NEWS DIGEST, EVENING
02 SEPT. 2019: 02 MUHARRAM 1441: Vol: 12, No: 02
INDIAN ECONOMY
Growth of 8 core sectors at 2.1% in July, down from 7.3% last year: Govt data
https://indianexpress.com/article/business/economy/growth-of-eight-core-sectors-slows-down-to-2-1-in-july-govt-data-5959413/
New Delhi : Growth of 8 core industries slowed down to 2.1% in July as against 7.3 % in same month last year, according to a Govt data released Monday.The official data cited the dip in growth due to a contraction in coal, crude oil, natural gas and refinery products, PTI reported.8 core sector industries – coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity – had expanded by 7.3% in July last year. According to the data, output of coal, crude oil, natural gas and refinery products recorded negative growth in July. During April-July, the eight sectors grew by 3% compared to 5.9% in the same period previous year.The data comes at the backdrop of a weak GDP growth rate. Weak manufacturing and consumption numbers has dragged the country’s GDP growth to a 25-quarter low of 5% in first quarter (April-June) of current fiscal, data released byNational Statistical Office showed. INDIAN EXPRESS
Manufacturing growth at 15-month low in Aug: PMI
https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/india-manufacturing-growth-at-15-month-low-in-august-says-pmi-survey-1594579-2019-09-02
Bengaluru:Expansion in India’s manufacturing sector hit its slowest in 15 months in August as demand and output grew at their weakest pace in a year and cost pressures increased, a private sector survey showed on Monday.The survey comes after official figures showed India’s economy grew at an annual rate of 5.0% last quarter, its slowest in more than 6 years and significantly weaker than 5.7% in a Reuters poll.Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index INPMI=ECI, compiled by IHS Markit, declined to 51.4 in Aug from July’s 52.5, its weakest since May 2018. However, it has remained above 50-mark separating growth from contraction for more than two years.August saw an undesirable combination of slowing economic growth and greater cost inflationary pressures in the Indian manufacturing industry, Pollyanna De Lima, principal economist at IHS Markit, said.The sub-index tracking overall demand hit its weakest in more than a year and foreign orders increased at their slowest pace in 16 months.Reuters
Forget US Dollar, Indian Rupee loses against Bangladeshi Taka now
https://www.newsx.com/national/forget-us-dollar-indian-rupee-loses-against-bangladeshi-taka-now.html
Indian Rupee loses against Bangladeshi Taka now: After the first half of 2019, Indian Rupee seems to have lost value against the Bangladeshi Taka, reports said. Earlier in the day, the exchange price of 1 Bangladeshi Taka was 1.18 rupee (1 Taka = 1.18 rupees). Similarly, 1 Bangladeshi Taka equalled to 1.86 Pakistani Rupee (1 Taka=1.86 Pakistani Rupee). Which means Bangladeshi Taka is trading stronger than both the Indian and Pakistani Rupee. If we go by the reports, Bangladeshi Taka had performed best against Indian Rupee before 2004 and after 2014.The fall in the rupee came at a time when the country’s economy grew at its slowest pace in over 6 years in the June quarter due to a sharp deceleration in consumer demand and tepid investment. GDP of the country grew 5 % in the first quarter of FY20 while GDP growth was 8 % in the year-earlier quarter and 5.8 % in the preceding one, data released by the Govt said. Though economists have opined that the global recession will not have a cascading impact on the Indian economy, the weakening of Ruppe against Taka has sounded alarm bells. The devaluation of Rupee will immensely benefit Bangladesh while Indian businessmen will incur heavy financial losses which means the exports from India will be cheaper and the imports from Bangladesh will be costlier for us. NewsX
Manmohan Singh a great support during 2008 financial crisis: Obama
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/manmohan-singh-a-great-support-during-2008-financial-crisis-says-barack-obama-1782408
New Delhi: At a time when Manmohan Singh is under attack from the ruling BJP, former US President Barack Obama on Friday praised the former PM saying he was a great support in the aftermath of 2008 financial crisis." Singh was the primary partner while we were working during the financial meltdown (of 2008)," bama said at HT Leadership Summit, admiring a "great" friend who laid the foundations of modern Indian economy. He also praised PM Narendra Modi for his efforts to modernise Indian bureaucracy. But he quickly said how he admired Dr Singh with whom he shared a friendly relationship."I was also great friends with Singh...When you look at the steps Singh took to modernising the economy, it was the foundation for modernising Indian economy."IANS
RSS’ labour wing opposes bank merger, says govt hasn’t learnt from earlier mistakes
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rss-labour-wing-opposes-bank-merger-says-govt-hasn-t-learnt-from-earlier-mistakes/story-wjpEYfNogJgqr0F71xzQMI.html?fbclid=IwAR2ln5TnAh2WkqrGsGEBC53ha_03K5R7I7gcKCKEszvMSdsr9s0KaaJAV2A
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), labour wing of RSS has criticised the bank merger plan announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying it was done without any study and it will only protect interests of corporate houses.“No serious study was done in this. It seems the Govt has not learned lessons from earlier mistakes. There will be dislocation and retrenchment of employees. Decision like this will only help corporate bodies,” BMS’ all-India president Saji Narayanan said.He said BMS will support the agitation being planned by United Front of Banking Unions. BMS is considered as the largest trade union in country in terms of members and presence.On Friday Union Finance Minister had announced merger of 6 public sector banks with 4 better-performing anchor banks in a move to boost India’s ambition of achieving a $5 trillion economy. Narayanan said after 2008 global meltdown many experts in US had said big banks create bigger shocks and warned against big merger plans.“With 130 crore population decentralized banking is most appropriate for the country. In 2008, India was least affected because of this. BMS chief said the Govt’s latest decision will add to the misery of the economy. HT
NRC ASSAM FINAL LIST
NRC-excluded won't be 'stateless,' will have all rights till they exhaust legal remedies: MEA
https://thewire.in/external-affairs/nrc-excluded-wont-be-stateless-will-have-all-rights-till-they-exhaust-legal-remedies-mea
