NEWS DIGEST, EVENING
29 Sept. 2019: 29 Muharram 1441: Vol: 12, No: 24
INDIA
After war of words at United Nations, protests in Kashmir Valley, curbs back
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/after-war-of-words-at-united-nations-protests-in-kashmir-valley-curbs-back-6037730/
Srinagar :Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan PM Imran Khan finished their speeches at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), protests broke out in several parts of Srinagar, prompting authorities to re-impose restrictions on Saturday morning.Towards afternoon, a grenade was lobbed at CRPF personnel in downtown Srinagar, but it missed the target. CRPF issued a release on the attack, making it possibly the first militant strike acknowledged by the forces since August 5 scrapping of Jammu & Kashmir’s special status.Srinagar woke up on Saturday to police and paramilitary forces back in strength on the streets, and concertina wires and metallic barricades blocking major roads. A police vehicle did the rounds announcing re-imposition of restrictions on civilian movement and ordering people to stay indoors. The few shops that had opened in the city centre for early-morning sales — as they have been doing in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley from 7 to 9 am — were forced to down shutters. Police and paramilitary also blocked the roads leading to the clock tower in city centre Lal Chowk. Police sources said the restrictions were re-imposed as a precautionary measure, after Khan said in his UNGA speech that there would be violence consequent to India’s actions in Kashmir. Soon after he had finished his speech, in which he also sought international intervention in Kashmir, people took to the streets in parts of Srinagar such as Nishat, Shalimar and Harwan, holding torchlights and protesting against scrapping of special status and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories. Protests were also reported elsewhere in the Valley.The restrictions came back barely 12 hours after the government claimed that day-time curbs on civilian movement had been lifted across the Valley. Immediately after Khan’s speech, J&K, Secretary, Information M K Dwivedi had tweeted, late on Friday night: “Daytime restrictions relaxed from all 105 police station jurisdictions in Kashmir. So now no restrictions in all 22 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.”SATURDAY’S grenade attack was possibly the first militant strike acknowledged since August 5. The immediate return of curbs suggests J&K situation remains volatile.Sources said that apart from Srinagar, curbs were also back in Anantnag and Awantipora in South Kashmir, Ganderbal in Central Kashmir and Kupwara and Handwara towns in North Kashmir. In other areas, while forces were deployed in large numbers, people were allowed to move around.Saturday also saw an encounter between militants and joint forces in Trunkhal area, located in the higher reaches of Ganderbal district. The Army said one militant was killed “and warlike stores recovered”.The encounter was the first in the Valley since Thursday, when NSA Ajit Doval asked security agencies to step up anti-militancy operations.In Srinagar, CRPF men came under attack in Nawakadal area of Old City. The Jammu region also saw an encounter on Saturday, with the Army killing 3 militants reportedly wanted for their involvement in killing of a senior BJP leader and an RSS functionary 11 months ago, at Batote town in Ramban district. It was the first encounter in the town in the three decades of insurgency in the state. An Army jawan lost his life while two policemen sustained injuries during the firefight, that lasted nearly three hours.indian express
Imran Khan speech fuels Kashmir protests
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/imran-khan-speech-fuels-kashmir-protests/cid/1708226?ref=india_india-page
After Imran ethnic cleansing remark, RSS leader says India, Sangh are same
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/after-imran-ethnic-cleansing-remark-rss-leader-says-india-sangh-are-same-6037638/
New Delhi :A day after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan took on the RSS in his speech at UN General Assembly and said the Sangh believes in “cleansing Muslims”, a senior RSS leader on Saturday said Khan’s anger against the organisation shows that India and the RSS have become synonyms now.RSS joint general secretary Krishna Gopal sarcastically thanked Khan for “spreading the RSS’s name across the world”. He added that he would pray that Khan does not stop doing it.Gopal said: “RSS is for India. We do not have any other branch in any other part of the world. Why is Pakistan angry with us? If it is angry with the Sangh, then it is angry with India. RSS and India have now become synonymous. We also wanted the world to see India and the RSS are one and the same.”indianexpress
China raises Kashmir at UN
https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/china-raises-kashmir-at-un/cid/1708230?ref=india_india-page
