05 Feb. 2020: 10 Jamadi-2, 1441: Vol: 12, No: 124
*anti-CAA,NRC-NPR stir*
UP police crackdown on women, children protestors at Azamgarh’s Bilariyaganj, several injured, charged them with rioting, sedition
https://www.thequint.com/news/india/uttar-pradesh-news-uttar-pradesh-police-lathicharge-women-children-in-anti-caa-protest-in-azamgarh
https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/7/18268/4-am-UP-Police-Crackdown-on-Women-Children-Protestors-At-Azamgarh-Several-Injured
Several persons, including mostly women and children, have been injured in a brutal police attack at Azamgarh in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Uttar Pradesh police swooped on the women sitting in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, NRC, NPR at about 4 am this morning with a lathi charge that has left several injured with broken bones and wounds. One 55 year old woman is in ICU with serious head injuries.Local eyewitnesses said that women had been wanting to sit in a Shaheen Bagh kind of protest for several days now, and were finally able to persuade their menfolk to allow this. So at 11 a.m. about 500-600 women gathered at Billiaraganj and started the sit in. The police reportedly told them to clear out, saying they did not have permission. At 4 am the police moved in on the women. Locals said that unable to withstand this sight, the men of the area started pelting stones at Uttar Pradesh police that retaliated with rubber bullets and a stronger attack that has led to the detention of at least 20 more persons.Sources said that the place was swarming with cops who had chased the youth and the men into their homes, beaten them and detained many. Several are missing still, and exact numbers of even the injured are still not known. Among those in police custody are Rashtriya Ulama Council general secretary Maulana Tahir Madni.Local said there was complete terror all around. The local MLA is from the Samajwadi party Nafeez Ahmad who has not been seen since the time of going to press. This is Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav’s constituency, but he too has not been heard from. Efforts to contact him failed and as a young man whose mother and sister were both part of the protest but remained unhurt said, “Akhileshji does not come out of Lucknow, we have no hope from him at all.” More details are still awaited. UP Police has filed an FIR against Azamgarh protesters. According to FIR the protesters have been slapped with rioting, sedition and 17 other charges.Local sources also told The Quint that the police forcibly entered the homes of the boys involved in the protest and beat them up, before detaining them. The exact number of detainees are yet to be known. Yasmeen Khan, a protester, said,“They (police) used all their force to remove us from the protest site and when we did not give up, they caught the men and started beating them. Then, they pelted bricks and stones on us before resorting to lathicharge. This left many women injured,” said Yasmeen Khan.Hafiz Danish Falahi, an eye-witness has confirmed said that a woman sustained serious injuries on her head and is reportedly in a critical condition. The witness also said that children were injured in the chaos.The police also poured gallons of water on the protest venue to stop more protesters from converging there. Thequint/ thecitizen
Azamgarh Police Crackdown on Anti-CAA Protest, Women Protesters Lathi-Charged
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/azamgarh-police-crackdown-on-anti-caa-protest-women-protesters-lathi-charged
Shaheen Bagh Shooter's Family Denies Police Claim, Says No Link With AAP
https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-shaheen-bagh-shooters-family-denies-police-claim-says-no-link-with-aap/346788?utm_content=buffera8bad&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwAR2RyAsQWtShqG7WYTGlAtdGeu1cVyaMdtgz6LWESgqbK3nePG8L4EdQ-78
The family of the Shaheen Bagh shooter has denied the claims of the Delhi Police that they are associated with AAP, thus, adding another twist to the case.The twist in Shaheen Bagh shooting emerged on Tuesday when Delhi Crime Branch claimed they had retrieved photos from Shaheen Bagh attacker, Kapil Gujjar's, phone and that "established" he was affiliated with AAP.The photos recovered from phone of the Gujjar show him and his father Gaje Singh with AAP leaders such as Atishi and Sanjay Singh and are allegedly from 2019 on the day when the father-son duo joined AAP.Soon after the police's claim, BJP launched a series of attacks on AAP and blaming it for inciting violence and indulging in "dirty politics".AAP on its part accused the Delhi Police of working on the behest of BJP and said that the photos found on phone of Gujjar "do not mean anything".The case took a fresh turn when the family of Gujjar dismissed Delhi Police's claims and said they had nothing to do with AAP.outlookindia
AAP Says Cop "BJP Spokesperson" After His Claim On Shaheen Bagh Shooter
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/shaheen-bag-shooter-s-photos-with-aam-aadmi-party-leaders-trigger-political-storm-2174918?pfrom=home-topscroll
New Delhi: Photos of Shaheen Bagh shooter with senior AAP leaders raised a political storm late on Tuesday evening, with BJP claiming it proved the ruling party's complicity in the protests against the contentious CAA. AAP said it was all a BJP conspiracy and the police was acting under the orders of Union home minister Amit Shah. Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said they would send a legal notice to the officer who made the claim and also complain to the Election Commission.With just 3 days to go before the Delhi assembly elections, the Delhi Police claimed that the shooter had confessed to being a primary member of the AAP.NDTV
'DCP Should Wear Lotus On Shirt': AAP After Police Claim On Shaheen Bagh Shooter
https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-dcp-should-wear-lotus-on-shirt-aap-after-police-claim-on-shaheen-bagh-shooter/346783?fbclid=IwAR2DNvZfXB6U19_q6OPARUO3bD0esUKFrv1zwbUYkbEBrpx-FJa5lQ4cMaU
How Did Manoj Know About Kapil Gujjar Before Police, Asks AAP
https://www.thequint.com/elections/delhi-elections/how-did-manoj-know-about-kapil-gujjar-before-police-asks-aap?fbclid=IwAR2w3yL2TGtx_q-nfhYaxFlEVp2sp_unTpQsE_XYtP2sk5T-Mi4j2UcZCyI
Kejriwal blames Amit Shah’s ‘petty conspiracy’ for police claim of Shaheen Bagh shooter’s AAP link
https://scroll.in/latest/952215/kejriwal-blames-amit-shahs-petty-conspiracy-for-police-claim-of-shaheen-bagh-shooters-aap-link
BJP Supporter Gunja Kapoor, Followed by PM on Twitter, Caught in Burqa at Shaheen Bagh
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/bjp-supporter-gunja-kapoor-followed-by-pm-modi-on-twitter-caught-in-burqa-at-shaheen-bagh?fbclid=IwAR1YxYwTyL48aoJKnhn_IAoVTJYmzzXTLW0toFQebVOojhpmbYhXrzNopwg
NEW DELHI,:BJP supporter and political analyst Gunja Kapoor was caught at Shaheen Bagh protest site Wednesday noon. She was wearing Burka and making videos of the protesters. She was taken away by the police. She is followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter.“हिन्दू महिला @gunjakapoor बुर्के में कैमरा लगाकर शाहीन बाग में पकड़ी गईं पुलिस पकड़ के लेकर गई। She is YouTuber of Right Narrative channel @right_narrative & followed by our PM,” tweeted organizers of the Shaheen Bagh protest.“As election is inching closer, RW goons trying all means to attack on us,” they also said.Only yesterday, she had slammed AAP for “sending” its alleged worker to open fire at Shaheen Bagh, referring to the shooter Kapil Gurjar whose photos with AAP leader appeared yesterday, three days after he was caught at Shaheen Bagh after opening fire near the protest site.“Did Arvind Kejriwal & Sanjay Singh want to kill women & children protesting at #ShaheenBagh,” Gunja had tweeted on Tuesday.indiatomorrow
Shaheen Bagh: Kept at gurdwara overnight, Punjab farmers finally allowed to reach protest site
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/shaheen-bagh-kept-at-gurdwara-overnight-punjab-farmers-finally-allowed-to-reach-protest-site-6253037/
