19 SEPT. NEWS DIGEST

INDIA

As Army Admits Fault in Shopian Encounter, Activists Demand Revocation Of AFSPA

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-as-army-admits-fault-in-shopian-encounter-activists-demand-revocation-of-afspa/360559-

The Army’s admission that it has exceeded legal brief under the controversial AFSPA in the killing of three persons on July 18 in South Kashmir’s Shopian district has brought focus back on AFSPA with human rights bodies seeking its revocation.Meenakshi Ganguly, director, HRW, South Asia has tweeted, “After inquiry on allegations of extrajudicial killing of 3 #Kashmir men in July, army orders "disciplinary proceedings." But @hrw finds soldiers are protected from proper prosecution for rights violations. Recall Pathribal and Machil killings #RepealAFPSA.”Iltija Mufti, who tweets from her mother, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s account, called the Army’s move a mere “PR exercise.” “Past enquiries into fake encounters like Pathribal & Machil were futile because the offenders weren’t punished. At most they are a PR exercise to blunt criticism & avert embarrassment. Laws that give unbridled impunity to armed forces must go as GOI claims militancy has decreased,” she tweeted. Kashmir based human rights activist, Khuram Parvez says, some are deliberately trying to twist the Army's statement in this case by claiming that the Army has indicted its personnel in the fake encounter. On Friday, Srinagar based defence spokesman said that the inquiry ordered by the Army authorities into “operation Amshipora” has been concluded. According to the spokesman, the enquiry brought out certain prima facie evidence indicating that during the operation, powers vested under AFSPA 1990 were exceeded. “Consequently, the competent disciplinary authority has been directed to initiate disciplinary proceedings under Army Act against those found prima-facie answerable,” the spokesman said. “The evidence collected by the inquiry has prima-facie indicated that 3 unidentified terrorists killed in Operation Amshipora-- Imtiyaz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Mohd Ibrar, who hailed from Rajouri. Their DNA reports are awaited,” the spokesman added.

 

Kashmir: Family of Woman Killed in ‘Crossfire’ Questions Police Conduct

https://clarionindia.net/kashmir-family-of-woman-killed-in-crossfire-questions-police-conduct/

SRINAGAR: Auqib Sofi, 25, and his mother Kousar Sofi would usually leave their home before the crack of dawn, to reach their bakery, passing through calm narrow lanes, in congested Batmaloo locality of Srinagar. Like always, Sofi along with her mother Kousar had left their house for work. Barely a few hundred metres of drive, Sofi, who was on wheel, realised that the road ahead had the presence of government forces. Before he could react, Kousar who was on the front seat, panicky on seeing the men in rifles, asked Sofi to turn around the car.“As I started driving back towards home,” said Sofi, “a volley of bullets pierced the rare glass of car and hit my mother in the back of her head. There were no warning signs from the forces,” he said.Clarion India

 

Over 3,000 Ceasefire Violations By Pakistan Along LoC, Highest In 17 Years

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/record-3-186-ceasefire-violations-by-pakistan-along-loc-so-far-this-year-2297861

Srinagar: There have been 3,186 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC (Line of Control) in Jammu over the past eight months (from January 1 to September 7), the government told Parliament this week.This is the highest number in a year for 17 years - since the 2003 Ceasefire Agreement was brokered by then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.In addition, there were also 242 incidents of cross-border firing (from January 1 to August 31), in the Jammu region, along the international border with Pakistan, Shripad Naik, Minister of State for Defence, said in the Rajya Sabha.

 

LAC standoff:  10 patrolling points in eastern Ladakh blocked by Chinese People’s Liberation Army, says senior official: The Hindu report

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-china-lac-standoff-10-patrolling-points-in-eastern-ladakh-blocked-by-pla/article32642782.ece?homepage=true

There are at least 10 patrolling points along LAC in eastern Ladakh that have been blocked by Chinese troops, a senior government official told The Hindu.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday that face-offs with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) happened because “patrols were interrupted.” There was no commonly delineated LAC and there was an overlap in LAC’s perception in many areas, he noted.The patrolling points (PPs) are the end points along the undefined LAC, up to which the Indian troops patrol after starting from their respective base camps..Since April, Indian troops have been denied access to PPs number 9, 10, 11, 12, 12A, 13, 14, 15, 17, 17A. The blocked PPs span from the Depsang plains in the north to Pangong Tso (lake) in the south. In all, there are more than 65 PPs from the base of Karakoram to Chumar.

 

China wants 50 PLA soldiers to stay back at Pangong Tso bank. India says no: HT

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/from-gilgit-to-pangong-tso-10-factors-to-decide-outcome-at-military-talks/story-LTJSLWYnBuxnaU2H48DLEP.html

With India’s China Study Group (CSG) meeting on Friday, the stage has been set for a meeting of military commanders of the two countries in the coming week, to discuss disengagement and subsequent withdrawal of PLA troops from Ladakh.The outcome of the military commanders’ meeting will largely depend on PLA’s posture along LAC in Ladakh and its deployment in occupied Aksai China. PLA continues to build-up troops in occupied Aksai Chin and has started rotating troops on the LAC, indicating that it is preparing for a long haul on the border. A disengagement and de-escalation have been discussed and agreed to at the levels of Special Representatives (July 5) and Foreign Ministers (Sept.10), but PLA has made the restoration of status quo ante on LAC conditional, thus putting the entire exercise at jeopardy. Rather than withdraw in toto to base camps, PLA wants to have a toehold on the territory on the north bank of Pangong Tso to show its stamp of authority. During discussions, the PLA has talked about withdrawing to the pre-April position of Finger 8 spur on the lake but wants to leave 50 troops at the present position, eight-kilometre up at finger 4. At certain places, it wants to place cameras to monitor Indian movements. Basically, it wants to earmark the territory for future negotiations. This has been rejected by the Indian side.

 

Delhi journalist arrested under OSA, police say had classified defence papers

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/delhi-journalist-arrest-osa-classified-defence-papers-6601800/

Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a city-based strategic affairs analyst and author under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) alleging that he had been found in possession of defence-related classified papers.Rajeev Sharma, who has previously worked with UNI, The Tribune, and Sakaal Times, and most recently wrote a piece for the Chinese newspaper Global Times, was arrested on Sept.14. DCP (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said, “He is a resident of Pitampura, and was arrested by the southwestern range of Special Cell of Delhi Police. He was produced before the magistrate the next day, following which he was taken into police custody for six days. He was found to be in possession of some defence-related classified documents. Investigation of the case is in progress.”Sharma runs a YouTube channel called ‘Rajeev Kishkindha’, which has 11,900 subscribers. On the day of his arrest, he uploaded two videos. One of them is an 8-minute video titled ‘China may still do mischief #IndiaChinaFaceOff’, in which he says, “Despite an agreement… reached between the foreign ministers of India and China, the road to peace is still heavily mined. There is still no guarantee that everything will play out as per the script reached between two foreign ministers in Moscow.”

