27 JUNE NEWS: Ahead of US elections, Democrat Joe Biden critical of NRC, CAA; asks India to take steps to restore rights of people in Kashmir ~ NEWS DIGEST

27 JUNE 2020. 05 ZU AL-QA'DAH 1441. Vol-12, No-242

*INDIA- ISLAMOPHOBIA, HUMAN RIGHTS & OTHERS*

Ahead of US elections, Democrat Joe Biden critical of NRC, CAA; asks India to take steps to restore rights of people in Kashmir

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ahead-of-us-elections-democrat-joe-biden-critical-of-nrc-caa-6478256/

New Delhi :Democratic US Presidential candidate Joe Biden is critical of the Indian government’s decision on NRC and CAA, and has also asked New Delhi to take all necessary steps to restore rights of the people of Kashmir. These are part of Biden’s agenda for Muslim-American communities, which has been published on Biden’s campaign website.“In Kashmir, Indian government should take all necessary steps to restore rights for all people of Kashmir. Restrictions on dissent, such as preventing peaceful protests or shutting or slowing down Internet, weaken democracy,” it said.“Joe Biden has been disappointed by the measures that the government of India has taken with implementation and aftermath of NRC in Assam and the passage of the CAA into law. These measures are inconsistent with the country’s long tradition of secularism and with sustaining a multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracy,” it said.Former US Vice President Biden’s vision statement is in sync with Democratic Congress members who have been critical of New Delhi’s positions in recent months.

Joe Biden 'Disappointed' With CAA, NRC, Seeks Restoration of Rights for People of Kashmir

https://thewire.in/world/us-nominee-joe-biden-caa-nrc-kashmir

Waiter’s murder: Delhi Police chargesheet names owner of hospital that treated riot victims

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/waiters-murder-delhi-police-chargesheet-names-owner-of-hospital-that-treated-riot-victims-6478365/?fbclid=IwAR1HhnP8827VKmIsEcINQZViVDoAWhYts0Fiv1uHW7MGWFyvcG53uajyz8Q

Owner of a hospital, which had during Delhi riots provided emergency treatment to victims, has been named by Delhi Police as the organiser of a protest whose participants indulged in violence. Dr MA Anwar’s name finds a mention in the filed by Delhi Police in the murder of 20-year-old waiter Dilbar Negi.Anwar, owner of New Mustafabad’s Al Hind hospital, had attended to several patients with injuries, including bullet wounds and skull fractures, sustained during February riots at his hospital, which has been running for 3 years.Documentary filmmaker Rahul Roy, through advocate Suroor Mander, had moved Delhi High Court on Feb.25 after seriously injured patients could not be transported from Al Hind to the better-equipped GTB hospital because rioters were targeting ambulances. In a midnight hearing, High Court had directed Delhi Police to ensure safe passage of injured victims to GTB or any other government facility. The chargesheet, filed on June 4 before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pawan Singh Rajawat at Karkardooma court, states: “Since 15.01.2020, near the place of incident, at Farooqia Masjid, an anti-CAA/NRC protest was underway illegally in which several speakers, on several dates, had given instigating speeches. A false news was spread there that Muslims would not be given Indian citizenship due to NRC, and they would be sent to detention camps.indianexpress

Court flags delay in application for police custody in Northeast Delhi riots case

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/court-flags-delay-in-application-for-police-custody-in-northeast-delhi-riots-case-6478335/

New Delhi :A Delhi court refused to grant Delhi Police custody of Rajdhani Public School owner Faisal Farooq, who was arrested in connection with a Northeast Delhi riot-related case, noting that the investigating officer knew the facts of the case from the first day but the application was moved after a delay of four months.Farooq was recently granted bail in connection with a riot case, with the judge noting that the police “chargesheet is bereft of material showing the links of applicant with PFI, Pinjra Tod group and Muslim clerics”. Police had moved Delhi High Court to cancel his bail, following which the HC had stayed the trial court’s order. Later, Farooq’s lawyers had informed High Court that he was arrested in a separate case related to the riots.Metropolitan Magistrate Richa Parihar, who refused to grant police four days custody of the accused, noted, “I do not find any justification in moving the present application after delay of about four months when the facts were within the knowledge of the IO himself from the very first day of incident, moreover, both cases are simultaneously registered at the same police station i.e. Dayalpur. Considering overall facts and circumstance of the case…I do not consider it a fit case for grant of police custody remand of accused.”