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was not alone in raising Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, his country’s “all-weather friend” China did so too.Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said the Kashmir dispute should be peacefully and properly addressed in accordance with the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and the bilateral agreement.China also said that no action should be taken that would “unilaterally change the status quo”, an obvious allusion to the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and its scheduled bifurcation to create the Union Territory of Ladakh.“Kashmir issue, a dispute left from the past, should be peacefully and properly addressed in accordance with UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreement,” Wang said. “No actions that would unilaterally change the status quo should be taken. As a neighbour of both India and Pakistan, China hopes to see the dispute effectively managed and stability restored to relationship between the two sides.” Reacting to this on Saturday, foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar objected to China’s reference to Kashmir. “Chinese side is well aware of India’s position that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India, and that the recent developments are entirely a matter internal to us,” he said.telegraphindia
India lashes out at Pakistan for raising Kashmir issue at Commonwealth meet
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/india-lashes-out-at-pakistan-for-raising-kashmir-issue-at-commonwealth-meet/cid/1708360?ref=more-from-india_india-page
New Delhi:India on Saturday criticised Pakistan’s stand on the Kashmir issue as “propaganda” at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference in Uganda and said military rule was the tradition of Islamabad, according to an official statement.The Pakistani delegation raised the heavy presence of security forces in the Valley at the 64th meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in Kampala, which the Indian side countered.The Indian delegation, which included MPs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Roopa Ganguly and L. Hanumanthaiah, said the tradition of military rule was prevalent in Pakistan and the country had been under such rule for 33 years, according to a statement issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat.PTI
Recovery of Pakistani drones: In flip-flop by Punjab Police, more questions than answers
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/recovery-of-pakistani-drones-in-flip-flop-by-punjab-police-more-questions-than-answers-6038369/
Amritsar :The alleged recovery of a Pakistani drone from Muhawa village in Amritsar has raised more questions than answers with a senior Punjab Police official and the state government contradicting each other.On Friday, DSP (Counter Intelligence), Amritsar, Balbir Singh claimed that a team led by him “recovered around 12 noon to 1 pm” a Pakistani drone that had crashlanded after dropping weapons in Muhawa village.Hours later, the state information and public relations department “clarified” that the Punjab Police had actually recovered a crashlanded drone at Muhawa, situated close to Indo-Pak border, on August 13 last month.However, it didn’t explain why DSP Balbir Singh visited Muhawa along with key accused Akashdeep, more than a month after the actual recovery and made the claim of having recovered the drone on Friday.indianexpress
Justice Ramana’s Bench could hear Article 370 petitions beginning October 1
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/justice-ramanas-bench-could-hear-article-370-petitions-beginning-oct-1-6037719/
A 5-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice N V Ramana will likely hear from Oct.1 petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of the amendment to Article 370 revoking the special status for Jammu and Kashmir, and the reorganisation of the state into two Union Territories.Supreme Court sources confirmed that the Bench had been constituted. They said that an official notification naming the other judges on the Bench would be uploaded soon on the court’s website.A Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India had on August 28 said that the clutch of petitions challenging the changes to Article 370 — effected by means of a Presidential Order on August 5, and subsequently ratified by Parliament — would be heard by a 5-judge Constitution Bench in the first week of October. indianexpress
Babri Masjid hearing : Muslim side says ASI report is based on an inferential study, can’t be conclusive in its finding; arguments will continue on Monday
https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-ayodhya-dispute-asi-report-isn-t-concrete-proof-says-muslim-side-top-court-junks-theory-2792972
The Supreme Court has told the Hindu and Muslim sides in the Ayodhya title suit case that archaeological evidence in the case cannot be discredited as it is largely based on inference and not direct evidence. The bench's comment came after the Muslim side sought to dismiss the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report as an opinion. Senior advocate Meenakshi Arora, arguing the suit on behalf of the Muslim side, submitted that ASI report is based on an inferential study which cannot be conclusive in its finding of a grand Hindu temple underneath the disputed site. She read out evidence from eminent archaeologists, who had appeared in Allahabad High Court as witnesses on behalf of the Muslim side and gave a view contrary to ASI's excavation report."Our witnesses are equally eminent in their own fields, similar to ASI experts," Arora said. "If such