New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs has claimed that no person excluded from NRC will become “stateless” or a “foreigner” and neither will they be detained till “they have exhausted all the remedies available under the law”. It also claimed that the NRC process “leaves no room for bias and injustice”.This was the first time that Indian foreign ministry had issued a detailed statement on the NRC. Earlier in August, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar had said in Dhaka that NRC process was an “internal issue” of India.In his own words, MEA spokesperson said that the statement was a result of the “commentaries in sections of the foreign media about aspects of the final NRC, which are incorrect”.A day later, Kumar said that “exclusion from NRC has no implication on the rights of an individual resident in Assam”.“For those who are not in the final list will not be detained and will continue to enjoy all the rights as before till they have exhausted all the remedies available under the law,” he stated.MEA spokesperson asserted that excluded person will not be “stateless” or a “Foreigner, within the legal meaning of the term”. “They will not be deprived of any rights or entitlements which they have not enjoyed before,”he added.He also asserted that NRC is “not an executive-driven process”. “The process is being monitored by the Supreme Court directly and the Govt is acting in accordance with the directives issued by the court. The apex court of the land has itself set the deadlines for all steps that have been taken so far,” said Kumar.Describing the method used to list citizens as “fair” and based on “scientific methods”, Kumar defended NRC process as “non-discriminatory” that “leaves no room for bias and injustice”.The Wire
Assam to move SC for NRC reverification in select districts
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/assam-to-move-supreme-court-for-nrc-reverification-in-select-districts/article29316468.ece?homepage=true
Assam Govt and the ruling BJP in the State have termed the finalisation of NRC list there as a “mixed bag” with concerns being raised over several “technical flaws” in the process that may have caused exclusion of Bengali Hindu refugees who had crossed over to Assam before 1971.Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the State Govt would approach the Supreme Court again for a reverification process, on a pilot basis, in a couple of districts to try and address the anomalies.“NRC authority has registered many cases where documents were questionable after which we asked for a reverification of 20% of the cases in border districts and 10% in other districts as we found that in border areas, where populations were high, deletions were low, whereas in tribal areas deletions were higher in proportion. The SC denied that request. We will go back again to the SC and ask that at least in 2 districts, on a pilot basis, reverification should happen,” he said. According to him, the outcome saw 2 kinds of people among a total of over 19 lakh exclusions: “Bengali Hindu refugees who had come over before 1971 and others who had issues with their documentation.” He said there were “technical flaws in NRC exercise as many NRC officials did not recognise refugee certification issued before 1971, as a result of which many Bengali Hindus remained outside the list.”He said he was also concerned with the over 3 lakh people who did not appeal against their exclusion when the draft NRC had come out earlier. “There are lakhs who did not reapply. Unless you update NRC nationally, we will not know the net result of illegal immigrants across the country,” he said. The hindu
Across Assam, chorus rises among MLAs: NRC is faulty, many genuine citizens out
https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/assam-nrc-mlas-faulty-genuine-citizens-out-5957268/
No one came to india after 1971:Bangladesh HM after Himanta Sarma's 'take people back' remark
https://www.news18.com/news/india/post-sarmas-approach-bangladesh-with-nrc-list-comment-hm-says-no-one-from-his-country-came-to-india-after-1971-2292925.html
Kolkata: Hours after Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that ‘friend’ Bangladesh would be approached to take back its people following the declaration of updated final list of NRC, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has claimed that as far he is aware of, no one from his country had moved to Indian after 1971. Khan said, “Yes, I am aware of NRC list being declared in Assam. It is purely an internal matter of India and we have nothing to do with it.”On Saturday, Sarma, convenor of NDA's NEDA, said, “Bangladesh is a friend to India and they are cooperating with us. They are frequently taking back their people when we have presented cases of illegal immigration. The number has not been high, but now we will have a process to identify them.”When asked about Sarma’s statement, Khan said, “Bangladesh has nothing to do with NRC. I repeat, it is India’s internal matter. I don’t know who said what in this matter. Let India inform us officially, then we will respond. All I can say is that no one from Bangladesh went to India after 1971. It may be possible that they settled (mainly Bengalis) in Assam from various parts of India itself, but not Bangladesh.” “India is our friend, but as far as NRC is concerned, I can say that no one from Bangaldesh went to India after 1971. I don’t think that the Indian Govt will push anyone towards Bangladesh,” he added.News18
Jamaat Islami Hind expresses grave apprehension over entire NRC process
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=sep0219/at056
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has expressed grave apprehension over the entire NRC process in Assam and voiced concern over the fact that nearly two million people have been excluded from the final list.JIH’s community affairs secretary Malik Mohtasim Khan said they appreciate that the process was carried out under the supervision of the Supreme Court. Had it not been the case then the number of people excluded from the final list would have been much bigger, he said.Khan stated that the entire NRC process is politically motivated. While BJP, Congress and Assamese regional parties are opposing the NRC result, the fascist forces are trying to communalise NRC issue, he said.“ We appeal to all justice loving people of India to help the people of Assam. We oppose extending NRC process to other parts of the country,” he added. Assam Tribune
Muslim groups wary of NRC,point to procedural lapses
https://caravandaily.com/muslim-groups-wary-of-nrc-final-list-point-to-procedural-lapses/
'I am also an outsider as my father lived in Bangladesh': Cong leader on Manoj Tiwari's demand of Delhi NRC
https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-i-am-also-an-outsider-as-my-father-lived-in-bangladesh-adhir-ranjan-chowdhury-on-manoj-tiwari-s-demand-of-delhi-nrc-2786405?fbclid=IwAR2sBti30jDc50nKNg8AEnLReikqDuWbfaVvV5d4zYRgeNYkybGZDwXD9eQ
