*10 DEC. 2019: 12 Rabius Sani 1441: Vol: 12, No: 79*
*INDIA- CAB NRC*
Federal US commission calls CAB 'dangerous turn in wrong direction', seeks sanctions on Amit Shah if it is passed in Parliament
https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/federal-us-commission-seeks-sanctions-against-home-minister-amit-shah-if-cab-passed-in-parliament/1682061
Washington:A federal US commission on international religious freedom has sought sanctions against Home Minister Amit Shah and other principal Indian leadership if the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill with "religious criterion" is passed by the Parliament. In a statemen, US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) alleged that the CAB enshrines a pathway to citizenship for immigrants that specifically excludes Muslims, setting a legal criterion for citizenship based on religion."CAB is a dangerous turn in the wrong direction; it runs counter to India''s rich history of secular pluralism and the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law regardless of faith," it said.USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission created in 1998, that reviews religious freedom violations abroad and makes policy recommendations to President, the Secretary of State, and Congress.It had recommended the revocation of the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi''s US visa in 2005 in the wake of 2002 riots in his state.USCIRF said that it was deeply troubled over the passage of the bill in Lok Sabha."If CAB passes in both houses of Parliament, US government should consider sanctions against Home Minister Amit Shah and other principal leadership," the commission said."USCIRF is deeply troubled by the passage of CAB, originally introduced by Home Minister Shah, in Lok Sabha given the religion criterion in the bill," it added. Noting that in conjunction with the ongoing NRC process in Assam and nationwide NRC that Home Minister Shah seeks to propose, USCIRF said it "fears that Indian government is creating a religious test for Indian citizenship that would strip citizenship from millions of Muslims".It also said that for more than a decade now the Indian government has ignored the statements and annual reports of USCIRF. Recommendations of USCIRF are not enforceable. However, its recommendations are seriously taken into consideration by US government in particular the State Department which is tasked with powers to take sanctionable actions against foreign entities and individuals for violation of religious freedom and human rights. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said USCIRF''s statement on the bill is "neither accurate nor warranted".PTI /outlook
'Religious test for citizenship may undermine basic tenets of democratic values': US House panel
https://www.news18.com/news/world/religious-test-for-citizenship-may-undermine-basic-tenets-of-democratic-values-us-house-panel-on-cab-2418521.html
Washington: A day after Lok Sabha cleared the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill, US House Foreign Affairs Committee said any religious test for citizenship "may undermine the basic tenets of democratic values" of a nation. "Religious pluralism is central to the foundations of both India and the United States and is one of our core shared values. Any religious test for citizenship undermines this most basic democratic tenet," the panel said today.News18
CAB is part RSS' Hindu Rashtra' design of expansionism propagated by fascist Modi Govt: Imran Khan
https://www.deccanherald.com/international/cab-violates-all-international-human-rights-norms-khan-784247.html
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/citizenship-amendment-bill-lok-sabha-international-human-rights-day-imran-khan-6159641/
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan "strongly condemns" Modi government's poposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill."We strongly condemn Indian Lok Sabha citizenship legislation which violates all norms of int human rights law & bilateral agreements with Pak. It is part of RSS 'Hindu Rashtra' design of expansionism propagated by the fascist Modi Govt," said the Pakistan PM Imran Khan on Twitter.Marking the Human Rights day, PM Khan called out to UNSC to "against the illegal annexation of IOJK by Indian Occupation govt" in Kashmir. "On Human Rights day we must appeal to the world's conscience, to upholders of international law & to UNSC to act against the illegal annexation of IOJK by Indian Occupation govt. We condemn the Occupying Indian govt's siege of IOJK ongoing for over 4 months now & demand an end to the gross abuse & atrocities being inflicted on Kashmiri men, women & children by Indian Occupation forces in violation of all Int Humanitarian & Human Rights Laws. We salute & stand resolutely with the brave Kashmiris struggling for their right of self determination," he tweeted. deccanherald
India’s CAB ‘violates international human rights law, bilateral pacts with Pak’: Imran Khan
https://www.thestatesman.com/world/india-cab-violates-international-human-rights-law-bilateral-pacts-pak-imran-khan-1502832072.html
CAB is driven by toxic mix of extremist Hindutva ideology, major step towards Hindu Rashtra:Pak Foreign Office
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/pakistan-condemns-cab-calls-it-indias-attempt-to-interfere-in-neighbouring-countries-4715531.html
Rajya Sabha to debate CAB tomorrow: Shiv Sena hints at withdrawing support; rifts in JD(S) over backing Bill
https://www.firstpost.com/politics/rajya-sabha-to-debate-cab-tomorrow-attack-on-constitution-claim-congress-and-cpm-shiv-sena-hints-at-withdrawing-support-rifts-in-jds-over-backing-bill-7765321.html
Lok Sabha has passed the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill after a heated debate which lasted for over 7 hours. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to table the Bill in the Rajya Sabha at 2 pm on Wednesday. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the passage of the Bill and said that it is in line with"India's centuries-old ethos of assimilation, belief in humanitarian values", Opposition parties slammed BJP for "attack on the Indian Constitution".Terming the midnight passage of the bill as "India’s tryst with bigotry and narrow-minded exclusion", Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that Congress would fight the government's attempts to "systematically destroy our Constitution". Rahul Gandhi also hit out at the government over the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, saying it was an "attack on the Indian Constitution".CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury slammed the Centre over the passage of the Bill, alleging BJP-led government brought in the legislation to "sharpen communal polarisation" and "convert" India into a "Hindutva Rashtra".Meanwhile, the question of supporting the Bill has also led to divisions within a few NDA allies.Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that Shiv Sena won't back the CAB in the Rajya Sabha till the government answers the questions posed by the party.“We voted yesterday to absorb various people facing brutalities in other countries but we have asked many questions. Those questions we thought would be answered, ranging from national security to the rights of locals in various states of India,” Sena leader and Uddhav's son Aaditya quoted him as saying in a tweet."We need to change this notion that one who supports the Bill and BJP is a patriot and one who opposes it is anti-national. The government should answer all the issues raised on the Bill," Uddhav said.Shiv Sena, a former ally of the BJP, had supported the Bill in the Lok Sabha. Current NDA allies like Janata Dal (United) have also supported the Bill in the Lower House, however, it remains to be seen whether they will extend support in the Upper House.Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant also said that though the Shiv Sena has backed CAB in the Lok Sabha, it was hopeful the Uddhav-led party will stick to the common minimum programme (CMP) while governing the state.The JD(U) too appeared to be divided on the issue, with two senior party leaders urging party chief and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to "reconsider" the party's backing to CAB when the legislation is debated in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Terming the Bill as "unconstitutional, discriminatory", party general secretary Pavan K Verma urged Kumar to reconsider support to the CAB in Rajya Sabha.Earlier JD(U) vice president Prashant Kishor too had criticised the party over its support to the Bill.Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) Tejaswi Yadav also hit out at Kumar, accusing him of being afraid of the BJP, RSS and said that the RJD will fight the bill.In Sikkim, footballer-turned-politician Bhaichung Bhutia expressed disappointment that the state was not excluded from the ambit of the Bill, unlike several other northeastern states and called on the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) to quit NDA.firstpost