New Delhi :15 hours after they reached Delhi, over 800 farmers of Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) were finally allowed to join the Shaheen Bagh protest.The farmers (both men and women) had started for Delhi from Sangrur in eight buses along with ration on Tuesday morning, but were stopped by the Delhi police at Sarita Vihar, 3 km before the protest site.“They all were taken to Gurdwara Bala Sahib in that area. They were finally allowed to march towards the protest site only on Wednesday, around noon. It is really sad that our members were stopped and harassed overnight. Hence, we burnt effigies of the central government at 52 places in Punjab, as everything was done by the police at their behest,” said Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, general secretary of BKU (Ugrahan).He added: “It is really surprising that the farmers were stopped. On January 15 as well, we had visited Shaheen Bagh for a day. On February 3, a group from Punjab Kisan Union (PKU) had gone to the protest site. The protest is being given a colour, that it is by anti-nationals and by a particular religion… hence, support from Punjab brothers and sisters proves its secular nature. And not just Punjab, like-minded people from across the country are coming to Shaheen Bagh.”Meanwhile, effigies were burnt Wednesday at several districts.indianexpress
Kshatriya Samaj threatens to forcibly end 'anti-national' Shaheen Bagh protests by 12 Feb
https://www.firstpost.com/india/right-wing-group-kshatriya-samaj-threatens-to-forcibly-end-anti-national-shaheen-bagh-protests-by-12-february-over-traffic-snarls-8006181.html
Raising a shrill pitch over ongoing protest at Shaheen Bagh ahead of Delhi Assembly elections to a whole new level, Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha, a Hindu Right-Wing group, has threatened to forcibly clear the "blockade" caused by anti-CAA protesters. The group has set a deadline till 12 February for the Centre and the state government to vacate the Shaheen Bagh part of the Kalindi Kunj Road occupied by protesters. Or else, it threatened, they will do it themselves.Recently, the group also held a protest march from Noida to Shaheen Bagh demanding clearance of the road. The group was not allowed ahead by the police. firstpost
All Polling Stations In Shaheen Bagh Under Critical Category: Election Commission
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/delhi-assembly-election-2020-election-commission-says-all-polling-stations-in-shaheen-bagh-under-cri-2175547
New Delhi: In view of the ongoing anti-CAA protest at Shaheen Bagh, the Delhi poll body has put all five polling stations in the area under critical category, an official said on Wednesday.Talking to reporters, Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh said five polling stations have about 40 booths.He said security personnel will carry out marches and patrolling in the area to boost confidence of voters.PTI
Delhi anti-CAA protesters say their fight is with Centre, not Kejriwal
https://indianexpress.com/elections/delhi-assembly-elections-anti-caa-protests-shaheen-bagh-aap-bjp-congress-6252640/
New Delhi :As anti-CAA-NRC protests rage in Shaheen Bagh and other Muslim-dominated areas of the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his party leaders have made it a point neither to speak overtly on the issue nor visit these protest sites in the run-up to the Assembly elections scheduled for February 8. The BJP, for its part, is carrying out a brazen campaign aimed at polarising voters against these protests. The Congress, it is said, is trying to woo the Muslim vote in these areas that once were its strongholds.indianexpress
Complaint to EC says BJP’s campaign songs target minorities, promote hatred between communities
https://scroll.in/latest/952211/bjps-campaign-songs-target-minorities-promote-hatred-between-communities-says-complaint-to-ec
BJP’s campaign songs for the Delhi Assembly elections are a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct and several other rules, a group of filmmakers, advocates and an author have told the Election Commission of India in a complaint filed on February 4. Observing that these videos promote hatred between communities and different classes, 5 signatories have asked Election Commission to direct the BJP to “remove the offending videos from all its social media portals...and issue directions to them to refrain from releasing any further such or other videos in the public domain”.scroll
Bidar school sedition case: Police probe raises questions of religion-based profiling
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/bidar-school-sedition-case-police-probe-raises-questions-religious-based-profiling-117503
Bidar police on Tuesday questioned minor students of the Shaheen Primary School for the fifth time in connection with the sedition case registered against the school’s management and one parent. The sedition case was slapped after students staged a play, which was against the CAA and NRC on January 21.On January 26, the sedition case was registered. Ever since the police have questioned the children multiple times. This has raised several questions over why investigators have not shown restraint while handling the case; and also whether the government is influencing the police in clamping down on the rights of the minority community.Over a month ago, a school in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district, owned by RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat was in the spotlight after students staged a play regarding the demolition of the Babri Masjid. A video of the play shows at least a hundred children on stage rushed towards a huge poster of the Babri Masjid, as a narrator said on a loudspeaker: “They start demolishing the structure with anything they can get their hands on. With enthusiasm, Hanuman bhaktas with Hanuman’s anger, they bring down Babri structure. Bolo Shri Ramachandra ki, Jai!” As the proclamation of Ram’s name came on the loudspeaker, the poster of Babri Masjid was brought down by the students, and the children on stage cheered and jumped in excitement.In the case of Shaheen Primary and High School, the management and parent of one little girl were booked for sedition. While the police showed restraint and did not subject children to interrogation in the school in Dakshina Kannada, the same restraint was not offered to the students of Shaheen Primary and High School.As the Karnataka government and the police came under the spotlight and have been accused of harassing the children in the school, the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has issued a notice to Bidar SP, the officials of the Department of Public Instruction in Bidar and also the Disctrict Child Protection Officer regarding the repeated questioning of the children.thenewsminute
‘Kids Can’t Do a Play Under BJP’: Parents Slam Bidar Sedition Row
https://www.thequint.com/news/india/kids-cant-do-a-play-under-bjp-parents-slam-bidar-sedition-row?fbclid=IwAR302HhtVinLVooscUkfaZu3o5ZkYVNAdQMcl_TQQRarQNweNjZynnfjcuA
Amid cries of ‘Bidar Police down, down’, several angry parents, activists and citizens of Bengaluru came together to raise their voices against the ‘inhuman’ behaviour of the Bidar police. Over the last week, cops have turned up at a local primary school almost everyday, to interrogate minors for hours on end, over charges of staging a ‘seditious’ play at a school function.Two women, the headmistress and a single mother have been in jail since 30 January after their arrest. Bearing placards, chanting slogans and holding a large banner that said, ‘Humanity is the only religion,’ citizens called out the inaction of the state government as well as the insensitivity of local cops on their stringent action.Demanding immediate withdrawal of the case, several citizens said that they feared for their own kids, claiming that ‘there is no freedom for the kids to stage a play under this government.’thequint
Hoping sedition case is withdrawn, Bidar school students offer prayers
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/hoping-sedition-case-withdrawn-bidar-school-students-offer-prayers-117517
Even as 11-year-old Ayesha* (name changed) waits to hear the fate of her mother’s bail petition in the Bidar District and Sessions court, students in Shaheen Primary and High School on Tuesday evening gathered at the courtyard of their school to break their fast and offer prayers, in the hope that the recent controversy over a play staged in the school tides over. “Around 1,000 hostel students in the school gathered inside the school premises to pray and break their fast. This has been happening for the last three days after the police arrested the mother of a student and a teacher of the school,” Touseef Madikeri, CEO of Shaheen Primary and High School in Bidar, told TNM. Police officials in Bidar district continued to question Ayesha’s batchmates at Shaheen Primary and High School on Tuesday after they turned up at the school for the fifth time. Police officials in plainclothes, led by Basaveshwara Hira, Bidar Deputy Superintendent of Police, questioned students involved in a programme organised in the school on January 21.