Miffed at the final list of NRC in Assam that excluded over 19 lakh people, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that Govt should conduct NRC without any bias and no genuine citizen should be left out. After the senior Congress leaders met at 10 Janpath on the final NRC list, Adhir said Govt failed to properly handle NRC in Assam.Chowdhury also took a dig at BJP MP Manoj Tiwari who demanded that NRC in Delhi as the "illegal immigrants who have settled here are dangerous. "With polls around the corner, Tiwari said that having NRC-like exercise in Delhi will be part of party's election manifesto as well.Commenting on Delhi BJP chief's demand, Chowdhury, who is also the leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, said BJP should also conduct NRC in Parliament."The country belongs to them, they should conduct NRC wherever they wish to. They were not able to handle Assam NRC, they may go to other states also. They should conduct NRC in Parliament also," Chowdhury said. Earlier, senior Congress leaders held a meeting at the residence of interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi to discuss the NRC issue. dnaindia
NRC should be implemented in Aligarh:BJP MP
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/nrc-should-be-implemented-in-aligarh-says-bjp-mp-satish-gautam/articleshow/70936541.cms
A day after the release of final NRC in Assam, Aligarh MP Satish Gautam said that it should be implemented in UP's Aligarh too, as illegal migrants were "vitiating" the atmosphere of the communally sensitive city. He said that illegal migrants especially Rohingyas, who have settled here and work in slaughter houses, should be removed as they are dangerous for the city. He accused them of indulging in criminal activities. Supporting the MP’s view, BJP MLA Dalveer Singh, said the removal of Bangladeshi and other illegal migrants from Aligarh is very important. He said, "I will talk to the CM regarding this". The list of such people has been prepared by the district authorities, he claimed. TOI
J&K ISSUE
EU backs Kashmir solution by bilateral dialogue
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/eu-backs-kashmir-solution-through-bilateral-dialogue-5957093/
European Union has mentioned that the Kashmir issue needs to be resolved through bilateral discussions between India and Pakistan.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday met European Commission’s Vice-President Federica Mogherini, who is also High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in Brussels to discuss the situation in Kashmir. Jaishankar debriefed Mogherini on the “state of play and on the security situation”, a statement issued by EU mentioned. It also stated that the “High Representative reaffirmed the EU’s support to a peaceful solution to crisis in Kashmir through bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan”.Mogherini “reiterated the call to avoid an escalation of tensions and stressed the importance of steps to restore rights and freedoms of the population in Kashmir,” the statement said.indianexpress
Kashmir row rocks Maldives Parliament: Heated arguments between India, Pakistan delegates
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-pakistan-maldives-parliament-summit-argument-jammu-and-kashmir-article-370-5956798/
New Delhi :The ongoing standoff between India and Pakistan spilled over to Maldives Parliament on Sunday after Islamabad tried to raise the issue of abrogation of Article 370 in J&K.The exchange of words took place at 4th South Asian Speakers’ Summit in Maldives between Pakistan’s Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Suri, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh and Pakistan Senator Quratulain Marri. Besides trio, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was also present at the event.As per a video released by raajje.mv, the argument kicked off after Qasim Suri said that one cannot overlook the atrocities meted upon Kashmiris.A point of order was immediately raised by India and a strong rebuttal was given by Harviansh Singh. “We strongly object to raising the internal issue of India here and we also reject the politicisation of this forum by raising issues which are extraneous to the theme of this summit,” he said. Indianexpress
Govt: 93% of Jammu, Ladakh free from restrictions
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-and-kashmir-rohit-kansal-bifurcation-article-370-ladakh-5959489/
New Delhi:J&KPrincipal Secretary Rohit Kansal said Monday that 93% of restrictions had been lifted from Jammu and Ladakh and stated that mobile services had also been restored in all 10 districts of Jammu.Cellular services in the region were totally suspended in 5 of the 10 districts of Jammu region on August 5.On Kashmir, Kansal said although primary and secondary schools had been functional, attendance was still low in some of the areas of the Valley. “Attendance in schools still low in some areas of Valley. However, all essential supplies to the Valley are being supplied continuously,” Kansal said.“Public transport is returning on the road in Jammu and Ladakh. Landlines and mobile services have been made functional. The national highway continues to be normal,” Kansal further said.indianexpress
Omar Abdullah sports ‘an unkempt beard’; family members find Mehbooba Mufti ‘agitated’
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kashmir-detentions-omar-abdullah-sports-an-unkempt-beard-family-members-find-mehbooba-mufti-agitated/article29316574.ece?homepage=true
Srinagar: Former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti has turned “agitated” and Omar Abdullah sports “an unkempt beard” with personal DVDs as the only source of entertainment under arrest Srinagar, according to family members who were allowed to meet them for the first time this week. J&K authorities have started following the jail manuals to allow relatives, lawyers and friends to meet all 45 detained leaders of NC, PDP, PC and J&K Peoples Movement. At least 42 mainstream leaders have been detained inside the Centaur Hotel, located on the banks of the lake, since the August 5 decision to revoke J&K’s special status.NC vice-president Omar Abdullah is being held inside Hari Niwas on Gupkar Road. Family sources said a request of Farooq to meet junior Abdullah was declined by authorities earlier.However, Abdullah’s sister Safiya Khan and her children met him on Saturday, 2nd time since Monday.“It took them a while to recognise Abdullah, who was sporting an untrimmed white beard,” family sources said.Abdullah is allowed to run for an hour in the morning and has access to his personal DVDs from the first week. However, he stays put inside all day and rarely comes out, official sources said. PDP president Mehbooba is inside a single-storey guest-house at Chasmashahi at the foot of the Zabarwan Hills. It was used to detain Hurriyat leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Geelani in the past.thehindu