Delhi riots: Victims unable to submit claims due to shut offices

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2020/jun/26/delhi-riots-victims-unable-to-submit-claims-due-to-shut-offices-2161618.html

NEW DELHI: Several people have complained that they are still unable to submit applications seeking compensation for the victims of Delhi riots, even after the High Court has directed the government to expedite the process. They could not submit the forms as the government offices were closed for public dealings because of the coronavirus pandemic. “On 22/06, (Monday) Delhi HC ordered SDM Office to accept forms of victims of Delhi Riots. On 23/06, (Tuesday) this notice was found outside the office. Notice says no work till further notice. Nationwide lockdown lifted but SDM office still remains locked? Contempt of court, mockery of the system?” said a Twitter user said sharing a picture of the notice.The court, listening to a petition about assistance scheme launched by Delhi government for riot victims, asked that the authorities shall accept these applications without insisting on furnishing a copy of the FIR.

Delhi Riots: ED raids suspended AAP leader Tahir Hussain's home for second time in 3 days

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/delhi-riots-ed-raids-suspended-aap-leader-tahir-hussain-s-home-for-second-time-in-3-days-1693086-2020-06-26

Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday once again conducted raids against suspended AAP leader Tahir Hussain. The raids, second in three days, were in regards to an alleged money-laundering case linked to the Delhi riots that took place in February this year.On Friday, the raids were carried out at Tahir Hussain's home in Karawal Nagar area of northeast Delhi.

NHRC Blames Jamia Students for Police Violence, Wants 'Real Motive' of Anti-CAA Protest Probed

https://thewire.in/rights/nhrc-blames-jamia-students-for-police-violence-wants-real-motive-of-anti-caa-protest-probed

New Delhi: National Human Rights Commission has finally released its report on police atrocities on the students of Jamia Millia Islamia, more than seven months after footage of uniformed men attacking students in the university library made headlines in India and around the world.But the report by NHRC team led by SSP Manzil Saini devotes most of its attention to why it believes the protest against CAA by Jamia students on Dec.15, 2019 was an ‘unlawful assembly’ and had invited police action against itself. The report alleges that protesters turned violent, destroyed government and private property and threw stones and petrol bombs at police officers, thus putting themselves beyond the ambit of the constitutionally guaranteed right to assembly.Hinting at the existence of a wider conspiracy, NHRC also says there is a need to “uncover [the] real actors and motives behind [the] overall protest at Jamia Millia Islamia which seems to be be smartly and purportedly organised under disguise of students (sic)”.

Elgar Parishad: Interim bail plea of Varavara Rao and Shoma Sen rejected

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/elgar-parishad-interim-bail-plea-of-varavara-rao-and-shoma-sen-rejected-6478001/?fbclid=IwAR3SQeF2XXgTDU4pwOSAekr3ikKk7PB5THuVgf6WbGiHfDv6ds9b9FhXQH0

Mumbai :A SPECIAL court on Friday rejected the interim bail applications of 81-year-old writer-poet Varavara Rao and 61-year-old former professor Shoma Sen, who are behind bars since 2018 in Elgaar Parishad case. Both Rao and Sen had sought interim bail citing their ill health and susceptibility to Covid-19.NIA, which had taken over the probe from the Pune Police earlier this year, had opposed the pleas stating that since they have been charged under UAPA, there was no provision to grant them temporary bail. Rao had last month fallen unconscious at his cell in Taloja Central Jail and rushed to the state-run JJ Hospital. His lawyers had submitted before the court that his medical condition needed proper and immediate attention to prevent further deterioration.

Supreme Court stays FIRs against OpIndia editors, gives anchor protection from arrest

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/supreme-court-stays-firs-against-opindia-editors-gives-anchor-protection-from-arrest-6478264/

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed FIRs registered by West Bengal Police against editors of news portal OpIndia and gave protection from arrest to news anchor Amish Devgan, who faces multiple FIRs over remarks made during a TV show.The plea by OpIndia editor Nupur Sharma was taken up via video-conference by a vacation bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and B R Gavai.The petition pointed out that West Bengal police had registered three FIRs against OpIndia staffers Sharma, Ajeet Bharti and Rahul Roushan over reports on the website. It said although other news outlets also carried write-ups on the subject, police had singled out OpIndia, and the “authoritarian Kolkata police” was using registration of FIRs as an excuse to “intimidate journalists” in getting online content and reports critical of the state government deleted.The police even questioned their family members, and despite repeated requests had refused to supply them a copy of FIRs, or to upload them on official website, petitioners stated.They stated that state government has “blatantly misused” police powers under CrPC to “scuttle bona fide instances of journalism”, thereby violating the fundamental to free speech.The police had asked them to take down certain content from the OpIndia website and Twitter, and warned them of repercussions if they failed to do so, the plea said.