LS passes CAB: BJP gets support from JDU, YSRCP, BJD; Opposition calls it discriminatory
https://www.firstpost.com/politics/citizenship-amendment-bill-passed-in-ls-jdu-ysrcp-bjd-extend-support-to-bjp-opposition-calls-it-unconstitutional-discriminatory-7761181.html
Shops set on fire, clashes, stone pelting, Tripura govt cuts off internet for 48 hours: North-East simmers over Citizenship Bill
https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/northeast-citizenship-bill-bandh-protests-assam-tripura-manipur-6160392/
Deserted roads, closed educational institutions and banks, markets and vehicles set on fire, huge processions raising slogans against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and clashes brought life in parts of Northeast to a grinding halt in wake of 11-hour bandh call by North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), an umbrella body of influential students’ bodies of the region.With the contentious bill, Guwahati, Jorhat, Pathshala, Dibrugarh, Morigaon and Lakhimpur in Assam simmered with protests, even resulting in clashes between police and agitators.Police had to resort to lathicharge in Hatigaon, Dispur and Ganeshguri areas in Guwahati where protesters resorted to stone-pelting and burnt tyres and two-wheelers. North-East Frontier Railway headquarters in Malingaon was also gheraoed by protesters. However, the strike had little impact in Bengali-dominated Barak Valley.“The bandh has been 100 per cent successful because everyone knows that this Bill affects the Northeast. Even the ILP areas and Sixth Schedule areas, which have been exempted from CAB, participated in the bandh. It’s not like we want to call a bandh and disrupt normal life. We have been compelled to take this step,” said Lurinjyoti Gogoi, All Assam Students’ Union, General Secretary.Exams at Guwahati University and Dibrugarh University were postponed due to the bandh. “Being a Bengali, I am protesting against the CAB. It’s unconstitutional and will break the social fabric of the society,” said Kalyan Sengupta, a student of Dibrugarh University.Justifying the protests, Samuel Jyrwa, chairman of NESO, said that the agitation was against the “imposition” of the CAB on the Northeast which, he said, would open the floodgates for “illegal Bangladeshis” and signified a “dishonouring of the demands of the people of the Northeast”.In Tripura, two simultaneous protests by the Twipra Students Federation (TSF) and Joint Movement Against CAB, a platform of three indigenous political parties and tribal social organisations, virtually crippled public movement for most parts of Tuesday. In view of the vociferous protests, the state government shut down SMS and mobile internet services for the next 48 hours.Protesters clashed with police officials at Dewanbazaar in Sipahijala district, Kanchanpur in North Tripura district and Manu of Dhalai district, which was the worst affected due to the agitation. Dhalai Superintendent of Police Kishor Debbarma told indianexpress.com that officials had to resort to lathicharge and even fired in the air to bring the situation under control. However, he claimed no one was injured in the firing.At Anandabazaar village in Kanchanpur sub-division, protesters set two small vehicles on fire and damaged nearly 25 shops. An official from Tripura Police Headquarters said 1721 protesters were detained from different parts of Tripura till latest reports.Unlike Assam and Tripura, the bandh went off peacefully in Manipur and no large scale agitations were reported. The shutdown was supported by All Manipur Student’s Union (AMSU), Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) and All Naga Students’ Association Manipur.All business establishments, educational institutes remained closed and public transportation services also stayed off roads. The shutdown also affected the Indo-Myanmar border trade in Moreh town as agitators enforced road blockade. Educational institutions, banks, commercial establishments and markets were closed while public and private vehicles were off the roads in most places of Arunachal Pradesh in response to the strike called by All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union.In Meghalaya’s Shillong, incidents of tyre burning and vandalisation of vehicles were reported, as protesters lobbed Molotov cocktails at a police vehicle damaging it in Mawlai area, East Khasi Hills district deputy commissioner MW Nongbri said.ndtv/indianexpress
Tripura Blocks Mobile Data, SMS Services Amid Citizenship Bill Agitation
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/citizenship-amendment-bill-tripura-blocks-mobile-data-sms-services-amid-agitation-2146626?pfrom=home-livetv
Nationwide shutdown as people come out to protest citizenship amendments
https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/9/17988/Nationwide-Shutdown-as-People-Come-Out-to-Protest-Citizenship-Amendments
Indians across the country have come out in protest against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that Lok Sabha passed 311 to 80 late last night.People poured into the streets, not only in the northeastern states where bandhs or general strikes were called, but also in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bengaluru. The call nationwide was to withdraw the bill and scrap the proposed National Register of Citizens.An 11-hour strike was called by North East Students’ Association. Kolkata, protesters including members of over 50 political and non-political organisations called for starting a “non-cooperation movement” if NRC is implemented. The government reportedly plans to begin its nationwide implementation as NRC on Dec16. Hyderabad too witnessed a silent protest on December 9 by hundreds of individuals belonging to a number of civil rights groups working for the marginalised sections of society, including the urban poor, domestic workers, religious minorities, women, farmers, Dalits and Adivasis.thecitizen
Protests, strikes as India Parliament considers controversial citizenship bill
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1596576/world
Show civil disobedience against Citizenship Bill and NRC, former IAS officers urge Indians
https://scroll.in/latest/946382/former-ias-officers-activists-call-for-civil-disobedience-against-citizenship-bill-and-nrc?fbclid=IwAR19rUYZ63NgYOFOeE7qiocSxGHWGui846GHQp8mhVEfRIZVBJr4FLweXRE