respectable people have taken a divergent view, can ASI report be considered conclusive especially when there is no concrete evidence to support it other than hearsay and accounts of travellers?" She urged the Court to consider the list of experts presented by her as expert evidence under Section 45 of the Evidence Act.But the bench comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan, and S Abdul Nazeer did not buy the argument."Both sides have relied on evidence based on inference," they said. "Obviously, there cannot be any direct eyewitness in this case. So we need to look at the evidence on both sides and see which is more valid and reasonable."Qualifying its comment, the bench added, "The inference drawn by ASI is an inference of a studied, cultivated and knowledgeable mind. This inference is based on enquiry and we have to test the validity of this inference."Arora then referred to Section 45 of the Evidence Act to suggest that their expert evidence is equally good to be relied upon and to outweigh ASI's view. In response, the bench posed: "According to you, archaeology is not a science then how are you applying Section 45? In Section 45 it is written, 'When the Court has to form an opinion upon a point of foreign law or of science or art, or as to the identity of handwriting, the opinions upon that point of persons specially skilled in such foreign law, science, or art are relevant facts. Such persons are called experts."Arora replied that though archaeology was not an exact science, it was a social science. "You should be relying more on the evidence presented by ASI as it is a court-commissioned study delegated under Order 26, Rule 10A of Civil Procedure Code. This will have more evidentiary value," the bench said.Although the Muslim side promised to complete their arguments within this week, senior advocate Shekhar Naphade then took over from the Muslim side and his arguments were incomplete when the Court called it a day before 1 pm. Naphade will continue with his arguments on Monday.dnaindia
ASI report ‘hypothetical, based on inferences’; Ram Chabutra a water tank: Muslim side tells SC
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/asi-report-hypothetical-based-on-inferences-ram-chabutra-a-water-tank-sunni-board/496633
Babri Masjid demolition case: Special CBI court grants bail to Kalyan Singh
https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-babri-masjid-demolition-case-special-cbi-court-grants-bail-to-ex-uttar-pradesh-cm-kalyan-singh-2792980
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh was on Friday granted bail by the special CBI court in Lucknow in connection with the Babri Masjid demolition case.Kalyan Singh's lawyer said that the BJP leader has been granted bail by the court on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh.The former UP chief minister had earlier surrendered before the court and was taken into custody and charges were framed against him in connection with the case.dnaindia
No room for Mahishasura:Prohibitory orders in Mysore
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/no-room-for-mahishasura/cid/1708239
Bangalore:Agroup of progressive writers and Dalit activists was forced to change the venue for Mahisha Dasara, an annual event in honour of Mahishasura, with an MP from the ruling BJP tearing into the organisers as “those born to Mahishasura (the) demon”. Eminent writer K.S. Bhagawan was among the organisers of the event in Mysore, a city apparently named after Mahishasura, on Friday. But the district administration clamped prohibitory orders to prevent the would-be participants gathering at Mysore Town Hall.The venue had to be shifted at the last minute to a largely Dalit enclave in Ashokapuram, Mysore, where the programme was held with the cooperation of local people. The original plan was to gather at the Town Hall and march to the Mahishasura statue on Chamundi Hills.The organisers accused BJP government and Mysore MP Pratap Simha of violating their fundamental rights.While Dasara is the mainstream event that commemorates Goddess Chamundi slaying “demon” king Mahishasura, some Dalit and progressive groups believe that “Mahisha” was actually a Buddhist monk who deserves to be celebrated.“We celebrated Mahisha Dasara peacefully for the past six years when the Congress and later its coalition ruled the state. But everything changed after BJP returned to power,” said Mahesh Chandra Guru, a professor at the University of Mysore and one of the organisers.telegraphindia
Animals Have 'Fundamental Right To Life': Tripura HC Bans Animal/Bird Sacrifice In Temples
https://www.livelaw.in/amp/top-stories/tripura-hc-bans-animal-bird-sacrifice-in-temples-148529
The Tripura High Court has, in an important judgment delivered on Friday, banned animal/birds sacrifice in the temples of the state observing that the animals also have fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.No person including the State shall be allowed to sacrifice of any animal/bird within the precincts of any one of the temples within the State of Tripura, declared the bench comprising of the Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Arindam Lodh. It said that the sacrifice of an animal in a temple, not being an essential part of religion, is also violative of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.The bench issued these directives while allowing a Public Interest Litigation filed by a retired judicial officer, Subhas Bhattacharjee, against the practice of sacrifice of innocent animals, on the basis of a superstition, before the Goddess and other Gods & Goddesses and in particular, at two main temples i.e. Mata Tripureswari Devi Temple and Chatur Das Devata Temple.livelaw.in
