defended 800 cases and succeeded in acquiting 180 innocent persons while 82 of them are on payroll. Advocate Shahid talking about the Bhopal encounters said the Justice Pandey commission report is one sided as it contains nothing but the police version of the alleged encounters of SIMI operatives.In 2010, Shahid Azmi was shot to death in his office in Kurla. TCN
10 students injured in Pulwama blast
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/10-students-injured-in-pulwama-blast/article26257412.ece?homepage=true
Srinagar :Around 10 students at a Islamic institution were injured in a mysterious blast on Wednesday in south Kashmir's Pulwama, 35 km away from Srinagar. Preliminary reports suggest a explosion was reported from Madrassa Falah-e-Milat located at Singoo Narbal Pulwama. The police have reached the spot. “We are investigating the nature of explosion,” said police.The injured have been shifted to a hospital.thehindu
Delhi Govt's move for going online: Mughal-era documents, property papers dating back to 1870
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/going-online-mughal-era-documents-property-papers-dating-back-to-1870-5578997/
New Delhi:From Feb.13, at least 60 lakh documents — including Mughal emperor Shah Alam II’s 19th Century farman, partition decrees, and property papers dating back to 1870 — will be available free of cost to the public,with launch of Delhi govt’s ‘e-abhilekh’ website.Touted as a “first-of-its-kind exercise in Asia”, the project, announced by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on August 31, 2017, is a work in progress, with an ambitious aim of digitising and uploading 4 crore documents over 30 months. These include 500 pages of the 41-day trial of poet-king Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1858.The budget for the project is Rs 29.46 crore.“This is our collective history… Delhi Govt is proud to put out this material in the public domain,” said Sisodia.At Delhi govt’s Department of Archives office, there are 26 scanners procured from Germany to digitise A2-sized documents, and 2 overhead scanners for A0-sized ones. A team of 150 works on the documents 5 days a week, nine hours a day. “While it’s very significant for students and scholars, it’s essentially a people’s archive, as they will have access to property documents dating back to 1870, and this can be used for legal purposes,” said Sanjay Garg, Archivist, Department of Archives.indianexpress
POCSO Case Against Kerala Imam Who Allegedly Sexually Abused Minor
https://www.thequint.com/news/india/pocso-case-against-kerala-imam-who-allegedly-sexually-abused-minor
A week after shocking incident where a 15-year-old girl was allegedly sexually abused by Kerala Imam Shafiq Al Qassimi in Thiruvananthapuram, a case has been registered against the latter.The case was registered at Vithura police station in Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, on Tuesday based on a complaint by Badusha, head of the Tholicode Muslim Mosque. This is the mosque where the accused had been chief Imam before the incident came to light. “We have not yet filed an FIR. We just received the complaint and hence have not updated the sections,” officers from Vithura police station said. The decision to file a complaint was taken after mosque members launched a probe into the incident to find out the truth. However, following the incident, the victim and the family refused to give their statements or file a complaint.The victim was initially in the care of Childline and was counselled and later shifted to a shelter home. She then rejoined her family who came to pick her up. Thequint
Hyderabad: Man from UP ties lemons to mosque wall
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/130219/man-from-up-ties-lemons-to-mosques-wall.html
Hyderabad: In an act that could have led to communal tension, a man named Amit Kumar, hailing from UP, tied lemons to the wall of the Masjid–e-Nazaria at Patigadda, Begumpet and also left a palm print (in red color).The police team located the man within 4 hours, while he was digging a pit at a temple.“With the things we found in the bag he was carrying, we could pin him with the offence and pulled him in for questioning. He was only responding to direct questions and was not able to comprehend properly otherwise,”added policeman, believing this was no planned conspiracy.Based on a complaint, cases were booked and placed him under arrest.“We will be running his prints in the national database on Wednesday. The case is still under investigation as we are not able to detect the motives behind the actions,” concluded Plice.Meanwhile, Telangana home minister Mehmood Ali took serious note of the incident.He said, “These kinds of acts by a mentally unstable or even a stable person will not be tolerated in Telangana. Vigilance of the people and police has helped us nab this culprit and the investigation going to be carried out to ascertain the facts.Deccan Chronicle
WORLD
In Moscow, Palestine factions slam US ‘Deal of Century’
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/in-moscow-palestine-factions-slam-us-deal-of-century-/1391303