Several former Indian Administrative Service officers and activists have urged Indians to begin a civil disobedience movement to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill and the proposed nationwide NRC.Activist and former IAS officer Harsh Mander said that if the bill is passed in Parliament, he will officially register as a Muslim. “I will then refuse to submit any documents to NRC,” he wrote on Twitter. “I will finally demand the same punishment as any undocumented Muslim – detention centre [and] withdrawn citizenship. Join this civil disobedience.” Mander is also a former IAS officer.A number of people on social media also began to call for civil disobedience today. Using the hashtag #CABNRCSatyagraha, Twitterati asked Indians to not submit their documents to prove their citizenship. Former IAS officer Sashikanth Senthil wrote a letter to Amit Shah saying the passage of the bill “marked the darkest day in the history of modern India.” Irrespective of the status of the Citizenship Bill, the “idea of an all-India NRC by itself is a dehumanizing effort”,he said. Senthil had quit IAS in September citing the clampdown in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.“I refuse to accept the process of enumeration in NRC by not submitting the requisite documents to prove my citizenship and is willing to accept the action taken by the India state against my disobedience,” he wrote in his letter. “If the state chooses to declare me as a non-citizen, I would also be happy to fill up the many detention centers that you are building all over the country. I would accept the incarceration with all humbleness than to wait at the sidelines as a mute spectator to the communal profiling and disenfranchising of my fellow humans.”Activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid also called for a civil disobedience movement against both NRC and the bill. “We have to launch a civil disobedience against NRC because it is impossible for 20 crore people to have their documents ready,” Khalid told HuffPost. “There is no organisation that has the resources to get their documents made. You will have to fight this battle. It’s not something that you think you can cooperate with and come out of it.”On Monday, a civil society group, Joint Forum Against NRC, held a protest march in Kolkata. The aim of the protest was to put at end to NRC and CAB being proposed by BJP led Govt. A number of speakers at the event argued that if the government decides to continue with these tests of citizenship based on religion, citizens must respond using non-cooperation and civil disobedience. “We will not allow a single person to lose citizens,” said Debarshi Chakraborty. “If that happens lakhs of people will hit the streets in Kolkata.” Adivasi leader Saradindu Uddipan said that any detention camps built in Bengal should be demolished.Kanhaiya Kumar, former president of JNU Students’ Union, argued that people should simply refuse to go along with NRC process: “If an NRC person comes to your doorstep, tell him to come tomorrow with Rs 15 lakhs. Indians now need to do this sort of non-cooperation with the govt”.scroll.in
Will declare myself Muslim if CAB gets Parliament nod: Former IAS officer, activist Harsh Mander
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/will-declare-myself-muslim-if-citizenship-bill-gets-parliament-nod-activist-harsh-mander-6159516/?fbclid=IwAR3Hyu-Goz-kkLrNEXF-32n_7FDnNESDu-SfRjPYKpufFisBx8nqCgoCCEc
EX IAS officer Sashikanth Senthil says won’t submit to NRC, calls for civil disobedience against CAB
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/former-ias-officer-says-won-t-submit-nrc-calls-civil-disobedience-against-cab-113797
Citizenship bill patently unconstitutional, battleground to shift to SC: Chidambaram
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/citizenship-bill-patently-unconstitutional-battleground-to-shift-to-sc-chidambaram-1626907-2019-12-10?fbclid=IwAR1tyIY_jQ0GJkHVp_K7uN6wUpf05Rikg9Es8lerdBb1ZQVQGTgOCJzFTQY
New Delhi:Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram described the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill as "patently unconstitutional" on Tuesday and said with its passage in Parliament, the battleground will shift to the Supreme Court. He claimed that the elected lawmakers were abdicating their responsibilities in favour of lawyers and judges."CAB is unconstitutional. Parliament passes a Bill that is patently unconstitutional and the battle ground shifts to the Supreme Court. Elected Parliamentarians are abdicating their responsibilities in favour of lawyers and judges!," Chidambaram said in a tweet."That is the price we pay for giving a party a brute majority that it uses to trample over the wishes of the states and the people," he said in another tweet.indiatoday
BJP indulging in divisive politics: Chhattisgarh CM
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bjp-indulging-in-divisive-politics-through-citizenship-bill-bhupesh-baghel-2146490?ndtv_nextstory
Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday said that BJP only engages in divisive politics in the name of religion and passage of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha is just an example of that."BJP does what it knows best. They misguide people in the name of religion and caste. The economy has gone down but there is no discussion on it in the parliament. The prices of onions have gone in excess of Rs 150 but there is no work on that front. They have also not done anything for the Hindu community and only indulge in vote bank politics," Bhupesh Baghel told reporters at a press conference.ANI
Muslim bodies appeal to government, MPs to junk Citizenship Amendment Bill
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2019/dec/10/muslim-bodies-appeal-to-govt-mps-to-junk-bill-2073863.html
New Delhi: Several Muslim organisations have urged the government and parliamentarians to dismiss the Citizenship Amendment Bill, terming it “discriminatory”, “divisive” and “anti-constitution”. Jamiat-Ulama-e-Hind (JuH), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), All India Muslim Majlis e Mushawarat (AIMIM) and Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), were among the organisations that asserted that the Bill, if passed, would destroy the secular fabric of the country and validate the two-nation theory. JuH chief Maulana Arshad Madani warned that the “dangerous Bill will set the secular fabric of the country on fire”. He said, “The Bill is anti-Muslim and dangerous for the secular fabric of the country. It cannot be seen in isolation. It has to be seen in tandem with NRC which the government wants to conduct in the entire country. We all saw what happened in Assam NRC. Even genuine people could not prove their citizenship. So, when these two are implemented countrywide, all will be able to escape NRC through this Bill except Muslims. It will make Muslims miserable and destroy the country’s secular fabric.”JIH vice-president Salim Engineer echoed similar concerns and called the Bill the biggest tool of discrimination. He also said that the Muslim body has been meeting politicians across party lines to convince them to not support the “divisive” Bill. “This validates the two-nation theory that had led to Partition. If the Bill is passed, it will be a turning point in India’s history. It is a big step towards becoming a Hindu Rasthra. We’re urging MPs to reject the Bill which is dangerous and disastrous for the secular principles of our country.” newindianexpress
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind cndemns CAB; Jamiat clls for ntionwide potest
https://caravandaily.com/jamaat-condemns-cab-jamiat-calls-for-nationwide-protest/
New Delhi: Reacting to controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) chief Syed Sadatullah Hussaini on Tuesday condemned the passing of the contentious legislation by Lok Sabha while Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind general secretary Maulana Mahmood Madni has called for a nationwide protest against the CAB on Friday.“A decision of nationwide protest has been taken against the anti-constitutional Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which is against Indian ethos. Every district and state unit of Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind are directed to hold silent and peaceful protest demonstration against the CAB on 13 December,” reads the press statement issued by Maulana Madni today. Jamaat President Syed Sadatullah Hussaini said: “We condemn the passing of the CAB in the Lok Sabha. We feel that the bill is an outcome of a communal mindset; it is both biased and discriminatory. As the bill envisages granting citizenship to all foreign immigrants coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan except Muslims, it is violative of the cherished “diversity” found in our country and the core values of our Constitution. Differentiating the persecuted aspirants of citizenship based on religion is not only against the basic structure of the Constitution but also against humanity and fundamental human values”.caravandaily