'We risk everything': Reporting Kashmir amid lockdown, harassment
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/risk-reporting-kashmir-lockdown-harassment-190830075931481.html?fbclid=IwAR1n9TEvwrUX5ESI-7wDEy8UqilH9j1eToKplvGU2eVvSjstNPTZ-XRuYGQ
Srinagar:As the crippling lockdown in Kashmir nears a month, journalists in the region complain of harassment by authorities, with many accusing security forces of deleting their camera footage and pressure to report "normalcy"."This is a unique situation. None of us had seen anything like this in the past. Even in the worst of times in Kashmir, we were able to file our stories," said Muzaffar Raina as he waits to access his email at a Media Facilitation Centre in the main city of Srinagar. Raina says the situation is "unprecedented".As the communications blackout made headlines globally, the administration set up a media centre at a private hotel in Srinagar to allow the journalists to work.The centre has 5 computers with an internet connection and just one landline phone for hundreds of journalists based in Kashmir as well as the ones who came from outside the region to report. Peerzada Ashiq, who reports for The Hindu paper, also said he could not send his report or contact his office for the first few days, until he mailed his story in a flash drive to New Delhi. Like Raina, Ashiq also sought a friend's help to send the story through OB van. "It was a tedious process, which in itself was news. More time was consumed in sending out the story than in writing it," he said. S Ahmad, who works as a videographer for an international TV channel, told Al Jazeera that he was forced to delete footage from his camera by the security officers after he recorded a protest in Srinagar."I was made to delete my footage at least three times. You give them a proof of organisation you work for, but the forces don't listen," he said.Ahmad said a paramilitary trooper told him to film "the normalcy" and not the protests. "They are dictating how we should work. A journalist from south Kashmir's Pulwama district, said he has not filed any story since August 4, the day the latest clampdown started."The forces do not allow us to work. People are reluctant to talk because they blame us for not showing the true story," he said on condition of anonymity. A major problem currently facing Kashmiri journalists is access to information. They are not able to interview Govt officials via telephone or meet them in their offices. In such a situation, the reporters said they are forced to rely on the daily press briefings, where officials mostly read from a script and don't take their questions.Journalist Naseer Ganai said pressure from the local authorities has forced the local papers to not even publish editorials. "You don't see any column about the current situation," he told Al Jazeera.aljazeera
Kulbhushan appeared to be under extreme pressure to parrot Pak’s narrative: India
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kulbhushan-jadhav-appeared-to-be-under-extreme-pressure-to-parrot-paks-narrative-says-mea/article29320903.ece?homepage=true
New Delhi:Kulbhshan Jadhav appeared to be under “extreme pressure” to parrot a false narrative to bolster Pakistan’s untenable claims in his case, the External Affairs Ministry said on Monday, hours after a top Indian diplomat met him at a sub-jail for an hour.Charge d’ Affaires at Indian High Commission in Islamabad Gaurav Ahluwalia met Jadhav after Pakistan granted consular access to the retired Indian Navy officer following a directive from International Court of Justice.“While we await a comprehensive report, it was clear that Jadhav appeared to be under extreme pressure to parrot a false narrative to bolster Pakistan’s untenable claims,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. “We will decide a further course of action after receiving a detailed report from our Charge d’ Affaires and determining the extent of conformity to ICJ directives,” he added. The fresh offer for consular access to Jadhav came in the midst of spiralling tensions between the two countries after India withdrew J&K special status.PTI
OTHERS
Babri case: Lawyer Dhavan representing Sunni Waqf Board receives threat letter, SC to hear his contempt plea tomorrow
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ayodhya-babri-masjid-case-rajiv-dhavan-plea-5958566/
New Delhi :The Supreme Court today agreed to hear on Tuesday a contempt plea filed by senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, who is representing Muslim parties in Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case. He claimed that he was threatened by a retired Govt officer for taking up the matter.Dhavan, who was represented by advocate Kapil Sibal in court, was told by a five-judge constitution bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi that his plea would be heard the next day.“It will be listed for hearing tomorrow,”the bench said.Dhavan, who represents lead petitioner M Siddiq and the All India Sunni Waqf Board in the Ayodhya case, has said that he received a letter on Aug.14, from N Shanmugam, a retired education officer, threatening him for appearing for the Muslim parties.He also alleged that he has been accosted both at home and in the court premises by several people.Dhavan, in his plea, said that by sending the letter the alleged contemnor has committed criminal contempt because “he is intimidating a senior advocate who is appearing for a party/parties before the apex court and discharging his duties as a senior advocate and he ought not to have sent such a letter.”indianexpress
Kalyan Singh set to lose immunity as Governor, may face trial in Babri case
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kalyan-singh-set-to-lose-immunity-as-governor-may-face-trial-in-babri-case-5957033/?fbclid=IwAR1Jx4cUCKEaEZobTRrEJjBAZVYxBUuvXKTaJTlQ3remKoD8SoEu9Y5vkIs
New Delhi :Outgoing Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh may have to face trial for criminal conspiracy in the Babri Masjid demolition case as the immunity he has been enjoying for holding the constitutional post will go away at the end of his tenure, sources said.President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday appointed Kalraj Mishra as the new Governor of Rajasthan to succeed Singh.On April 19, 2017, the Supreme Court had ordered revival of criminal conspiracy charges against senior BJP leaders L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati.It had also clarified that Singh, who was CM of UP when the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992, could not be brought in as an accused to face trial in view of the constitutional immunity granted to Governors under Article 361 of the Constitution.PTI
