NEWS DIGEST, EVENING
16 Sept. 2019: 16 Muharram 1441: Vol: 12, No: 14
INDIA
Ex-CM Farooq Abdullah slapped with PSA, may remain under detention for two years or longer
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/farooq-abdullah-slapped-with-psa-may-remain-under-detention-for-two-years-or-longer-5999422/
New Delhi:Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah has been slapped with the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) for being a “threat to public order” and may now remain under detention for one year or longer. Abdullah, along with all key politicians of Jammu and Kashmir, was till yesterday under preventive detention. He has been under house arrest at his residence on Gupkar Road in Srinagar since first week of August when abrogation of Article 370 was announced.Sources in Kashmir said Abdullah’s detention–which was an unofficial house arrest until now– was converted as under PSA. An order to this effect was issued by the government late on Sunday night. Interestingly, the Advisory Board, which has a six week period to confirm the government order, ratified it the same evening the government issued the orders.“Farooq Saab has been detained at his residence by Home department under PSA and his house has been declared as Subsidiary Jail. He will continue to stay in his house though. There is no bar on him meeting relatives and friends who visit him. Advisory Board of Home department approved his detention under PSA yesterday, ” a Kashmir administration source said.The development comes after a habeas corpus petition filed in the Supreme Court by MDMK leader Vaiko for Abdullah’s production. Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to Centre and the state administration on the petition.
PM Modi met Farooq Abdullah, now he is a threat? Owaisi slams Centre’s decision
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/asaduddin-owaisi-farooq-abdullah-psa-kashmir-6000752/
New Delhi :Slamming the central government over its decision to arrest former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah under the stringent PSA, Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that how anyone who had met Prime Minister Modi a day before Kashmir’s special status was withdrawn can be a threat now.“I condemn the application of the draconian PSA against Farooq Abdullah. How can he be a threat if the Prime Minister himself met him a day before the abrogation of #Article370,” Owaisi said in a tweet.indianexpress
SC directs Centre, J&K to restore normalcy keeping in mind national interest
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-communication-blackout-anuradha-bhasin-petition-supreme-court-5998998/
New Delhi :The Supreme Court Monday directed the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government to restore normalcy in the state keeping in mind the ‘national interest’.The Court was hearing a petition by Kashmir Times Executive Editor Anuradha Bhasin who said she was not able to publish her newspaper from Srinagar as communication was “crippled” after the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370. Bhasin had said that even a month after the restrictions were imposed, she was still facing difficulties.A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer said as the shutdown is in the Valley itself, it can be dealt with by the Jammu and Kasmir High Court. The top court also issued a notice to the Centre and state on Bhasin’s plea.Opposing Bhasin’s submissions, the Centre has contented that all Kashmir-based newspapers are running and the government has been offering all kinds of assistance to journalists in the state.“Media passes are given for access to restricted areas and journalists are given access to phones and Internet,” adding that “TV channels like Doordarshan and others private ones, as well as FM networks are also working.”The top court was hearing a bunch of petitions regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the Centre revoking the special status granted to it under Article 370 of the Constitution.The court granted permission to Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to visit Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramullah and Jammu districts to enquire about the well being of his family members. In a separate plea, the top court issued notice to Centre on the detention of former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah. CJI Ranjan Gogoi said he will visit Srinagar himself if necessary after a petition put forth allegations of inaccessibility of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
CJI Ranjan Gogoi to visit Srinagar ‘if necessary’
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/supreme-court-ranjan-gogoi-kashmir-petitions-article-370-5999130/
J&K govt restricts access to media facilitation centre in Srinagar; withdrawn later
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jk-govt-restricts-access-to-media-facilitation-centre-in-srinagar-kashmir-5999282/
Srinagar :In a surprise move, the department of Information and Public Relation in Jammu-Kashmir Monday restricted access for journalists, including members of the foreign press, to the Media Facilitation Centre (MFC) setup in Sarovar Portico hotel in Srinagar. Only journalists accredited by the state government are being allowed into the centre. The move was later withdrawn following the intervention of Kashmir Press Club and senior journalists. Director, Information, J&K, Sherish Asgar said: “Yes, we have done this following some complaints of misuse.”Security officials deputed at the MFC told Indian Express that they have received instructions from the government to allow only those journalists who are accredited with the government of Jammu and Kashmir. “We have been given a list of names and only those journalist will be allowed,” said an official.In the morning, entry for all non- accredited journalists, including journalists from New Delhi, was restricted. A non-local journalist working for a national television channel showed his PIB card to the security officials at MFC, but he was not allowed to enter.Indian Express
J&K Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ghulam Nabi Gundana passes away, curfew in J&K's Kishtwar town
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2019/sep/15/jamaat-e-islami-leader-ghulam-nabi-gundana-passes-away-curfew-in-jks-kishtwar-town-2034093.html