‘Move to make Muslims stateless’: Owaisi rips copy of Citizenship Bill in Lok Sabha
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/move-make-muslims-stateless-owaisi-rips-copy-citizenship-bill-lok-sabha-113775
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi has launched a blistering attack on the Union government in Lok Sabha over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, saying it was aimed at making Muslims "stateless" and would lead to another partition. Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, Owaisi said he was called Mahatma after he tore discriminatory citizenship card in South Africa and the Hyderabad MP then ripped the copy of the bill to highlight his protest, inviting sharp reactions from the treasury benches which described his act an "insult" to Parliament.“The Bill is an insult to India's freedom fighters,” Owaisi retorted, accusing BJP-led government of working to marginalise Muslims in the country. Owaisi alleged the bill was worse than the discriminatory laws brought by Hitler in Germany.PTI
Filmmaker Jahnu Barua withdraws his film from Assam film awards over Citizenship Bill
https://frontline.thehindu.com/dispatches/article30265692.ece?fbclid=IwAR2hVp2o5r9JiYfPx7eiUqI0xl7mlry_kS-kYtQiayxnb7xMzwt3x02c8x8
The veteran filmmaker Jahnu Barua has withdrawn his film Bhoga Khirikee from the Assam State Film Awards in protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) passed in the Lok Sabh. The CAB, he feels, will totally destroy Assamese society and cause fresh cracks in relations between communities. frontline
As a taxpayer, won't fund bigoted NRC and CAB: actress Swara Bhasker lashes out at Modi govt
https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/as-a-taxpayer-wont-fund-bigoted-nrc-and-cab-swara-bhasker-lashes-out-at-modi-govt
Citizenship Bill reflection of bigotry as Indian govt’s state policy:Indian Americans
https://caravandaily.com/citizenship-bill-reflection-of-bigotry-as-indian-govts-state-policy-say-indian-americans/
Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, strongly condemned the move to turn into law the Citizenship Amendment Bill, and termed the bill a “reflection of bigotry as India’s state policy.”The drive to legislate exclusion of one religious community once again exposes the socially divisive agenda of Hindutva right-wing forces in India that aim to reconstitute India into a Hindu theocracy by subverting the Constitution from its pluralist moorings, they noted.caravandaily
‘Minorities Safer in Bangladesh’: Dhaka Editors Slam India’s CAB
https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/minorities-safer-in-bangladesh-than-india-dhaka-editors-slam-citizenship-amendment-bill?fbclid=IwAR03McIJ359nfO8VG4uYLYGT5gllptAcXvx_g8CFevtC9WVRToQtNBTwilg
A day after the Lok Sabha passed the highly contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) that seeks to grant citizenship for immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh on the basis of their faith, editors in Bangladesh have criticised the Bill on various counts. Zafar Sobhan, Editor of the Dhaka Tribune and one of the country’s leading voices on regional affairs, told The Quint, “Minorities are more secure in Bangladesh than in India today.”Countering Home Minister Amit Shah’s claim that non-Muslim Bangladeshis were fleeing religious persecution,Reaz Ahmad, Executive Editor at the Dhaka Tribune, emphasised that the migration is “mainly to seize economic, commercial and employment opportunities.” Reaz Ahmad said,"narratives given by the BJP and Indian government leadership to justify such a bill is neither logical nor true. It is not fair at all to say that primary reason for non-Muslim people to migrate from Bangladesh is religious persecution." thequint
Muslims "bigger patriots" for staying back during partition: Azam Khan On CAB
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/muslims-bigger-patriots-for-staying-back-during-partition-azam-khan-on-citizenship-amendment-bill-2146360
Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan has said that Muslims are 'bigger patriots' as they had a choice either to go to Pakistan during Partition in 1947 or stay back in India -- and they chose to stay back."Those who stayed back here are bigger patriots than others. If this is the punishment for patriotism than all I can say is that in a democracy, only heads are counted, not brains," he said. Khan said that the opposition was not heard and heeded by the government during the debate on the bill.IANS
Over 600 writers, filmmakers, activists slam citizenship bill
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/over-600-writers-filmmakers-activists-slam-citizenship-bill
Calling Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019, as "divisive, discriminatory and unconstitutional", over 600 prominent persons including writers, artistes, filmmakers and retired bureaucrats have asked the Modi government to withdraw the Bill.Asserting that India's Constitution "insists on the fundamentals of equality, regardless of gender, caste, religion, class, community or language", the signatories said the Bill "will, along with a nationwide NRC, bring untold suffering” to people across the country and will damage “fundamentally and irreparably, the nature of Indian republic"."This is why we, and all citizens of conscience, demand that the government withdraw the Bill,” a statement signed by the likes of Romila Thapar, Prabhat Patnaik, Ramachandra Guha, Nayantara Sahgal, Arundhati Roy, Amitav Ghosh, T.M. Krishna, Sudhir Patwardhan, Nilima Sheikh, Aparna Sen, Nandita Das, and Anand Patwardhan, among others.Some of the other signatories to the statement include Justice (Retd) AP Shah, Wajahat Habibullah, Yogendra Yadav, Harsh Mander, Aruna Roy, Teesta Setalvad, Bezwada Wilson, G.N. Devy and Nandini Sundar.nationalheraldindia
69 IIMB signatories ask MPs to oppose Citizenship Bill to preserve constitutional principles
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/69-iimb-signatories-ask-mps-to-oppose-citizenship-bill-to-preserve-constitutional-principles-6159870/
*KASHMIR & SOUTH ASIA*
EU concerned by Kashmir situation & Citizenship Bill, calls for India-Pakistan dialogue
https://theprint.in/diplomacy/eu-says-it-is-concerned-by-kashmir-situation-calls-for-restoring-normalcy/333069/
New Delhi: European Union Ambassador to India Ugo Astuto Tuesday said he hoped the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will be implemented as per the standards set by the Indian Constitution even as he urged dialogue between India and Pakistan on Kashmir.Noting that India and the European Union (EU) share the same democratic values and principles, the ambassador said he was hopeful the discourse around the bill will adhere to the Indian Constitution. However, he urged India and Pakistan to resolve bilateral issues through dialogue.“Our position has not changed since August. We have stressed on a dialogue between India and Pakistan through diplomatic channels,” Astuto said.Further, he expressed concern over the situation in Kashmir and called for restoring of communication lines in the Valley at the earliest. “It is important to restore freedom of movement and normalcy in Kashmir,” he said.Astuto, though, clarified that the controversial visit by the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to Kashmir in October was not “an expression of EU’s policy decision”.Ambassador Astuto said India should focus on discussing the suspended Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT) until the free trade agreement is finalised.ThePrint
No need of larger courtroom to hear pleas challenging Article 370 abrogation:SC
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/no-need-of-larger-courtroom-to-hear-pleas-challenging-article-370-abrogation-sc20191210132525/