India secretly armed Afghan’s Northern Alliance: Ex-envoy has word of caution on Delhi’s role in a post-US Kabul
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/how-india-secretly-armed-ahmad-shah-massouds-northern-alliance/article29310513.ece?fbclid=IwAR3ve6lggGwG9pq-sc0m3n9TfSW43EqQegHwFnPckM3NuFkks9UbVSFgtWE
Chennai: India must not commit the error of placing Indian troops on Afghan soil, says diplomat who coordinated New Delhi’s secret military assistance to Ahmad Shah Massoud, the military commander of the Northern Alliance, who fought the Taliban and US forces till his assassination in 2001.For 4 years, between 1996 and 2000, till he left Tajik capital Dushanbe to take up his new posting, Ambassador Bharath Raj Muthu Kumar coordinated military and medical assistance that India was secretly giving to Massoud and his forces. thehindu
Thapar refuses to share CV with JNU; Patnaik says, idea is to humiliate and root out dissent
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/romila-thapar-refuses-to-share-cv-with-jnu
Noted Marxist economist and leading Indian political commentator Professor Prabhat Patnaik has lit into JNU administration’s move asking noted historian Romila Thapar to submit her CV to decide whether she should continue as professor emerita at the university.A day after he shot off a letter to Economic & Political Weekly magazine, in which he pointed out that the position of a professor emeritus in JNU as well as universities the world over are conferred for a lifetime, Professor Patnaik said people like Thapar are being targeted because they have been critical of the ruling dispensation“Their idea is to basically degrade, discontinue and humiliate university’s emeritus. Romila Thapar has been very vocal and critical of this Govt,” said Patnaik who taught at Centre for Economic Studies and Planning in the School of Social Sciences at JNU from 1974 until his retirement in 2010.Asked if the development was just another onslaught on the university by the right wing, Patnaik replied, “By definition that would be the case. People like Romila Thapar were the first to build up this university. The point is that people who have built up this university are suddenly being humiliated by people who came to the university two years ago and who have no particular or long-term stake in the university. I find it ironical.”Meanwhile, Thapar has made it clear that she is not willing to share her CV with JNU admin. “This status is given for a lifetime; the JNU admin is going against the basics, asking me for the CV now,” the celebrated historian has been quoted as saying by sections of the media.Patnaik, who has also served as vice-chairman of Kerala State Planning Board, also expressed his anguish over the way JNU is being run. “As emeritus professor, some of us have been writing to the university administration that this is not the way JNU should be run,” he said.nationalheraldindia
JNU reviewing position of emeritus professors, including historian Romila Thapar
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/jnu-reviewing-position-of-emeritus-professors/article29316856.ece?homepage=true
21 arrested for mob killing of 73-yr-old doctor at tea estate in Assam
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/21-arrested-for-allegedly-killing-doctor-of-tea-estate-in-assams-jorhat-2094093
Guwahati: 2 days after the doctor of a tea estate in Assam was beaten to death by a mob of 250, 21 people have been arrested, police said. Indian Medical Association has called a strike, including withdrawal of emergency services, on Tuesday. The tea estate in Assam's Jorhat, has been locked down for now by the management over safety concerns.Deven Dutta, 73, died of his injuries after he was thrashed on Saturday by the workers of the tea estate because he was not present when a temporary worker died at the estate hospital."The garden doctor was assaulted following the death of Somra Majhi, who was being treated at the estate's hospital," Jorhat Deputy Commissioner said. Somra Majhi, 33-year-old worker, was taken to hospital in a critical state around noon on Saturday. At the time,Dr Dutta was not at the hospital and the pharmacist was also on leave. The nurse on duty administered saline.The worker died shortly afterwards.ndtv
Delhi: Pregnant woman suspected of being a child abductor beaten by a mob, three arrested
https://scroll.in/latest/935959/delhi-pregnant-woman-suspected-of-being-a-child-abductor-beaten-by-a-mob-three-arrested
A pregnant woman who is hearing and speech impaired was beaten by a mob in Northeast Delhi last week after she was suspected of attempting to abduct a child, NDTV reported on Sunday.The incident occurred in the city’s Harsh Vihar neighbourhood on Thursday, said DCP Atul Kumar Thakur.Police have arrested 3 people – Deepak (27), Shakuntala (52) and Lalit Kumar (29) – after scrutinising CCTV footages, TOI quoted the police officer as saying.According to police, 4-month pregnant woman is from Tughlakabad in southeast Delhi, and was thrown out of her in-laws’ home in Faridabad on Aug.18, News18 reported. She was missing since then. “Somehow, the woman reached Harsh Vihar and was staying on the footpath,” said Thakur. “Locals used to give her food but on August 27, they attacked her.” A video of the incident went viral on social media.scroll.in
Every 3rd policeman finds mob lynchings a ‘natural’ response to cow slaughter
https://scroll.in/article/935550/every-third-indian-policeman-finds-it-natural-that-people-are-getting-lynched-over-cow-slaughter?fbclid=IwAR3zBCLbHRfRCeNIaTjLuG2VA3DThsocDNDM1MZE2N7e_APH25qVtVShlG8
Every third Indian police person thinks it is natural “to a large extent” or “somewhat”– for a mob to punish culprits when there is a case of cow slaughter, a new survey has revealed. These data correlate with the findings of a FactChecker.in database that tracks such violence: police had charged victims in 28% of 133 cow-related attacks since 2012. Survey, conducted by Common Cause and Lokniti–Centre for Study Developing Societies, a nonprofit and a think tank, respectively, based in New Delhi, was part of the Status of Policing in India Report 2019, released on Aug.28. Researchers interviewed 11834 police personnel across 105 locations in 21 states between Feb.and April. Survey covered personnel’s opinions over the adequacy of police infrastructure and their perception over several types of crimes and different sections of the society.IndiaSpend
Muslim youth assaulted by mob in Alwar, policemen attacked during rescue effort
http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2019/sep/01/muslim-youth-assaulted-by-mob-in-alwar-policemen-attacked-during-rescue-effort-2027537.html