JAMMU: Prominent leader of J&K Jamaat-e-Islami Ghulam Nabi Gundana passed away at a hospital in Punjab on Sunday after prolonged illness, following which curfew was imposed in his hometown in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district as a precautionary measure, officials said.He was 70.Gundana, who was a retired government teacher, had undergone a surgery and was spared arrest during a major crackdown on the JeI leadership on March 2.He was also affiliated to the Hurriyat Conference.The senior JeI member was placed under house arrest, while his three of his close associates were arrested during the crackdown.Soon after the news of Gundana's death reached Kishtwar, the Jamia Masjid management announced shutdown on Monday as a mark of respect, they said.It has asked people to join his funeral prayers at Chowgan, a vast field in the heart of the town, at 11 am, the officials said. Gundana is survived by a wife and five sons.PTI
Supreme Court asks its Registry if live streaming of Babri Masjid case possible
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/supreme-court-asks-its-registry-if-live-streaming-of-ayodhya-case-possible-5999812/
The Supreme Court asked its Registry on Monday to inform it whether live streaming of the ongoing hearing in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri masjid land dispute case was possible.A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also asked the Registry to apprise it as to how much time it would take to do so, if possible.“Registry to inform if live streaming can be done and how much time it will take to do so,” said the bench also comprising justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer.Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for former RSS ideologue K N Govindacharya, said the petitioners have faith in the apex court but many petitioners in this case cannot come to the court to take part in the hearing on daily basis.Since they they cannot watch proceedings here, live proceedings will help them to know about details of hearing, Singh said.After the bench passed the order, Singh sought to know from the bench about the deadline of the report from Registry.The bench, however, said it depends on Registry.Govindacharya, in his plea filed through lawyer Virag Gupta, has said that if live telecast of the Ayodhya case proceedings was not possible then at least, audio recording or transcription of hearing should be done.PTI
Babri Masjid case: Parties want talks to resume, mediation panel tells Supreme Court
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ayodhya-title-dispute-sunni-waqf-board-nirvani-akhara-want-talks-to-resume/article29429126.ece?homepage=true
The Ayodhya mediation committee on Monday filed a short memorandum informing the Supreme Court that parties across the Hindu-Muslim religious divide have approached it with a request to resume talks to amicably resolve the over 70-year-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute.The memorandum said the parties have suggested that the mediation could continue even as the Supreme Court continues to hear the Ayodhya dispute appeals.A source confirmed that both the Sunni Waqf Board and the Nirvani Akhara have expressed willingness to continue with talks to amicably resolve the over 70-year-old title dispute between Hindu and Muslim factions.The parties have suggested to the mediators — former Supreme Court judge F.M.I. Kalifulla, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu — that talks should resume from the point where it was abruptly dropped off at the last minute on July 29, due to resistance from certain blocks across the religious divide, causing heartburn among some other stakeholders.thehindu
Collegium Ready With Decision on Justice Akil Kureshi's Elevation: SC
https://thewire.in/law/collegium-ready-with-decision-on-justice-akil-kureshis-elevation-sc
New Delhi The Supreme Court on Monday said the Collegium has taken a decision on the elevation of Justice Akil Kureshi as the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh high court. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi said that the decision of the Collegium will be uploaded on the apex court’s website soon.PTI
5% GDP growth in first quarter a ‘surprise’:RBI Governor
https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/5-gdp-growth-in-first-quarter-a-surprise-rbi-governor-das-6000704/
New Delhi:RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das expressed concern over the first quarter GDP numbers in the ongoing fiscal, which was pegged at 5 per cent, terming it as a “surprise”. However, the RBI governor said he was confident that the economy would recover following the host of measures undertaken by the government.The RBI Governor said the numbers looked much worse because the central bank had projected the GDP to grow at 5.8 per cent. “I think almost everybody had projected not below 5.5 per cent or so, but the number 5 per cent is a surprise,” he told PTI.Das further said that the second-quarter growth of all advanced economies was lower than the first quarter so there was a deceleration.In the face of an economic downturn, the RBI Governor said the central banking institution had been cutting rates in the past few months. RBI slashed benchmark interest rate four times consecutively since January 2019. The central bank reduced the repo (short term lending) rate by 1.10 percentage points during the year.“I think with the right measures taken, things should improve. It’s a positive trend that the government is responding very fast and I don’t think we have heard the last from the government with regard to dealing with the current economic situation … My expectation is that it will be a continuous process and they would definitely be dealing with other challenges,” Das said.Among a slew of measures announced by the government in three dosages, one was a special window for real estate, export incentives, bank consolidation and sops for MSMEs and the automobile sector, which is one of the worst affected entities by the slowdown.indianexpress
Kartarpur Corridor to be opened for Indian pilgrims on November 9: Pakistan
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kartarpur-corridor-to-open-for-indian-pilgrims-on-november-9-pakistan-6000558/
New Delhi :Pakistan Monday said it would open the Kartarpur corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims on November 9, three days before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, PTI reported. The announcement comes amid heightened tensions between the neighbours after India removed special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.Addressing journalists visiting the proposed Kartarpur corridor in Narowal, some 125 km from Lahore, Project Director Atif Majid said 86 per cent of the work on the corridor had been done so far and it would be completed by next month.Talking about the facilities, Majid said, “About 76 immigration counters have been set up to cater to 5,000 Sikh pilgrims from India every day.” He also said the number of counters would be increased later as the pilgrim count was expected to touch 10,000.The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Punjab and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims, who will have to just obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib.indianexpress