The Supreme Court today said that there is no need of larger courtroom to hear pleas challenging abrogation of Article 370 in J&K. 5-judge bench headed by Justice NV Ramana was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K. Supreme Court's lawyer Manohar Lal Sharma, who is one of the petitioners in the case, requested the Constitution bench that this hearing should be conducted in a larger courtroom and live telecast be allowed to allow people to witness its proceedings. The SC, however, refused his plea and said, "There is no need of larger courtroom for the hearing." The plea was filed through advocate Virag Gupta."The matters relating to Article 370 are very important and are covered widely by the Indian as well as the international media.In absence of accurate information being officially released by this court, proceedings may be susceptible to misreporting," Gupta had said.ANI
Outsiders could soon apply to J&K medical colleges under NEET and students are worried
https://theprint.in/india/education/outsiders-soon-apply-to-jk-medical-colleges-under-neet-students-worried/333197/
New Delhi/Srinagar: Medical seats in Jammu & Kashmir colleges, thus far restricted to local students, could soon be open to applicants from the rest of the country via the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET).It all depends on whether Jammu & Kashmir, which was categorised a union territory in October, agrees to adopt the 15 per cent All India Quota each medical college has for students from outside a certain state/union territory. While it was a state, 100 per cent of Jammu & Kashmir’s seats were reserved for local students.The Ministry of Health has written to the Ministry of Home Affairs, asking whether J&K will participate in All India Quota now that its special status is gone. The union territory is, however, yet to take a decision since the body that oversees professional entrance exams in J&K — the BOPEE — is being reconstituted.The proposed change, meanwhile, is making residents in Jammu & Kashmir anxious amid larger worries that the scrapping of Article 370 and Article 35A — a decision that stripped J&K of its special status — will fuel a surge of outsiders into the union territory.However, students and parents told ThePrint that despite their concerns about possible changes in reservation norms, their current focus was on getting their forms filled up, which is turning out to be a struggle amid the ongoing internet shutdown. theprint
SMS service messages resume for subscribers in Kashmir Valley
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sms-service-messages-resume-for-subscribers-in-kashmir-valley-jk-6160009/
Srinagar :SMS service messages, including ‘one time passwords’ (OTPs), resumed on Tuesday for 40 lakh subscribers in Kashmir following several requests from the public, particularly the business community, officials here said.Though Jammu and Kashmir administration allowed service providers to resume machine-based messages, subscribers will not be allowed to send any messages from their mobiles, the officials said.PTI
On Human Rights day, over 500 signatories express solidarity with Kashmir
https://thewire.in/rights/human-rights-day-solidarity-kashmir-statement
New Delhi: More than 500 signatories on Tuesday, which is observed as Human Rights Day, have issued a statement condemning the continued clampdown in Kashmir after Article 370 was diluted and Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories. The signatories are women, women’s groups and members of women’s movements.“More than 125 days later, many are still being held without charges or trial, under administrative detention laws such as the Public Safety Act, 1978 while grounds of detention and whereabouts of a large number, including children as young as ten, remain unknown. An unknown number of people have been moved to prisons outside the state of Jammu & Kashmir,” the statement says.Among the signatories are individual women and women’s organisations from about 30 countries across the globe – ranging from South Asian nations to the US, Iran to Indonesia, Afghanistan to Argentina, Europe to Mexico, Israel, Palestine, Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa.thewire
*ECONOMY*
India's automobile sales fall for 13th straight month - industry body
https://in.reuters.com/article/india-autos/indias-automobile-sales-fall-for-13th-straight-month-industry-body-idINKBN1YE0EB
India’s domestic passenger vehicle sales fell in November for a 13th consecutive month with no sign of an immediate recovery, an auto industry body said.Sales of passenger vehicles declined 0.84% to 263,773, compared with 266,000 in the year-earlier period, figures released by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) showed.The rate of decline was the slowest in recent months - driven largely by a preference for utility vehicles.But sales of two wheelers - widely seen as an indicator of rural economic health - and commercial vehicles fell nearly 15% each.Reuters
SBI under-reported ₹11,932 crore of bad loans in FY19, finds RBI report
https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/sbi-reports-11932-crore-npa-divergence-in-fy19/article30268228.ece?homepage=true
RBI’s inspection report has found out that State Bank of India (SBI) under-reported ₹11,932 crore of bad loans in FY19, which has pushed the bank to report net loss for the financial year 2018-19.The divergence in net non-performing asset (NPA) was also ₹11,932 crore, the bank informed the exchanges.According to the RBI, provision requirement for SBI increased by ₹12,036 crore in FY19.thehindu
Agree with Raghuram Rajan, economy suffering because all powers centralised in PMO: Shiv Sena
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/agree-with-raghuram-rajan-economy-suffering-because-all-powers-centralised-in-pmo-shiv-sena-1627087-2019-12-10
New Delhi: Shiv Sena has said one of the main reasons why Indian economy is suffering today is because under Narendra Modi, PMO has centralising all powers. The Shiv Sena said this tendency to centralise power is a key factor responsible for India's "poor" economic health.The Shiv Sena said this in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana. Its analysis was based on an essay written by ex RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan in India Today. The essay was titled: 'How to fix the economy'. Targeting PM Modi, Shiv Sena said he wants the finance minister, the finance secretary, the RBI governor and the Niti Aayog to be under his control. The editorial claimed the Modi government does not want to listen to economists because it considers the economy to be a "share market gamble".In his essay for the India Today Magazine, Raghuram Rajan had said India is currently in the midst of a "growth recession" with signs of deep malaise in the economy that is being run through extreme centralisation of power in the PMO and powerless ministers.indiatoday
No need to worry: Anurag Thakur on reports of govt withdrawing Rs 2000 note
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/economy/no-need-to-worry-anurag-thakur-on-reports-of-govt-withdrawing-rs-2000-note-4716421.html
Dismissing reports that the government is set to withdraw Rs 2000 denomination note, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said there was no need to worry about it."This is the real worry (about demonetisation) which has surfaced now. I think that you should not worry about it," Thakur told Rajya Sabha replying to a question on government's plan to withdraw Rs 2000 note in the future.SP member Vishambhar Prasad Nishad said, "Blackmoney has increased by introduction of Rs 2000 denomination note. There is misconception among people that you are going to introduce Rs 1000 denomination note again to replace Rs 2000 denomination note."PTI
*OTHERS*
BHU Prof Feroze Khan quits Sanskrit dept, joins Arts Faculty
https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/bhu-prof-feroze-khan-quits-sanskrit-dept-joins-arts-faculty?fbclid=IwAR1e_R2M5oaCW5CMRKQxkYZC1igJ8HVaPFOKrz3BcgUq1lbb-k4HqsJZxA8