Scroll Editors Move Allahabad HC to Quash FIR Against Supriya Sharma

https://thewire.in/media/scroll-fir-allahabad-high-court

New Delhi: News portal Scroll.in editors Supriya Sharma and Naresh Fernandes have filed a petition in the Allahabad high court to quash an FIR registered against them over a news report depicting poor living conditions at Varanasi’s Domari village which has been ‘adopted‘ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.“FIR is wholly false, motivated, malicious and baseless. It is abuse of the process of law, meant to intimidate and harass independent journalists and stifle freedom of press from reporting critical stories stating the unvarnished truth and grim reality about the lives of vulnerable groups,” they have claimed in their petition.thewire

Bihar shelter home cases: Recommended action against erring govt servants, CBI tells SC

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bihar-shelter-home-rape-case-supreme-court-cbi-6479132/

New Delhi :CBI has informed the Supreme Court that its probe into allegations of sexual and physical exploitation in 17 shelter homes in Bihar has been completed, except in two cases where further investigation is on, and they have recommended departmental action against “erring” public servants including district magistrates in several matters.CBI has said that evidence of “gross negligence” was found on part of public servants and NGOs running the shelter homes in several cases, and reports have been sent to Bihar government for taking departmental action against erring government officials and also for cancellation of registration of NGOs and blacklisting them and their office bearers.In an application filed in the apex court, the CBI has said that further probe regarding Muzaffarpur shelter home and a short stay home at Motihari is going on and final reports have been filed before the competent courts in 13 cases.

Swarm of locusts enters Delhi’s Asola Bhatti area, districts on high alert

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/locust-attack-delhi-asola-bhatti-wildlife-sanctuary-gopal-rai-6479148/

A small swarm of locusts has entered south Delhi’s Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary area near the Haryana border and efforts were on to drive it away, Delhi Development Minister Gopal Rai said on Saturday afternoon.The state forest department has been asked to sound dhols, drums, music through DJs and spray chemicals to control the swarm. Districts south, west and south west Delhi have also been put on high alert and the district magistrates asked to make preparations. A large swarm had descended on Gurgaon earlier in the morning from Jhajjar district in Haryana and was moving towards Uttar Pradesh through Faridabad and Palwal, officials said.

'India's George Floyds': Father-son death in police custody sparks outrage in TN

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/-india-s-george-floyds-father-son-death-in-police-custody-sparks-outrage-in-tn-11593253808774.html

Chennai: Outrage at the death of a father-son duo in the custody of Indian police earlier this week mounted on Saturday, with thousands on social media comparing the incident to the death of George Floyd in the United States.J Jayaraj, 59, and Bennicks Immanuel, 31, were subjected to a brutal thrashing, which resulted in rectal bleeding and eventual death, according to a letter to government officials written by Jayaraj's wife J Selvarani. The letter, based on eyewitness testimony and reviewed by Reuters, seeks action against the police officers involved.Police in Sathankulam, a town located 50 km (31 miles) south of the port city of Thoothukudi in southern Tamil Nadu state, said in a FIR reviewed by Reuters that Jayaraj and Bennicks were picked up on Friday, June 19 for breaching coronavirus lockdown rules.Bennicks died on Monday after complaining of breathlessness and Jayaraj died Tuesday, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, who oversees the police in the state, said in a statement on Wednesday. 2 policemen involved in the incident had been suspended, he added.Hundreds of thousands of tweets were sent out using the hashtag #JusticeforJayarajandBennix, that was among the top Twitter topics trending in India on Friday and among the top 30 trending globally, with celebrities and politicians condemning police action."The George Floyds of India are far too many," tweeted Jignesh Mevani, a lawmaker in India's western Gujarat state.Reuters