 

Chinese woman, Nepalese aide held for paying money to Delhi journalist for sensitive information: Police

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-journalist-rajeev-sharma-arrested-officials-secret-act-police-china-6602303/

Delhi Police on Saturday said it has arrested a Chinese woman and her Nepalese associate, and claimed that they were paying huge amounts of money to freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma for allegedly passing sensitive information to “Chinese intelligence”.“Special Cell has arrested a freelance journalist, Rajeev Sharma, for passing sensitive information to Chinese intelligence. One Chinese lady and her Nepalese associate have also been arrested for paying him large amounts of money routed through shell companies. Chinese intelligence tasked the journalist for conveying sensitive information in lieu of large amounts of money.PTI

 

Intel agencies to probe new Turkish NGO outreach in Kashmir,says Official: HT report

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/intel-agencies-to-probe-new-turkish-ngo-outreach-in-kashmir-official/story-fFXlcpCyIVz9jF6bqB7GrO.html

Indian intelligence agencies have started running security checks on Turkey-linked charities that have suddenly become active in Jammu and Kashmir over the last year after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a strident speech at the UN General Assembly last year that mirrored Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s pitch on Kashmir, people familiar with the matter said.A national security planner said the intelligence probe also covers the role of individuals connected to the nonprofits with close links with Turkey and prepare a comprehensive report on their activities, overt and otherwise.A more intensive probe could be ordered later against identified groups and individuals that are believed to have crossed the red lines, he said.

 

Naga Group Hardens Stance, Says Separate Flag And Constitution Are Must

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/naga-group-hardens-stance-says-separate-flag-and-constitution-are-must-2297770?pfrom=home-topstories

Guwahati: Nagaland's foremost armed rebel group involved in the peace talks, the NSCN-IM, on Friday said that without a separate flag and constitution, the peace deal with the central govt will not lead to an honourable solution.A joint council meeting of NSCN-IM on Friday deliberated on the "historical and political rights of the Naga people" and how the "Indo-Naga political talks" reached this far.The meeting was held at the central headquarters in Hebron near Dimapur in Nagaland. The hardened stand of NSCN-IM comes at a time when the peace talks have been hit a deadlock because of differences between the group and the interlocutor RN Ravi, governor of Nagaland."The house had unanimously adopted the resolution to reiterate the stand of NSCN-IM that the 'Naga national flag and Yehzabo (constitution) must form a part of the Indo-Naga political solution in order to qualify the Naga deal as honourable and acceptable," NSCN-IM said in a press statement.They also added that the centre and the NSCN-IM must seek a "final agreement" based on the historic Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015.

 

 NIA arrests 9 people with suspected Al Qaeda links from Kerala, West Bengal: firstpost report

https://www.firstpost.com/india/nia-arrests-nine-people-with-suspected-al-qaeda-links-from-kerala-west-bengal-firearms-body-armour-seized-8831401.html

NIA today announced that 9 suspected terror operatives were arrested by the agency following raids in West Bengal and Kerala. The arrests were made following raids on a group allegedly linked to the Pakistan-sponsored Al Qaeda.An NIA press release said that the agency "carried out simultaneous raids at several locations in Ernakulam (Kerala) and Murshidabad (West Bengal)". This was after it learnt about an inter-state module of Al Qaeda operatives at various locations in India, according to an official statement."As per preliminary investigation, these individuals were radicalised by the Pakistan-based Al Qaeda terrorists on social media and were motivated to undertake attacks at multiple places including the National Capital Region," NIA said.While 6 persons were arrested from Bengal, 3 were arrested from Kerala.Those who have been arrested from Kerala's Ernakulam have been identified as Murshid Hasan, Iyakub Biswa and Mosaraf Hossen. The names of those who have been arrested from West Bengal's Murshidabad are Najmus Sakib, Abu Sufiyan, Mainul Mondal, Leu Yean Ahmed, Al Mamun Kamal and Atitur Rehman.

 

Bombay HC upholds acquittal of 6 accused connections with Sanatan Sanstha, in 2009 Goa blast case

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bombay-hc-upholds-acquittal-of-6-accused-in-2009-goa-blast-case/story-bNKm7El2zWABx22VpmLu7K.html

Panaji: Bombay high court at Goa has upheld the acquittal of 6 persons charged with procuring, assembling and transporting a bomb to Margao in South Goa, where it prematurely exploded killing two persons who were allegedly ferrying it on the eve of Diwali in 2009.The 2 deceased -- Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik -- were allegedly carrying the bomb in their scooter with the intent to place it at a site where a Diwali eve competition was being held on Oct.16, 2009. Besides Patil and Naik, who died while ferrying the bomb, no one else was injured in the blast that took place behind Grace Church in Margao.Besides Patil and Naik, six others were charged by NIA including Vinay Talekar, Dhananjay Ashtekar, Prashant Ashtekar, Vinayak Patil, Prashant Juvekar and Dilip Mazgaonkar, all hailing from Maharashtra and with connections to Sanatan Sanstha. They were charged by the Goa Police crime branch. The case was later handed over to NIA.HT

 

Compensation application of many Delhi riot victims rejected on ‘filmsy’ grounds: Waqf Board

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2020/sep/19/compensation-application-of-many-delhi-riot-victims-rejected-on-filmsy-grounds-waqf-board-2198879.html

NEW DELHI: Compensation applications of many victims of the northeast Delhi riots were rejected on “flimsy grounds”, Delhi Waqf Board officials claimed on Friday. According to the officials, the grounds for rejection included reasons such as not picking up their phone and neighbours testifying against them. The panel is going through 748 rejected applications for compensation on the direction of Delhi Assembly’s Minority Welfare Committee. The committee in its meeting on Sept.2, had directed Waqf Board chief executive officer for gathering information about the applications which were rejected but no proper reasons were given for it, they said.A team of Waqf Board officials went through 160 rejected applications. A report on these applications was submitted to the Committee on Wednesday, a senior Waqf Board official said. The report on the remaining rejected applications will be submitted to the committee on Oct. 7.