Jaipur:There’s been another incident of mob violence in Rajasthan's Alwar district that has become notorious for mob lynching tragedies in recent years. A group of about a hundred people brutally beat up a young man over a minor dispute.The victim, Hakim Ali, was saved from the agitated mob when the police reached the spot after being informed about the assault. While exact motive for the attack is not yet clear, Hakim Ali was reportedly attacked after an argument outside an ATM took an ugly turn on Saturday afternoon. When the police arrived to save him, the mob even attacked some of the cops. The victim is now admitted with multiple injuries and is being treated at Rajiv Gandhi hospital. The incident happened on Saturday when the victim was newindianexpress
No Tihar jail for Chidambaram;SC extends custody
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/p-chidambarams-lawyer-tells-supreme-court-let-him-be-under-house-arrest-hes-74-his-cbi-custody-ends-2094259
New Delhi: Former Union Minister P Chidambaram avoided the possibility of being sent to Delhi's Tihar Jail today as the Supreme Court extended his CBI custody till Thursday. Chidambaram is 74 and should be protected, argued Kapil Sibal for his senior Congress colleague, who has spent 11 days in CBI custody since his arrest on Aug.21."There must be some protection to Chidambaram. Let him be put under house arrest and not sent to Tihar Jail," Sibal appealed to the Supreme Court.In CBI custody, Chidambaram has been put up in a "suite" at the guest-house floor of agency's HQRS in Delhi. If he is sent to judicial custody, then he will be taken to the Tihar, Asia's largest prison facility.ndtv
Chinmayanand case: SC directs UP to set up SIT to look into woman’s allegations
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/chinmayanand-case-sc-directs-up-to-set-up-sit-to-look-into-womans-allegations/article29320658.ece?homepage=true
New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Monday directed the UP Govt to set up SIT headed by IG-rank officer to look into the charges levelled by a Shahjahanpur woman law student, who had gone missing after accusing former Union minister and BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand of harassment, and was found in Rajasthan.The woman was produced on Friday before the apex court which had ordered that she should stay in the national capital under police security and had posted the matter for hearing on Monday. Shahjahanpur police had on August 27 lodged an FIR against Chinmayanand after the student went missing following her allegation in a video clip that he had been harassing her. She also spoke about threat to her and her family’s life in the video clip.PTI
For images of roti with salt served at UP school, case against journalist
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/for-images-of-roti-with-salt-served-at-up-school-journalist-charged-2094133
Mirzapur: Days after students at a Govt school in eastern UP's Mirzapur district were filmed eating rotis with salt as their mid-day meal under a flagship scheme of the central Govt, a case has been filed by the state Govt against the journalist who shot the video.In its complaint, Block Education Officer of the area has accused journalist, Pawan Jaiswal, and a representative of the local village head of conspiracy to defame the UP Govt. In the video from Mirzapur school, young children are seen sitting on the floor of the school corridor, eating rotis with salt.Journalist and village head's representative have been accused of cheating and criminal conspiracy.The action by state Govt is in sharp contrast to its statement in the aftermath of the incident."I ordered an inquiry and the incident was found to be true. Prima facie, it is the fault of the teacher incharge of the school and the supervisor at the gram panchayat. Both have been suspended," Anurag Patel, the top Govt officer in Mirzapur, had told NDTV, a day after the incident. ndtv
‘Hide in a basement, take a bath’: Tips on surviving nuke attacks, as suggested by Zee News
https://scroll.in/video/935964/hide-in-a-basement-take-a-bath-watch-tips-on-surviving-nuclear-attacks-as-suggested-by-zee-news?fbclid=IwAR1b-lqEbyBjqnLa2GsDQb_y7hVTskXYh3ABtjPUNzmM8E-40PW6NOYSrgo
A recent video of a clip from Zee News informing its readers about what to do in case of a nuclear attack is making people incredulous on social media.News anchor Sudhir Chaudhary’s tips on escaping a nuclear attack include not looking directly at the explosion, running to the basement of the strongest building around you for shelter, taking a bath, and sealing clothes exposed to radioactive waves to avoid them from being spread further.The segment of the show was reportedly triggered by the worsening relations between India and Pakistan and fear of a possible nuclear attack. Tips may have been inspired by this article, among others. Scroll
Dalit girl killed, eyes gouged out in UP
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/crime/dalit-girl-killed-eyes-gouged-out-in-up
A 14-year-old Dalit girl was found killed with her eyes gouged out in Jalaun. Police said her neighbour has been arrested charged with abduction and murder. The autopsy report is awaited to ascertain whether the victim was raped or not.According to reports, the girl, a resident of Ata area in Jalaun district, went out for some work on Saturday evening, but never returned home. Her parents lodged a missing person's report with police the same night.Her body was found on Sunday afternoon in a secluded spot. Her clothes were torn and her eyes gouged out, indicating torment and possible rape before murder, sources in police said.IANS
Laws Meant to Save Water Unexpectedly Led to More Air Pollution: Study
https://thewire.in/environment/laws-meant-to-save-water-unexpectedly-led-to-more-air-pollution-study
Legislations by Haryana and Punjab Govts to save groundwater seems to have had an unexpected outcome – an increase in winter time air pollution in northern India, suggests a latest study.The study done by a team of researchers from India, US and Mexico was published in the journal Nature Sustainability in June 2019. Researchers used satellite data to understand the implications of “groundwater conservation policies on air quality in northwest India.” According to the study, the “changing patterns of rice production and agricultural burning” facilitate this increase in air pollution.Haryana and Punjab have the highest yields of rice and wheat in South Asia. Irrigation practices for these crops, however, pose a threat to the region’s groundwater levels that are being fast depleted. This, in turn, could endanger the country’s food security, a situation that triggered laws to reduce dependence on groundwater. In 2009, the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act and Haryana Preservation of Subsoil Water Act were passed by the respective state Govts.thewire/ Mongabay India.