BHU professor Feroze Khan has resigned from his post at Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan (SVDV) Department and joined Arts Faculty where he will teach Sanskrit, BHU sources said.Students, mostly from ABVP, were protesting against Khan's appointment. They said only a Hindu can teach Sanskrit at the university in Varanasi. Although the Benaras Hindu University backed Khan, he was unable to take classes for several days. SVDV Dean Bindeswari Prasad Mishra confirmed that Khan has joined the Arts Faculty of the university where he will teach teach Sanskrit.Following development, students who had been staging a sit-in against the selection of Khan in SVDV, ended their month-long protest.the quint
Dalit prof at BHU chased by students for ‘backing’ Firoze Khan, files complaint
https://indianexpress.com/article/education/bhu-dalit-prof-says-chased-by-students-for-backing-firoze-complains-to-proctor-6159013/?fbclid=IwAR35rleI2buF2Qg9QHxg5Ehbcn58hQk49gFk1h3lKTIMzY4WqO9oOKjHNEI
Lucknow :A group of BHU students on Monday allegedly chased a Dalit professor of Sanskrit Vidya Dharam Vigyan (SVDV) faculty and tried to assault him for “backing” Muslim Sanskrit scholar Dr Firoze Khan’s appointment as an assistant professor.Students of university’s SVDV faculty have been protesting against Khan’s appointment since early November for the only reason that he is a Muslim.Professor Shanti Lal Salvi alleged that while he was coming out of his faculty office, a group of students started abusing him with casteist remarks and started to chase him with an intent to attack him. In a letter written to Chief Proctor OP Rai, Salvi has accused a senior professor of the faculty of inciting the students against him.“At 12.05 pm, I was sitting in my office at SVDV faculty when some students came to me and asked me to leave as they were closing the faculty. Soon I came out with a colleague when an outsider, Munish Mishra, along with a student, Shubham Tiwari, and others started raising slogans against me. They called me and the department HoD a thief. Soon, more students joined and started making casteist remarks. They all chased me to beat me up. Sensing that my life is in threat, I started running and after around half a kilometre, I took a lift from a bike rider to reach the central office. One of the students threw a brick at me, but he missed,” Salvi wrote in the letter to the proctor.
Indianexpress
Lok Sabha passes Bill for extending SC-ST quota in legislatures
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/parliament-live-updates-citizenship-amendment-bill-amit-shah-lok-sabha-rajya-sabha-congress-bjp-6157468/
Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed The Constitution (126th Amendment) Bill, 2019 that is aimed at extending SC-ST quota in legislatures. The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad, on Monday. It amends provisions related to reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). The Bill seeks to extend the reservation for SCs and STs by another 10 years till January 25, 2030.indianexpress
Privacy Bill asks companies to hand over ‘non-personal’ data, implement voluntary user verification
https://thewire.in/government/privacy-bill-non-personal-data-voluntary-user-verification
New Delhi: India’s personal data protection (PDP) Bill, which was approved by the cabinet recently, is set to be placed in parliament this week.The Bill draws its origins from Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee on data privacy, which produced a draft piece of legislation that was made public in 2018.Since then, the contents of the final Bill have been mostly a secret, with it being circulated to MPs today.Most experts, including retired Justice Srikrishna, believe that the Bill should not be passed without being first sent to a parliamentary committee for further review.The new PDP Bill also contains 3 key clauses that were not previously included in Srikrishna draft version and have raised some concern amongst technology companies and privacy experts.thewire
Delhi court reserves verdict for 16 Dec against ex-BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in Unnao rape case
https://www.firstpost.com/india/delhi-court-reserves-verdict-for-16-december-against-ex-bjp-mla-kuldeep-singh-sengar-in-unnao-rape-case-7765661.html
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday reserved verdict for next week in the case of alleged kidnapping and rape of a woman by expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in Unnao in 2017.During in-camera proceedings, District Judge Dharmesh Sharma reserved the judgement for 16 December after hearing final arguments by CBI and the accused in the case. The judge heard the case on a day-to-day basis from 5 August after it was transferred to Delhi from a court in Lucknow on Supreme Court's directions. Woman was allegedly kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017 when she was a minor. The court has also framed charges against co-accused Shashi Singh in the case. Sengar was expelled from BJP in August.PTI
Delhi 2012 gangrape case: One of 4 convicts moves SC, seeks review of death penalty
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/delhi-2012-gangrape-convict-death-penalty-review-supreme-court-6160301/
One of the four convicts, Akshya Kumar Singh, moved the Supreme Court Tuesday seeking review of its 2017 judgment handing down death penalty to all in the December 16, 2012 gangrape and murder case in Delhi. The SC, on July 9, 2018, had dismissed the review pleas filed by three other convicts in the case.Akshya, 31, who had not filed the review plea earlier with other three convicts, has now moved the apex court with the petition, his lawyer AP Singh said.PTI
Unnao rape victim’s family stop local officials from cementing grave, demand justice first: PTI
https://theprint.in/india/unnao-rape-victims-family-stop-local-officials-from-cementing-grave-demand-justice-first/333083/
Unnao:Family members of the woman set ablaze by people whom she had accused of raping her in Unnao have objected to the district administration cementing the grave of 23-year-old, saying they won’t allow it unless justice is served to the culprits.They removed the bricks district authorities tried to put around the grave in her village.Vikas Pandey, SHO said work has been stopped after protest.The elder sister of the gangrape victim, who was admitted to a hospital late Sunday night after she complained of chest pain, threatened she would end her life if her family does not get speedy justice. She has been provided security by local police at the hospital.District administration tried to cement the grave on Monday, but the father of the victim objected to it, saying it cannot be done unless their demands are met.Her family has demanded that the accused be handed punishment in a manner similar to those accused of raping and killing veterinarian in Hyderabad.
Bangladesh Islamists threaten ‘long march to Ayodhya to save Babri Masjid’: timesnownews
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/bangladesh-islamists-threaten-long-march-to-ayodhya-to-save-babri-masjid/525290
Islamic organisations in Bangladesh are threatening a "long march to Ayodhya to save the Babri Masjid" in protest against the Supreme Court verdict, causing concern in India.Hefazat-e-Islam's demonstration against the Ayodhya judgement at the Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Central Dhaka after Friday prayers last month led by Nur Hossain Kashmeri was well-attended by about 3,000 people, highly-placed government sources said. Among those present were Islami Oikyo Jote chairman Abdul Latif Nizami. This has been the largest such protest in years, and there were similar, even if smaller protests in Chittagong, Sylhet and Brahmenberia.During a meeting in Chittagong, its headquarters, Hefazat leader Junaid Babunagri condemned the Supreme Court verdict and spoke of the long march to Ayodhya, not only to "save" the Babri Masjid but also to uproot the Modi government. The Hefazat, an Islamic organisation, which the ruling Sheikh Hasina government says has links to the Jamaat, is a decade old. Hefazat is also growing. It recently masterminded formation of a new Islamic organisation, the Tahaffuz Khatme Nabuwwat Bangladesh (TKNB) at Darul Uloom Islamia Deobhog Madrassa, Narayanganj, near Dhaka, under chairmanship of Shah Ahmed Shafi.