Fighting poverty, blindness, 4 Muslim students from Gujarat emerge as top rankers in class 12th results

http://twocircles.net/2020jun26/437740.html?amp&__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR3hHUeBT_IiJOaR18hpI02XNHIn-x30PheqPJn_QhTsgyU_rhGAY717YbU

Gujarat: The truth that education is a companion which no misfortune can take away dawned upon four poor Muslim students of Ahmedabad’s FD High School early on in their life. 4 students remained glued to their books round the year to emerge as top rankers in Class XII (general stream) examination, results of which were recently declared by the Gujarat Education Board. 4 students, 2 of them blind, faced countless stumbling blocks like unlettered parents, humble dwellings and paltry cash but reached the top by their sheer determination, making their teachers and parents feel proud.Visually-impaired Talha Ganchi, the top scorer in his category, had a normal vision and always stood first in class in school till he cleared 7th standard. But soon his eyesight started weakening and the brainy boy found himself groping in the dark.One fine day while he was in Class IX, his world turned upside-down as he became blind as a bat but, thanks to his elder brother Gufran, a college drop-out, bookworm saw light at end of tunnel and carried on with his studies.twocircles

Hyderabad’s Prominent Muslim Leader Maulana Naseeruddin Passes Away

https://clarionindia.net/hyderabads-prominent-muslim-leader-maulana-naseeruddin-passes-away/

HYDERABAD — Prominent Muslim leader Maulana Mohammed Naseeruddin, who was jailed but later acquitted in the killing of former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya, passed away here on Saturday, following brief illness.The leader of Tehreek-e-Wahdat-e-Islami breathed his last at his residence in Saidabad. He was 75.Police tightened the security in the area as a precautionary measure for Maulana’s burial scheduled later in the day at Eidgah Ujale shah.Popular among a section of the community, the cleric was known for his frank and fearless views on various issues but always remained under the scanner of law-enforcing agenciesIt was in April 2004 that Maulana was arrested by a team of Gujarat police in the case relating to assassination of Pandya.Naseeruddin had denied his involvement in the killing of Pandya, who was found murdered in his car after a morning walk in Ahmedabad on March 26, 2003.Maulana Naseeruddin spent six years in Gujarat jails before he was acquitted by a POTA court in 2010. After his return to the city, he merged his organisation Tehreek-e-Tahffuz-e-Sha’air-e-Islam or the movement for protection of Islamic signs with Wahdat-e-Islami. clarionindia/IANS

Yusuf Memon dies of heart attack at Nashik jail

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/yusuf-memon-dies-of-heart-attack-at-nashik-jail-6478252/

Mumbai :Yusuf Memon, the younger brother of fugitive gangster Tiger Memon, died of heart attack at Nashik Road prison on Friday.Officials said the 55-year-old, who was serving a life sentence for his role in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, suffered a stroke around 9.45 am and died during treatment at the civil hospital in Nashik.According to the jail officials, Yusuf was lodged in the high-security Anda cell with his younger brother Essa in a neighbouring cell.

After arrest of ‘key Sikhs for Justice recruiter’, 18 more are on NIA radar

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/after-arrest-of-key-sfj-recruiter-18-more-are-on-nia-radar-6478736/

Amritsar ;Around 20 months after the Amritsar police booked Pargat Singh (23) in a sedition case for his alleged links with outlawed Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) radical outfit, the NIA’s move to arrest him has brought the focus on 18 others named in the same 2018 sedition case. No police action was initiated against these 18 after the FIR was lodged in 2018. They are now believed to be on NIA’s radar after Pargat’s arrest, who is alleged to be key recruiter of radical Sikh youths for SFJ. While Punjab Police had booked 30 accused in original case, it had submitted challan only against 11 at an Amritsar court in March 2019, keeping 19 — including Pargat Singh and banned outfit Sikh For Justice’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannu — out of it. However, NIA told Mohali court earlier this week that Pargat Singh was one of the key conspirators and recruiter of radical Sikh youth while working under the directions of handlers located abroad to further the activities of SFJ (Sikhs For Justice) which has already been declared an unlawful association.

Sterling Biotech case: ED visits Ahmed Patel’s residence for questioning

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/congress-ahmed-patel-ed-sandesara-brothers-pmla-case-6478838/

ED on Saturday questioned senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel in connection with a money laundering case involving the Sterling Biotech group of Gujarat. Patel was questioned at his residence after he refused to come to the ED headquarters citing Covid guidelines.Sources said an ED team reached Patel’s residence around 11.40 am on Saturday and questioned him till evening in connection with the case wherein banks are suspected to have been defrauded of over Rs 14,000 crore by promoters of the company Nitin and Chetan Sandesara.