Sharjeel Imam case: TISS tense as students grapple with sedition case against Urvashi Chudawala and others
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/tiss-tense-as-students-grapple-with-sedition-case-against-peer/articleshow/73948280.cms
An uneasy silence permeated Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) on Tuesday, as students woke up to the news that their peer, Urvashi Chudawala, had been booked for sedition. Chudawala – a member of the TISS Queer collective who now goes by the name Kris – and 50 others, whose identities are not yet known, were charged after a video of them raising slogans in support of Sharjeel Imam during Queer Azaadi Mumbai Pride March last Saturday was circulated on social media.The police’s actions have shocked the usually articulate students of the institute – many of whom are in the midst of project and dissertation submissions – into silence. There are, however, murmurs of discontent all around. “Most of us don’t know all the details [of the case]. We are waiting for more information, but the campus is tense,” said a student, who did not wish to be named. Another added, “Students are definitely upset. Everyone is talking about it in the dining hall and canteen. Those who have fired bullets at Jamia protesters are going free while and students are being booked for statements.” The students’ union went into a huddle on Tuesday to decide what stand it should take. “We are still in discussion. We will let you know if we issue a statement,” president Bhatta Ram said.mumbaimirror
Sharjeel Made Anti-CAA Pamphlets To Mobilise People: Police
https://caravandaily.com/sharjeel-made-anti-caa-pamphlets-to-mobilise-people-police/
Delhi Police claims that it has found an “inflammatory” pamphlet from the laptop of Sharjeel Imam, the incarcerated research scholar of Jawahar Lal Nehru University, that appealed people to mobilise against the CAA and the NRC and was shared through WhatsApp, mail and messenger with groups of students of the AMU and other varsities, an official said.A senior Crime Branch official related to the probe told IANS: “The pamphlet that we recovered from the laptop of Imam talking about Muslims being on the radar of the government and Muslims being killed in Assam.“During questioning, Imam told us that he made the pamphlet on December 3 and it was circulated to the WhatsApp groups of the AMU and other universities.”caravandaily
Shaheen Bagh infant death case: Bravery award winner writes to CJI
https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/shaheen-bagh-infant-death-case-bravery-award-winner-writes-to-cji/1726622
New Delhi:The case of the death of a four-month-old infant in Delhi''s Shaheen Bagh, which is the epicentre of the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests, has reached the Supreme Court.A girl, who received the prestigious bravery award from the President, has written a letter to Chief Justice of India S. A. Bobde seeking guidelines from the Court not to include children in the protests.She has also sought investigation from the authorities into the matter, as the death certificate did not mention the reason of death as per the media reports.Zen Gunratan Sadavarte, a class seven student from Mumbai, said the involvement of children in protests amounts to torture.IANS
CAA protest: Meerut cops cite youth’s killing to block bail to riot accused
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/meerut-cops-cite-youths-killing-to-block-bail-to-riot-accused-6251326/
Meerut:On Dec.20, 26-year old Mohsin sustained bullet injuries during an anti-CAA protest in Meerut. He was declared brought dead at a hospital the same day. His grieving family protested when they were denied the post-mortem report. Meerut police are now flagging the findings of the post-mortem report, linking Mohsin’s death caused by a firearm injury to the rioting that took place. In fact, police used this to oppose the bail plea of a man booked in a case of rioting and attempt to murder which was registered at Brahmpuri police station in Meerut — 5 persons were killed during the protests in Meerut and families of the victims alleged excessive police action.FIR stated: “At around 3.30 pm, near Hapur adda, there were 400-500 people armed with sticks, country-made pistol and pistols. Police explained to the crowd that prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed… however, with intention to kill the policemen, they started pelting stones at the police vehicles. The police arrested four people — Aasif, Samir, Mohammed Ikrar and Shehzad — from the spot. They were arrested from Lisadi gate at 6.10 pm.”Ikrar’s bail plea was rejected on January 1 with sessions judge Gurpreet Singh Bawa recording in his order: “The prosecution has argued that officials were injured after all the accused attacked them sticks, bricks, rods, stones and petrol bombs… the case diary shows that police officials Imran, Satendra, Udham Singh, Manoj Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Nazim Khan, Adhesh Pundir, Sudhir, Jitender Saxena, Dhanveer, Shabab, Santosh, Veerpal, Satish Chandra, Ajay Kumar, Bijendra Singh, Pinku, Raghuraj Singh, Mahaveer Singh and Raj Singh were medically examined and found to have red contusion and red abrasion. In case of Sudhir and Jitendra Saxena, the doctor recommended them for an X-ray examination. The examination reveals that there was no fracture of any bone.”indianexpress
Rajinikanth makes his stance clear: CAA not a threat to Muslims, NPR essential
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/rajinikanth-on-citizenship-law-npr-nrc-6251824/
Chennai :Actor Rajinikanth Wednesday said political parties with ulterior motives in Tamil Nadu were instigating the public on CAA, NPR, and NRC. Speaking to the reporters at his Poes Garden residence in Chennai, the actor said he would be the first to raise his voice if there was any threat to Muslims in the country.“There is no threat to Muslims. Political parties are spreading fear over CAA for their political gain, and religious heads are also siding with them. This is very wrong. The Centre has clearly stated CAA does not affect Indian citizens. It is about providing citizenship to the residents of neighbouring countries,” Rajinikanth said.indianexpress
India under Modi Akin to Hitler’s Germany: Owaisi on NPR
https://caravandaily.com/india-under-modi-akin-to-hitlers-germany-owaisi-on-npr/?fbclid=IwAR3MMO1RJCINYYH68McY0i_v6T4SrJb5pVnY_c9eTH_dIoMmdPzrRg7VQQo
NEW DELHI:Calling the BJP-led government’s NPR exercise the next step towards a NRC, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday accused it of creating an atmosphere in the country, similar to that created by Adolf Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy.Participating in the debate in the Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to Parliament, the Hyderabad MP said: “It is a fight for our (Muslims) survival” as there is no difference between NPR and NRC and if “we lose this fight, we will finish”.Referring to the census conducted by Hitler in 1933 and by Mussolini in 1938, the AIMIM President said the country’s current atmosphere is similar to that.IANS
Madhya Pradesh: BJP leader slams CAA, says it will affect SC, ST’s along with Muslims
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bhopal/madhya-pradesh-bjp-leader-slams-caa-6252044/
Bhopal :Days after a BJP leader opposed the new citizenship law in Madhya Pradesh, another leader from the party ranks has slammed CAA, arguing that not only Muslims but even scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCs will be affected by it.In a Facebook post, BJP leader Ajit Borasi said, “NRC and CAA won’t affect only Muslims, but also SCs, STs, and OBCs. Read it once and you will understand. I don’t have a herd mentality. I won’t endorse what’s wrong.”However, a few weeks ago he had backed the CAA, saying as far as he understood, it was not against any “Hindustani”.indianexpress
Uddhav Says Won’t Allow NRC Anywhere Else in the Country & the Exercise Will Trouble Hindus as Well
https://www.news18.com/news/politics/uddhav-says-wont-allow-nrc-anywhere-else-in-the-country-the-exercise-will-trouble-hindus-as-well-2488373.html
Mumbai: Though there is no disagreement in principle with the CAA, NRC is problematic and it will trouble Hindus and Muslims alike, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has said. In an interview with Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana’s executive editor Sanjay Raut, the third part of which came out on Wednesday, he also slammed erstwhile ally Bharatiya Janata Party for “ditching a true and old friend”.Speaking about CAA and the protests around it, Thackeray said there was nothing new or serious about it, but that the central government should give information about the Hindu minorities seeking Indian citizenship. The Centre should also provide a detailed plan of their rehabilitation, else the burden will fall on large cities like Mumbai, the CM said. In fact, he suggested that Hindu minorities facing religious persecution in neighbouring countries should be rehabilitated in Kashmir.news18
Hyderabad: Women promise to fight against CAA till the end
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/040220/hyderabad-women-promise-to-fight-against-caa-till-the-end.html?fbclid=IwAR2-W0CqoBtq6tOWJIcEZB7phPvG2YIkzkA_9N56lxXFTYlA-qF10QyExlU
Hyderabad: Hundreds of women protesters gathered at the Minar Gardens, near Salarjung Museum, on Monday to protest against the troika of issues — CAA, NRC and NPR. Women from different walks of life, including school and college students, homemakers and working professionals joined in the protest.The women protesters carried the Indian national flags, and placards with slogans, including, ‘Stop campus terrorism’, ‘Don’t transform universities into detention camps’ among others. They sang songs, including ‘Dil diya hai, jaan bhi deenge,’ a patriotic hit song from Hindi movie Karma.DECCAN CHRONICLE
Assam: Two BJP Workers Arrested For Attacking Union Minister's House During Anti-CAA Stir
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/assam-two-bjp-workers-arrested-for-attacking-union-ministers-house-during-anti-caa-stir?fbclid=IwAR2wzlie2u8GaucsBpCF2DJzP2xgkiLOLMbjto2CkBU1neoKcfcss103vE0
GUWAHATI:A total of 18 persons, including two BJP workers have been arrested for allegedly attacking the house of Union Minister of State for Food Processing Rameswar Teli at Duliajan in Upper Assam during anti-CAA protests on December 11 last year.The arrested BJP workers have been identified Debajit Hazarika and Vicky Sonar.While confirming that 18 persons had been arrested for attack on the house of the minister and for pelting stones on the police on December 11, police said that Debajit Hazarika and Vicky Sonar were BJP workers.State BJP leaders have also confirmed that the two were active workers of the party. Family members of the accused also confirmed that both of them were close aides of Rameswar Teli.Reacting to their arrest, Teli said that both the accused are BJP workers but he did not know for what they were apprehended. “But if they have been arrested, there must be some truth in police’s colaim. They lived in my neighbourhood and always attended my programmes with their family members”, said Teli.Houses of several MLAs and BJKP leaders were attacked during anti-CAA protests in December. The houses of some of them were burnt completely.The protesters had also set afire public and private properties at many places of the state including Guwahati.India Tomorrow
Madhya Pradesh cabinet passes resolution urging Centre to withdraw CAA
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/madhya-pradesh-cabinet-passes-resolution-urging-centre-to-withdraw-caa
Madhya Pradesh Cabinet of ministers headed by Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Wednesday passed a resolution against the CAA and NPR, citing it unconstitutional. Congress led-state government urged Modi led-NDA government to withdraw the controversial Act owing to the growing public outrage. The Cabinet also asked the Centre to remove some clause from the NPR which seeks personal information and could be used for the National Register of Citizenship.“The Cabinet has passed the resolution against the CAA, NPR and urged Modi government to withdraw the controversial Act,” said Law Minister PC Sharma after the Cabinet meeting.nationalheraldindia
Juvenile Jamia Shooter Registered as Voter in UP's Jewar, Says Delhi Cong Chief, Demands Probe
https://www.news18.com/news/politics/juvenile-jamia-shooter-registered-as-voter-in-ups-jewar-says-delhi-cong-chief-demands-probe-2488961.html
Delhi Congress chief Subhash Chopra claimed on Wednesday that the juvenile who shot at and injured a student at an anti-CAA protest gathering near the Jamia Millia Islamia last week was a voter of the Jewar Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh.At a press conference, Chopra also cited the voter identity card number of the accused and sought a probe into the matter by a government agency."This person voted in the last Lok Sabha election. His name is registered as a voter in the electoral roll of Jewar Assembly constituency," Chopra said, citing the accused's voter photo identity card number.PTI
Kanhaiya Kumar injured after stones pelted at his convoy in Bihar
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kanhaiya-kumar-convoy-attack-bihar-6252983/
Former JNU Students Union president and CPI(M) leader Kanhaiya Kumar was injured after his convoy was attacked on Wednesday while he was on his way back after addressing a public meeting in Bihar, ANI reported.Stones were pelted at Kumar’s convoy after the CPI(M) leader, who contested unsuccessfully from Bihar’s Begusarai, was headed towards Saharsa after attending a rally in Supaul.indianexpress
No need to pass resolution against CAA in assembly, will not allow implementation of NRC: Uddhav Thackeray
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/uddhav-thackeray-caa-resolution-maharashtra-nrc-shiv-sena-mouthpiece-6252043/
Mumbai :Backing CAA with some riders, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said that there is no need to pass a resolution against the CAA in the state assembly stating that the law is to give citizenship and not to remove anyone from the country. Thackeray’s statement comes after the Congress-ruled states were asked to pass a resolution against CAA. However, Thackeray has said that he will not allow the implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.