Israeli high school students to launch self-made satellite from Sriharikota
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/israeli-high-school-students-to-launch-self-made-satellite-from-sriharikota-6159531/
3 youngsters from an Israeli school will travel to India next week to launch a satellite — Duchifat 3 — designed and built by them aboard PSLV C48 from ISRO’s Sriharikota launch site.Alon Abramovich, Meitav Assulin and Shmuel Aviv Levi, all 17 to 18 years old, are students of Sha’ar HaNegev High school in Israel’s southern region. They will be leaving for India on Monday evening and the satellite launch is on Dec.11.Duchifat 3 is third in the series of Israeli student-made satellites.Jointly built by Herzliya Science Center and Sha’ar Hanegev High School students, the satellite is designed to serve children from across the country to “observe the Earth”.Israel’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Department, Israel Space Agency and Municipality of Herzliya are also said to have actively supported the initiative.PTI
Judges selected by collegiums, govts should be appointed within six months: Supreme Court
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/judges-selected-by-collegium-govt-should-be-appointed-within-six-months-supreme-court/article30265576.ece
NEW DELHI:213 names recommended for appointment in various High Courts are pending with the government/ Supreme Court collegium, the apex court has said in a judicial order.At least the names on which the Supreme Court collegium, the High Courts and the governments had agreed upon should be appointed within six months, it said.“If recommendations of the High Court collegium meet with the approval of the SC collegium and the government, at least their appointments must take place within 6 months. This is not to say that in other cases the process should not be completed within six months,” a Supreme Court Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K.M. Joseph said in an order dated December 6 and made available on Tuesday.thehindu
*WORLD*
As Suu Kyi looks on, Gambia details mass rapes, killings in Myanmar
https://in.reuters.com/article/myanmar-rohingya-world-court-suukyi/as-suu-kyi-looks-on-gambia-details-mass-rapes-killings-in-myanmar-idINKBN1YE0XF
The Hague: Gambia’s legal team described mass rapes, the burning of families in their homes and killing of dozens of Muslim Rohingya children with knives as it set out its genocide case against Myanmar at UN’s International Court of Justice on Tuesday.Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace laureate, looked on impassively as the alleged atrocities were detailed at the beginning of three days of hearings in The Hague instituted by Gambia against Buddhist-majority Myanmar in November.“All that Gambia asks is that you tell Myanmar to stop these senseless killings,” Gambia’s Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou said in opening comments.“To stop these acts of barbarity and brutality that have shocked and continue to shock our collective conscience. To stop this genocide of its own people.”Detailing events at the village of Min Gyi, lawyer Andrew Loewenstein drew on witness accounts recorded in a report by UN investigators, who estimated 750 people were killed there, including more than 100 children under the age of 6. Reuters
Obstruction, Abuse Of Power Charges Unveiled In Donald Trump Impeachment
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/obstruction-abuse-of-power-charges-unveiled-in-donald-trump-impeachment-2146634?pfrom=home-livetv
Democrats unveiled 2 impeachment charges against US President Donald Trump today, accusing him of abuse of power and obstruction in pressuring Ukraine to help him attack his 2020 election rivals.The charges, if approved by the House of Representatives in a vote expected next week, would make Trump only third US president to be impeached and placed on trial in the Senate."Our president holds the ultimate public trust. When he betrays that trust and puts himself before country,he endagers the constitution, he endangers our democracy and he endangers our national security," said Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.AFP
Reuters: 'White House veterans helped Gulf monarchy build secret surveillance unit'
https://in.reuters.com/article/usa-raven-whitehouse-specialreport/special-report-white-house-veterans-helped-gulf-monarchy-build-secret-surveillance-unit-idINKBN1YE1O9?il=0
Washington:In years after 9/11, ex US counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke warned Congress that the country needed more expansive spying powers to prevent another catastrophe. 5 years after leaving government, he shopped the same idea to an enthusiastic partner: an Arab monarchy with deep pockets. In 2008, Clarke went to work as a consultant guiding UAE as it created a cyber surveillance capability that would utilize top American intelligence contractors to help monitor threats against the tiny nation.The secret unit Clarke helped create had an ominous acronym: DREAD, short for Development Research Exploitation and Analysis Department. In the years that followed, UAE unit expanded its hunt far beyond suspected extremists to include a Saudi women’s rights activist, diplomats at the United Nations and personnel at FIFA, world soccer body. By 2012, the program would be known among its American operatives by a codename: Project Raven. Reuters reports this year revealed how a group of former National Security Agency operatives and other elite American intelligence veterans helped UAE spy on a wide range of targets through previously undisclosed program —from terrorists to human rights activists, journalists and dissidents. Now, an examination of the origins of DREAD, reported here for the first time, shows how a pair of ex senior White House leaders, working with ex-NSA spies and Beltway contractors, played pivotal roles in building a program whose actions are now under scrutiny by federal authorities.To chart UAE spying mission’s evolution, Reuters examined over 10,000 DREAD program documents and interviewed more than a dozen contractors, intelligence operatives and former government insiders with direct knowledge of the program.
Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed receives Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/ethiopian-pm-abiy-ahmed-receives-nobel-peace-prize-oslo-191210134203241.html
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has received the Nobel Peace Prize and hailed the role played by former foe Eritrea in resolving the long-running conflict between two countries."I accept this award on behalf of Ethiopians and Eritreans, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of peace," Abiy said on Tuesday after he received the prestigious award in a formal ceremony at Oslo's City Hall."Likewise, I accept this award on behalf of my partner, and comrade-in-peace, President Isaias Afwerki, whose goodwill, trust and commitment were vital in ending the two-decade deadlock between our countries," he added.