Moscow:Leaders of all major Palestinian political groups say they will not accept a backchannel US plan, dubbed the “Deal of the Century”, to establish a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip.At a Wednesday press conference in Moscow, held following 3 days of discussions, representatives of 12 Palestinian factions were united in their rejection of the US plan, which, they say, would “lock the Palestinians up in the Gaza Strip and cut them off from the rest of the world”.Azzam al-Ahmad, Fatah’s representative at the talks, called the plan "a trap", saying: "If this scenario is carried out, even the sky over Palestine will be occupied".Al-Ahmad asserted: “US plan calls for a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip and in parts of Sinai Peninsula [in Egypt], but without borders with any other state but Israel.”Nor does the plan give the Palestinians their sought-for capital in East Jerusalem, he added.“With no airport and blocked in from all sides by Israel, Palestinians would be extremely dependent,” al-Ahmad said. “It would be like creating a Palestinian ghetto.”Leading Hamas member Mousa Abu Marzouk, for his part, slammed the US initiative as a “Zionist plot”.“We can't allow the Gaza Strip to be isolated,” he said. “We reject this American solution to the problem, which they refer to as the ‘Deal of the Century’."Anadolu
Hamas presents vision to solve Palestine crisis in Russia
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190213-hamas-presents-vision-to-solve-palestine-crisis-in-russia/
PA intelligence chief met Saudi officials to discuss ‘deal of the century’
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190213-pa-intelligence-chief-met-saudi-officials-to-discuss-deal-of-the-century/
Palestinian Authority (PA) Intelligence Chief Majed Faraj met senior Saudi officials on Monday evening to discuss US “deal of the century” and its implications. According to an Haaretz report yesterday, Palestinian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bassim Al-Agha, told WAFA that these discussions are meant to address what he would define as attempts to wipe out the Palestinian national issue .Faraj arrived in Saudi along with PA chief Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary General of the PLO Saeb Erekat and the PA Civil Affairs Minister, Hussein Al-Sheikh. The trio met with the Saudi King Salman Bin Abdel-Aziz and his son Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS). The PA officials wanted to make sure that the Kingdom’s position regarding the so-called “deal of the century” is consistent with that of the PA.middleeastmonitor
Warsaw summit ‘legitimizes’ Israeli violations: PLO
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/warsaw-summit-legitimizes-israeli-violations-plo/1391312
Jerusalem:The umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has decried a summit co-hosted by US and Poland as an attempt to “legitimize” Israeli violations against the Palestinians. "US, in cooperation with Polish Govt, is seeking to liquidate the Palestinian national project,” PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat said in a letter to foreign diplomats serving at the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) today.The summit “aims to bypass Arab peace initiative and give a chance to Israel to normalize relations with other countries in the region,” he said.Held in Warsaw on Feb. 13-14, US and Poland said the international ministerial meeting would discuss peace and security in the Middle East, and critical issues such as terrorism, missile development and proliferation.But recent remarks by senior US and Polish officials have led to speculations about an attempt to build an anti-Iran coalition.Anadolu
Venezuela's Guaido says he's working to restore ties with Israel
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/venezuela-guaido-working-restore-ties-israel-190213060829530.html
Juan Guaido, Venezuela's self-declared president, has said he's working to restore ties with Israel a decade after Venezuela severed relations with it in solidarity with the Palestinians.Guaido told Israel Hayom newspaper on Tuesday: "I am very happy to report that the process of stabilising relations with Israel is at its height.""First we'll restore the relations, then we'll announce the appointment of an ambassador to Israel, and we very much hope an envoy will come here from Israel," he said.Guaido, who is backed by the US, also said he was weighing whether to relocate Venezuela's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem."I will declare the resumption of ties and the site of the embassy at the proper time," he said.The status of Jerusalem is one of the biggest obstacles to a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem recognised as the capital of a future Palestinian state.aljazeera
Egypt court 'temporarily' removes nearly 300 people from terrorism list
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/325448/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt-court-temporarily-removes-nearly--people-fro.aspx
A top Egyptian appeals court has overturned an earlier court ruling placing 296 people, including leading members of the Muslim Brotherhood group, on a terrorism list.The decision in Aug. 2017 had added members and supporters of the once-ruling group to a terrorism list for 3 years. They faced violence-related charges including forming a military arm of Brotherhood, financing violence and targeting police, the army and judiciary in violent attacks. They include Mahmoud Ezzat, the Brotherhood's deputy supreme guide who fled Egypt in 2013 amid a govt crackdown on the group, and Ibrahim Mounir, the Brotherhood's secretary-general in London.The Court of Cassation ordered on Tuesday that the decision against all those involved in the case be re-heard by a lower criminal court after accepting appeals by 219 of the defendants.This means they will temporarily be removed from the list until court issues its decision, which the defendants can appeal later.Ahram