Bengal ‘NRC deaths’: Kin say had lost hope on papers
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bengal-nrc-deaths-chief-minister-mamata-banerjee-6037741/
Basirhat :Hussainur, 5, is scared his mother will die like his father. Three brothers are afraid they will meet the same fate as their sister who died after a heart attack. A daughter says they are fast running out of money, with father without work and mother dead.In the panic triggered by rumours of a NRC exercise in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has claimed 11 deaths. The three families above claim their members are among them, after a futile struggle to put together papers, including those showing pre-1971 lineage (NRC cut-off year in Assam).The Sunday Express visited the 3 families, travelling through the Hingalgunj, Basirhat, Hasnabad and Bhangar belt in South and North 24 Parganas bordering Bangladesh, and discovering large-scale fear among villagers, many of whom have come back from other states where they work, to line up before BDO and panchayat offices for documents.In end August, Muslim organisations had distributed pamphlets, held seminars and asked people in Bengal to keep their papers ready, claiming NRC might be brought in. Soon after, the BJP had asserted that after Assam, Bengal would see the NRC exercise. On Sept.22, Mondol was found hanging from from a mango tree, leaving behind wife Khairun and two sons. Cries Khairun, “My younger one shouts at me every time I even touch a document. He says if I touch the papers, I will die too.”indianexpress
NRC fear in voter verification rush
https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/nrc-fear-in-voter-verification-rush/cid/1708231
Calcutta:The online elector verification programme — a pre-electoral roll revision process — has evoked overwhelming response in the border districts, with people queuing up for the otherwise routine annual drill amid panic over an NRC-like exercise in Bengal.Sources in the state administration said that so far about 45 per cent voters in border districts like North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Nadia, Murshidabad, and North-24 Parganas had verified their names in the electoral roll by updating documents. “Usually, people don’t respond to the programme carried out every year before the electoral roll revision starts in October. This year, there has been an unprecedented spurt in the number of people updating their information in the border districts. Nearly 45 per cent voters have verified their names in these areas compared to 7 to 8 per cent last year,” said a senior official.The rush suggests that despite chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s reassurances that NRC would not be implemented in Bengal, people in the border districts are in panic over the population register.“The exercise has no link with NRC… We have made it clear that the aim is to prepare an error-free voters’ list but people think that if their names figure in the list, they won’t face trouble in case NRC is implemented in Bengal,” said a block development officer.telegraphindia
Check Aadhaar cards to identify non-Hindus: Bajrang Dal to Garba, Dandiya organisers
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/navratri-celebrations-bajrang-dal-aadhaar-card-non-hindus-6038377/
New Delhi :In order to identify “non-Hindus” at Navratri celebrations, Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, has urged all ‘Garba’ and ‘Dandiya’ organisers to make Aadhaar Card mandatory at entry points of events to avoid “miscreants” at the venue, ANI reported.“We have asked the event organisers to mandate Aadhaar cards at the entry spot to identify non-Hindus entering the venues and also to avoid employing non-Hindus as bouncers for these events,” the wing’s media convener, S Kailash, was quoted as saying by the news agency.In the past, Kailash said, it has been observed that “groups of youth of non-Hindu communities are entering these events and since they have no concern and respect towards the divinity of the event, they are often seen misbehaving with the women participating in Garba and Dandiya. They also manhandle the men who come to the rescue of the victim.”indianexpress
Kafeel Khan wants ‘self-respect’; UP govt says inquiry still on
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kafeel-khan-wants-self-respect-up-government-says-inquiry-still-on-6037512/