 

Delhi Riots: Govt Calls Bullet Wound ‘Minor Injury’, Pays Rs 20,000 As Compensation

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-delhi-riots-govt-calls-bullet-wound-minor-injury-pays-rs-20000-as-compensation/360550

42-year old Shaukat Ali has requested Delhi government to enhance his compensation from Rs 20,000 to Rs 2 lakh, an amount it promised to pay to every seriously injured person in the communal riots in North-East Delhi. He claims that he has received only Rs 20,000 because SDM at Yamuna Vihar termed his rifle bullet injury as a minor one.Ali is a sole earning member in the family of six; his wife, three kids and his parents.A resident of Babu Nagar in old Mustafabad area, Ali had come out of his house on Feb.25 evening to buy some household stuff. The moment he headed towards the market, he heard a commotion at some distance and by the time he would have reacted, a rifle bullet hit in his left thigh. He fell on the road and went unconscious.“I don’t know what happened after that but when I became conscious, I found myself in a bed in Al-Hind hospital,” Ali said adding that doctors advised him to shift to a bigger hospital as his injury was life-threatening.outlookindia

 

Sharjeel Imam Taken to Aligarh from Tihar Jail Without Notice, Family Complains

https://clarionindia.net/sharjeel-imam-taken-to-aligarh-from-tihar-jail-without-notice-family-complains/

NEW DELHI: The family of student activist Sharjeel Imam, currently incarcerated in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, is concerned about his security after he was taken to Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh without informing his relatives or lawyers. Sharjeel’s brother Muzammil Imam told Clarion India that he was not aware as to when he was taken to Aligarh. A case is registered against Sharjeel for a speech that he is reported to have made at AMU during protests against CAA earlier this year.“There was a case against him in Uttar Pradesh along with other four states namely Assam, Manipur, Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh. The formality of his custody in Delhi, Arunachal and Assam has been completed. UP was left. Our objection is not over he being taken to UP. Our objection is as to why the requirement of informing counsel or family members for shifting the accused from one state to another was not followed,” said Muzammil.Clarion India

 

Book ‘Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story’ speaks of ‘conspiracy between the Delhi Police and authors’ of the book

http://muslimmirror.com/eng/the-book-delhi-riots-2020-the-untold-story-speaks-of-conspiracy-between-the-delhi-police-and-authors-of-the-book/

New Delhi: Prominent civil society groups Karwan-e-Mohabbat, Anhad and Muslim Women’s Forum on Friday  released a review of ‘Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story’ asserting that they found evidence the “real’ conspiracy between Delhi Police and authors” of this book who are known right-wing academics.The review titled   – Sifting Evidence: The Untold Story of ‘The Delhi Riots Book’, said  the theories in this book have been replicated down to details in the charge-sheets being filed by the Delhi Police in the in the North East Delhi  violence  cases. It said the book, which was originally a fact-finding report, is a form of hate speech designed as an “intervention into a criminal legal process”.This review is based on a PDF of the ‘book’ (Delhi Riots 2020: The  Untold Story) which went viral, after the original publishers withdrew, because it was widely circulated on social media presumably by the book’s supporters, who believed its message must be spread far and wide. The review (Sifting Evidence) is largely in tabular form, which makes for a quick read.

 

Adityanath Govt Mulls Ordinance Against 'Love Jihad': Report

https://thewire.in/government/adityanath-govt-mulls-ordinance-against-love-jihad-report

 Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has asked officials to formulate a strategy and bring an ordinance if required to prevent religious conversions in the name of love, a PTI report released said.The Hindu rightwing has coined the phrase ‘love jihad’ to describe an unsubstantiated Muslim conspiracy to convert unsuspecting Hindu women to Islam.PTI has quoted an ‘unnamed official’ as having said, “Taking a serious note of such incidents [of forceful conversion and cruelty], CM has directed that a concrete strategy be made to control such incidents. It has often been seen that this is being done in an organised manner. If required, an ordinance can be brought for it.”

 

“You don’t deserve to live in India,” 4 Tablighi Jamaat members recount near-death experience during mob attack in Maharashtra

http://twocircles.net/2020sep19/439062.html

Mumbai: “Tum Hindustan mein rehne ke laayak nahi ho, tum yahan nahi reh sakte.”  These were the words of the assailants who allegedly beat Suhail Tamboli, Aslam Ather, Sayyed Layak, Nizamuddin Qazi on the night of 16 Sept.in Beed’s Hol village in Maharashtra. Talking to TwoCircles.net, the Tablighi Jamaat members said that they were travelling to Ambajogai village from Dharur for their friend’s funeral when the car they were travelling in developed a glitch and they had to halt.Suhail Tamboli and Sayyed Layak went to get water for coolant and parked the car. Meanwhile, two men on a bike arrived at the spot where their car was parked and for no reason started verbally abusing Aslam and Nizamuddin, and as per them, “used filthy language against our community.” The men were wearing skull caps and Kurtas.The Jamaat members politely tried to deal with the situation but within a span of a few minutes, the men made a call and six more men arrived at the spot, armed with sticks.

 

Uttar Pradesh Police adds sedition to case against AAP MP Sanjay Singh

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/up-police-adds-sedition-to-case-against-aap-mp-sanjay-singh-6601799/

Lucknow : Nearly 2 weeks after AAP leader Sanjay Singh was booked for promoting enmity, UP Police has invoked sedition charge against the Rajya Sabha member.A senior police officer said that IPC section 124-A (sedition) has been added to FIR that was filed at Hazratganj police station on Sept.2. This was confirmed by Hazratganj SHO Anajani Kumar Pandey.“On September 1, a mobile number was being shared widely on social media. Upon further inquiry, it was found that pre-recorded calls were being made from a particular number to people where things that would divide the communities were being said. An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system was enabled on this number. This deed of the unidentified person would divide communities and would affect the harmony in society,” read the police complaint based on which the FIR was filed.

  

Sudarshan TV case: SC says maligning community can't be allowed, 'country can't survive with such agenda'

https://www.firstpost.com/india/sudarshan-tv-case-sc-says-maligning-community-cant-be-allowed-country-cant-survive-with-such-agenda-8830531.html

 New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday questioned Sudarshan TVover its 'Bindas Bol' programme, whose promo had claimed that the channel would show the "big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in govt service", and asked whether media can be allowed to target a whole set of communities. The apex court, which has already imposed a pre-telecast ban on episodes of 'UPSC Jihad' programmes on a plea raising grievance over the show, took strong noteof alleged inaction of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and National Broadcasting Association (NBA). The top court sought suggestions from the Centre and the NBA for strengthening the self-regulating mechanism for electronic media. A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, in a hearing conducted through video conferencing, recalled the days of Emergency and said it did not want to act like the censor board but the issue was whether the media can be allowed to target and brand the entire community and alienate them by doing such kind of stories."You have to tell us voluntarily what you will do to assuage our concerns. We don't want to come in the way of journalism. We know as a Court what happened during Emergency, so we will ensure free speech and ideas," said the bench, also comprising Justices KM Joseph and Indu Malhotra.The top court asked Suresh Chavhanke, editor-in-chief of the channel, to file an affidavit by Monday expressing his bonafide and voluntary decision on not using certain things in the programme. The bench told advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the channel  that the court has no problem with the story on investigative journalism on funding from terror linked organizations but it cannot be said that Muslims are carrying out some agenda by going for UPSC services.  "Let a message go to the media that a particular community cannot be targeted. We have to look after a nation of the future which is cohesive and diverse," it said, adding, "Let this message go to the media that the country cannot survive with such agenda."PTI

Justice Chandrachud on Sudarshan TV show 'UPSC Jihad': ‘SC staying something is like n-missile but had to step in’