*J&K AND S. ASIA*
Jammu & Kashmir: Sajjad Lone, Waheed Para released from detention, under house arrest
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-sajjad-lone-waheed-para-released-from-detention-6252092/
New Delhi :People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone and PDP youth wing president Waheed Parra were Wednesday shifted from MLAs hostel to their residences, where they will continue to remain under house arrest. Both leaders were placed in detention in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370 in August.They were among several politicians, lawyers, businessmen, and activists in the Valley who were placed under detention after Centre revoked Article 370 and scrapped the special status to Jammu and Kashmir. After the release of Lone and Parra, 13 political leaders now remain detained at the MLA hostel here which has been temporarily converted into a subsidiary jail.The Jammu and Kashmir administration had on Tuesday released two leaders — former PDP MLA from Wachi in south Kashmir Aijaz Ahmad Mir and trade leader Shakeel Ahmed Qalandar, who is former president of the Federation Chamber of Industries, Kashmir. Since Sunday, a total of eight leaders have been released from preventive custody.indianexpress
MP Farooq Abdullah slapped with PSA, while no action against Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/politics/mp-farooq-abdullah-slapped-with-public-safety-act-while-no-action-against-anurag-thakur-and-parvesh-verma
Raising concern over the absence of Farooq Abdullah in the Parliament, Congress-led opposition on Wednesday staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha demanding the Centre release National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah from detention in Kashmir considering his age and health. Congress Leader of the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Suresh Kodukunil raised the issue during Zero Hour following which other opposition parties, including National Conference, NCP and DMK, walked out of the House after brief sloganeering when the issue was not entertained.
‘Is India still a democracy?’: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on J-K ex-CMs detention
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/is-india-still-a-democracy-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-on-j-k-ex-cms-detention-6251918/
New Delhi :Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday lashed out at the Narendra Modi-led BJP government over the continuing house arrest of two former chief ministers in Jammu and Kashmir, asking if “India is still a democracy”.In a tweet this morning, Priyanka Gandhi wrote, “It’s been six months since 2 Ex-Chief Ministers have been incarcerated without any charges and millions of people were locked down in J&K. 6 months ago we were asking how long this will carry on? Now we are asking whether we are still a democracy or not.” Politicians, social activists, lawyers and businessmen in the Valley were detained since August 5. While few local politicians were released, Omar Abdullah, along with 2 other chief ministers – his father Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti – remain under arrest.indian express
Scrapping J&K’s special status ‘fatal mistake’ by PM Modi:Imran Khan
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/narendra-modi-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-jammu-kashmir-article-370-6252468/
New Delhi :Continuing his tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the scrapping of special status to J&K, Pakistan PM Imran Khan called the move “a fatal mistake”.Khan, who was addressing Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad, said Modi was voted back to power with a huge mandate in 2019 because he made Pakistan a scapegoat in the election.“Modi made a fatal mistake, one that he could not step back from…He cannot go back from where he has taken India. The genie of Hindu nationalism is out of the bottle and it cannot be put back,” Khan was quoted as saying by PTI. Pakistan Prime Minister further claimed that Modi’s “annexation of Kashmir would finally result in its independence,” Dawn reported. “It is my faith that Kashmir will become free after August 5 action by Modi. If he had not taken this step, we would not have been able to highlight it to the world,” Imran Khan said and added that it was “his duty” to inform the world about it.Reacting to Modi’s statement that the Indian Army would need not more than “a week to 10 days” to defeat the neighbouring country in case of another war, Khan said, “No normal man can say such a thing.” Modi had made the statement last month.Asserting that that world’s focus on Kashmir should not be diverted, Khan claimed, “Either they (India) will launch false flag operation or launch a crackdown in Kashmir by using the threat of terrorism.”indianexpress
No proposal to set up deradicalisation camps in J&K: Govt
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/no-proposal-to-set-up-deradicalisation-camps-in-jandk-govt
There is no proposal under consideration to set up deradicalisation camps in Jammu and Kashmir, the government told Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.This was stated by Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy.Earlier, supporting the idea of setting up of deradicalisation centres in Kashmir as suggested by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh had said such a move was welcome.Singh had said that Pakistan and its terror proxies have been trying to spread radicalisation in Kashmir which has affected many youth. He said deradicalisation centres will help those youth who have gone astray.IANS
Davinder Singh Row: NIA Raids Homes of BJP Sarpanch & IPS Officer
https://www.thequint.com/news/india/davinder-singh-arrest-nia-raid-ips-officer-house-bjp-sarpanch-link-jammu-kashmir-police?fbclid=IwAR0Pfv5B5wR8_wxPH18O6HCXEXcRKz6F8EkdKkuMgdQ4HLg98drk3mzPD9o
Investigating DSP Davinder Singh’s links to Hizbul Mujahideen, NIA has carried out raids on the residences of a BJP sarpanch and an IPS officer whose militant brother was killed by security forces in South Kashmir’s Shopian district in January last year. The investigators are understood to have learned that Hizbul Mujahideen, linked to the detained police officer, had simultaneously maintained liaison with the former independent MLA, Engineer Rashid, who has already been arrested by NIA in a terror-funding case, and is lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail. thequint
*OTHERS*
From Parliament Floor, PM Modi Announces 15-Member Trust for Ayodhya Ram Temple; 5 Acres Allotted for Masjid
https://www.news18.com/news/politics/modi-announces-setting-up-of-trust-to-construct-ram-temple-in-ayodhya-2487595.html
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in Parliament on Wednesday the formation of a trust for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya as directed by the Supreme Court in its landmark verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case last November.“I am happy to announce that in the cabinet meeting today morning, we took significant decisions on the Ayodhya trust. As per the orders of the Supreme Court, we have set up a trust. Sri Ram Janma Bhumi Tirtha Shetra will be the name of the trust. It will be an independent body,” Modi said.In India, everyone is a part of one "broad family", be it Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Parsis or Jains, Modi said.“We have taken another big step for Ram Mandir pilgrims. We are allocating over 67 acres of land near the mandir area to the trust,” he added.Union home minister Amit Shah said the trust would comprise 15 members, including a Dalit representative who would be in-charge of the entire 67-acre land.The announcement, two days before Delhi votes in assembly elections followed by a communally charged campaign amid anti-CAA unrest, is likely to ruffle opposition feathers.Commenting on the timing of the announcement, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said, “Session of Parliament will end on February 11, the announcement could have come after February 8 (Delhi election date). Seems like the BJP is worried.”Owaisi added that the Sunni Waqf Board shouldn’t not take the five-acre land. “The Supreme Court is supreme and not infallible. PM’s announcement is a violation of the Model of Conduct.” news18
5 acres given for building mosque is in Ayodhya’s Dhannipur village, 25 km away
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/ayodhya-up-govt-allots-5-acres-for-mosque-in-dhannipur-village/article30741274.ece
5 acres allotted to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board for building a mosque following the Supreme Court verdict in Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title suit will be in Dhannipur village in Sohawal tehsil of Ayodhya, around 25 km from the site where the Babri Masjid once stood.The land is 18 km from the district HQRS on the Lucknow State highway, the Uttar Pradesh government said after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The State had sent a proposal with three alternative sites to the Centre and one was selected, State Cabinet Minister Shrikant Sharma said.“This is a suitable location in Ayodhya in many ways,” said Mr. Sharma. This would prove to be a suitable location from the perspective of transportation, road connectivity, public facilities, communal harmony, public order and law and order, he added.Cief executive officer of the Waqf Board Syed Shoeb said they were yet to receive a formal order from the government. Whether the Board accepts the site or not could be decided at its meeting scheduled on February 24. Abdur Razzaque Khan, who was the lone dissenting member then, said on Wednesday that Muslims should not accept the 5-acres as it “goes against the principles of Islam.”Haji Mehboob, one of the litigants in the long-drawn case, also rejected the land. Zufar Faruqui, chairperson of the Waqf Board, was unavailable for comment.thehindu