President promulgates ordinance to bring co-operative banks under RBI supervision

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/president-promulgates-ordinance-to-bring-co-operative-banks-under-rbi-supervision-6478945/

President Ram Nath Kovind has promulgated the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 to bring all urban cooperative banks and multi-state cooperative banks under the supervision of the RBI in order to protect the interest of depositors. Ordinance amends Banking Regulation Act, 1949 as applicable to cooperative banks, an official statement said on Saturday.“The Ordinance seeks to protect the interests of depositors and strengthen cooperative banks by improving governance and oversight by extending powers already available with RBI in respect of other banks to Co-operative Banks as well for sound banking regulation, and by ensuring professionalism and enabling their access to capital,” it said.PTI

Kerala HC order on activist Rehana Fathima's anticipatory bail Monday

https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kerala-hc-order-on-activist-rehana-fathima-s-anticipatory-bail-monday-1.4861321

Kerala High Court will on Monday give its order on the anticipatory bail plea filed by controversial activist Rehana Fathima.Fathima is on the run after a furore when she posted a video on her Facebook account showing her two minor kids, a girl and a boy, painting on her semi-nude body.She used the hashtag #BodyArt and Politics and wrote: "No child who has seen his own mother's nakedness and body can abuse the female body."However, the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights asked the police to register a case against her.When the police reached her house searching for her, Fathima was not there and then filed an anticipatory bail plea in the High Court.

India’s economy is in deep trouble: S&P

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/india-economy-is-in-deep-trouble-sandp

S&P Global Ratings said on Friday that the Indian economy is in deep trouble with growth likely to contract by 5 per cent this financial year."India's economy is in deep trouble. Difficulties in containing the virus, an anaemic policy response, and underlying vulnerabilities, especially across the financial sector, are leading us to expect growth to fall by 5 per cent this fiscal year before rebounding in 2021," S&P said in an update.In its report titled 'Asia-Pacific losses near $3 trillion as balance sheet recession looms', S&P projected the region's economy to shrink by 1.3 per cent in 2020, but grow by 6.9 per cent in 2021 with a loss of $3 trillion output over these two years."Asia-Pacific has shown some success in containing COVID-19 and, by and large, responded with effective macroeconomic policies," said Shaun Roache, chief economist for Asia-Pacific at S&P Global Ratings.IANS

Petrol price up 25 paise, diesel 21 paise; rates hiked by Rs 9.12, Rs 11.01 in 3 weeks

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/petrol-price-up-25-paise-diesel-21-paise-rates-hiked-by-rs-912-rs-1101-in-3-weeks

Petrol price on Saturday was hiked by 25 paise per litre and diesel by 21 paise, taking the cumulative increase in rates in three weeks to Rs 9.12 and Rs 11.01 respectively.Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 80.38 per litre from Rs 80.13, while diesel rates were increased to Rs 80.40 a litre from Rs 80.19, according to a price notification of state oil marketing companies.PTI

*SOUTH ASIA- INDO-PAK, J&K*

Chinese use of force to alter status quo will have repercussions on ties: Indian envoy

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/chinese-use-of-force-to-alter-status-quo-will-have-repercussions-on-ties-indian-envoy-6478181/

India on Friday warned China that trying to alter the status quo on the ground by resorting to force will not just damage the peace that existed in the border areas but can also have “ripples and repercussions” in the broader bilateral relationship, and demanded that Beijing stop its activities in eastern Ladakh.The only way to resolve the current military standoff along LAC in eastern Ladakh was for Beijing to realise that trying to “change the status quo by resorting to force or coercion, is not the right way forward,” India’s ambassador to China Vikram Misri said in a hard-hitting interview to PTI.Asserting that actions taken by Chinese forces on the ground have damaged “considerable trust” in the bilateral relationship, the Indian ambassador said it was entirely the responsibility of Chinese side to take a careful view of the relations and to decide which direction the ties should move.