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sudarshan-tvs-show-sc-staying-something-is-like-n-missile-but-had-to-step-in-6601862/

SC asks Zakat Foundation if it will intervene in Sudarshan TV case as channel alleges terror-linked funding

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/sc-asks-zakat-foundation-if-it-will-intervene-in-sudarshan-tv-case-as-channel-alleges-terror-linked-funding

The Supreme Court hasasked Zakat Foundation, an NGO which provides training to largely Muslims students aspiring for civil services, whether it wanted to intervene in the Sudarshan TV case following allegations of foreign funding from some terror linked organizations to its Indian set up.A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra and K M Joseph told senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for the Zakat Foundation, that the affidavit of Sudarshan TV has allegations of foreign funding against his client.Hegde said his client is a charitable organization and has been supporting non-Muslims as well and this kind of social service is not known even in government circles.PTI

 

Head of Zakat Foundation, Named in 'UPSC Jihad' Show, Says 'Good Work Will Continue'

https://thewire.in/communalism/upsc-jihad-zakat-foundation-sudarshan-tv-civil-services-coaching

New Delhi: When the Supreme Court asked Sudarshan TV News why it gave the title ‘UPSC Jihad’ to its 10-episode programme on recruitment of Muslims into civil services, the channel stated that it did so because Zakat Foundation – which coaches community members – had received funds from an anti-India, UK-based organisation.While the apex court held that the four episodes telecast by the channel from Sept.11 to 14 have only indulged in vilification of Muslims, The Wire spoke to the founding president of Foundation, Syed Zafar Mahmood, about the allegations.A former civil servant and Officer on Special Duty to former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Mahmood said that the narrow thought process displayed by Sudarshan TV was an “aberration” and that “over 95% of the population would never subscribe to such radical views”.He also denied all the allegations of financial wrongdoing, and said that his Foundation has regularly fulfilled all the fairness rules prescribed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, in addition to adhering to FCRA and income tax laws.

 

Opposition Demands Complete Waiver of Farm Loans

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-opposition-demands-complete-waiver-of-farm-loans/360555

Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha today, demanded the government to waive interest on loans obtained by farmers and individuals during pandemic, citing a pause in insolvency proceedings against defaulting corporates.Participating in a debate, K K Ragesh of CPI (M) said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other members have told the House that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill has been brought to save businesses and corporates. "Why is the same logic not applied in the case of farmers? Farmers are also bankrupt. Why is the govt not taking any responsibility and any initiative in waiving the farmers’ loans?" he asked.Ragesh suggested that the govt could at least have considered to "waive the interest on farmers loans during the moratorium period”.PTI

 Farm bills row: PM Modi, BJP have ‘maliciously’ distorted Congress manifesto, says Chidambaram

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/farm-bill-row-pm-modi-bjp-have-maliciously-distorted-congress-manifesto-says-p-chidambaram-6602360/

As the government prepares to table 3 contentious farm bills in the Rajya Sabha, former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP spokespersons for ‘deliberately and maliciously’ distorting Congress Manifesto over the issue.Defending the Congress’s promise of repealing the APMC Act, Chidambaram said in a statement, “PM and BJP spokespersons have deliberately and maliciously distorted the Congress Manifesto. We promised to promote Farmers Producer Companies/ Organisations to enable farmers to access inputs, technology and markets; and to establish farmers’ markets with adequate infrastructure and support in large villages and small towns to enable the farmer to bring his/her produce and freely market the same.”Chidambaram’s statement came just a day ahead the government listed the 3 farm bills – The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 – for consideration and passing in Upper House on Sunday. These bills have already been passed by Lok Sabha. Earlier this week, the government had introduced three farm bills to replace the ordinances promulgated on June 5 this year.The senior Congress leader urged the opposition parties to “join hands to oppose the Bills”. “Congress and other Opposition parties must join hands to oppose the Bills in every forum and ensure that they do not become law in the present form,” he said.

Protesting against farm Bills, debt-hit farmer dies by suicide at Badal village

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/protesting-against-farm-bills-debt-hit-farmer-dies-by-suicide-at-badal-village-6601902/

Ludhiana :A day after Lok Sabha cleared the contentious farm Bills, a 65-year-old farmer died by suicide after consuming sulphas tablets —used as a rodenticide—at an ongoing protest at Muktsar Sahib’s Badal village.6-day protest has been organised by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) near the residence of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.Preetam Singh, a resident of Mansa’s Akanwali village, was rushed to the hospital after he vomited at the dharna site early in the morning. He died at 8pm at a Bathinda hospital.“He will be cremated after administration releases compensation, agrees to a job for one family member and waives the family’s farm debt,” said Shingara Singh Maan, chief of BKU(Ugrahan)’s Bathinda unit.

 

Bills anti-farmer, will help rich: Mayawati, Akhilesh

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bills-anti-farmer-will-help-rich-maya-akhilesh-6601897/

Lucknow :BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Friday slammed the BJP government at the Centre for the farm Bills, calling them “anti-farmer” and “pro-rich”.Questioning the manner in which the Bills were passed in the Lok Sabha, Mayawati said: “2 Bills related to farmers were passed in Parliament yesterday without clearing doubts related to them. BSP does not approve of it at all.”Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed the two farm Bills “pro-rich and anti-farming”, and said that once they come into effect, they would reduce the farmers as mere labourers on their own fields and would take away their right of getting appropriate price for their crop.

 

 Farm Bills: After Harsimrat Quits, Pressure Mounts on BJP's Haryana Ally Dushyant Chautala

https://thewire.in/politics/akali-bjps-haryana-ally-dushyant-chautala

New Delhi: After Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Modi cabinet over its introduction of three farm Bills, pressure mounted from the opposition on the BJP’s ally in Haryana Jannayak Janata Party and its leader Dushyant Singh Chautala to quit as the deputy chief minister.Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted asking Chautala to follow Kaur’s lead and resign. “You are more attached to your chair than farmers,” he claimed. While Chautala’s own party MLAs have been opposing his leadership, it is noteworthy that he has not publicly opposed the farm ordinances passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.JJP MLAs Ram Kumar Gautam and Devender Babli expressed dissatisfaction against Chautala’s leadership, claiming that “there was dissatisfaction among most of the party’s 10 MLAs”, according to an Indian Express report. Harsimrat Kaur’s move is seen as a strong stance taken by SAD – BJP’s oldest ally in NDA – over the 3 farm ordinances which have now been tabled as Bills in Lok Sabha. “We were upset to see the Bill was presented without consulting the farmers, and this wasn’t acceptable to me,” said Kaur.

 

Decision On NDA- Alliance To Be Taken After Core Committee Meeting: SAD Leader Naresh Gujral

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-decision-on-nda-alliance-to-be-taken-after-core-committee-meeting-sad-leader-naresh-gujral/360499

A day after the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s as Minister of Food processing industries from the Union Cabinet, her party Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) said that future of the alliance with NDA government will be decided after the party core committee meeting. The minister’s resignation came in protest against three farm bills related to the agriculture sector.