PM Announces Ram Temple Trust In Midst Of Delhi Election Heat
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modi-in-parliament-announces-trust-for-construction-of-ram-temple-in-ayodhya-in-line-wit-2175127?pfrom=home-topstories
Waqf Board forms Islamic Trust for 5-acre alternative land in Ayodhya
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/exclusive-waqf-board-forms-islamic-trust-5-acre-alternative-land-ayodhya-1643448-2020-02-05
New Delhi:The day the Narendra Modi government announced that the Cabinet has formed a trust to build the Ram Mandir, the Sunni Waqf Board also formed a trust by the name of 'Indo Islamic Culture Trust' to manage the alternative land allotted to the Muslims in the historic Ayodhya land dispute judgment.Sources have said the 5-acre land, which the Sunni Waqf Board was granted by the Supreme Court in the historic Ayodhya land dispute case, will be run by the trust named 'Indo Islamic Culture Trust'. The Waqf Board said that the trust will be formed soon and will then be registered within two-three days.indiatoday
Sunni Waqf Board decision on land not of all Muslims: AIMPLB
https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/sunni-waqf-board-decision-on-land-not-of-all-muslims-aimplb/1726985
Lucknow:All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said on Wednesday that the Sunni Waqf Board, which will get five acres of land in Ayodhya for the construction of a mosque, is not the representative of the entire Muslim community.The AIMPLB further said that if the Waqf Board accepts the Centre''s offer, it should not be considered as a decision of all the Muslims of the country."Sunni Waqf Board is not the representative of the entire Muslim community. If it takes land, it should not be considered the decision of all Muslims of the country," said Maulana Yasin Usmani, senior executive member of AIMPLB.He said AIMPLB and those associated with it have already decided that they will not take any land in Ayodhya in lieu of the Babri mosque.IANS
AIMPLB member Zafaryab Jilani questions timing of Ram Temple Trust announcement
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/aimplb-member-zafaryab-jilani-questions-timing-of-ram-temple-trust-announcement-1643611-2020-02-05
Lucknow:All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member and convener of Babri Masjid Action Committee Zafaryab Jilani has questioned the timing of Ram Temple Trust announcement. Zafaryab Jilani said that announcement should have been made after Delhi Assembly Elections, due on February 8. Jilani said, "The announcement of trust for the construction of Ram Temple has been done right ahead of the Delhi elections. It could have announced on 8th February in the evening after the polling in Delhi but it is clear that the BJP wants to do polarisation to gain political mileage. I believe that the election commission will be approached by the opposition parties on the timing of trust announcement."indiatoday
One Lakh LIC Employees Stage Countrywide Walk-Out Against Proposed IPO
https://thewire.in/government/lakh-lic-employees-protest-ipo
Mumbai: Nearly one lakh employees of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) staged an hour-long walk-out on Tuesday against the government’s decision to sell a part of its stake in the life insurance major through an initial public offering.There are 13 unions in LIC, and employees and officers affiliated to 11 unions were on protest.In the Union Budget announced on Saturday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government, which holds a 100% stake in LIC, will sell a part of its holding through an initial public offering (IPO).“Today’s walk-out was completely successful. Of around 1.08 employees and officers at LIC, close to one lakh staged walk-out across the country,” All India LIC Employees Federation (AILEF) General Secretary Rajesh Kumar told PTI.PTI
India's Manufacturing and Services Sector Activity Hits Seven-Year-High: IHS Markit
https://thewire.in/economy/indias-manufacturing-and-services-sector-activity-hits-seven-year-high-ihs-markit
New Delhi: India’s services sector activity surged to a 7-year high in January driven by sharp increase in new business orders, leading to job creation and business optimism amid favourable market conditions, a monthly survey said on Wednesday. IHS Markit India Services Business Activity Index rose from 53.3 in December to 55.5 in January, signalling the strongest upturn in output in seven years.“The Indian service sector sprung to life at the start of 2020, defying expectations of fragility and building on to the momentum gained at the end of 2019,” said Pollyanna de Lima, principal economist at IHS Markit.thewire
In the backdrop of unemployment at 45-year high, over 6.83 lakh vacant posts in central govt departments
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/in-the-backdrop-of-unemployment-at-45-year-high-over-683-lakh-vacant-posts-in-central-govt-departments
There were over 6.83 lakh vacant posts in different central government departments, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.Citing annual report of pay and research unit of the department of expenditure, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to the lower house that out of the total of 38,02,779 sanctioned strength, 31,18,956 employees were in position, as on March 1, 2018.There were 6,83,823 vacant posts as on March 1, 2018, it said.PTI
Anurag Kashyap refuses to fly IndiGo in support of Kunal Kamra
https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/anurag-kashyap-refuses-to-fly-indigo-in-support-of-kunal-kamra/article30734709.ece?utm_campaign=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR0f2o4wjUbF-8jE6IiUG_O5SjZLnnO2svtbYms3nPKqp7iLtog44eV5_ns
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has lent support to comedian Kunal Kamra by not flying in IndiGo Airlines. He chose Vistara instead.“No @IndiGo6E.. on @airvistara .. in solidarity with @kunalkamra88,” Kashyap tweeted.Kashyap came out in support of Kamra after the latter was banned from four airlines including IndiGo, Air India, GoAir and SpiceJet. Kamra was banned after his in-flight encounter with news anchor Arnab Goswami during an IndiGo flight a few dats ago.IANS
After ABVP Blames Left for JNU Student Mandriya's Injuries, He Claims ABVP Attacked Him
https://thewire.in/media/after-abvp-blames-left-for-jnu-student-mandriyas-injuries-he-claims-abvp-attacked-him
January 5 attack on JNU left 36 people injured, among them was Kamlesh Mandriya, a first-year MPhil student at the Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, JNU. Photographs of Mandriya with head injuries went viral on social media with the claim that the Left attacked him.On January 16, Delhi resident Pranav Sawhney posted pictures of billboards that displayed images of injured students. The hashtag #LeftAttackstudents adorned the billboard. Swahney’s Instagram post said that the images were clicked by an Instagram user @hameenasto. “Tax-funded propaganda at North Campus, University of Delhi. If you are wondering where your tax money is going. This government is engaged in declaring students of your country as terrorists. Images by and @hameenasto,” read the caption.thewire
Dec 16 gangrape case: Delhi HC rejects Centre’s plea against postponing execution of convicts
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/dec-16-gangrape-case-delhi-hc-rejects-centres-plea-against-postponing-execution-of-convicts-6252137/
Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected the Centre’s plea against a trial court decision postponing the execution of death warrant issued against the four convicts in December 16 gangrape-murder case.Last week Friday, a trial court had postponed the execution of death warrants issued against the four convicts, saying the country cannot afford to discriminate against a death row convict in pursuit of legal remedies.Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told Justice Suresh Kait that there was a deliberate, calculated and well thought of design by the death row convicts to “frustrate mandate of law” by getting their execution delayed.indianexpress
Male troops won’t accept women commanders: Government to SC
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/male-troops-wont-accept-women-commanders-government-to-sc/articleshow/73945673.cms
NEW DELHI: The Centre has told the Supreme Court that women may not be suitable for command posts in the Army as male troops are not yet prepared to accept women officers. It also cited greater family demands and the danger of them being taken prisoner of war to oppose the plea of a few women officers for command posting after getting permanent commission.“The composition of rank & file being male, and predominantly drawn from rural background, with prevailing societal norms, the troops are not yet mentally schooled to accept women officers in command,” it said.It also said male and female officers cannot be treated on a par in the matter of postings because of their different physical standards and exposures, and reservations over exposing women officers to combat situations.Senior advocate R Balasubramanian and lawyer Neela Gokhale told a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi that induction of women to such posts would change the dynamics of the armed forces. They contended physiological limitation is further accentuated by the “challenges of confinement, motherhood and childcare”.Opposing the Centre’s plea, Meenakshi Lekhi and Aishwarya Bhatti, representing the women officers, told the court that many of them displayed exceptional bravery in adverse situations.TOI