GCC summit calls for unity amid hopes of easing Gulf crisis
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/gcc-summit-calls-unity-hopes-easing-gulf-crisis-191210133956942.html
A summit of Gulf states has quickly concluded in Saudi Arabia's capital amid signs of a thaw in relations between a host of blockading countries and Qatar - even though there was no concrete progress in the two-year diplomatic crisis.Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani did not attend the 40th edition of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit held in Riyadh on Tuesday, but sent PM Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani in his stead.Saudi King Salman, who earlier afforded the Qatari prime minister a traditional welcome, called for regional unity to confront Iran and secure energy supplies and maritime channels.aljazeera
Israel settlers led by Yehuda Glick storm Al-Aqsa compound
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191210-israel-settlers-led-by-yehuda-glick-storm-al-aqsa-compound/
Israeli soldiers arrested a guard at Al-Aqsa Mosque this morning while settlers stormed the mosque.Under the protection of Israeli police, groups of settlers guided by Orthodox Israeli Knesset member Yehuda Glick entered the compound through Al-Maghrebi Gate and performed prayers and rituals before leaving the Islamic site through the Al-Selselah Gate.Glick was reported to have taken a photo with group of settlers who accompanied him after he performed his rituals.Israeli settlers raid Al-Aqsa Mosque on a daily basis and perform Talmudic rituals inside its yards, while the Israeli army limits access to Muslim worshippers during this time. The number of Israeli members of Israel’s Knesset who storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound has increased in recent months after Netanyahu lifted a ban on Knesset members visiting Muslim holy site.middleeastmonitor
Hamas denies talks about long-term truce with Israel
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191210-hamas-denies-talks-about-long-term-truce-with-israel/
Hamas has denied that Egypt proposed a long-term truce with Israel during their visit to Cairo.In a statement MEMO received a copy of Hamas said: “The news which reported the issue of the long-term truce was inaccurate.”The statement added: “These reports are fake rumours,” stressing that “this topic was not raised during [Hamas’] meetings with mediators.”“We speculate that this came as part of an effort to keep public opinion busy and provide a cover for serious concessions made by certain sides.”middleeastmonitor
Southwest Airlines threatened to kick my Muslim wife off flight: British journalist in viral tweet
https://www.indiatoday.in/trending-news/story/southwest-airlines-threatened-to-kick-my-muslim-wife-off-flight-british-journalist-in-viral-tweet-1626801-2019-12-09
British journalist Mehdi Hasan, who was travelling on a flight with Southwest Airlines after the Thanksgiving holiday, complained on a Twitter thread that an attendant in the flight misbehaved with his wife.He had boarded Southwest flight with his family. These flights have an open-seating policy, which means that passengers can choose their own seats from the available ones, as the airline rules suggest.The problem allegedly started when his wife politely requested a passenger to change seats with her so that she could sit with her husband and kids, who were sitting elsewhere in the flight. In a 6-tweet thread, the man narrated the ordeal that they had to face.In the first tweet, the journalist wrote that the flight attendant told his wife she would be "escorted off the plane" because she was making other passengers "uncomfortable."Attendant even went to the extent of calling the ground staff on to the plane to complain about "Muslim woman,"as mentioned in the tweet.The airline later made a public apology to journalist on his first thread, saying that they could "empathise" with him and his family.India Today
Sisi tops trending Twitter list for causes of suicide in Egypt
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191209-sisi-tops-trending-twitter-list-for-causes-of-suicide-in-egypt/
Egyptian activists have launched Arabic hashtag “suicide has spread because of” and posted top reasons why more people are killing themselves in Egypt.Top of the list was the repression overseen by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on all members of the opposition in Egypt. After September protests authorities arrested over 4,000 people in one month.Economic and social deterioration, poverty, corruption,injustice, job insecurity, homelessness, and lack of freedom were also posted as leading causes. middleeastmonitor
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
Citizenship Bill has only one aim: protect non-Muslims, harass Muslims:AMAN WADUD
https://theprint.in/opinion/citizenship-bill-has-one-aim-protect-non-muslims-harass-muslims/332873/?fbclid=IwAR1SF-XAFRhqzFoQDc0r4PmwIGlK9xU9xoQer8CWCRxz0QCsvbZEFadI2OM
How foreign media criticised citizenship bill being passed in Lok Sabha:TARAN DEOL
https://theprint.in/india/how-foreign-media-criticised-citizenship-bill-being-passed-in-lok-sabha/333050/
Why the Citizenship Amendment Bill does more harm than good:Subir Roy
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/politics-why-the-citizenship-amendment-bill-does-more-harm-than-good-4715171.html
Dear CJI, Indians have lost faith in judiciary because we are ruled by power, not by law:NITIN PAI
https://theprint.in/opinion/dear-cji-indians-have-lost-faith-in-judiciary-because-we-are-ruled-by-power-not-by-law/332795/?fbclid=IwAR2nqvZp6_LXExgUXk2BwHcAKsFGqfExDOIg9Ll3CJ5yw_tWci35iLYbze8
What is Nehru-Liaquat pact that Amit Shah referred to defend Citizenship Amendment Bill?Prabhash K Dutta
https://www.indiatoday.in/news-analysis/story/nehru-liaquat-pact-that-amit-shah-referred-to-defend-citizenship-bill-1627036-2019-12-10
JD(U) support for citizenship bill spells out Nitish’s new strategy — Muslims not needed:DIPAK MISHRA
https://theprint.in/politics/jdu-support-for-citizenship-bill-spells-out-nitishs-new-strategy-muslims-not-needed/332969/
CAB violates text and spirit of Constitution :Suhrith Parthasarathy
https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/cab-violates-text-and-spirit-of-constitution/articleshow/72448862.cms
Prof. Shyam Menon: Acts of an insecure state
https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/article30147218.ece?fbclid=IwAR3iKG2CwnsPqtqqW1pLQaoVlYtEZOtCp3_0lWAKmbcC4yhVmTqfoUzSEc4
We have to debunk myth that minorities have privileges:Raju Rajagopal of Hindus for Human Rights
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/things-to-do/we-have-to-debunk-the-myth-that-minorities-have-privileges/articleshow/72450034.cms
No, Mr. Shah, Citizenship Bill is unconstitutional, assert jurists:Ashlin Mathew
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/no-amit-shah-the-citizenship-amendment-bill-is-unconstitutional-assert-jurists
Serious questions confront policymakers. Yet data are not reliable enough for them to be answered:Arvind Subramanian
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/indian-economic-slowdown-tax-rate-cut-nirmala-sitharaman-india-gdp-2019-modi-govt-6158790/
Doubts About Citizenship Bill? Here Are 7 Myths Busted:ALOK PRASANNA KUMAR
https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion/citizenship-bill-myths-busted-constitution-of-india-illegal-migrants-muslims-nrc
Umar Khalid On Citizenship Amendment Bill: It's Time For Civil Disobedience
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/umar-khalid-citizenship-amendment-bill_in_5dee10fee4b07f6835b58ee7?utm_hp_ref=in-homepage
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 9:01 PM).*
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