NEWS DIGEST, EVENING
06 OCT. 2019: 06 Safar 1441: Vol: 12, No: 29
INDIA: J&K ISSUE
'Elections are Futile': NC Demands Release of Political Leaders, May Boycott Kashmir’s Local Body Polls after meeting detained Farooq, Omar
https://www.news18.com/news/india/national-conference-decides-to-boycott-kashmirs-local-body-polls-after-abdullahs-meet-delegation-2335709.html
Srinagar: National Conference (NC) may boycott Block Development Council (BDC) polls in Kashmir which are scheduled to be held on Oct.24. This was hinted by NC delegation which met party president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah in Srinagar on Sunday.The delegation, led by NC provincial president Jammu Devendra Singh Rana, met 3-time CM and incumbent Member of Parliament Farooq Abdullah at his Gupkar residence. He has been placed under detention here since August 5.The octogenarian leader Farooq and his wife Molly came out to greet the delegation on their arrival at his residence on Sunday. This was also the first time, after he was booked under PSA, that senior Abdullah was captured on camera as he flashed a victory sign towards the reporters who had gathered outside his residence.Later, the delegation, which had got permission from Governor Satyapal Malik to visit the Abdullahs, had a meeting with Omar also, who is in solitary confinement at a Govt guest house in Srinagar.“We met the leaders and inquired about their health,” said NC’s MP from Anantnag, Hasnain Masoodi. “There is no political atmosphere in J&K right now and talking about or participating in elections is futile,” Masoodi said.NC leader Devendra Singh Rana, who is also brother of senior BJP leader and union minister Jitendra Singh, said that both the leaders are doing fine. Rana, after the meeting, told the reporters that for any political process to begin, the leaders of the party need to be released.“There is anguish on the developments taking place in Valley, particularly the lockdown. To start the political process and to revive the democracy in J&K, we request the Govt to release the political detainees who have no criminal record,” Rana said.On party's participation in BDC elections, Rana said, "There is a complete lockdown. If the political process has to start, then these members have to be released.” news18
Detained PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's party members to meet her tomorrow
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/detained-pdp-chief-mehbooba-muftis-party-delegation-allowed-to-meet-her-on-monday-2112707?pfrom=home-topscroll
Srinagar:A delegation of PDP from Jammu will be allowed to meet detained party chief Mehbooba Mufti tomorrow. J&K administration consented to meeting today, shortly after a team of ex National Conference MLAs visited party leaders Farooq and Omar Abdullah for first time since their detention 2 months ago.ndtv
India protests after China’s envoy in Pakistan says working to help Kashmiris
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/china-on-kashmir-lockdown-india-pakistan-6055722/
New Delhi :Days before Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit India for an informal summit with PM Narendra Modi in Mamallapuram on Oct. 11-12, India lodged a “strong protest” with China through diplomatic channels Saturday over controversial comments made by Chinese ambassador to Pakistan on Kashmir. The Sunday Express has learnt that India has also “sought clarification” over what is seen as a departure from Beijing’s stated position on J&K.Chinese ambassador in Islamabad Yao Jing said Friday that China would stand by Pakistan for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute. “We are also working for Kashmiris to help them get their fundamental rights and justice. There should be a justified solution to the issue of Kashmir and China will stand by Pakistan for regional peace and stability,” he said, according to Pakistani daily, The Express Tribune.Yao, who has served in New Delhi as deputy chief of mission earlier, said this at a dialogue on CPEC hosted by Karachi Council on Foreign Relations. Delhi views his comments as a departure from Beijing’s position which has always maintained that the issue of Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan, and the two countries must resolve this dispute bilaterally. Yao’s statement is also seen by Delhi as interfering with India’s “internal matter” and “not keeping in spirit” with the proposed visit by Xi. This also comes just after Chinese Vice Minister Luo Zhaohui, who was Chinese envoy to India, raised the issue of the Himgiri military exercises in Arunachal Pradesh with Foreign secretary Vijay Keshav Gokhale. Meanwhile, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Ji Rong also disputed Saturday a report in media that 150th birth anniversary celebration of Mahatma Gandhi was held in Indian Embassy premises in Beijing because the relevant local authority denied permission for it to take place in its chosen venue at Chaoyang Park of Beijing.indianexpress
'Rights of Kashmiris Must be Respected': Elizabeth Warren 2nd US Prez candidate to raise concern
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-senator-warren-raises-concern-over-kashmir-joining-growing-disquiet-in-congress/story-A0jXzWCD9DWwuENYds7T7J.html