Woman asked to remove hijab by posh Hyderabad pub, 'no' for kurtis, sarees as well
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2019/aug/31/woman-asked-to-remove-hijab-by-posh-hyderabad-pub-no-for-kurtis-sarees-as-well-2027187.html?fbclid=IwAR3TLnKfijbouGdIavYTXMcLGsGDONyQV_otQHUjtpCV57LLrDUc483LvG0
Hyderabad: It was a rude shock for a city resident when she was asked by the staff of a popular bar and eatery in Jubilee Hills to remove her hijab, reasoning that it was not in accordance with the dress code of pub.This unpleasant incident has also brought up the issue of unusual rules set by such outlets without taking religious or cultural sentiments into consideration.Farzana (name changed) along with, Begumpet resident Kunal Pandey and another female friend, visited Air Live, a posh pub-cum-live performance space at Jubilee Hills on Friday evening. Pandey said, “We went and sat at the bar at first. After a while, a staff member approached me and asked me to inform my friend that she should go to the washroom and remove her hijab.”Farzana said, “I immediately knew what they were talking about. I wanted to leave immediately.” Pandey was infuriated by the demand and an altercation ensued between him and the employee.Such was the situation that staff was about to call the bouncers. However, another manager intervened and tried to pacify Pandey asking them to move to a seat which was not as visible a place like a bar. Humiliated by the incident, Farzana had by then left the venue with her other friend. newindianexpress
World safest cities index: Tokyo tops list of 60, New Delhi ranks at 53
https://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-safest-cities-index-delhi-tokyo-5958195/
There’s a new surprise member of the world’s safest cities club. Washington, DC, has entered the top 10 in the Safe Cities index for the first time, while Hong Kong is a noticeable no-show after plummeting down the rankings. Tokyo took the No. 1 spot in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s ranking for the third time running, while Singapore and Osaka maintained their respective footholds in second and third place. Hong Kong dropped to 20th place from 9th in the 2017 edition of the biennial report.Asia-Pacific cities dominated top 10, with Sydney, Seoul, and Melbourne bringing the region’s total to six spots. Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Toronto rounded out top of the list. London and New York both leaped 6 spots, to take 14th and 15th place.Bloomberg
Manmohan, wife get ‘Z+’ VIP CRPF security cover
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/former-pm-manmohan-singh-wife-get-z-vip-crpf-security-cover/article29320846.ece?homepage=true
New Delhi:A CRPF ‘Z+’ VIP security cover has been accorded to exPM Manmohan Singh whose SPG protection was recently withdrawn by govt, officials said. They said Dr.Singh and his wife have been accorded the cover with a strength of about 45 armed commandos who will guard them round-the-clock at their residence here and during their movement across the country.PTI
WORLD
US envoy shows draft of deal with Taliban to Afghan prez
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/envoy-shows-draft-peace-deal-taliban-afghan-president-190902111633344.html
US special envoy to Afghanistan has shown Afghan president the draft of an agreement between US and Taliban after almost a year of negotiations with the group, an official has said.Presidential adviser Waheed Omar said envoy Zalmay Khalilzad again met President Ashraf Ghani today, after an initial meeting the previous evening upon arriving from Qatar, where the ninth round of US-Taliban talks was concluded over the weekend. The negotiations have focused on the withdrawal of thousands of US troops from Afghanistan in exchange for guarantees by Taliban not to allow the country to be used as a base for attacks abroad. "President Ghani and CE Abdullah met with Amb Khalilzad today. He has shown a copy of draft framework agreement between US and Taliban. We will look into document and discussions with Amb Khalilzad and team will continue," Omar said in a Twitter post. Afghanistan's presidency was expected to brief the media on Khalilzad's visit later on Monday.Afghan Govt has been shut out of the negotiations as the Taliban dismisses it as a "puppet" of US, but intra-Afghan talks that include the Govt are meant to follow a US-Taliban deal.Taliban on Sunday attacked Pul-e Khumri, capital of Baghlan province, just a day after hundreds of its fighters overran parts of Kunduz, a strategic city and the capital of the eponymous province that the group has twice come close to taking in recent years.On Monday, Afghan local media reported attacks were ongoing in the provinces of Kunduz, Takhar, Badakhshan, Balkh, Farah and Herat. Kabul-Baghlan and Baghlan-Kunduz highways were also blocked.Amid high expectations that US-Taliban talks will end with an agreement, the latest fighting underlined Taliban's apparent determination to go into any deal from a position of strength on the battlefield. Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for the Taliban's political office in Doha, said both sides were in discussions to finalise technical issues. Aljazeera
UN calls for accountability in Saudi-led attack on Yemen jail
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/calls-accountability-saudi-led-attack-yemen-prison-190902074503405.html
UN special envoy to Yemen has condemned a Saudi-UAE-led coalition attack on a prison run by Houthi rebels and called on the military alliance to investigate the deadly air raids. Martin Griffith's statement late on Sunday came as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said more than 100 people were "presumed killed" in the bombing in Dhamar city in western Yemen.Houthi officials said at least 60 people had died in the attack overnight on Sunday. Dozens more were wounded. Griffiths called the incident a "tragedy"."The human cost of this war is unbearable," he said. "We need it to stop ...I hope the Coalition will launch an inquiry into this incident. Accountability needs to prevail."Rescue workers continued to pull the dead and wounded from the rubble at the site of the attack north of the city of Dhamar. Houthi officials quoted by Al Masirah TV said the facility, formerly a community college, housed about 170 prisoners of war. aljazeera