Indian military amasses more men, material at border with China

https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/indian-military-amasses-more-men-material-at-border-with-china/1879242

Indian military is amassing more men and material as a precautionary deployment along the 3,488-km-long disputed border with China.The deployment, perhaps one of the biggest in the recent years, comes at a time when India and China are locked in a hitherto unprecedented standoff - for eight weeks now - at multiple points along their border.Sources said that Indian Army has deployed three more divisions in eastern Ladakh region to bolster its position on Line of Actual Control.Apart from tanks and artillery, Army has deployed their advanced very quick-reaction surface-to-air missile defence systems, including Akash missiles which have the capacity to take down very combat aircraft and drones.It was stated that four weeks ago an important division had started acclimatising for high-altitude warfare and two weeks later, parts of it were deployed at 18,000-foot-high Depsang plains, a plateau located north of the Galwan valley. Similarly, reserve forces have been moved to forward locations to match up the Chinese deployments.Asked whether it is full deployment, a senior Indian Army officer said: "It is a mirror deployment."Indian Army spokesperson, Colonel Aman Anand was, however, unavailable for comments. In a separate domain, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force are also on full operational alert. The IAF has deployed a number of SAGW systems to Ladakh.IANS

US Reviewing Troops Deployment To Counter China's Threat To India: Mike Pompeo

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/world-news-us-reviewing-military-deployment-to-counter-chinas-threat-to-india-mike-pompeo/355443

US is reviewing its global deployment of forces to ensure it is postured appropriately to counter the People's Liberation Army, given the increasing threat posed by China to Asian countries like India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said .Pompeo made those remarks in response to a question during the virtual Brussels Forum 2020 of German Marshall Fund."We're going to make sure we're postured appropriately to counter PLA. We think that the challenge of our times, and we're going to make sure we have resources in place to do that," Pompeo said.The force posture review is being done at the direction of President Donald Trump, as part of which US is reducing the number of its troops in Germany from about 52,000 to 25,000, he said.Pompeo said that the force posture would be dictated by the ground realities.PTI

China Deploying Large Contingent Of Troops Along LAC In Ladakh Since Early May: MEA

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-china-deploying-large-contingent-of-troops-along-lac-in-ladakh-since-early-may-mea/355427

China has been amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the Line of Actual Control since early May and conduct of the Chinese forces has been in complete disregard of all mutually agreed norms, India on Thursday said holding Beijing responsible for the eastern Ladakh standoff.At an online media briefing, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava gave a run down of the events along LAC in the eastern Ladakh region and held China responsible for Galwan Valley clashes off June 15.PTI

China Wants Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal, Bhutan, Nepal: Tibet Leader

https://www.thequint.com/videos/after-tibet-china-will-come-for-ladakh-sikkim-arunachal-bhutan-nepal-lobsang-sangay

“India has faced more tensions after recognising Tibet as a part of China,” says Dr Lobsang Sangay, President of the Central Tibetan Administration also known as the Tibetan government-in-exile.Amidst the military face-off along the Line of Actual Control which has resulted in the death of 20 Indian Army personnel and an unverified number of PLA casualties on the Chinese side, Sangay invoked the statements and warnings of Indian political leaders like George Fernandes, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Deendayal Upadhyaya to caution India against China’s intentions.Urging the Modi government to re-consider India’s stand on ‘One-China policy’, wherein India officially recognises Tibet as a part of China, Sangay said, “India has faced more tensions along the LAC after it recognised India-Tibet border as India-China border. An independent Tibet will cost India less to patrol and manage and Tibet will act as a buffer against China, as it always has.”

Irked by China Interviews, Govt Gets Prasar Bharati to Turn Heat on 'Anti-National' PTI

https://thewire.in/media/prasar-bharati-pti-anti-national-china-lac

New Delhi: A day after PTI quoted the Indian ambassador in Beijing saying that Chinese troops needed to move back to their side of the line of actual control in Ladakh – a statement that contradicts Prime Minister Modi’s claim that “no one has intruded” into India – the government’s broadcasting network has called the news agency “anti-national” and threatened to cut all links with it.Though neither ambassador Vikram Misri nor Ministry of External Affairs has denied the accuracy of PTI’s tweet nearly 24 hours later, Misri’s quote has embarrassed government because it runs counter to what PM said to the all-party meeting held last week on the border standoff.A second news flash from PTI quoted Misri saying “China has to stop the practice of transgressing and trying to erect structures on the Indian side of LAC”.This too ran counter to Modi’s claim that China had not intruded earlier.

LAC row: When will Modi govt take back our territory in Ladakh, asks Sonia Gandhi

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sonia-gandhi-narendra-modi-india-china-galwan-ladakh-6477510/

Amid reports of fresh Chinese incursions in Ladakh, the Congress Friday stepped up its attack with party chief Sonia Gandhi asking the Centre to disclose when and how it plans to push back Chinese troops from Indian territory.“Today when there is a problem along the India-China border, the central government cannot shy away from its responsibility. Prime Minister says no one has intruded into our territory. But on the other hand, Defence Minister and External Affairs Ministry talk about Chinese presence in large numbers…and discuss about Chinese incursions,” Sonia said in a video message.She said former military generals, security experts and newspapers carrying satellite images have confirmed Chinese incursions. “The country wants to know how and when Modi govt will take back our territory in Ladakh…and has China erected bunkers and made new constructions in the Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso lake area…violating our territorial integrity…and will the Prime Minister take the country into confidence,” she said.

China grabbed 45,000 sq kms of Indian land post-1962 war: Sharad Pawar

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sharad-pawar-india-china-border-standoff-6479185/

Satara :Amidst a war of words between Congress and BJP over the face-off with China, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said matters of national security shouldn’t be politicised and added one cannot forget China had captured about 45000 sq kms of Indian land after 1962 war.Pawar’s comments came in response to a query about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s charge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had surrendered Indian territory to Chinese aggression. Pawar also said Galwan Valley incident in Ladakh cannot immediately be labelled as a failure of Defence Minister, as Indian soldiers were alert during patrolling.PTI

SC seeks UT reply on J&K Bar chief’s plea over detention

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-seeks-ut-reply-on-jk-bar-chiefs-plea-over-detention-6478251/

New Delhi :The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a plea by Mian Abdul Qayoom, president of J&K Bar Association, challenging the High Court order upholding his detention under Public Safety Act (PSA). The plea was heard via video-conference by a vacation bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and B R Gavai, which sought the administration’s reply by the second week of July when the court would reopen after summer recess. Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, who appeared for Qayoom, said the petitioner only had winter garments when he was brought to Tihar Jail in Delhi and that given the current weather conditions, he should be allowed summer clothing.Taking note, the bench asked jail authorities to ensure that appropriate clothes and other essentials are made available. Qayoom has also sought a direction to shift him to Srinagar central jail on medical grounds.

First senior IAS officer from outside J&K gets UT domicile

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/first-senior-ias-officer-from-outside-jk-gets-ut-domicile-6478378/

Hailing from Bihar’s Darbhanga district, Naveen Kumar Choudhary, Principal Secretary, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, has become the first senior IAS officer from outside Jammu and Kashmir to become a domicile of the Union Territory.A domicile certificate was issued to Choudhary on Wednesday by the tehsildar of Jammu district’s Bahu, as per new rules notified last month for the issue of domicile certificates in UT, given the change in status of J&K after abrogation of Article 370. A 1994-batch J&K cadre IAS officer, Choudhary has been serving in J&K for 26 years. “I wanted the certificate and just applied for it,” he said, adding, “I am not seeking a job in J&K, as I already have one. Plus, I plan to live post-retirement in Gurgaon. I was entitled to the certificate and got it.”At present, the domicile certificate only entitles one to a job in the UT government or admission into professional colleges run by it. Sources said that in the absence of any amendment in UT’s existing land laws restricting purchases by outsiders, it does not entitle one to buy property in J&K. Sources said that nearly 33,000 people have applied for domicile certificates across the UT since the new rules were notified, and over 25,000 issued the same. The number of those seeking domicile certificates in Kashmir is far less as compared to those in Jammu division.In three days after the electronic application for granting domicile certificates opened on June 22 alone, over 6,000 applications were received. About 65% of these till June 25 (over 3,900) were from the Jammu region. A majority, however, were from those who already hold Permanent Residence Certificates of the erstwhile state.PDP accused the Centre of trying to do “demographic flooding in Jammu and Kashmir while plundering people of their identity and constitutional guarantees”.