 

Farm Bills to cause annual loss of Rs 4000 cr loss to state: Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/farm-bills-to-cause-annual-loss-of-rs-4000-cr-loss-to-state-punjab-finance-minister-manpreet-singh-badal

Accusing NDA government of violating the federal structure of the Constitution by passing Bills on items reserved on the state list, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Friday said that Punjab alone would suffer a loss of Rs. 4000 crore every year that will lead to mass destruction of rural livelihoods, increase farmer distress and pauperization.Badal stated that the NDA government is shying away from issuing a categorical assurance to the Indian farmers that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime will remain intact. “Why is Union government hesitating in announcing that unlimited and uninterrupted MSP will continue?” Badal questioned.Agriculture falls in the state list of subjects, said the minister, adding that Union govt’s action impinges on the state’s rights. This is not the first time NDA govt has harmed the rights of the states. Despite including a provision in the Constitution regarding compensating states in case of GST revenue shortfall, NDA government has deliberately ignored the federal fabric of the Constitution, he added."This is the death knell of MSP and the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees that have served the nation very well since the 1960s,” Manpreet said.

 

Contentious Bills slated for Rajya Sabha, Centre talks to non-Congress Opposition parties

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/contentious-bills-slated-for-rajya-sabha-centre-talks-to-non-congress-oppn-parties-6601904/

Rajya Sabha will take up for passage three contentious Bills, including the two farm-related ones, over the weekend, even as the government and ruling BJP took different approaches with Opposition, which is protesting all these proposed laws.While BJP stepped up its attack on Congress, senior Union ministers are learnt to have reached out to some non-Congress opposition parties. Sources said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal also established contact with the Congress’s Rajya Sabha leadership but appeared to be not in a mood to concede to the latter’s demand to refer these Bills to select committees.While the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill is listed for Saturday, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill are listed for Sunday. The Congress and other opposition parties are opposed to all three Bills, as also the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill.

 

‘Babri case must be dropped’: VHP after Muslim litigant’s appeal to free all

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/babri-case-must-be-dropped-vhp-after-muslim-litigant-s-appeal-to-free-all/story-JEUpIPosTfO6x4d0RKtuoL.html

Vishva Hindu Parishad has welcomed Iqbal Ansari’s statement in which he had issued an appeal to the CBI court to acquit all the 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case in the larger interest of the Hindu-Muslim unity. A key Muslim litigant in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, Ansari’s father Hashim Ansari was the oldest litigant in the title suit.

 

Facebook 'did nothing' about violent militia and hate groups for 5 years despite being warned at least 10 times: advocacy group

https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/facebook-did-nothing-about-violent-militia-and-hate-speech-groups-for-five-years-despite-being-warned-at-least-10-times-advocacy-group-says/articleshow/78183271.cms

 The civil-rights group Muslim Advocates is accusing Facebook of long ignoring repeated warnings that militia and hate groups are promoting violence against Muslims. Muslim Advocates published a timeline Wednesday of 10 instances since 2015 in which it said it alerted the company to militias and hate groups using Facebook events to organize armed anti-Muslim rallies.  "For more than five years Facebook has failed to stop this," the group's public-advocacy director said.   Facebook has come under fire twice in recent weeks for failing to enforce its own militia ban despite being warned about groups threatening violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Portland, Oregon.Facebook has been reeling from criticism over its recent failures to keep violent militia and hate groups off its platform. In one case, the company was warned by users about a "call to arms" 455 times, and in another it failed to catch a group until alerted by the news media.

 

Opposition protests against Kerala minister are anti-Quran, says CPM

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/oppn-protests-against-kerala-minister-are-anti-quran-says-cpm-6601841/

Thiruvananthapuram : A day after NIA questioned Kerala Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel in connection with gold smuggling case, CPI(M) on Friday referred to Opposition’s protest against him as an “anti-Quran” agitation. Probes into the gold smuggling by multiple agencies have revealed that Jaleel had accepted religious texts and food kits from UAE Consulate, bypassing protocol norms and without getting duty exemption from the state.With Congress and its ally Indian Union Muslim League mounting its protests against Jaleel, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, in his weekly column in party daily Deshabhimani, termed the protest against the state minister and LDF government as an “anti-Quran agitation”. “IUML is adding fire to the anti-Quran agitation of RSS. Congress will also be with IUML in that act. We are opposing the agitation against Quran on the ground that no religious text should become subject of ridicule,” he wrote.

 

Muslim groups miffed by bid to give Jaleel issue a religious colour

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2020/sep/19/muslim-groups-miffed-by-bid-to-give-jaleel-issue-a-religious-colour-2198862.html

KOZHIKODE: Muslim organisations are peeved at the bid to divert the suspicion on Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel’s role in the gold smuggling case by giving it a religious colour. They point to the ongoing discussions focusing on the Holy Quran and Zakat as an example. The organisations feel that all political parties, the chief minister, media and Jaleel himself are trying to hit upon the religious angle to derive political mileage out of the issue. Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF), student wing of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulema, which is the top body of EK Sunni faction, issued a statement  condemning the deliberate attempt to focus on the Quran.  “Why should the discussion focus on the Quran or Zakat? Would this be an issue even if the baggage contained non-Quran stuff? All political parties should desist from this,” urged Sathar Panthaloor,  state general secretary, SKSSF. Ashraf Kadakkal, scholar,  said BJP is likely to project Jaleel issue as an instance of Left-jihadi nexus at the pan-India level, especially in the backdrop of the upcoming Bihar assembly polls.

 

Waqf board can’t judge disputes among Muslims: Kerala high court

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/waqf-board-cant-judge-disputes-among-muslims-kerala-high-court/articleshow/78198984.cms

KOCHI: Waqf board does not have the power to act as a judge in disputes regarding religious rights of Muslims, the Kerala high court has held. It is the waqf tribunal that has adjudicatory powers and the waqf board can only act regarding maintenance of waqf properties, the court said.A division bench comprising Justices K Vinod Chandran and T R Ravi gave the ruling while considering a petition filed by Najeem K K of Anchal in Kollam seeking a direction to Kerala State Waqf Board to consider his complaint regarding removal of his membership from Edamulackal Muslim Jamaath.It is the duty of the waqf board to consider the complaint as per Section 32 of the Waqf Act, which deals with the powers and functions of the board, the petitioner contended.The issue raised by the petitioner is more in the nature of a civil dispute for which his remedy is to approach the waqf tribunal and not the waqf board, the court said.