Over 5 crore farmers yet to get 3rd instalment of PM-Kisan scheme, reveals Govt data
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/over-5-crore-farmers-yet-to-get-3rd-instalment-of-pm-kisan-scheme-reveals-govt-data
Over five crore farmers were yet to get the third instalment of money under the Centre's ambitious PM-Kisan scheme, aimed at providing direct support of Rs 6,000 annually to them, according to the latest Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare data.The total amount of the scheme, which came into effect on December 1, 2018, is to be paid in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 every four months.The data showed about 2.51 crore farmers have not got even the second instalment and 5.16 crore of them were yet to get the third instalment.Over 9 crore farmers have registered themselves under the scheme between December 2018 and November 2019, it said.Of these, 7.62 crore or 84 per cent of farmers have received the first instalment.PTI
Plea before Delhi HC challenges appointment of Dr Najma Akhtar as Jamia VC
https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/plea-before-delhi-hc-challenges-appointment-of-dr-najma-akhtar-jamia-vc
A petition has been filed before the Delhi High Court challenging the appointment of Dr Najma Akhtar as the Vice-Chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.A Single Judge Bench of Justice AK Chawla had sought a response to the petition from Najma, Central Government, Central Vigilance Commission, University Grants Commission and the University.The petition has been preferred by an Advocate M Ehtesham-ul-Haque.barandbench.com
Soldiers in Siachen, Ladakh short on essential gear, clothing and rations: CAG report
https://scroll.in/latest/952101/soldiers-in-siachen-ladakh-short-on-essential-gear-clothing-and-rations-cag-report?fbclid=IwAR2B_8II8A0vTYna-pUUsMEqqgn1aThcZg038RhINj1soy8qsK8C4wCAM44
Soldiers deployed in high-altitude areas such as Siachen and Ladakh lack sufficient essential gear, clothing and rations, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India told Parliament on Monday.During the audit period of 2015-’16 to 2017-’18, troops had to use old items instead of being given new improved ones, while lack of special rations compromised their calorie intake by as high as 82%, the auditor found. Procurement of high-altitude clothing and equipment was delayed by up to four years, leading to acute shortage of such items, the audit report said.scroll
Dalit Activist Ravichandaran, Once Anti-Muslim, Becomes Raees for Self-Respect
https://caravandaily.com/dalit-activist-ravichandaran-once-anti-muslim-becomes-raees-for-self-respect/?fbclid=IwAR2pAil9sp1I181dhFIS-0omoF7v2bJAsfubdnu-ukA4nLirzAN2sTJ34ok
CHENNAI :Dalit Activist Ravichandaran who manages the YouTube channel Dalit Camera has converted himself to Islam in his search for “self-respect and equality”. He found these in the Muslim community, joined its ranks and changed his name to Mohammed Raees. The conversion happened in Tamil Nadu’s Ooty on January. 30Talking to Caravan Daily about the response of his Dalit community to his action, Ravichandaran said that, as of now, they were neither supporting him nor opposing him. “They are not opposing my action because they don’t oppose what is purely an attempt to gain self-respect.”He said the Dalit community is anti-Muslim in general and he was himself anti-Muslim. He used to believe that Muslims were a dirty people and they were encouraging terrorists. After engagement with some members of Student Islamic Organization at EFLU, his views about Muslims changed.“My life has been 24X7 about caste for the last 15 years. It took a long time for me to reach this point. I was very anti-Muslim. I used to carry in my mind some stereotypes about Muslims, or what people used to say about them. I could change my idea after a long relationship of 4-5 years with my SIO friends,” said Raees.Caravan Daily
Nirbhaya Case: Akshay Thakur's Plea Against Hanging Rejected By President
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/nirbhaya-case-convict-akshay-thakurs-petition-against-hanging-rejected-by-president-2175551?pfrom=home-topscroll
New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind has rejected the mercy petition of Akshay Thakur, the third of the four convicts in Nirbhaya gangrape case. The death row prisoner had filed the appeal on Saturday, hours after President Kovind turned down the appeal of fellow convict Vinay Sharma.A mercy plea to the President of India is the last option for a prisoner awarded the death penalty. In case of a negative response from the President, the execution can take place a fortnight later, the rules say.But the execution of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya case -- Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta, Mukesh Singh and Akshay Singh - have to take place together, the Delhi High Court said today, turning down the Centre's petition for a phased implementation of the execution order. The fourth convict, Pawan Gupta is yet to file for clemency.The court today gave the convicts one week to explore all legal options, and ordered the trial court to begin proceedings for their execution after that. The order came in response to the Centre's petition against the indefinite freeze on execution placed by a lower court.ndtv
SC adjourns hearing on Muslim quota in Telangana by a week
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2020/feb/05/sc-adjourns-hearing-on-muslim-quota-in-telangana-by-a-week-2099253.html
HYDERABAD: The Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing in the case of 4 per cent reservations to Muslims in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh by a week.The case was listed before a Bench consisting of Justice Arun Mishra, Justice Indira Banarjee, Justice Vineet Saran, Justice MR Shah and Justice Anirudh Bose. Senior counsel Rajiv Dhawan represented the case on behalf of Backward Classes Department, Telangana government. Senior advocates Salman Khursheed and Shakeel Ahmed were present as counsel of senior Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir in the SC.newindianexpress
Bombay HC quashes denial of bail to terror accused Areeb Majeed but restores his bail plea before special UAPA court
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/bombay-hc-quashes-denial-of-bail-to-terror-accused-but-restores-his-bail-plea-before-special-uapa-court/articleshow/73939576.cms
MUMBAI: In part relief to Kalyan resident Areeb Majeed facing trial under an anti-terror law, Bombay high court on Tuesday quashed and set aside a Sept.2019 rejection of his bail plea by a special trial court in Mumbai. The HC however restored the bail plea for a fresh hearing by the trial court after he argued that his submissions of there being a change in circumstance with witnesses turning hostile, was not considered.A bench of Justices BP Dharmadhikari and Nitin Borkar said it was partly allowing his appeal against the rejection of his bail plea but directed the special trial court under UAPA to decide it afresh from February 10, preferably within six weeks.The HC bench observed there in the last 5 years since his arrest in Nov.2014, 42 prosecution witnesses have been examined while the prosecution said there are 200-odd witnesses. The bench also noted that 27-year-old Majeed has been behind bars since his arrest on Nov.28, 2014.Majeed argued in person before the HC bench. He argued that there were 'contradictory' findings made by the special trial judge while dealing with his ‘change in circumstance’ arguments over ‘slow pace of trial.’TOI
Tigers must be punished for eating cows, says Goa NCP MLA Churchill Alemao
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tigers-must-be-punished-eating-cows-goa-ncp-mla-churchill-alemao-1643511-2020-02-05?sr=fbia&fbclid=IwAR2KD8grRpebmPfz79-zSutea0yk6W8a0oXuRUmf6eNsqL9sSawJqVNV80M
Panaji:Even as the issue of tiger killings was discussed in the Goa Assembly on Wednesday, NCP MLA Churchill Alemao said that tigers should be "punished" for eating cows when humans are punished for the same.A tigress and three of her cubs were killed by five locals in Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary last month.The issue was raised by Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat through a calling attention motion on the floor of the House during the Assembly session on Wednesday."What is the punishment for a tiger when he eats a cow? When a human being eats cow, he is punished," Churchill Alemao said.As far as wildlife is concerned, tigers are important but as far as human beings are concerned, cows are important, Churchill Alemao said.indiatoday
Paras Shah a high-paid Indian banker in London fired for stealing food from office canteen
https://www.indiatoday.in/trending-news/story/high-paid-indian-banker-in-london-fired-for-stealing-food-from-office-canteen-1643590-2020-02-05?fbclid=IwAR1nTXAuw2hKGGIJf6g5QEqMul5LGbJKj0A3WDcpcFjq1ebriTOXxpH2HKc