Lucknow:While Dr Kafeel Khan, the suspended pediatrician of Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College and Hospital, on Saturday said his “claim of innocence has been vindicated” and showed copy of a departmental inquiry that cleared him of certain charges, the Uttar Pradesh government said the inquiry process is still on, and no final decision has been taken yet.According to officials, an additional departmental inquiry is going on against Khan for indiscipline, and for not following rules.Mrityunjay Kumar, media adviser to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, stated that Khan faces inquiries on four charges, and the inquiry found him guilty on two of those. He stated that details of the inquiry was “presented to the accused officer” for his reply, and that a final decision has not been taken yet.Addressing the media in Delhi on Saturday, Khan said he has “gone through a lot” in these two years and demanded his “self-respect” back.He demanded justice for the death of at least 60 infants at BRD Hospital in 2017 and and presented the Medical Education Department’s internal inquiry report that cleared him of negligence in the particular case.Khan said: “My claim of innocence has been vindicated. The report states that I was the junior-most doctor at the time. I had joined as a lecturer under probation and was not authorised with the upkeep of oxygen and other administrative decisions.” In a statement, UP government said Khan was found guilty of carrying out private practice against rules. He was posted as senior resident at the Pediatrics Department of BRD Hospital on May 23, 2013, and appointed lecturer at in August 2016, but, the government says, he continued his private practice.indianexpress
6 months after Dr. Kafeel Khan clean chit, no action
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/6-months-after-doctor-kafeel-khan-s-clean-chit-no-action/cid/1708221?ref=more-from-india_india-page
Unnao rape case: Landlords in Delhi not renting house to victim, relatives, counsel tells court
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/unnao-rape-case-landlords-in-delhi-not-renting-house-to-victim-relatives-counsel-to-court-6037694/
New Delhi :Unnao rape victim’s counsel has submitted to a Delhi court that the landlords he approached in Delhi did not want to rent out their premises to the victim and her family members.A Delhi court had asked the counsel to look for suitable accommodation in the city after the victim’s mother and other family members told Special judge Dharmesh Sharma that they wanted to relocate to Delhi.The lawyer submitted in court that the few landlords that he approached refused to let out their premises to the victim’s family citing the background of the case.The court has now handed over the task of finding accommodation to two DCW counsellors. “After much deliberations, the Chairperson, Delhi Commission for Women is requested to nominate a team of two counsellors, who may asses the residential requirements of the complainant and her family members and assist them in locating and providing suitable accommodation in Delhi…,” the court said. The court also directed the DCW chairperson to oversee rehabilitation measures of the children of the deceased, ensure their education in Delhi as well as skill development to the liking of the children.indianexpress
CRPF out of ration cash
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/crpf-out-of-ration-cash/cid/1708240?ref=top-stories_home-template
New Delhi: Central Reserve Police Force personnel are set to be starved of their monthly “ration allowance” by the Narendra Modi dispensation that swears by national security, apparently because of a cash crunch triggered by the economic crisis that the government denies.Most personnel in 3-lakh-strong CRPF — the country’s largest paramilitary force and its counter-insurgency spearhead — are paid a Rs 3,000 “ration allowance” along with their monthly salary. Officials said the troops spend the sum on their meals at their camps’ mess and canteen.An internal communication the CRPF has sent to its formations across the country says the allowance will not be paid with September’s salaries because the home ministry is yet to release a tranche of Rs 800 crore despite reminders in July, August and this month. The Telegraph has a copy of the communication, dated Sept.13.“This is the first time the ration allowance has been stopped. We spoke to ministry officials last week about the pending money and they mentioned the faltering economy,” a senior CRPF officer at the Delhi headquarters said, adding that the ministry had not cited any official reason.He said the allowance frees personnel from having to constantly watch their pockets while buying food. “It helps personnel to keep themselves fit for fighting militants and Maoists,” he added.CRPF officer said: “The decision to withdraw the allowance goes against the Prime Minister’s claims of strengthening the forces to keep them in fighting shape.”The Telegraph
As prices soar, govt bans export of onions ’till further orders’
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/government-bans-export-of-onions-till-further-orders-6038546/
New Delhi :In order to curb rising onion prices across the country, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry on Sunday prohibited the export of all varieties of the bulb with immediate effect.A notification issued by the ministry read, “Export policy of onion for the item description at Serial Number 51 & 52 of Chapter 7 of Schedule 2 of ITC (HS) classification of Export & Import Items is amended from free to prohibited till further orders.”Prices in wholesale markets across the onion-growing districts of Maharashtra have been increasing since May this year. The present wholesale rate of Rs 4,000 per quintal is the best bulb has seen in last four years.indianexpress
In Punjab, 17,000 small and marginal farmers bore the brunt of rains, 100% crop loss in 46,000 ha