Rights group: Egypt prisons became ‘guillotine for executions’
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190902-rights-group-egypt-prisons-became-guillotine-for-executions/
An international human rights body has reported several violations against prisoners in Egyptian detention during the first half of this year, warning of what it described as “a danger facing the lives of detainees inside Egyptian detention centres.”“Egyptian regime has been committing violations against civilians in Sinai, carrying out enforced disappearance, and torturing prisoners across the country’s detentions,” Committee for Justice (CFJ) said.CFJ accused Egyptian authorities of carrying out “systematic abuses against detainees.” Geneva-based organisation pointed to a “by-mistake killing of 245 people” during first half of 2019. “Sinai death toll in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula represents the largest number of human rights violations across the nation,” the rights group added.A Reuters investigation in April found that Egyptian forces had shot dead hundreds of suspected militants in what Interior Ministry said were gun battles, but which bereaved families said were extrajudicial executions. MEMO
Israel, Hezbollah exchange fire at Lebanon border
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/israeli-army-fires-lebanon-hezbollah-missile-attack-190901134806880.html?fbclid=IwAR17jGhsQs_qa7SWvNhwT13CP5LXNKFgTeJDiIZJVBvBG8qZ7TKHNxtmGZc
Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire along the Lebanese border after a week of rising tensions.Israel's military has said it fired into southern Lebanon on Sunday after a number of anti-tank missiles by Hezbollah targeted its army base and vehicles near the border.The missiles hit several targets in Israel's border town of Avivim on Sunday, said Israeli army, following which it retaliated. According to Hezbollah, the missiles launched from Lebanon destroyed a tank, killing and wounding those inside it, AFP reported.Israel, however, said the attack did not lead to any casualties on its side. aljazeera
Flash: NEWS,views,Articles
As Home Minister, Amit Shah is now in charge of the police force in J&K:Coomi Kapoor
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/inside-track-amit-shah-new-role-5954781/
JNUSU poll: BAPSA-Fraternity alliance step against Islamophobia, challenges monopoly of Brahmanical Left and Right in JNU politics: Waseem RS
https://www.firstpost.com/politics/jnusu-elections-2019-bapsa-fraternity-alliance-a-step-against-islamophobia-challenges-monopoly-of-brahmanical-left-and-right-in-jnu-politics-7264931.html
NRC fails to bring closure in Assam. Flaw may lie in idea, not just the process:Indian Express Editorial
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/nrc-final-list-released-assam-illegal-migrants-5957218/
By Becoming Governor of Kerala, Arif Mohd Khan Is Finally a Political Insider:Ajoy Ashirwad
https://thewire.in/politics/arif-mohammad-khan-kerala-governor
A flawed process that pleased none:Harsh Mander
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-flawed-process-that-pleased-none/article29317452.ece?homepage=true
With meticulous planning then mass arrests,torture, Kashmir’s autonomy was lost:The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/kashmir-crisis-latest-india-article-370-autonomy-torture-claims-planning-a9086611.html?fbclid=IwAR0LtRh1C2COvP-jML1bP4N--2rTW57WuWZW4VeXu99p_Jj22f1RJPT1dzg
One parent in jail, other enslaved by debt:Lost children of Assam
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/lost-children-assam-nrc-bill-detention-camp_in_5d53b7c4e4b0c63bcbef7831?ncid=fcbklnkinhpmg00000001&fbclid=IwAR0M5P9wlebV51iRsEsoWJzie-GGdpX83rxg5ZFZb7Ip--Ig32jCTc1B_vk
New Mughals in Kashmir: History repeats itself
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/new-mughals-in-kashmir-history-repeats-itself?fbclid=IwAR0BpolstxRHCCZYMVVSJSPffmBEyyIJng5p-fci6OBcYa5PAQA4xddmRA0
World Is Watching India. It Won't Let Us Get Away On Kashmir, NRC For Too Long:AAKAR PATEL
https://www.outlookindia.com/blog/story/india-news-the-world-is-watching-india-it-wont-let-us-get-away-on-kashmir-nrc-fo/4129?fbclid=IwAR22G4PPuOK5iggMlJXVZiYWWQoyy5Z44YxwRKtpjLQUHhX_QmsFNyWdDGs
Editorial DNA Testing to 'Prove' Jewishness Is Spine-chilling:Haaretz Editorial
https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/editorial/dna-testing-to-prove-jewishness-is-spine-chilling-1.7772897?fbclid=IwAR38qjWiG4MmhvQXw4ZkxnqKmeShuqIzHJLDX-Ylq0YhyBAF_5P11nfHqhA
Sept. 2, 1979, Forty Years Ago: Jamshedpur Riots:Indian Express Editorial
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/september-2-1979-forty-years-ago-jamshedpur-riots-5957230/
‘Right to have rights’: What Assam’s NRC tells us about citizenship and human rights: Smitana Saikia
https://scroll.in/article/935902/the-right-to-have-rights-what-assams-nrc-tells-us-about-citizenship-and-human-rights?fbclid=IwAR0xkgvh1PZ6Prp_grAsRrqXUyIzDFaSfC5Tk5nMGMNkbynJ1yWBovnvOeI
Fearing Arrest, Youth in Srinagar Avoid Hospitals, Treat Pellet Injuries Themselves:Mudasir Ahmad
https://thewire.in/rights/fearing-arrest-youth-in-srinagar-avoid-hospitals-treat-pellet-injuries-themselves
Bernie Sanders talks tough in well-received address to US Muslims at ISNA convention
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/bernie-sanders-talks-tough-historic-address-muslims-america?fbclid=IwAR0buoLLr57T-DEwXR0sUrhTbH_fgvnsFIcHAAcYd8u7DuLrEuCvjiNbRHA
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq,(Released at: 8:00 PM)
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