Defying Kashmiri Fears of Forced Demographic Change, Govt Starts Issuing Controversial Domicile Certificates: Clarion India

https://clarionindia.net/defying-kashmiri-fears-of-forced-demographic-change-govt-starts-issuing-controversial-domicile-certificates/

Ready to open Kartarpur Corridor from June 29, Pakistan tells India

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-pakistan-kartarpur-sahib-corridor-6478733/

Pakistan on Saturday conveyed to India that it was ready to reopen the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib for Sikh pilgrims on June 29. In an announcement this morning, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Islamabad was prepared to reopen the corridor on the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh.The corridor was shut in March this year as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.“As places of worship open up across the world, Pakistan prepares to reopen Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for all Sikh pilgrims, conveying to the Indian side our readiness to reopen the corridor on 29 June 2020, the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh,” Qureshi tweeted.

*CORONAVIRUS- LOCKDOWN*

Scheduled intl flights suspended till July 15 but some on selected routes may be allowed: DGCA

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/scheduled-intl-flights-suspended-till-july-15-but-some-on-selected-routes-may-be-allowed-dgca-6477527/

The aviation regulator DGCA said on Friday it is extending the suspension of scheduled international passenger flights in the country till July 15 but added that some international scheduled services on selected routes may be permitted on a case to case basis.Scheduled international passenger flights were suspended in India on March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.“The competent authority has decided that scheduled international commercial passenger services to or from India shall remain suspended till 2359 hrs IST of July 15, 2020,” said DGCA circular.“However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case to case basis,” said the circular by DGCA.PTI

Railways cancels regular trains till Aug12: May not be possible to run all trains in near future due to Covid-19, says Railways

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/indian-railways-trains-coronavirus-6477713/

A day after suspending regular train services till August 12 on account of an increase in Covid-19 cases, the Indian Railways Friday said it “may not be possible to run all trains in near future given the coronavirus situation”.Speaking to reporters, the Chairman for the Railway Board, Vinod Kumar Yadav, however, expressed optimism that the trend of people coming back to Maharashtra and Gujarat from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is very “encouraging”, indicating an improvement in the economic situation.Railways, he added, could introduce more trains depending on current occupancy on routes, Covid-19 numbers in states and demand from states. The Indian Railways have doubled up train coaches as isolation centres for coronavirus patients. So far, over 5,000 coaches have been converted into Covid isolation coaches across India. Railways had also begun production of low-cost ventilators at Rail Coach Factory, which it has now stopped.“It was a conscious call to not go ahead with the development of ventilators in Railways. Instead, it was decided to help existing Indian ventilator makers to ramp up production,” Yadav said.

Railways cancels regular trains till August 12

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/railways-suspends-regular-train-irctc-ticket-cancellations-and-refunds-6477024/

Amartya Sen, Chomsky, Swaminathan praise Kerala for the way it has handled COVID

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kerala-covid-19-coronavirus-amartya-sen-noam-chomsky-soumya-swaminathan-6478038/

Praising Kerala for the way it has handled the coronavirus surge, Nobel-laureate and economist Amartya Sen said on Friday COVID-19 would be a transformatory movement in the State and it has dealt with the pandemic combating bureaucracy and red tape.Sen was speaking during a webinar on development titled ‘Kerala Dialogue’, organised by the Kerala government to bring together thinkers, policy-makers, professionals, scientists and the public to a space where they could rethink and reimagine development for a world disrupted by the pandemic.Sen came down heavily on the “unplanned and unstructured lockdown” in India and said it caused distress and hardship. “I think Covid would be a transformatory movement in Kerala. There is a danger of being deluged under the rather deceptive economic slogan that is so dominant in India today and there is widespread resistance to that. But it also suggests that combating bureaucracy, combating red tape, and doing things with exceeding speed, which indeed is what Kerala seems to have done in dealing with Covid,” Sen said.

PM Modi: 1.3 lakh Covid deaths in 4 European nations, UP under Yogi with same population saw 600

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pm-modi-yogi-adityanath-up-covid-deaths-european-natons-6478227/

Lucknow: Drawing a parallel between Uttar Pradesh’s large population of approximately 24 crore with that of US and 4 European countries, and their respective fatalities due to coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the state government under Yogi Adityanath has saved close to 85,000 lives. The situation, Modi said, would have been different under previous governments, as they would have only made excuses. But Adityanath government foresaw the situation and made quarantine and isolation centres to curb the virus’ spread, he said. Modi made the remarks while launching the ‘Atma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Yojna’, that seeks to promote local entrepreneurship with industrial associations.

Lockdown: Some states extended restrictions beyond June 30