Washington:In a sign of growing disquiet in US congress over the situation in Kashmir, Senator and leading Democratic candidate for the presidential nomination Elizabeth Warren has expressed concerns over the continuing restrictions there, joining fellow senators and rivals Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris and other lawmakers. Trump administration, which was a major concern for New Delhi after the president offered to mediate Kashmir dispute between India and Kashmir and repeated it despite a clear and unequivocal rejection, has since reverted to the default US position of letting India and Pakistan resolve it bilaterally.But, notably, it has also continued to raise concerns about the restrictions in Kashmir and has sought “rapid action” towards normalization. “US-India partnership has always been rooted in our shared democratic values,” Senator Warren wrote on Twitter Saturday. “I’m concerned about recent events in Kashmir, including a continued communications blackout and other restrictions. The rights of the people of Kashmir must be respected.” Warren is a leading candidate for the party’s nomination, having surged in polls in recent weeks to overtake Senator Bernie Sanders. She is now a close second to Former Vice-President Joe Biden, trailing frontrunner 24% to 26.2% in the RealClearPolitics aggregate of polls.Warren’s tweet on Kashmir also came close on the heels of a Democratic senator, Chris Van Hollen, telling Washington Post in New Delhi Friday that he had been denied permission by to visit Kashmir. HT
No Taliban fighter would try to enter Kashmir once US left Afghanistan, want its peaceful solution:
Taliban leader Shaheen
Taliban leader Shaheen
https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/world/no-question-taliban-fighters-targeting-india
New Delhi: Suhail Shaheen, a key member of the negotiation team of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan or as the political wing of Taliban calls itself, spoke exclusively to Sunday Guardian on the failed US-Taliban peace talks, the role of India in Afghanistan and why India as a regional power should revisit its stand vis-a-vis Taliban and Kabul.He sought to allay the concerns of the Indian security apparatus and stated that no Taliban fighter would try to enter Kashmir once US troops left Afghanistan as was being discussed by people in India. Shaheen, who has been a journalist and editor of a Kabul-based English paper, is expected to play a crucial role in the future administrative set-up that is likely to come up in Afghanistan. Shaheen said," India supports the Kabul administration and opposes Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban). It is more appropriate for India, as a regional power, to maintain its neutrality in the Afghan issue. India should stand with the people of Afghanistan at least on moral grounds in their struggle for liberation as Afghan people did stand with Indian people in their struggle of liberation from the colonial claw of Britain in the mid-20th century. Rulers go but people remain. We are the people." He added, "after the end of occupation and formation of an all Afghan-inclusive Islamic Govt in the country, we will solely focus on reconstruction and development of our ruined country. For that, we want to have good relations with all countries of the world, including the regional countries and seek their assistance for a new Afghanistan. Of course, we will play our own role to contribute to peace and stability of the region. So, there is no question of our fighters turning toward India. It is an unfounded fear. As for the Kashmir issue, we want its peaceful solution. sundayguardianlive
Kashmir is internal issue of India: Maldives ex-Prez
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kashmir-is-an-internal-issue-of-india-says-maldives-ex-president-mohammed-nasheed/article29606711.ece
Days after 57-member Organisation for Islamic Cooperation issued a tough statement criticising India for continuing restrictions in J&K, Maldivian parliamentary speaker and ex president Mohamed Nasheed distanced the island nation from the statement. When asked as a member of OIC, do you align yourself with recent critical statements issued over India’s actions in Kashmir, Nasheed said, "India is biggest functioning democracy, and it has the rule of law. There is nothing for us to comment on, as it has happened through Indian Govt processes; it is an internal matter for India. Our President has issued a statement saying that. The Maldives cannot be with OIC on this issue. None or very few OIC countries are democracies and we don’t think they should be commenting on human rights in India, which is a democracy."thehindu
PoK: Thousands of JLKF marchers head towards LoC to protest abrogation of Article 370
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/thousands-of-jlkf-marchers-head-towards-loc-to-protest-abrogation-of-article-370-1606662-2019-10-06
Islamabad: A large number of people from PoK are marching towards LoC on Sunday to protest India's move to scrap the special status of J&K. PM Imran Khan on Saturday warned the protesters not to cross the LoC, saying anyone crossing LoC to provide humanitarian aid or support for Kashmiris will "play into the hands of the Indian narrative."The marchers, mostly youngsters, reached from Muzaffarabad, the capital of the PoK, to Garhi Dupatta on Saturday where they stayed for overnight. They are moving on the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar Highway. Protest march has been organised by JKLF. A local JKLF leader Rafiq Dar told the media that UN Military Observers Group for India and Pakistan had also contacted them.He said UN was urged to persuade India and Pakistan to not use force against peaceful protestors.The protesters have announced to cross LoC. They are expected to reach Chakothi where they will be stopped by authorities, sources said. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi urged US Senator Chris Van Hollen, to visit areas on the 2 sides of LoC to see the ground situation.Hollen, along with US Charge d’ Affaires Ambassador Paul Jones, travelled to Multan on Saturday afternoon to meet with Qureshi, FO said. Qureshi appreciated Senator's leadership role in proposing an amendment to Senate Department, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill, 2020 that explicitly expresses concern about "humanitarian crisis in Kashmir."PTI
J&K : Cancer patient held under PSA: cops cite ‘threat’, kin ask how
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kashmir-cancer-patient-held-under-psa-cops-cite-threat-kin-ask-how-6055685/