 

Bihar elections: Left parties wait for RJD response on alliance

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bihar-elections-left-parties-wait-for-rjd-response-on-alliance-6601907/

Patna :Left parties including CPI, CPI(ML) and CPI(M) want RJD to move ahead with alliance talks in the run-up to Bihar polls. RJD has received a list of probable seats from them, but is yet to respond.CPI(ML) general secretary Dipanker Bhattacharya told reporters on Friday: “The people want to see a broad and united Opposition to take on the NDA in Bihar. But it is unfortunate that there has been no progress towards forging the alliance… Lok Sabha election results showed that Opposition unity could not be possible without taking into confidence 3Left parties.”

 

15 booked for rioting, burning PM Modi’s effigy on his birthday

Muzaffarnagar :15 people, including the national president of a little-known outfit, were booked on the charges of rioting after they burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday while observing “Unemployment Day” in neighbouring Shamli district, police said on Saturday. The case was registered against 11 unidentified people and four named accused on Friday based on a complaint filed by Shamli district BJP president Satendra Tomar, they said.Prince Kori, national president of the Bharatiya Samaj Rakshak Yuva Morcha, and the 14 others were booked, police said.

 CORONAVIRUS-LOCKDOWN

 UN expert mentions Indian migrant crisis in report

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/un-expert-mentions-indian-migrant-crisis-in-report-6601819/

Mumbai :A report by United Nations Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur on Slavery, presented at the ongoing 45th session of the Geneva-headquartered UN body earlier this week, included reference to India’s migrant crisis during the Covid-19 lockdown, and says internal migration of more than 100 million people deprived them economically, exposed them to indebtedness and police brutality, and stigamtised them.In its reply, India said it was not consulted by the Special Rapporteur. “We firmly believe that specific references to a State in context of a global problem and that too in a thematic report should be best avoided or should be made after prior consultation with the state concerned to make a factual and objective assessment,” an official of India’s Permanent Mission to UN at Geneva.In his reported titled ‘Impact of coronavirus pandemic on contemporary forms of slavery and slavery-like practices’ presented to the Council, Special Rapporteur Tomaya Obokata stated: “In India, Covid-19 measures forced more than 100 million internal migrant workers, many of whom belong to minorities and certain castes, to travel long distances home. In addition to being exposed to economic deprivation and indebtedness, many were reportedly subjected to police brutality and stigmatised as virus ‘carriers’.”

 

97 migrant workers died travelling on Shramik Special trains, Railway Min Piyush Goyal admits in RS

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/97-people-died-while-travelling-on-shramik-special-trains-railway-minister-piyush-goyal

The government has informed the Rajya Sabha that 97 people died on board the Shramik Specials, admitting for the first time that migrant labourers lost their lives in the trains which were run to ferry them during COVID-19 lockdown.In a written answer to a question posed by TMC MP Derek O'Brien on Friday, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal provided the statistics to the upper house of parliament."Based on the data provided by State Police, 97 persons have been reported dead till 09.09.2020 while travelling on board Shramik Special Trains during current Covid-19 situation/crisis," the minister said.PTI

 

No Central Data on Health Workers Who Died, Tested Positive During COVID Duty: Govt

https://thewire.in/government/centre-data-health-workers-died-infected-covid-19

New Delhi: Data on the number of healthcare workers who are infected by the coronavirus infection or have lost their lives during COVID-19 duty is not maintained at the central level by the health ministry, the government told Lok Sabha.However, details of the number of persons seeking relief under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Insurance Package for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19″ is maintained at the national level, Minister of State(MoS) for Health Ashwini Choubey said in a written reply.According to details of the scheme, a total of 155 healthcare staff, including 64 doctors, have died due to the coronavirus infection in the country as on Sept.11.PTI

 

Coronavirus: India’s tally crosses 53 lakh with over 93,000 new cases in the last 24 hours

https://scroll.in/latest/973499/coronavirus-indias-tally-crosses-53-lakh-with-over-93000-new-cases-in-the-last-24-hours

India’s coronavirus tally reached 53,08,014 on Saturday, after Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reported a rise of 93,337 cases in the last 24 hours. The toll rose by 1,247 to 85,619.India now has 10,13,964 active cases. More than 42 lakh people have recovered from the virus in India.India’s recovery rate is currently 78.86%, which the govt has said is one of the highest in the world. The mortality rate is 1.64%.

 

6 million white-collar jobs lost during lockdown

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/6-million-white-collar-jobs-lost-during-lockdown

Around 6 million white-collar workers, which include engineers, physicians, teachers, accountants and analysts, have lost their jobs between May and August, Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) said.According to CMIE, the number of white-collar jobs has been on the rise since 2016. “An estimated 12.5 million white-collar professional employees were employed during the wave of Jan-April 2016," CMIE said.White collar jobs peaked at 18.8 million during May-Aug 2019. It remained almost stable at 18.7 million in the period of Sept.to Dec.2019 and then fell to 18.1 million during Jan-April 2020, reported LiveMint.

 

Not Providing Gadgets, Internet to Poor Students for Online Classes Is 'Digital Apartheid': Delhi HC

https://thewire.in/education/not-providing-gadgets-internet-to-poor-students-for-online-classes-is-digital-apartheid-delhi-hc

Delhi high court has directed private as well as government schools like KVs to provide gadgets and an internet package to poor students for online classes, saying not doing so amounts to “discrimination” and creates a “digital apartheid”. To separate such students from others in the same class due to non-availability of a gadget or a device would generate “a feeling of inferiority” that may “affect their hearts and minds unlikely ever to be undone”, the court said.A bench of Justices Manmohan and Sanjeev Narula said if a school decides to voluntarily provide synchronous face-to-face real-time online education as a method of teaching, “they will have to ensure that students belonging to economically weaker section (EWS) or disadvantaged group (DG) category also have access and are able to avail the same”.PTI

 

1 in 7 Russia’s covid vaccine volunteers report side effects: Russian Minister

https://www.livemint.com/news/world/1-in-7-russia-s-covid-vaccine-volunteers-report-side-effects-russian-minister-11600351148662.html

Close to Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) announcing to partner with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd for distribution of Russia’s covid-19 vaccine --Sputnik V in India, the Soviet nation's health minister, Mikhail Murashko, in a statement to Moscow Times said that nearly 14% of patients who have been administrated the vaccine reported suffering from side-effects.One in seven volunteers have complained of side effects including weakness and muscle pain after taking Russia’s highly touted coronavirus vaccine, Russia’s health minister said Tuesday as quoted in Moscow Times. Murashko said the symptoms “level off" by the next day. The complications are described in the instructions and are predictable," he said as quoted in the newspaper.