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/in-punjab-17000-small-and-marginal-farmers-bore-the-brunt-of-rains-100-crop-loss-in-46000-ha-6038224/
Jalandhar :Small and marginal farmers in Punjab bore the brunt of the floods and waterlogging following three days of heavy rain mid-August losing most of their paddy crop, a survey by various government departments has found.At least 17,761 small and marginal farmers, including maximum 5,160 from Jalandhar district, suffered crop loss ranging from 25 per cent to 100 per cent following the rains that lashed state from August 17 to 19.Marginal and small farmers own land up to one hectare (2.5 acres) and 2 hectares (5-acre), respectively. The details of these farmers have been submitted to the revenue department by the officials of flood hit districts under “revised proposal for compensation of loss to Kharif crops due to heavy rains and flood water in August month”.The data sourced from the revenue department revealed that the crop damage had occurred in 16 out of 22 districts. While 100 per cent crop loss was recorded in 46,068 hectares (1.14 lakh acres), 25 to 60 per cent was recorded in 17,000 hectares (nearly 43,000 acres) across these districts.indianexpress
Weather forecast today LIVE Updates: Heavy rains claim 35 lives in UP, toll rises to 17 in Bihar
https://indianexpress.com/article/weather/weather-forecast-today-live-updates-bihar-pune-delhi-6037983/
Over 50 people have been killed in rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as heavy showers continue to batter the states. Meanwhile, late-night showers in Delhi and parts of NCR brought down the temperature by a notch on Sunday morning.Light rains or drizzle is expected to continue during the day, the Indian Meteorological Department said in a statement.In Uttar Pradesh, at least 35 people lost their lives due to the incessant rainfall since Friday. According to ANI, the death toll in Bihar due to heavy showers has risen to 17.The weather body has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Bihar, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim and Gujarat region.indianexpress
Hindutva politics is assault on life-affirming religion of Hinduism: Shashi Tharoor
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/hindutva-politics-is-assault-on-life-affirming-religion-of-hinduism-shashi-tharoor/cid/1708370?ref=latest_home-template
The political project of Hindutva is nothing less than an assault on Hinduism, but where the life-affirming religion has for millennia proved its resilience to external attacks, it is now revealing its vulnerability to attack from within, says writer-politician Shashi Tharoor.In his new book "The Hindu Way An Introduction To Hinduism", which is a sequel to his bestseller "Why I Am a Hindu", Tharoor, 63, delves deep into Hinduism's most important schools of thought such as Advaita Vedanta and explores various other seminal concepts that underpin the religion.He probes the fundamentals and complexities of Hinduism, presents both its ancient texts and the modern beliefs of Hindutva descriptively and on their own terms to offer a lucid but brilliant account of one of the world's "oldest and greatest" faiths.PTI
Oxford University plans family guides in Urdu, Bengali to reach out to ethnic minority households
http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2019/sep/28/oxford-university-plans-family-guides-in-urdu-bengali-to-reach-out-to-ethnic-minority-households-2040514.html
London: University of Oxford is planning to issue a new 'family guide' translated into Hindi, Urdu and Bengali to reach out to ethnic minority households in order to address the challenge of attracting deserving students from all backgrounds.The new guide is part of a drive which includes a series of events, open days and programmes set to kick off in January 2020 and run throughout the year, to encourage teenagers from low-income households around the UK to apply.The drive follows research which found that the extended family can play a crucial role in youngsters' decision making about the university, especially from South Asian backgrounds."In the past, we have thought about mum and dad. The research has made us think more widely, about grandad, grandma, aunts and uncles," Dr Samina Khan, Oxford's director of undergraduate admissions, told The Daily Telegraph.PTI
Panjab University Urdu department ‘foreign’ protest
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/panjab-university-urdu-foreign-protest/cid/1708217?ref=more-from-india_india-page
Chandigarh:Panjab University’s Urdu department has objected to its proposed merger with those of various foreign languages, asserting that Urdu is not a foreign tongue but an Indian language like Hindi and Punjabi.The university had recently proposed bringing the Urdu department under the School of Foreign Languages to be set up after merging the departments of Russian, French, German, Chinese and Tibetan languages, said Urdu department coordinator Ali Abbas on Saturday.“Urdu was born, nurtured and cultured in India during the first two decades of the 13th century by Amir Khusro. From that moment onward, Urdu and Hindi languages have not looked back. Not only this, even Punjabi language was put on the path of development by Baba Farid Ganj Shakar,” Abbas said in a letter to Panjab University’s dean for university instructions.A “wrong impression” is being created by “certain elements that Urdu is a foreign language”, said Abbas, asserting that “it is far from the truth”.“Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi are the three main languages... which were later accorded the status of state language at different times,” the letter stated.telegraphindia