Srinagar :The family of a cancer patient from Kulgam in south Kashmir, who has been detained under PSA and sent to jail in Bareilly, UP, has moved J&K High Court seeking release of their son on medical grounds.The police dossier on Parvaiz Ahmad Palla, 33, from Matibugh village in Kulgam, calls him a “threat to safety and security of general public and sovereignty of the nation”. According to a letter from Dr Tanveer A Rather, additional professor head of Nuclear Medicine dept. at Srinagar’s SKIMS, Palla is on “regular follow-up for further management of the disease and has to attend outpatient services on regular basis”. His family had earlier submitted letter to then Kulgam DM. Palla was detained from home in the Valley on August 6, booked under PSA a day later, and moved to Bareilly jail in UP. His family, however, questions how he can be a threat when he is living on “life-saving drugs”. indianexpress
Kashmir situation normal, people happy with Article 370 abrogation:Union Minister Javadekar
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/kashmir-situation-normal-people-happy-with-article-370-abrogation-prakash-javadekar/articleshow/71464893.cms
New Delhi: The situation in J&K is "normal" and the people there are "happy" over the abrogation of Article 370 provisions as they will now get benefits and entitlements on par with citizens of rest of the country, I&B minister Prakash Javadekar has said.He also asserted that there have been no restrictions on media and that all newspapers are being published in the Valley without any difficulty.PTI
Convention calls for removing restrictions in J&K, objects to Amit Shah's fear-mongering on NRC
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/national-convention-calls-for-removing-restrictions-in-kashmir-objects-to-home-ministers-communal-fear-mongering-on-nrc?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=emailemail&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Indiatomorrownet+%28IndiaTomorrow.net%29
New Delhi:A National Convention organised in Delhi for the removal of restrictions and the restoration of democratic freedoms in the Kashmir valley at the Gandhi Peace Foundation on Saturday called for removal of restrictions in Kashmir.Speakers at the convention also strongly objected to Home Minister Amit Shah,s communally-charged fear-mongering on the issue of NRC. Calling citizenship a fundamental right, speakers at the convention said that it cannot be trivialised and made into an election issue. The Convention on Freedom and Dignity was jointly organised by SIO, UAH, APCR, Fraternity Movement, PUCL Delhi, ICLU, PVCHR and the Samvidhan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti. The session was addressed by Adv HR Choudhary of Assam, Nadeem Khan (United Against Hate), Labeed Shafi (President, SIO) and others.india tomorrow
Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey, his colleagues denied entry into Srinagar
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/magsaysay-award-winner-sandeep-pandey-his-colleagues-denied-entry-into-srinagar?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=emailemail&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Indiatomorrownet+%28IndiaTomorrow.net%29
New Delhi:Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey and 3 other social activists were denied entry into Srinagar and were forcibly sent back from Srinagar International airport on Friday.They were detained at Srinagar airport on Friday morning and sent back by the next flight.Pandey was accompanied by his human rights activist friends Praful Samantra of Lok Shakti Abhiyan, who is also associated with National Alliance of Peoples Movement(NAPM) and Lohia Academy, Bhubaneshwar, Faisal Khan of Socialist Party(India) and national convener of Khudai Khitmatgar, and Javed Mallik, also from Khudai Khitmatgar. Pandey and his team were on a mission to have a peaceful interaction with the local people in Srinagar. ``But they were served orders not to venture out of the airport and bundled back to New Delhi by the next available flight, leaving them totally dejected and humiliated’’,said Pannalal Surana, national president of Socialist Party(India). indiatomorrow
ECONOMY
Over 50% Indians feel job scene getting worse as consumer confidence drops to 6-yr low:RBI Survey
https://www.news18.com/news/business/consumer-confidence-dropped-to-six-year-low-in-september-says-rbi-survey-2335265.html
New Delhi: Indian consumers' confidence in the overall economic situation and employment scenario dropped to a six-year low in September, according to RBI's latest monetary policy.Both the current situation index and the future expectations index recorded declines, the RBI said in its consumer sentiment survey report. The Current Situation Index(CCI) dropped to 89.4 in September from 95.7 recorded in the July round of survey, RBI data, released on Friday, showed. Of the total respondents, 47.9 % said the general economic situation had worsened and only 33.5 % thought the situation had improved. About 53 % expected the situation to improve in one year. A total of 52.5% felt the employment situation had worsened and 33.4% said the situation would only get worse in the coming year. “Respondents perceived an increase in the price level over the last one year and a majority of them expect prices to rise further in the coming year; as a result, sentiments on overall spending as well as essential spending remain strong, though sentiments on discretionary spending weakened,” said the survey. The survey was conducted in 13 major cities, among 5,192 households.News18
India has 150 million drivers and only 8,000 want electric cars: Report
https://www.business-standard.com/article/automobile/india-has-150-million-drivers-and-only-8-000-want-electric-cars-report-119100600071_1.html
Hyundai Motor Co. launched India’s first electric SUV this summer with a quirky TV commercial urging millennials to “Drive Into the Future.” A few months later, the automaker finds itself on a lonesome road.In a nation of about 150 million drivers, only 130 Kona SUVs were sold to dealers through Aug. That slow pace is emblematic of the difficulties carmakers face in establishing an electric foothold in the fourth-biggest auto market, even with committed Govt support.Bloomberg