Saudi crown prince told top aide 'he will be untouched' despite Khashoggi murder
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-crown-prince-told-top-aide-he-will-be-untouched-despite-khashoggi-murder
Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, "will be untouched" and return to the royal court once the public furore over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi passes, the Wall Street Journal has reported.Meanwhile, Maher al-Mutreb, a senior intelligence officer and bodyguard for the crown prince, and Salah al-Tubaigy, a forensics expert who dismembered Khashoggi's body while listening to music, are among 5 Saudis who have been sentenced to death over the killing, two Saudi officials told the paper.Ahmed al-Assiri, the former deputy chief of intelligence, Moustafa Madani, an intelligence officer, and Thaar Ghaleb al-Harbi, another bodyguard, are also facing death sentences, according to same officials.After initially denying involvement, Saudi Govt admitted in late October that Khashoggi's murder was premeditated and Saudi public prosecutor launched a probe.11 people have been charged so far, but Saudi officials have not publicly released any names.middleeasteye
Tunisia: Former Ennahda PM to contest presidency
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190213-tunisia-former-ennahda-pm-to-contest-presidency/
Ex-Tunisian PM Hamadi Jebali is to contest the Tunisian presidency and stand in the upcoming legislative elections.Sources close to Jebali revealed that he is preparing to participate in the legislative elections, supporting those electoral lists which share the same intellectual and political visions as him.Speaking to Arabi21 on condition of anonymity, sources said that “Jebali’s political team advised him to participate in the parliamentary elections in order to win the support of the legislative institution to his reformist tendencies”.The sources added that “after deep quarrels, Jebali and his political team were eventually convinced about the importance of the legislative institution in a parliamentary system, which grants great powers to a Govt that comes as a result of alliances between the largest parliamentary blocs in parliament”.MEMO
Turkey orders arrest of 1112 people over links to Gulen
https://thewire.in/world/turkey-orders-arrest-of-1112-people-over-links-to-gulen
Turkey launched on Tuesday one of its largest operations against alleged supporters of the US-based Muslim cleric accused of leading an attempted coup in 2016, ordering the arrest of 1,112 people, state media reported. The operation, related to alleged cheating in police examinations, showed authorities were not letting up on their crackdown two-and-a-half years after rogue soldiers used warplanes, helicopters and tanks in a bid to seize power.More than 250 people were killed in the failed putsch, in which preacher Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of President Tayyip Erdogan, has denied involvement. So far 124 suspects have been detained in the operation launched by the Ankara chief prosecutor’s office and extending across 76 provinces, Anadolu said. It was not clear how many, if any, of the suspects were serving police officers.Reuters
US-led Middle East summit in Warsaw
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/led-middle-east-summit-warsaw-190212230343271.html
Warsaw:A US-led summit on peace and security in the Middle East will take place in Warsaw on Wednesday and Thursday.The meeting was first announced last month by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after his strongly worded anti-Iran speech in Cairo and has been widely perceived as an effort to rally world powers behind Washington's vision against Tehran. But the conference comes at a sensitive moment as European Union is trying to prop up JCPOA, the 2015 nuclear deal which was signed to prevent Tehran from building nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief. The US withdrew from the deal after President Donald Trump's May 2018 decision.Here are five things to know about the Warsaw summit, which has a cumbersome official title: Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East. aljazeera
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
'We Are in an Era Where the Media Has Itself Become a Threat to Democracy':Brijesh Singh
https://thewire.in/media/the-wire-hindi-two-years
Fake alert: No, 'Sanghi mob' did not lynch Muslim man in Assam's Karimganj, claims Times Fact Check
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/news/india/fake-alert-no-sanghi-mob-did-not-lynch-muslim-man-in-assams-karimganj/articleshow/67963347.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
‘Mob lynchings are the new communal riots’: Lynch Files author Ziya Us Salam :Saurav Datta
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/ziya-us-salam-lynchings-are-the-new-communal-riots?fbclid=IwAR0axhoTIN_sl2B87bHbBdqyap_BL9yVLnpSvlU3_wqmHyNG57CYmU_WgEg
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 6:17 PM)
Posts
0 comments:
Post a comment