‘Ghalib’s work shows India’s history, sociopolitical scenario 150 years ago’
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/ghalibs-works-show-indias-history-sociopolitical-scenario-150-years-ago-6037819/
Pune :To mark 150th death anniversary of prominent Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib, the Ghalib Institute in association with Deccan Muslim Institute, Pune, held a two-day national seminar on the theme ‘Our cultural tradition and Ghalib’ on September 27 and 28. The inauguration ceremony was held on Friday on Azam campus in Pune. Abeda Inamdar, president, Deccan Muslim Institute, Pune, was the chair at the event and Syed Shahid Mehdi, former vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, was the chief guest. The seminar also marked the golden jubilee celebration of Ghalib Institute. As many as 300 people from Pune and other cities attended the programme on the first day, which included students, teachers and admirers of Urdu poetry. The inauguration ceremony was followed by ‘Sham-e-Ghazal’, featuring various ghazals of Ghalib.indianexpress
SFI-ASA alliance routs ABVP to win Students’ Union elections in Univ of Hyderabad
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/sfi-asa-alliance-routs-abvp-win-students-union-elections-univ-hyderabad-109630
The alliance of SFI, Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA), Dalit Students’ Union (DSU) and Tribal Students Forum (TSF) swept elections to form the Students Union for 2019-20 in University of Hyderabad on Friday. The Left-Progressive alliance trounced the incumbent ABVP alliance to bag all the posts on offer. Abhishek Nandan from SFI was elected as the president after securing 2205 votes, Sree Charan from DSU was elected as the vice-president after getting 1843 votes, Gopi Swamy from ASA as the general secretary with 2039 votes, Kumar Ramavath from TSF as the joint secretary with 2040 votes, Priyanka Badrasetty from ASA as cultural secretary with 1898 votes and Sohel Ahamed from SFI as the sports secretary with 1776 votes. In the elections which were held on Sept.26, more than 4,200 students participated. Speaking about the victory, Abhishek Nandan, the newly-elected SU president said, “This historic mandate is against RSS and ABVP, who are trying to curb dialogue on campus. The ABVP in its term didn’t protest at all when there was a fee hike or when there were attempts to privatise the university. Further, RSS tried to capture the institution and made attempts to attack campus democracy, for which the students gave their answer.”ASA through a statement said, “ASA believes that the mandate attained through the victory is a reassurance of the student community towards the struggle seeking Justice for Rohith Vemula, and the struggles against exclusionary policies of the BJP-led Centre in higher educational institutions. As this is the last year Appa Rao is in office, we believe that this victory will also help make our voices against him louder, in academic council and elsewhere.”The reason for the major victory is attributed to the alliance between SFI and ASA, who came together after 2 years. The alliance of SFI, ASA, DSU and TSF had earlier won in 2017 under banner of Alliance for Social Justice.thenewsminute
WORLD
Yemen foreign minister blames Iran for war, takes aim at UAE
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/yemen-foreign-minister-blames-iran-war-takes-aim-uae-190929071324966.html
The foreign minister of war-ravaged Yemen has used his address before the United Nations General Assembly to blame Iran for the years-long conflict in his country, as well as to take aim at the United Arab Emirates for supporting separatists in the south.In his speech on Saturday, Mohammed Abdullah al-Hadhrami thanked Saudi Arabia for helping his internationally recognised government in its fight against the Houthi rebels, who control the capital, Sanaa, and many of Yemen's urban centres.A Saudi-UAE-led military coalition intervented in Yemen's conflict in 2015 in support of forces loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, in a devastating war that has killed tens of thousands of people and driven millions to the brink of famine.aljazeera
Low turnout, technical glitches mark Afghan election
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/09/turnout-technical-glitches-mark-afghan-presidential-election-190928134625155.html
Kabul: Millions of people in Afghanistan have once again braved persistent Taliban threats to cast their ballots in the country's fourth presidential election.Saturday's polls saw the incumbent, President Ashraf Ghani, make a bid for a second and final five-year term in a crowded pool of more than a dozen other candidates weeks after peace talks between the Taliban and the United States over ending the 18-year war broke down.Though the voters were once again commended for their willingness to head to the polls amid violence - including bombings and rocket attacks - in the provinces of Helmand, Nangarhar, Ghor, Kandahar and Maidan Wardak, the process seemed to be plagued with logistical problems.