Uttar Pradesh honour killing: Dalit burnt alive
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/uttar-pradesh-honour-killing-dalit-burnt-alive-6000159/
Hardoi :A 20-year-old Dalit man was allegedly burnt alive over his relationship with a woman from another caste, a killing that his relatives said also led to his mother’s death.According to the police, the suspected case of honour killing occurred at Bhadesa area of Hardoi district on Saturday.Abhishek alias Monu was beaten up, kept hostage in a house and set ablaze, Superintendent of Police Alok Priyadarshi said.Locals who rushed to the spot on hearing his cries and took him to a local hospital. He was referred to a Lucknow hospital but succumbed to injuries on the way on Sunday, the SP said.PTI
Muslims who hesitate to vote for BJP are traitors and support Pakistan, says Karnataka minister
https://scroll.in/latest/937515/muslims-who-hesitate-to-vote-for-bjp-are-traitors-and-support-pakistan-says-karnataka-minister
Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa has said Muslims who hesitate to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party are traitors and support Pakistan, ANI reported on Monday.“A rashtra bhakta [patriotic] Muslim will vote for the BJP, and those who are pro Pakistan and rashtra drohis [traitors] will hesitate to vote for the BJP,” Eshwarappa said at a public meeting in Bengaluru on Sunday.He also compared Congress MLAs with eunuchs. “Before our government came to power, a few Congress MLAs showed their interest in joining the BJP,” the minister claimed. “But they were afraid of losing the elections, as 50,000 Muslims would not vote for them. This is a kind of hijada [eunuch] behaviour.” He added that right-wing oufits’ dream of “Akhanda Bharat” was not getting fulfilled because a certain section of politicians fears losing Muslim votes, reported FirstPost.scroll
WORLD
Israeli Lawmakers Approve Netanyahu's Jordan Valley Annexation Plan
https://thewire.in/world/israeli-lawmakers-approve-netanyahus-jordan-valley-annexation-plan
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government legalised a new settlement in the West Bank on Sunday, following the final meeting of his Cabinet ahead of Israel’s general elections on Tuesday.“The final approval will, of course, be given with the formation of the new government,” Israeli daily Haaretz quoted Netanyahu as saying at the meeting, which took place in the remote settlement called Mevo’ot Yeriho.Mevo’ot Yeriho was founded as an agricultural settlement in 1999 on the outskirts of the Palestinian city of Jericho in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley. Around 30 families live there.The international community and the Palestinians consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal, but Israel makes a distinction between “official” and “unofficial” settlements.DW
UK MPs warn Israel is becoming an apartheid state
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190916-uk-mps-warn-israel-is-becoming-an-apartheid-state/
Some 113 British members of parliament have warned that Israel is in danger of becoming an apartheid state. The bleak assessment was made in a letter sent by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Britain and Palestine to Prime Minister Boris Johnson in which they expressed their “outrage” over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement last week that he plans to annex the Jordan Valley and large swathes of the occupied West Bank if he wins tomorrow’s election.Reminding Johnson of the stark warning he himself issued to Israel during his short spell as Foreign Secretary in 2017 when he said: “What we are saying is that you have to have a two-state solution or else you have a kind of apartheid system,” the cross party group of parliamentarians stated that “tragically Prime Minister Netanyahu has chosen the latter, whereby in one territory one people enjoy full rights, and the other does not.”“This is an existential threat to the solution of two states with equal rights,” said the MPs in the letter, which was sent last week but only came to light over the weekend. They noted that the annexation of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley as well as the construction of illegal settlement were a “grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention.” middleeastmonitor
Tunisia presidential vote: Outsiders claim lead in first round
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/outsiders-claim-lead-tunisia-presidential-poll-190916000000451.html
Two anti-establishment candidates claimed the lead in the first round of Tunisia's presidential election on Sunday, in a poll focused on high unemployment and a surge in the cost of living.Twenty-four candidates were standing in the election, the second since longtime ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was removed in the 2011 revolution.But in a sign of voter apathy, especially among the young, the elections commission (ISIE) reported turnout was only 45 percent, down from 64 percent recorded in the first round in 2014. Kais Said, a 61-year-old law professor and expert on constitutional affairs who ran a low-key campaign as an independent, claimed to be in the lead for the runoff. He finished "first in the first round", he said, citing exit polls in advance of preliminary results, which are expected to be announced on Tuesday.There was also an upbeat atmosphere at the party headquarters of media mogul Nabil Karoui, who is behind bars being under investigation for money laundering, as hundreds of supporters celebrated after he also claimed to have reached the second round.Candidates must secure 50 percent of the vote to win outright, but if none of the hopefuls obtains a majority the two with the most votes will advance to the decisive runoff. The date of the second and final round has not been announced, but it must happen by October 23 at the latest and may even take place on the same day as legislative polls, slated for October 6. aljazeera
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq,(Released at: 9:27 PM)
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