New Delhi:A high-profile Indian banker in London was suspended by Citigroup after he was accused of stealing food from the office canteen.Paras Shah, who was apparently earning a handsome seven-digit salary (in British pounds), was suspended after he stole food from the canteen at Citibank's European headquarters in Canary Wharf, London. In Indian currency, Shah took home almost Rs 9.2 crore per year.According to Financial Times, 31-year-old Shah abruptly left his post last month as Citi's head of high-yield bond trading for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, after being accused of food theft.Shah was one of the highest-profile credit traders in Europe. "He was a well-liked and successful trader," his two former colleagues were quoted as saying by the daily. Paras Shah had joined Citigroup in 2017 after working for seven years with HSBC. His suspension came weeks before Citigroup was due to pay bonuses to their senior staff.India Today
The Other Kunal Kamra: Air India cancels Boston man's flight because of his name
https://www.indiatoday.in/trending-news/story/the-other-kunal-kamra-air-india-cancels-boston-man-s-flight-because-of-his-name-1643527-2020-02-05?fbclid=IwAR2O9Wtu8_9xB6AehXdwnxX4xY4IVtzR8Yvr5-JbOO-3NXi-fzaXPhqDSAE
New Delhi:Kunal Kamra is not a name any Indian on social media will not know today. The stand-up comedian has been banned by four airlines when we last counted, and has had a difficult time this past week trying to prove that he was merely 'questioning' and not 'heckling' a TV anchor.But Kunal is hardly the only Kamra in the world.This Kunal Kamra, who is a resident of Boston and is currently in India visiting his family, had to go through a long ordeal at the Jaipur airport, all because of his name. IndiaToday
11 Years a ‘Terrorist’: How Cops Faked Testimonies Against Zakaria
https://www.thequint.com/news/india/zakaria-kerala-terror-accused-in-bengaluru-blasts?fbclid=IwAR1hK6zv3-n8-5bCD433jrTg9hYPEf0uhRcWClc_t0Nn3Xts2ODoZe3QNrU
Muhammed Zakaria was just 19 when he was arrested by the Karnataka Police under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on 5 February 2009. The teenager, a native of Parappanangadi in Kozhikode district of Kerala, was accused of making timers for the blasts in Bengaluru in 2008, in which one person was killed.However, holes soon appeared in the police’s theory. Haridas, a prosecution witness, tells The Quint:“I don’t know who Zakaria is. The police made me become a witness. They created the witnesses.”“The police asked me about something that happened in some shop. How will I know? I can’t talk about things I don’t know,”Haridas to MediaOne channel in 2013. Haridas had earlier told the media that he was asked to sign a paper in Kannada, a language he did not understand.A second witness, Nizamudheen, had also reportedly retracted his testimony.“Zakaria cannot make these timers because he has only studied till 10th grade in school. A person with that qualification cannot design microchips. You need at least a BTech for that,” he had told Media One in 2013.“I haven’t given a statement saying that he made these timers. It is impossible that someone who studied till 10th grade can make timers like that,”Nizamudheen, Witness, to Media One. thequint
'Allow Doctors to Verify Nationality of Indian Prisoners of Unsound Mind,' Govt Had Requested Pak
https://thewire.in/diplomacy/india-pakistan-prisoners-unsound-mind
New Delhi: India has requested Pakistan to facilitate the visit of a team of Indian medical doctors to its jails. The purpose of the team’s visit would be so they can meet prisoners of unsound mind – who are believed to be Indian – to verify their nationality and subsequently repatriate them.However, “Pakistan has not responded (to the request) so far,” said the government.thewire
BJP MP Parvesh Verma Banned from Campaigning for 24 Hrs over 'Terrorist' Remark Aimed at Arvind Kejriwal
https://www.news18.com/news/politics/bjp-mp-parvesh-verma-banned-from-campaigning-for-24-hours-over-terrorist-remark-aimed-at-arvind-kejriwal-2488883.html
New Delhi: Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday imposed a 24-hour campaign ban on BJP MP Parvesh Verma for his “terrorist” remark against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.The ban on Verma, the second in the last week, came into force at 6pm on Wednesday.news18
*WORLD*
Trump Peace Plan: Draft UN Resolution Condemns Israeli Annexation
https://thewire.in/world/un-resolution-trump-peace-plan
Washington: A draft United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday condemned an Israeli plan to annex its settlements in the West Bank in a rebuke of President Donald Trump’s pro-Israel peace proposal.The draft text, circulated to council members by Tunisia and Indonesia, would seemingly face a US veto, but nonetheless offered some members’ dim view of the peace plan that Trump rolled out last week with great fanfare.Diplomats said negotiations on the text would likely begin later this week. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to speak to the council next week about the plan, possibly coinciding with a vote on the draft resolution.Reuters
EU Denounces Trump's Middle East Peace Plan, Israel Responds With Anger
https://thewire.in/politics/trump-middle-east-peace-plan-eu
The European Union slammed US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan on Tuesday, arguing that it “departs from” international agreements on the Israel-Palestine conflict.Last week, US President Donald Trump presented a proposal to address the conflict. The plan, which Trump dubbed the “deal of the century,” would give Israel control over Jewish settlements on the West Bank and Jordan Valley, while also calling for a Palestinian state. It was rejected by Palestinian leadership both prior to and after its unveiling. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the plan does not adhere to “internationally agreed parameters.”thewire
Saudi seeks to buy missiles from Israel company
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200204-saudi-arabia-seeks-to-buy-missiles-from-israel-company/?fbclid=IwAR3S6DspP9S2rjtQlVnVhnEqMbQxP4Dy3lW6i98BlOlcGcTKYSnT7Lg1oPg
Saudi Arabia intends to buy weapons from Israel’s Rafael company which is known for its precision missiles, Hebrew news sites have reported.Israel Defence Magazine has said that Saudi Arabia has expressed a desire to purchase equipment from Rafael and if permission is obtained from Israeli authorities, arms can be supplied to the kingdom through its European representative, Euro Spike.The magazine indicated that allowing the company to provide Saudi with advanced combat weapons has “problematic ramifications”, noting that the Israeli Security Ministry may not allow the export of missiles to Saudi Arabia, fearing that they might one day be used against the occupation army. However others have speculated that a deal would be allowed to pass because missiles have a lifespan of ten years, a period during which no confrontation is expected with Saudi Arabia.middleeastmonitor
Netanyahu-Sudan's Burhan meeting slammed in Sudan, exposes divides
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/netanyahu-burhan-meeting-raises-eyebrows-exposes-divide-sudan-200205074314666.html
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was smiling and gesturing as he posed for pictures alongside Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda who hosted him in the city of Entebbe on Monday; but it was another meeting, far from media glare, that made international headlines - and raised eyebrows.In an unannounced move, Netanyahu on Monday also held talks with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan's sovereign council, a joint civilian-military transitional body that has been governing the country since August last year in the wake of longtime President Omar al-Bashir's overthrow months before.Following the secret meeting, Israel said the two countries had agreed to move towards forging normal relations. Only 2 Arab states - Egypt and Jordan - have diplomatic ties with Israel."History!" tweeted Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political future ahead of a snap legislative election on March 2, the third in less than a year.As news of talks spread, protests reportedly erupted in Khartoum as Sudanese government ministers insisted they were unaware of the meeting and had heard about it through the media.Al-Burhan himself only made his first public remarks about it the next day after briefing the council and the cabinet."I took this step from the standpoint of my responsibility ... to protect the national security of Sudan and achieve the supreme interests of the Sudanese people," Burhan said in a statement on Tuesday.aljazeera
Egypt raises price of cooking gas exported to Gaza
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200204-egypt-raises-price-of-cooking-gas-exported-to-gaza/?fbclid=IwAR1cCq6xnwSg9GFQKlP_Chic4BRKKpv0ejWDm73J33ngIqD_rINaN7mPin8
The besieged Gaza Strip has suffered a greater shortage in cooking gas over the past three weeks as a result of Egypt’s price increases, Arab48 reported.Daily consumption of cooking gas in Gaza is about 250 tonnes in winter and between 200 and 220 tonnes in summer.Director of Public Relations and Media Officer in Gaza, Bayan Baker, said the shortage was a response to the Egyptian attempt to raise the price of cooking gas.The Palestinian government in Gaza stopped importing gas in protest against the attempts to raise its price; however, it reached a compromise with the Egyptian authorities to make a very symbolic rise, according to Baker, who did not say how much prices would increase by.