Erdogan refuses UN dinner over presence of Sisi
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190927-turkeys-erdogan-refuses-un-dinner-over-presence-of-egypts-sisi/?fbclid=IwAR2825V9i_HF_loMYHCdfX0iFYIGGRF5M8-dwiycF3cVgHU3mhSfFFr8QFY
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has rejected an offer to join a dinner with the US President Donald Trump upon seeing the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi accompanying him, local Daily Hurriyet reported. Erdogan was expected to join Trump for dinner at the same table after the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York. However, he was reported to have refused to sit at the table “after walking into the room and seeing Trump was joined by Sisi.”“President Erdogan left the room when he saw Sisi sitting at the same table with Trump,” the local agency said on Twitter.The dinner table was said to have also included UN Secretary-General António Guterres, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the Polish President Andrzej Duda.middleeastmonitor
Detention of Sudanese student in Cairo ignites protests in Sudan
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/detention-sudanese-student-cairo-ignites-protests-sudan
News of the arrest of a young Sudanese man in Egypt, accused of participating in recent protests against Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, ignited demonstrations in the Sudanese capital Khartoum earlier this week.Walid Abdulrahman Hassan was one of more than 2,000 people detained by Egyptian security forces in the past week, and like many others, he stands accused of participating in protests in Cairo’s Tahrir Square against Sisi’s rule. Hassan is being accused of participating in a conspiracy against the Egyptian constitutional system - a charge that can carry the death penalty under the law, and which Egyptian activists argue is being used to draw attention away from the legitimate grievances of the protest movement. Demonstrations first began on 20 Sep., sparked by whistleblower Mohamed Ali’s allegations of high-level corruption and misspending of state funds, while many Egyptians suffer from poverty under stringent austerity measures.Sudanese pro-democracy protesters have staged protests in residential areas of Khartoum, while the family of Hassan submitted a petition to the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs calling for it to intervene to free 22-year-old man. While Sudanese activists have coalesced in support of Hassan, analysts ponder how recent developments in Egypt, now witnessing the first significant mass protest movement since Sisi came to power in 2013, may have been influenced by Sudan’s own ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir earlier this year. middleeasteye
Flash: NEWS,views,Articles
Why TV coverage of Howdy Modi tour has made me more than slightly ashamed:Tavleen Singh
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/fifth-column-propaganda-in-place-of-journalism-6037504/?fbclid=IwAR1zF-REEZVePqqc8mFp6DimpJ2aRmoIPXiPpM8rQu7p2pXv9Uh13zyyP4U
No trade deal, no Kashmir win, no investment but BJP celebrating Modi return from US:Nayanima Basu
https://theprint.in/opinion/no-trade-deal-no-kashmir-win-no-investment-but-bjp-celebrating-modi-return-from-us/298552/amp/?__twitter_impression=truen&fbclid=IwAR0Y4wt2eL6vwsOco3Y5daBa2S-5txGmy65z4pRAXOjEjjiAK8cOCu6Dqhc
Modi's biggest foreign policy gamble: Abolition of Jammu and Kashmir as a state: Mukul Kesavan
https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/modi-s-biggest-foreign-policy-gamble-abolition-of-jammu-and-kashmir-as-a-state/cid/1708196
'Islamophobia is Creating Divisions, Hijab is Now Becoming a Weapon': Pak PM Imran Khan at UNGA
https://www.news18.com/news/india/islamophobia-is-creating-divisions-hijab-is-becoming-a-weapon-imran-khan-at-unga-2325741.html
A bite of apple: Bashaarat Masood
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/apple-orchards-kashmir-fruit-mandi-6037412/
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq,(Released at: 3:22 PM)
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