 

Parliament's Monsoon Session May Be Cut Short as Covid-19 Cases Among MPs Rise

https://www.news18.com/news/india/parliament-session-may-be-cut-short-as-covid-19-cases-among-mps-rise-report-2890345.html

Monsoon Session of Parliament session that began this week is likely to be cut short after 30 lawmakers were found infected with the coronavirus, two senior parliament officials said, as the number of cases in the country rose to 5.3 million.Parliament met for the first time in six months on September 14 and was to function until October 1, but the two officials said its duration could be reduced by a week."Since the commencement of the session the number of positive cases have gone up so the government is thinking of cutting short the session," said one of the two officials, who are involved in the functioning of Parliament proceedings. The government has also mandated daily tests for journalists entering Parliament to cover the session from Saturday. The lower and upper house secretariats did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

Rajya Sabha passes bill to punish those attacking healthcare workers

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/rajya-sabha-passes-bill-to-punish-those-attacking-healthcare-workers     

Rajya Sabha on Saturday passed a legislation that provides for up to 5 years in jail for those attacking doctors and healthcare workers fighting the COVID-19 outbreak or during any situation akin to the current pandemic.The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was introduced by Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in the Upper House on Saturday to replace an ordinance issued by the government in April.The Bill intends to ensure that during any situation akin to the current pandemic, there is zero-tolerance to any form of violence against healthcare service personnel and damage to property.

 

Eye-watering problem: Indian optician's claim threatens nation's banks

https://in.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-india-loans/eye-watering-problem-indian-opticians-claim-threatens-nations-banks-idINKBN26929X

AGRA; When business evaporated at Gajendra Sharma’s eyeglass shop a couple of miles from the Taj Mahal during India’s strict COVID-19 lockdown, he was relieved to hear about a pandemic debt moratorium that would give him breathing room on his home loan. That is because a complaint he brought challenging the loan relief plan, grouped with those of other borrowers and now before the Supreme Court, could mean a $27 billion hit to lenders - more than half their annual profits - that could shake the nation’s financial system, the industry and regulators fear.The battle, launched from Sharma’s small shop in the northern city of Agra and now involving more than 120 lawyers, has the central bank and government struggling to defend what was meant to be a helping hand.The problem, as the other borrowers see it, is that they must pay additional interest on their skipped repayments during the moratorium, which they call “interest-on-interest.”Reuters

 

WORLD

Bangladesh govt orders closure of largest Deobandi Madrasa

https://theindianawaaz.com/bangladesh-government-orders-to-close-largest-deobandi-madrasa/

The government of Bangladesh has ordered the closure of the largest and oldest Deobandi Hathazari Madrasa till further orders. The Education Ministry in its order said that the Hathazari Madrasa at Chittagong will be closed due to the breach of conditions. On August 28, the Ministry had allowed Madrasas to resume their academic activities on the condition that the health guidelines issued by the government are followed. The Madrasa has been facing protests due to internal rift in the organisation on the issue of administrative control of the institution. Students of Madrasa had protested on Wednesday to press for their demands.Director General of Madrasa and influential cleric nonagenarian Shah Ahmad Shafi has also resigned and handed over charge to the Shura Committee, according to media reports. He is also the chief of the Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh.AIR

 

Bangladesh : Hefazat chief Ahmad Shafi no more

https://www.thedailystar.net/country/news/hefazat-chief-ahmad-shafi-life-support-way-dhaka-1963449

Shah Ahmad Shafi, amir of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, who was on life support and was flown to Dhaka just hours back, passed away today at the age of 104 while undergoing treatment at Asgar Ali Hospital in Dhaka this evening.General Secretary of Islami Oikyajote Mufti Faizullah confirmed the matter to The Daily Star. Ahmad Shafi passed away around 6:30pm, he added.His demise came a day after he resigned from the post of director general of Al Jameyatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Madrasa, popularly known as Hathazari madrasa, following student unrest over the last two days.

 

Knesset rejects bill to ensure full equality between all Israeli citizens

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200918-knesset-rejects-bill-to-ensure-full-equality-between-all-israeli-citizens/

The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, has rejected a bill presented by Yousef Jabareen on behalf of the Arab Joint List intended to ensure full equality for all of Israel’s citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or religious affiliation.Jabareen presented his bill in advance of the 20th anniversary of the Aqsa Intifada, which has became a cornerstone in the collective consciousness of Israel’s Arab citizens, who make up 20 per cent of the population. They suffer from institutional discrimination, exclusion and hostility.Despite the bill highlighting the need for human rights and democracy to be available to all in the Zionist state, it was rejected by a majority of the ruling coalition and opposition parties.“What I am proposing to you is first and foremost a peace treaty between the state and its Arab citizens, before addressing what is beyond its borders,” Jabareen told the right-wing MKs who attacked his proposed legislation. “Peace with Arab citizens is realised when the state secures their equal status in their home.”

 

US envoy to Israel: ‘We are considering replacing Abbas with Dahlan’

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200918-us-envoy-to-israel-we-are-considering-replacing-abbas-with-dahlan/

US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, said that America is considering replacing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with Fatah’s dismissed leader, Mohammed Dahlan.Friedman made the comments in an interview with Israel Today, which is known to be close to Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu. When asked whether US administration is considering nominating Dahlan, who currently lives in UAE, as the new Palestinian leader, Friedman replied: “We are thinking about it, but we have no desire to engineer Palestinian leadership.”The newspaper pointed out that according to reports, US may support Dahlan in order remove Abbas.

 

Abbas spokesperson to US: ‘Dahlan is treacherous'

Nabil Shaath, the representative of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, said that Fatah’s dismissed leader, Mohammed Dahlan, “played a treacherous role, and he is the engineer of UAE and Bahrain normalisation agreements with the Israeli occupation.”This came in an exclusive statement with Arabi21 after US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, hinted that Washington might help Dahlan become the next leader of PA in its effort to replace Abbas.“These statements reveal more of US’ colonial endeavour in support of the Israeli settlement, to impose its control over the Palestinian decision-making circle and manipulate Arab governments at the same time,” Shaath said.

 

84% of Canadians want ICC probe into Israel war crimes

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200918-84-of-canadians-want-icc-probe-into-israel-war-crimes/

Some 84 per cent of Canadians want a war crimes probe into Israel, a new poll surveying views over several issues, including a potential International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation of alleged Israeli war crimes, and the possibility of moving Canada’s embassy to Jerusalem, has found.The survey, sponsored by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJME), Independent Jewish Voices Canada and the United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine-Israel, found that the vast majority of Canadians wish to see Israel treated the same way as any other country, with 84 per cent of those polled saying they would support an ICC investigation of alleged war crimes by Israeli officials.

 

Hamas discusses Palestinian cause with resistance group

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200918-hamas-discusses-palestinian-cause-with-resistance-group/

The political chief of Palestinian group Hamas on Friday discussed how to confront the problems facing the Palestinian cause with a delegation from another resistance group, Anadolu Agency reports.Ismail Haniyeh met with the Palestine Liberation Front delegation, led by Secretary-General Abu Nidal Ashqar, in the Lebanese capital Beirut, according to a statement by Hamas.The parties stressed the necessity of developing a common vision to counter the Zionist project which has been receiving unprecedented support from the US, the statement said.During the meeting, the two sides also condemned the recent normalisation of ties with Israel by UAE and Bahrain amid American mediation.