OTHERS
Govt amends rules for 'no appeal' NRC cases: Now DMs can refer case to Foreigners’ Tribunals if NRC excluded person chooses not to file appeal
https://thewire.in/Govt/home-ministry-tweaks-foreigners-tribunals-order-again
New Delhi: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has yet again tweaked Foreigners’ (Tribunals) Order, 1964 to include a provision whereby DMs can forward a case to a tribunal for its opinion in case an applicant – not included in the final NRC of Assam – choose not to file an appeal. This is in addition to the May 30 amendment to the Order which had empowered DMs to seek an opinion from a Tribunal on any applicant she deems necessary, even if that person is included in the final NRC. According to the May 30 amendment, they are to file an appeal within the stipulated 120 days at the nearest Foreigners’ Tribunal (FT), a quasi-judicial body, to claim that they are Indian citizens. Non-inclusion of names in the final NRC doesn’t immediately deny one’s citizenship. To know the status, an applicant has to approach FTs, and can be followed by appeals in the higher courts. Latest MHA amendment has made it clear that the process would be mandatory for those left out of final NRC.The citizenship cut-off date for NRC update process in Assam was carried out as per the exclusive date set for the border state – March 24, 1971. The FTs are to give an opinion based on Foreigners’ Act, 1946 and Passport Act, 1967. According to a TOI report, MHA inserted the provision into the order on Oct.5. The report, quoting an MHA official said, “Under Foreigners (Tribunals) order amended on Saturday, for sub-para 6, following has been substituted: ‘In case no appeal is preferred… DM may refer to the Tribunal for its opinion the question as to whether the person is a foreigner or not’.”It said that the new provision would “leave no scope for non-determination of status of those left out of NRC”, “irrespective of whether the aggrieved party approaches the tribunal”. Last month representative bodies of Assam’s Gorkha community, widely considered to be BJP voters, declared at a press meet in Guwahati that those from the community who are not in final NRC would not file an appeal in FTs. Leaders demanded amnesty based on a 2018 MHA notification which reportedly said that members of Gorkha community fulfilling any of the conditions laid down in Article 5 of the Constitution shall be considered Indian citizens, and not be referred to an FT. Many Bengali Hindu organisations in Assam have also demanded that the Centre bring in a provision to grant them amnesty from filing an appeal in the Tribunals. This community also forms a large portion of the BJP’s voter base in the state. Of the more than 40 lakh people who were excluded in the draft NRC that was released in July 2018, only 31.2 lakh had chosen to reapply for inclusion in the final NRC. The Wire
Govt amends rules for 'no appeal' NRC cases
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/govt-amends-rules-for-no-appeal-nrc-cases/articleshow/71461130.cms
Citizenship Amendment Bill all set to be reintroduced in next Parliament session
https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/news/citizenship-amendment-bill-set-reintroduced-parliament
New Delhi: Centre will reintroduce Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in coming session of Parliament, expected in Dec. The Bill, when passed, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities—Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis—from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, after their stay in India for 7 years, instead of 12 years at present. This will be applicable to those who came to India before 31 Dec.2014. The contentious Bill, which had triggered massive protests in Assam and the rest of Northeast, was passed by Lok Sabha on 8 Jan., but the Govt did not table it in Rajya Sabha as it did not have the required numbers in Upper House to pass it, leading the Bill to lapse with the end of the term of 16th Lok Sabha in May.Currently, Citizenship Act, 1955 treats such persons as “illegal migrants” and disentitles them from applying for Indian citizenship. sunday guardian live
BJP’s Lok Sabha poll mascot in Bengal commits suicide out of NRC fears
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/bjps-lok-sabha-poll-mascot-in-bengal-commits-suicide-out-of-nrc-fears
One of BJP’s popular Lok Sabha poll campaign mascots in West Bengal, Nibash Sarkar, whose images as dressed up as Hanuman became viral across various social media platforms in run-up to 2019 polls, committed suicide in his village of Hanskhali on Friday, Oct. 4, allegedly out of fear of being excluded in NRC process. BJP national president Amit Shah, during a recent visit to Kolkata, had reiterated that NRC will be extended to the entire country and all illegal immigrants will be thrown out.Sarkar had actively campaigned for BJP’s Ranaghat Lok Sabha seat candidate Jagannath Sarkar in 2019 election. After preliminary investigation, the police said he consumed some kind of a pesticide. The police added that he was rushed to the Shaktinagar District Hospital and he died on his way there.Though Nibash Sarkar’s own family members said NRC fear was not responsible for his death, National Herald spoke to Dipak Roy, a neighbour. “You see a lot of these people are actually migrants from Bangladesh. And they are panicking at the word of NRC as it has left as many as 12 lakh Hindus out of the list in Assam. They are panicking but what can they do? They simply do not have papers. So did not Nibash. I am born here. I grew up here. I know everyone here. Even BJP’s candidate Jagannath Sarkar is a migrant.”nationalheraldindia
Gandhian activist Prasanna calls NRC ‘unjust law’
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2019/oct/06/prasanna-calls-nrc-unjust-law-2043878.html
Bengaluru: As the state Govt is mulling over NRC like system in the state, noted theatre director, writer and a Gandhian activist Prasanna hit out at the Govt and called such a system ‘an unjust law’.“I know how draconian this law can become to innocent tribals, poor rural citizens and the minorities. Further, I fail to understand a law that can separate one Indian community from other communities legally,” he said. Prasanna stated that as a mark of protest, he will not register under the law, whenever it becomes operative in the state. According to him, such a law is against the constitution and is also against ‘dharma.’ Prasanna, who is launching an indefinite hunger strike from tomorrow for protection of ‘sacred economy’ said, “In a situation where economy is collapsing, where lakhs of people are losing their jobs everyday, where climate change is looming large over us, one wonders, is this really necessary for our Govt to be doing?”newindianexpress
'Stateless' , 20-minute documentary on NRC
https://www.mid-day.com/articles/a-state-of-doubt/21854180
On July 8 this year, 59-year-old Ambar Ali, a daily wage labourer from Sunbari village in Assam, jumped in front of a running train. His 21-year-old son, Hazrat Ali, wife Hazra Ali, and daughter believe that the Indian Govt is responsible for Ambar's death. "My husband had been running from pillar to post to get our names in NRC," rues Hazra. "He couldn't bear the fact that our entire family had been excluded from the draft list that was released in Dec.2017. So he killed himself,"55-year-old widow continues, teary-eyed, as she is interviewed for Stateless, a documentary on NRC. Produced by Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO), 20-minute film is directed by 26-year-old Azharuddin Pilakodan. "Since its inception 36 years ago, SIO India has been working towards highlighting issues related to religious minorities and human rights. We have cadres across the country, and also in Assam; these people know the ground reality and understand the woes of the people. So, they approached us to make this film," says Fawaz Shaheen, the national secretary of SIO India.This is not the first film produced by SIO India. Pilakodan, a Mysuru University journalism graduate, says, "In 2016, Karnataka chapter of SIO India had announced that it would make a film on people illegally detained by the police on charges of terrorism. Titled, Unsolved Stories of the Unheard, this documentary was my directorial debut." Tapping into similar socio-political issues, SIO India has also made documentaries on Delhi-based Mohammad Amir Khan, who was picked up by the police in 1997 and jailed for 14 years after being falsely branded a terrorist.This is not the first time that the SIO has made a film on the Assam imbroglio. In 2018, the organisation made State of Doubt, which gave an overview of the problems faced by the people of Assam in the light of the NRC. mid-day
How does Article 370 affect common man in Haryana? BJP raising it, NRC… shows they don’t know ground issues: New Congress state Chief Selja
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/how-does-article-370-affect-common-man-in-haryana-bjp-raising-it-nrc-shows-they-dont-know-ground-issues-selja-kumari-6055415/
Appointed Haryana Congress Committee chief just a month before the state goes to polls, Kumari Selja has her task cut out — from handling the faction-ridden party and senior leaders such as former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda. In an interview to the Indian Express, Selja said, "Listen to what the CM Manohar Lal Khattar is saying. One of the things that he referred to (at a speech after the abrogation of Article 370) is that now you will be able to get girls from Kashmir. Now, if this is how they are going to explain Article 370 to the people of Haryana, then it’s a very sorry state of affairs. It reflects their mindset, the RSS’s mindset.Secondly, how does Article 370 affect the common man in Haryana? It may be a national issue… but I think even that is behind us now. BJP needs to answer for things happening on the ground. They are not talking about the issues affecting people of Haryana. And, suddenly, they bring in Article 370, NRC. This shows that they do not really have a grasp of the real ground issues."indianexpress
Will Waive Farm Loans If Voted to Power in Haryana: New Congress Chief Selja Kumari
https://www.news18.com/news/politics/will-waive-farm-loans-if-voted-to-power-in-haryana-says-new-congress-chief-selja-kumari-2335539.html
Congress will announce a loan waiver for the poor and farmers in the state if voted to power, Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja has said. She said Congress would not announce its CMial candidate ahead of the elections and the same would be decided by the party high command after the polls. The state Congress chief said the loan waiver promise would be part of the manifesto for Oct. 21 Haryana assembly polls and the document would be unveiled soon, she said.PTI
"Overdue Hug From Sheikh Hasina Ji": Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Meets Bangladesh PM
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/overdue-hug-from-sheikh-hasina-ji-priyanka-gandhi-meets-bangladesh-pm-2112676
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today said she received a hug that was "overdue" from Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina whom she met today in New Delhi."An overdue hug from Sheikh Hasina Ji whom I have been waiting to meet again for a long time. Her strength in overcoming deep personal loss and hardship and fighting for what she believed in with bravery and perseverance is, and always will be a great inspiration for me," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted. Congress leader also posted a photo of her hugging Ms Hasina with Former PM Manmohan Singh standing beside them. Bangladesh PM today met several Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Anand Sharma. During the half-hour meeting, the leaders discussed bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh, reported ANI.
Amid day-to-day hearing of Ayodhya case, UP CM Yogi Adityanath says 'very good news' awaits all
https://www.news18.com/news/politics/amid-the-day-to-day-hearing-of-ayodhya-case-up-cm-yogi-adityanath-says-very-good-news-awaits-all-2335009.html
Gorakhpur: Amid the day-to-day hearing of the title suit over the 2.77 acre of disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land by the Supreme Court, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has hoped a "very good news" awaits all. Adityanath expressed the hope while exhorting people to take inspiration from Lord Ram, but without elaborating further."We are Ram bhakts. There is a lot of strenght in bhakti. I feel we will soon get to hear very good news," the CM said without elaborating or mentioning Ram temple. We need to take inspiration from Lord Ram and contribute in nation building, he said.PTI
UP: Tension in Shamli village after youth kills monkey
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/meerut/tension-in-shamli-village-after-youth-kills-monkey/articleshow/71459511.cms
Meerut: There was a considerable tension in a Shamli village on Saturday after a monkey was killed by a youngster along with his 2 brothers - belonging to the minority community.An FIR has been filed by the forest department under relevant sections of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 that attracts 6 months of imprisonment and a fine.Local Bajrang Dal activists became active following the incident which took place in Aabdanagar village of Jhinjana town.Circle officer Kairana Pradeep Kumar said, “An FIR has been filed against 3 brothers Asif, Hafiz and Anees who had allegedly surrounded the monkey and shot at with one of 4 licenced weapons belonging to the family.”“The monkey succumbed to injuries during treatment. We buried the simian after conducting a post-mortem. We have also filed an FIR on behalf of the dept,” Narender Kumar Pal, forest ranger, Jhinjana region said. Presence of some right-wing activists led to tension in the village comprising a mixed population.TOI
Highway blocked after mob lynching incident in Jharkhand
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/highway-blocked-after-mob-lynching-incident-in-jharkhand
Lynching of a suspected child lifter in Kodarma led to a massive protest by the people, who laid a seige to the Ranchi-Patna national highway on Sunday, blocking traffic for several hours.The relatives of the lynched man along with other people blocked Ranchi-Patna national highway at Koderma district demanding arrest of the accused. The highway was cleared only after senior police officials reached the spot and assured the protesters of action against the accused. Due to blockade hundreds of vehicles got stranded for hours. On Friday evening, Sunil Kumar Yadav was brutally thrashed by a mob on suspicion of being child lifter. He died in the hospital during treatment on Saturday. His brother Dileep Kumar lodged an FIR in which he accused three railway officials of killing his brother. IANS
In Alwar, 2 arrested for forcing Muslim couple to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/two-held-for-flashing-before-muslim-couple-sexually-harassing-woman/story-LRJujzkOphlFad5bQPjmbM.html
Alwar: 2 men were arrested on Sunday morning on charges of forcing a Muslim couple to shout Jai Shri Ram and outraging the modesty of the woman in Alwar around midnight on Saturday, the police said. 2 were produced before a judge on Sunday, and remanded in judicial custody till Oct.18, the police added.The police said a Muslim couple from Haryana was waiting at Alwar bus stand on Saturday when around 11.30pm, two men on a motorcycle came and began harassing them. “According to FIR, they forced the couple to chant Jai Shri Ram and one of the men flashed before the woman,” police said.The men have been identified as Vansh Bhardwaj, 23, and Surendra Mohan Bhatia, 32. Bhatia, the police said, was drunk. “We got his medical examination done,” police officer said.HT
DMK Demands Withdrawal of Sedition Case Against Celebrities
https://thewire.in/politics/dmk-demands-withdrawal-of-sedition-case-against-celebrities
Chennai: DMK president M.K. Stalin has demanded that PM Narendra Modi take steps to withdraw the FIR filed in Bihar against the celebrities who protested mob lynching. The party said the withdrawal of the charges will “protect democracy and basic features of the Constitution”.Condemning the sedition charge against the celebrities, the leader of the opposition in Tamil Nadu said “labelling them as anti-nationals” for writing an open letter to Modi, voicing concern over growing incidents of mob lynching, was “unacceptable.”“How can seeking to uphold the basic tenets of the Constitution like tolerance and communal harmony be construed as anti-nationalism?” he asked in a statement.Targeting the PM over the issue, Stalin alleged that the Govt led by him at the Centre got involved in acts against freedom of expression, which was “unacceptable.”PTI
Bihar floods: JD(U) hits out at Giriraj Singh for criticism, calls him habitual offender
https://scroll.in/latest/939624/bihar-floods-jd-u-hits-out-at-giriraj-singh-for-criticism-calls-him-habitual-offender
JD(U) has criticised Union minister Giriraj Singh after he said that the party’s chief and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had handled the floods in the state inefficiently, Hindustan Times reported. Singh had on Friday said that “a leader should accept praise as well as blame”, holding Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi responsible for the water-logging in several districts of the state.“He [Giriraj ] is not even comparable to a speck of dust on Nitish Kumar’s feet,” PTI quoted JD(U) spokesperson Sanjay Singh as saying. “One does not become a leader just by chanting the name of Mahadev [the deity Shiva] every now and then.” The spokesperson was hinting at Union minister’s habit of using the deity’s name during speeches.scroll
Showing identity cards to go home, say tribals living in Mumbai's Aarey
https://www.ndtv.com/mumbai-news/aarey-row-showing-identity-cards-to-go-home-say-tribals-living-in-mumbais-aarey-2112671
MUMBAI: Tribal communities living inside forest land in Mumbai's Aarey, where at least a thousand trees have been razed and many more are still to be cut to make way for a car shed for the Mumbai Metro, have appealed for support in the fight to save their homes and the environment. "My wife has been arrested. She has planted 100s of trees in the area. Is planting trees and saving them an offence?" Prakash Bhoir, a resident of one of the villages, asked NDTV.The Aarey Colony, one of the city's greenest neighbourhoods, is home to five lakh trees, 27 tribal villages and various animal and bird species. On Friday, Bombay High Court cancelled four petitions seeking to stop the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) from cutting down nearly 3,000 trees in the colony to build a car shed and offices for Metro Line 3.The process to raze the trees began mere hours later, leading to protests from activists who took to the streets in an attempt to stop the cutting. Several were detained with police cases being filed against 38 people and 29 others being arrested.On Saturday morning, Police also banned any gathering of four or more people. The move has affected local tribal communities, who are now being subject to security checks every time they leave and return home,ndtv
WORLD
Iraq PM pledges reform as rights group says 105 killed
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/iraq-protests-latest-updates-191004085506824.html
Iraq has been rocked by days of protests, as thousands of mostly young men have been demonstrating in different parts of the country against corruption, unemployment and poor public services. The number of people of killed during the five days of violent protests in Iraq is now 105, according to the country's Observatory for Human Rights. Govt has officially designated those killed as "martyrs," granting their families a special set of benefits. Iraqi PM Adel Abdul Mahdi's cabinet issued a series of reforms after an "extraordinary" session overnight in response to the sweeping anti-Govt rallies. The cabinet issued a decree including more than a dozen planned reforms, including land distributions, military enlistment and increased welfare stipends for needy families, AFP reported.The top UN official in Iraq denounced the violence during protests that has killed nearly 100 people across the country and wounded thousands of others, saying it "must stop".aljazeera
Iraq: Baghdad governor sacked amid protests
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191006-iraq-baghdad-governor-sacked-amid-protests/
Baghdad Provincial Council on Sunday voted to dismiss governor Falah al-Jazairi amid protests in the Iraqi capital, according to local media and Anadolu Agency.58-member council voted unanimously to remove al-Jazairi from his post, Al-Iraqiya TV said. According to the report, the provincial council will accept applications within days from candidates for the position.
Voting under way in Tunisia's parliamentary election
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/tunisia-polls-open-3rd-parliamentary-vote-2011-uprising-191006051529006.html
Tunis:Voting is under way in Tunisia where nearly 7 million people are eligible to vote in the parliamentary election, a legislative race expected to end with no clear winner.Polls opened on Sunday at 8am local time in the presence of local and international observers, including regional experts and diplomats.This is the second such vote since the 2014 adoption of Tunisia's constitution following the overhrow of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali three years earlier. Ben Ali, who ruled over the for 24 years before the civilian uprising in 2011 forced him to flee, died last month in Saudi Arabia. While Tunisia is often referred to as the only success story to come out of the Arab Spring, the elections are being held against a backdrop of spiralling food prices, inflation and more than 15%unemployment.Preliminary results will be announced on Oct. 10 and official results on Nov.17. The assembly will then be given two months to choose a PM and form a new Govt.aljazeera
Tunisian Prez-hopeful boycotts parliamentary polls
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191006-tunisian-president-hopeful-boycotts-parliamentary-polls/
Tunisian presidential front-runner Kais Saied has boycotted the country’s parliamentary poll, according to an electoral campaign organiser today. “Saied has decided to boycott polls,” Sami al-Aydi said.He argued that presidential candidate opposes holding the parliamentary poll on the closed-list electoral system. Saied, a former law professor, secured 18.4% of votes in the first round of presidential election held 3 week ago, followed by media mogul Nabil Karoui, who won 15.6% of votes. A runoff vote will be held on Oct. 13.MEMO
Muslim Brotherhood demands Kuwait to stop handing over its members to Egypt
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1932236/muslim-brotherhood-demands-kuwait-stop-handing-over-its-members-egypt
Cairo :Muslim Brotherhood in Kuwait has demanded local authorities to cease handing over its detained members to Egypt.The party urged Kuwait to instead to allow the them to “safely depart Kuwait to any other country”.The statement was issued days after Kuwait handed over to Cairo Khaled al-Mahdi, a member of the youth leadership in the Brotherhood. He has been sentenced to ten years in jail by Egypt.It accused Kuwait of abandoning the policy of neutrality on divisive regional issues, said the statement.Moreover, it said that the Brotherhood was an “important part of the Kuwaiti political scene.”Asharq Al-Awsat
North Korea calls off Nuke talks with US in Sweden
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/north-korea-calls-nuclear-talks-sweden-191006060553649.html
Working-level nuclear talks in Sweden between officials from Pyongyang and Washington have broken off, North Korea's top negotiator has said, dashing prospects for an end to months of stalemate.The talks, at an isolated conference centre on the outskirts of Stockholm, were the first such formal discussions since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in June and agreed to restart negotiations that stalled after a failed summit in Vietnam in Feb. North Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Myong Gil, who spent much of the day in talks with a US delegation, cast the blame on what he portrayed as US inflexibility, saying the other side's negotiators would not "give up their old viewpoint and attitude"."The negotiations have not fulfilled our expectation and finally broke off," Kim Myong Gil told reporters outside North Korean embassy, speaking through an interpreter. On Sunday, China's President Xi Jinping and North Korea's leader exchanged messages to reaffirm neighbours' relationship on 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. China is North Korea's only major ally.Xi, who has met Kim Jong Un 5 times in the past year, said they had "reached a series of important consensus, leading China-North Korea relations into a new historical era", Xinhua said.aljazeera
China pulls out of Iranian gas field development project
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191006-china-pulls-out-of-iranian-gas-field-development-project/
China’s national petroleum company CNPC pulled out of developing phase 11 of the country’s giant South Pars gas field, Iran’s oil minister said on Sunday.Bijan Zangeneh told reporters that the CNPC dropped the project, meaning that Petropars would develop the project alone.“The fate of the South Pars Phase 11 has been determined and Petropars will continue developing the project alone,” Zangeneh was quoted as saying by Shana, Iranian Oil Ministry’s news outlet. In 2015, National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) signed a contract with a consortium of Total, CNPC International, and Petropars to develop the offshore project in Persian Gulf waters.Following the US’ withdrawal from the nuclear deal in May 2018, some foreign companies left Iran, among them were Total, which also had pulled out of the contract.middleeastmonitor
Trump impeachment: Second whistleblower emerges
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49953225
A second whistleblower has come forward in the impeachment case against US President Donald Trump, according to lawyers representing the first one.Mark Zaid told ABC News the second person was also an intelligence official and they had spoken to the inspector general.The White House has not commented. President Trump has repeatedly rejected the original complaint.No details have been released about the second whistleblower's claims.However, Mr Zaid said the person had first-hand knowledge of allegations associated with the phone call Trump made with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on 25 July.The impeachment inquiry stems from the call, which was flagged up by the initial whistleblower in August.bbc
Ailing Pervez Musharraf to make a comeback in Pakistani politics
https://indianexpress.com/article/pakistan/ailing-pervez-musharraf-to-make-a-comeback-to-pakistani-politics-6056331/
Islamabad:Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf is set to return to the politics by reviving his party after remaining inactive for over an year due to his deteriorating health, according to media reports on Sunday.General (retd) Musharraf, 76, who has been living in Dubai since March 2016, is facing the treason case for suspending the Constitution in 2007, a punishable offence for which he was indicted in 2014. A conviction for high treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment.Musharraf, the founder of the APML, took a backseat from political activities last year because of his deteriorating health.He will address his supporters in Islamabad on Sunday via a video link on the occasion of the party’s foundation day, Geo TV and The Express Tribune reported.PTI
Air pollution exposure increases violent crime rates: Study
https://www.aninews.in/news/environment/air-pollution-exposure-increases-violent-crime-rates-study20191006173043/
Washington : In a new study, scientists have found that dirty air not only makes us sick but also aggressive.The study set to publish in the 'Journal of Environmental Economics and Management' found strong links between short-term exposure to air pollution and aggressive behaviour in the form of aggravated assaults and other violent crimes across continental US. The researchers cross-analysed three highly detailed data-sets: daily criminal activity from the National Incident-Based Reporting System; daily county-level air pollution from 2006-2013 collected by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitors; and daily data on wildfire smoke plumes from satellite imagery provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Hazard Mapping System.Researchers found that 56 % of violent crimes and 60 % of assaults occurred within the home which is an indication that many such crimes are tied to domestic violence.ANI
Flash:NEWS,views,Articles
BJP ministers doing their best to prove Imran Khan right, Modi needs to act: Tavleen Singh
https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/bjp-ministers-doing-their-best-to-prove-imran-khan-right-modi-needs-to-act/1727719/
NRC+CAB: Another Divisive Weapon of the Sangh Parivar:Subodh Varma
https://www.newsclick.in/NRC-CAB-Divisive-Weapon-Sangh-Parivar
The Intriguing Case of a Massive Slowdown in the Auto Sector:Gurbachan Singh
https://thewire.in/business/the-intriguing-case-of-a-massive-slowdown-in-the-auto-sector
UP NRC: Police Check ID Proofs Of 150 Families In Lucknow
https://www.newsnation.in/videos/india/uttar-pradesh-nrc-police-check-id-proofs-of-150-families-in-lucknow-8/53002
BJP plans to weed out 'foreigners' across India amidst utter chaos over NRC in Assam: Nava Thakuria
https://www.counterview.net/2019/10/bjp-plans-to-weed-out-foreigners-across.html
Amit Shah sounds the whistle – Muslims to be targeted again in India with another NRC:Swati Chaturvedi, Gulf News
https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/amit-shah-sounds-the-whistle--muslims-to-be-targeted-again-in-india-with-another-nrc-1.1570348363733
Why factories leaving China aren't going to India: Irene Yuan Sun, Bloomberg
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/why-factories-leaving-china-arent-going-to-india/articleshow/71462428.cms
Explained | Who gets to own the Nizam’s millions?
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/who-gets-to-own-the-nizams-millions/article29606090.ece?homepage=true
India-US trade deal: Legacy issues, political compulsions, complexity in policies prevent striking of even a 'limited' deal: Sreemoy Talukdar
https://www.firstpost.com/india/india-us-trade-deal-legacy-issues-political-compulsions-complexity-in-policies-prevent-striking-of-even-a-limited-deal-7458131.html
PMC Bank scam and the undeniable BJP connection:Kumud Das
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/pmc-bank-scam-and-the-undeniable-bjp-connection
Gandhi on cow, ram rajya and Hinduism:Charu Gupta
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/gandhi-on-cow-ramrajya-and-hinduism
In Kashmir, boys aged 14 and 16 held under dreaded Public Safety Act and sent to UP jails:Safwat Zargar
https://scroll.in/article/939516/in-kashmir-boys-aged-14-and-16-held-under-dreaded-public-safety-act-and-sent-to-uttar-pradesh-jails
Uncovering secrets of mystery civilization in Saudi Arabia: Sylvia Smith,BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49424036
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 5:50 PM)
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