Israeli warplanes strike Hamas targets in Gaza
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200205-israeli-warplanes-strike-hamas-targets-in-gaza/
Israel said Wednesday that it launched airstrikes targeting positions of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, reports Anadolu Agency.Positions belonging to the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, in the southern city of Khan Yunis were hit by missiles launched from Israeli warplanes, said sources on the ground.There were no casualties according to initial assessments by local sources.The Israeli military claimed the airstrikes were carried out in response to rockets launched from Gaza into Israel
Saudi Arabia reports H5N8 bird flu on farm: OIE
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-birdflu-saudi/saudi-arabia-reports-h5n8-bird-flu-on-farm-oie-idUSKBN1ZY259
Saudi Arabia has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus on a poultry farm, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Tuesday.The outbreak, which occurred in the central Sudair region, killed 22,700 birds, the OIE said, citing a report from the Saudi agriculture ministry.The other 385,300 birds in the flock were slaughtered, it said.The case was the first outbreak of the H5N8 virus in Saudi Arabia since July 2018.Reuters
China coronavirus: Death toll nears 500
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/china-coronavirus-outbreak-latest-updates-200204233943034.html
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in mainland China has risen to 490 after more deaths were reported in Hubei province. The virus originated in Wuhan, Hubei's provincial capital.A further 24,324 people on the Chinese mainland have been infected China's National Health Commission said on Wednesday.The virus has killed two people outside of mainland China, one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines. At least 25 countries have confirmed cases.The head of WHO has called for greater solidarity among the international community, and criticised governments for being "well behind" in sharing data on virus cases.WHO played down media reports of "breakthrough" drugs being discovered to treat people infected with the new coronavirus.WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said: "There are no known effective therapeutics against this 2019-nCoV (virus)."aljazeera
UN fails to take action on order against Myanmar on Rohingya
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/fails-action-order-myanmar-rohingyas-200205020402316.html
UN Security Council on Tuesday discussed the International Court of Justice's order that Myanmar do all it can to prevent genocide against the Rohingya Muslims, but failed to agree on a statement.China, an ally of Myanmar, as well as Vietnam, which is a member of the regional ASEAN along with Myanmar, objected, diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because it was a closed-door meeting.Instead, the European Union members of the council urged Myanmar in a joint statement to reporters afterwards to comply with the measures ordered by UN's top court, stressing that they were "compulsory under international law."France, Germany, Belgium and Estonia along with former council member Poland also urged Myanmar "to take credible action to bring to justice those responsible for human rights violations."aljazeera
Erdogan says Syrian forces must pull back from Idlib posts
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/erdogan-syrian-forces-pull-idlib-posts-200205114643965.html
Syrian government forces in Idlib must pull back behind a line of Turkish observation posts by the end of this month, Turkey's President Tayyip Recep Erdogan has said, warning that if they did not do so, Ankara would drive them back.Speaking two days after eight Turkish military personnel were killed by shelling in the region, prompting a Turkish military response, Erdogan said two of the Turkish posts were now behind the Syrian government front line.aljazeera
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
CJI Gogoi was blot on judiciary, but other SC judges equally culpable:Justice Katju
https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2020/02/04/opinion-cji-gogoi-was-blot-on-judiciary-but-other-sc-judges-equally-culpable.html?fbclid=IwAR0y9YW5I94wRn9ylHIUHySAlPcBewBh41gGE7_xo8-BSXDrO0-vG05xlC0
In BJP’s India, children are questioned while ‘goli maro’ minister keeps campaigning:Rohan Venkataramakrishnan, scroll
https://scroll.in/article/952154/the-daily-fix-in-bjps-india-children-are-questioned-while-goli-maro-minister-keeps-campaigning?fbclid=IwAR39E8Q7U18VPXwm-9BceuT-fIeOp1txVxDqPZPyKG4FC7-ITjQPxgSsqzQ
Gandhi’s Killer Evokes Admiration as Never Before:Sameer Yasir, nytimes
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/04/world/asia/india-gandhi-nathuram-godse.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&fbclid=IwAR1NLwZIsCz1qPnGjm63YYPB9gcJqrO0iw_k3OonfeBQKpMpGoF9hahh8tU
Delhi Assembly elections: Will BJP bet on Shaheen Bagh work? Jury is out:Liz Mathew
https://indianexpress.com/elections/delhi-elections-will-bjp-bet-on-shaheen-bagh-work-jury-is-out-6251243/
Punish the police: On action against school in Bidar:thehindu, EDITORIAL
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/punish-the-police-on-action-against-school-in-bidar/article30736897.ece?fbclid=IwAR1nJ75LUiLdcdOAJxehK6ONFqyNVHPjo6WsV4bidWFmo_qy1H3Mjgf_ebs
Critics of NRC, including Left parties, have failed to question the founding principles of the exercise: Jamila Firdaus and Adreeja Sarkar
https://www.firstpost.com/india/critics-of-nrc-including-left-parties-have-failed-to-question-the-founding-principles-of-the-exercise-7994401.html
India belongs to everyone — BJP allies object to ‘hate speeches’ over Shaheen Bagh:SHANKER ARNIMESH
https://theprint.in/politics/india-belongs-to-everyone-bjp-allies-object-to-hate-speeches-over-shaheen-bagh/359530/?fbclid=IwAR1ajLnjOTQYXoHqQXi8gUfJ1b3qr7rbyaGFd3IC3TQJDgX3FsOMhzpDD9w
Weaponising Shaheen Bagh, the BJP's Last Resort:Badri Raina
https://thewire.in/communalism/bjp-delhi-elections-shaheen-bagh
Of Choice and Change: Burqas as Symbols of Protest:Soroor Ahmed
https://www.newsclick.in/of-choice-change-burqas-symbols-protest?fbclid=IwAR1dmF4bEh8qZlcNjDEU1E8FwYCck2ThEF39-MBqRn90BrcQ1grUlZ4Uhw8
Meet Shadab Farooq, the Jamia Student Who Took a Bullet Last Week:Shireen Khan
https://livewire.thewire.in/campus/shadab-farooq-jamia-shooting/?fbclid=IwAR2AGNN7xJ0IYCdlKK3oDldvqxhx3pm0YZ8eWZJzYJb5UvxeKbPcF4si72o
The budget has no immediate measures to stimulate the economy, address the slowdown:Naushad Forbes
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/union-budget-2020-nirmala-sitharaman-indian-economy-slowdown-6251106/
Shaheen Bagh Protesters Not Stopping School Buses, Then Who Is?thequint
https://www.thequint.com/my-report/shaheen-bagh-protest-kalindi-kunj-blockade-anti-caa-nrc-protest?fbclid=IwAR1caVUkMSKljiy1BPyoF2G8hazRyUiunC89CXmrXdcOeRFq3UTaeZUJYDY
How Sisodia’s Anti-CAA Remark Got RSS Mobilised for Delhi Polls:thequint
https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/delhi-election-2020-how-manish-sisodia-anti-caa-remark-sparked-rss-mobilization
Reading the Muslim mind ahead of polls: Ali Yasir
https://epaper.hindustantimes.com/Home/ShareArticle?OrgId=a08bf982&fbclid=IwAR2jWG2nSvOzpBYBMh9ypWCb8nEKzubP-bc3cIZ4xanGMW0LohW9swEBqxQ
How India Crowdfunded The Kin of Those Killed At Anti-CAA Protests:MEGHNAD BOSE
https://www.thequint.com/news/india/how-india-crowdfunded-families-of-those-killed-at-anti-caa-nrc-protests?fbclid=IwAR3gN71gyH-GAAt4ROAomw6ZtOP83F6wgAV7tJsd_FKJBuE5j7MOe4s9AqY
Why I converted to Islam and buried my Hindu identity: Dalit Camera founder RAEES MOHAMMED
https://theprint.in/opinion/why-i-converted-to-islam-and-buried-my-hindu-identity-dalit-camera-founder/359849/?fbclid=IwAR31MTv_dEPRwiCblJWYknZ_-5E6a3mrr0ygmlygyFQs3CvP5wCUTqVRDIA
A month passes after masked goons injured 51 JNU students, teachers; no FIR, no arrest yet:Tathagata Bhattacharya
https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/a-month-passes-after-masked-goons-injured-51-students-teachers-no-fir-no-arrest-yet?fbclid=IwAR0aRMegcFpo10snTpmupSVudsV8SzwNPq0l1_H-AepF8lxZnFsaBDgH9_I
How Reliance Industries Built and Is Now Cutting Down Its House of Debt:Vaishali Basu Sharma
https://thewire.in/business/reliance-industries-debt-reduction
Ram Mandir Without Ram Rajya And a ‘Regime’ Driven By Fear or Loss:NISHTHA GAUTAMUPDATED
https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion/ram-mandir-trust-pm-narendra-modi-bjp-parliament-ayodhya
Month on since JNU attack, Delhi Police yet to nab perpetrators: Testimonies call assault predetermined, 'impossible' without complicity of insiders, admin, cops
https://www.firstpost.com/india/month-on-since-jnu-attack-delhi-police-yet-to-nab-perpetrators-testimonies-call-assault-predetermined-impossible-without-complicity-of-insiders-admin-cops-8004511.html
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 9:21 PM).
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