 

US announces new sanctions on companies, individuals linked to Hezbollah

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200918-us-announces-new-sanctions-on-companies-individuals-linked-to-hezbollah/

US has announced a new set of sanctions on two companies and one individual over links to Hezbollah, AP reports.US has long designated the Iranian-backed Shia group a terrorist organisation and has frequently targeted officials with links to it with sanctions.The new sanctions target the companies Arch Consulting and Meamar Construction “for being owned, controlled, or directed by Hezbollah”, AP quoted US department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as saying.

 

Lawsuit to nationalise assets of 89 Muslim Brotherhood officials

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200918-lawsuit-to-nationalise-assets-of-89-muslim-brotherhood-officials/

A committee specialising in the seizure of assets belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has filed a lawsuit to nationalise the funds of 89 members of the group, including the heirs of the deceased President Mohamed Morsi, according to local sources. The government has set up a committee to count and manage the funds of the Muslim Brotherhood since the group was declared a “terrorist organisation” in Dec.2013. Pro-opposition news website, Mada Masr, cited legal sources who said “a lawsuit has been filed before the Court for Urgent Matters, calling for the disposition and transfer of ownership of funds owned by a number of members and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood to integrate in the national treasury”.The website stated that “the court has scheduled a hearing session on 27 Sept.to deliberate on the case”.The trial includes 89 Muslim Brotherhood leaders, notably the heirs of the late former President Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected civilian president, Deputy General Leader Khairat Al-Shater, Abdel-Rahman Al-Barr, Mohamed Al-Beltagy, Safwat Hijazi, Mahmoud Ghazlan and others, they added.

 

US says UN sanctions on Iran to be reimposed Saturday

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200919-us-says-un-sanctions-on-iran-to-be-reimposed-saturday-what-does-that-mean/

US President Donald Trump’s administration says that on Saturday all United Nations sanctions on Iran have to be restored and a conventional arms embargo on the country will no longer expire in mid-October. But 13 of the 15 UN Security Council members, including long-time US allies, say Washington’s move is void and diplomats say few countries are likely to reimpose the measures, which were lifted under a 2015 deal between world powers and Iran that aimed to stop Tehran developing nuclear weapons.

 

 Canada: Muslim group wants murder investigated as hate-motivated

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/09/canada-muslim-group-murder-investigated-hate-motivated-200918214123249.html

A Canadian Muslim advocacy group is calling for a recent fatal stabbing outside a mosque near Toronto to be investigated as potentially hate-motivated, after the city's police service announced that it had made an arrest in the case.In a statement on Friday, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) thanked Toronto police for making an arrest in relation to the killing of 58-year-old Mohamed-Aslim Zafis.Zafis was fatally stabbed on September 12 outside the International Muslim Organization of Toronto mosque in Etobicoke, Ontario, just west of Toronto, where he volunteered as a caretaker to ensure that congregants followed COVID-19 safety protocols.

 

Erdogan willing to meet Greek PM over east Med tensions

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/09/erdogan-meet-greek-pm-east-med-tensions-200918190724887.html

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey is ready to meet with Greece's leader to resolve the standoff over energy exploration in contested waters in the eastern Mediterranean.The search for gas and oil in the region has sparked a dispute that has seen 2 NATO neighbours stage rival air and navy drills in strategic waters between Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete."Could there be a meeting with Greek Prime Minister (Kyriakos) Mitsotakis? What's essential is what we discuss and in what framework," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul after Friday prayers.

 

China Says Xinjiang 'Concentration Camps' Necessitated By 'Islamic Radicalism' of Uyghur Muslims

https://www.news18.com/news/world/china-says-xinjiang-concentration-camps-necessitated-by-islamic-radicalism-of-uyghur-muslims-2888215.html

Justifying its internment camps for Uyghur Muslims, the Chinese Communist Party regime has admitted that it has subjected, on an average around 1.3 million people to re-education since 2014. Xi Jinping government issued a 'white paper' titled 'Employment and Labour Rights in Xinjiang' published by its State Council Information Office.Though the paper used euphemisms like "vocational training centers" for concentration camps and "education and employment training" for coercive mind rewiring practices and human rights abuse, it blamed Islamist radicalism for its policies. CCP regime argued that concentration camps for Uyghurs were necessary because Muslim extremists in Xinjiang believe that their religion is superior to the laws of the state.IANS

                                  

OP-ED

Whichever way Sudarshan TV case turns out, dark days lie ahead:Pratap Bhanu Mehta , indian express

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/sudarshan-tv-case-hate-speech-propaganda-6601740/

When the police produce voluminous chargesheets, a judge should be suspicious:Colin Gonsalves

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/delhi-riots-chargesheet-uapa-watali-judgment-6601681/

Why farmers are protesting against new bills?

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/videos/why-farmers-are-protesting-against-new-bills

 

Is there any doubt that India is now a police state? Koi Shaq?SR Darapuri IPS (Rtd)

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/is-there-any-doubt-that-india-is-now-a-police-state-koi-shaq

 

Suspect all, fix all? Is that the motto of our new ‘National Suspicion State’?SHEKHAR GUPTA

https://theprint.in/national-interest/suspect-all-fix-all-is-that-the-motto-of-our-new-national-suspicion-state/505926/

 

After Babri, Fanatics Eye Kashi, Mathura: Let’s Hope Majority Opposes Such Move: PROF RAM PUNIYANI | Clarion India

https://clarionindia.net/after-babri-fanatics-eye-kashi-mathura-lets-hope-majority-opposes-such-move/

 

How AMU was founded: Sadaf Afreen and Mukund Sharma

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/how-amu-was-founded-6601504/

 

“The Supreme Court in Decline: Forgotten Freedoms and Eroded Rights” by Justice A. P. Shah

https://clarionindia.net/the-supreme-court-in-decline-forgotten-freedoms-and-eroded-rights-by-justice-a-p-shah/

 

Farm Bills: A Corporate Feast In The Garb Of Reform:Gourav Vallabh

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/opinion-farm-bills-a-corporate-feast-in-the-garb-of-reform/360510

 

India is now a paranoid ‘Police State’ with conspirators lurking everywhere:

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/india-is-now-a-paranoid-police-state-with-conspirators-lurking-everywhere

 

Agri Reforms: Farmers Protest, Modi Says Leaders' Versions Are Misleading. What’s the Truth?Kabir Agarwal

https://thewire.in/agriculture/explainer-agriculture-ordinances-farm-bills-farmers-protest-narendra-modi

 

India Should Stay Alert, China Will Keep Hurting Over 5G and LAC:Anirudh Suri

https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion/india-china-us-ladakh-border-5g-chinese-apps-digital-security

 

Ant-Backed Brokerage Looks to Tap India’s Stock Trading Mania: Ronojoy Mazumdar, BloombergQuint

https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/ant-backed-brokerage-looks-to-tap-india-s-stock-trading-mania

 

 Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq