14 OCT. NEWS DIGEST

 INDIA

 Assam: NRC authorities to delete names of ‘ineligible persons’ from citizens register

Guwahati :Authorities of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam have ordered the deletion of “ineligible” names from the prepared register, a step coming off the heels of the state government’s persistent stand that a 10-20 per cent re-verification of all included names is necessary in order to get a “correct” register. NRC, published in August last year under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court, excluded 19 lakh-odd applicants out out of around 3.3 crore applicants.In a letter dated October 13 to all DCs, Hitesh Dev Sarma, the state coordinator of the NRC, explained that “some names of ineligible persons” — persons declared as a foreigner by Foreigners Tribunals (DF), persons marked as Doubtful Voters (DV) by the election officials or persons whose cases are pending at Foreigners Tribunals (PFTs) and their decadents — “found entry to NRC”.indianexpress

https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/assam/assam-nrc-list-ineligible-persons-6724774/

 

Struggle for solution to Kashmir issue will continue, says Mehbooba Mufti

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, in her first-ever audio message after her release, said the struggle would continue to get back what “Delhi Darbar snatched away by unconstitutional and undemocratic means”.“Everything the Delhi Darbar snatched away by unconstitutional and undemocratic means has to be got back, not only that but people of Jammu and Kashmir need to keep struggling for the solution of Jammu and Kashmir, which has led to sacrificing of thousands of lives,” Ms. Mufti said, in a brief audio message released on Tuesday night.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/mehbooba-will-continue-struggle-for-restoration-of-article-370-resolution-of-kashmir-issue/article32850671.ece?homepage=true

 

 

Gupkar Declaration | Farooq Abdullah convenes meeting on October 15

 SRINAGAR:National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday afternoon visited the residence of former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehooba Mufti, who was released on Tuesday evening after 14 months.“It was nice of the Farooq sahib and Omar sahib to come home. It gave me courage listening to him. I am sure together we all can change things for the better,” Ms. Mufti said after the meeting. The Abdullahs, who were steering Gupkar Declaration, a joint policy of around regional parties including PDP on J&K’s special status, visited Ms. Mufti at her official residence at Gupkar in Srinagar.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/gupkar-declaration-farooq-abdullah-convenes-meeting-on-october-15/article32853298.ece?homepage=true

 

 

Farooq Abdullah’s remarks on Article 370 restoration ‘unacceptable’: Karan Singh

 Senior Congress leader Karan Singh said Wednesday National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah’s remarks on restoring the special status of Jammu and Kashmir were “totally unacceptable” and could provoke “unrealistic expectations” among the people of Kashmir.“My old friend Farooq Abdullah has made an astounding statement to the effect that Article 370 will be restored with China’s support,” Singh said.PTI

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/farooq-abdullahs-remarks-on-article-370-restoration-unacceptable-karan-singh-6724746/

 

 

LAC talks enhanced understanding of positions: joint statement

 

A day after the seventh round of Corps Commander-level talks to try and resolve the military standoff along Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, India and China, in a joint statement, said they “had enhanced understanding of each other’s positions” and the discussions were “positive and constructive”. But in Beijing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reacted angrily to the unveiling of 44 border bridges by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the day the talks were being held, and called India’s border infrastructure-building the “root cause of tensions”.Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a press conference that China does not recognise Union Territory of Ladakh, which he claimed had been formed illegally, or Arunachal Pradesh.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/lac-talks-enhanced-understanding-of-positions-jt-statement-6724101/

 

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping asks troops to prepare for war, be absolutely loyal: Report

 

At a time when tension between India and China is high owing to the ongoing military standoff in Eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Chinese President Xi Jinping has reportedly asked his troops to prepare for war. News reports have quoted Xi Jinping telling the Chinese soldiers to stay "absolutely loyal" to the country.According to a report published by CNN, Xi Jinping visited a military base in Guangdong on Tuesday, when he asked the Chinese troops to "put all (their) minds and energy on preparing for war and maintain a state of high alert".The CNN attributed these comments to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.However, it was not yet clear whether this comment was directed towards India or the US and other countries with which China is embroiled in a tussle in the South China Sea region, or to both.In his address at the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Marine Corps, Xi Jinping asked the troops to "maintain a state of high alert" besides telling them to be "absolutely loyal, absolutely pure, and absolutely reliable".Meanwhile, reporting Xi's visit to the military base, Xinhua reported, Xi Jinping emphasised on "speeding up the transformation and construction, speeding up the improvement of combat capabilities, and striving to forge a strong force with multiple capabilities and rapid response across the field".India Today

https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/chinese-president-xi-jinping-asks-troops-to-prepare-for-war-be-absolutely-loyal-report-1731545-2020-10-14

 

 

Allahabad HC questions official’s rape denial, says cremation violated rights of victim, family

 

FROM QUESTIONING the police claim that 19-year-old Dalit woman from Hathras was not raped to observing that her hurried cremation was “prima facie an infringement upon the human rights of the victim and her family”, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has delivered a stinging indictment of the Uttar Pradesh police and administration.While the Bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Rajan Roy heard the case on Monday, the order was made available today. The court was critical of top officials, including Prashant Kumar, ADG, Law and Order, and Awanish Kumar Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary, Home.“The guiding principle of governance and administration, after independence, should be to ‘serve’ and ‘protect’ people and not to ‘rule’ and ‘control’ as was the case prior to independence. Government should come out with appropriate procedures as guidance for district officials to deal with such situations,” the court said.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/allahabad-hc-questions-officials-rape-denial-says-cremation-violated-rights-of-victim-family-6724104/

 

 

Hathras Case Live Updates: UP files new affidavit in Supreme Court, Kerala NGO files plea over 'targeting of upper castes'

 

New Delhi:CBI team probing the Hathras case on Wednesday once again summoned the victim's father and two brothers for questioning.A CBI team on Tuesday quizzed the family members of the 19-year-old Dalit victim in the alleged gangrape and murder case in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh and examined the crime scene. The team, which reached the crime scene in Bulgarhi village on Tuesday morning after registering the FIR two days back, took the brother of the victim to record his statement. The victim had died a fortnight after an alleged brutal assault, including a gangrape, by four men of the village on September 14.Forward Community Welfare Front files intervention application in Hathras case before Supreme Court. The outfit has sough to stop "false narratives against upper castes" being built around the Hathras case. Kerala NGO Munnokka Samudaya Samrakshana Munnani (Forward Community Welfare Front) has filed an intervention plea in the Hathras case.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/hathras-case-cbi-questioning-live-updates-1731410-2020-10-14

 

 

 

15-yr-old Dalit ‘gangrape victim’ ends life in UP’s Chitrakoot: Police

 

A Dalit teenage girl, who was allegedly raped by three men, has ended her life by hanging herself in this district of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.Chitrakoot SP Ankit Mittal said the 15-year-old girl hanged herself in her house in the Manikpur area on Tuesday.After the girl’s death, her family members alleged that she was raped by three men in a forest area on October 8, the officer said.PTI

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/15-yr-old-dalit-gangrape-victim-ends-life-in-ups-chitrakoot-police-6724590/

 

 

NHRC issues notice to UP Chief Secretary, DGP over manhandling of Rahul Gandhi by police

In a rare instance, NHRC issued a notice to the Chief Secretary and DGP of the BJP-led UP government on Tuesday over the manhandling of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by UP police personnel when he tried to reach Hathras to meet the alleged gang-rape victim’s family on October 1.The Commission also sought to know the action taken by the government in this regard.

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/nhrc-issues-notice-to-up-chief-secretary-dgp-over-manhandling-of-rahul-gandhi-by-police

 

 

Chairperson of U.P. Dalit unit arrested without a warrant:Cong

 

Congress on Wednesday claimed that the chairperson of its Uttar Pradesh Dalit unit was arrested without a warrant late on Tuesday.Alok Prasad, chairperson of the U.P. Congress Scheduled Castes department, was ‘arrested’ in the middle of the night without a warrant, said Ajay Kumar Lallu, State president.“The Yogi government is staging conspiracies to hide its failures. It is incessantly oppressing Dalits and the deprived,” said Mr. Lallu on Twitter.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/chairperson-of-up-dalit-unit-arrested-without-a-warrant-says-cong/article32854081.ece?homepage=true

 

 

Afraid child born of affair will hurt political career, Karnataka man kills 2-year-old daughter

 

Bengaluru:Amurder most foul took place almost a month ago in Chitradurga district of Karnataka and only came to light after the mother approached the police in search of her two-year-old daughter. A 35-year-old man identified as Ningappa was afraid his career as a politician would be destroyed so he murdered his own daughter in the most heinous manner.The accused had a secret relationship with Shashikala, age 29, for the past four years. They had a daughter Shirisha, age 2, who was the unfortunate victim. Without the knowledge of their families, they had gone about with their lives. But recently, Shashikala’s family members began to pester her to get married and she wanted Ningappa to let everyone know of their relationship.

https://www.indiatoday.in/cities/bengaluru/story/afraid-child-born-of-affair-will-hurt-political-career-karnatakaman-kills-2-year-old-daughter-1731561-2020-10-14

 

 

Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami summoned by Mumbai Police, asked to furnish ‘bond for good behaviour’

Alleging that the communally-provocative remarks were made by him during the coverage of Palghar lynching case and Bandra migrants incident, the Mumbai police has issued a show-cause notice to Republic TV's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, legal news website LiveLaw.in has reported.The notice has been issued by Sudhir Jambavdekar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Worli division), exercising the powers of Executive Magistrate under Section 108 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Code.Under Section 108 CrPC, an executive magistrate can demand "security for good behaviour" from a person who is suspected of acts like the publication of materials affecting communal harmony.

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/republic-tvs-arnab-goswami-summoned-by-mumbai-police-asked-to-furnish-bond-for-good-behaviour

 

 

 

Bangladesh overtaking India in per capita GDP sparks furore

The social media is buzzing after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that Bangladesh will overtake India in per capita GDP for 2020.As India's growth falls, amongst the most in the world, India is on track to fall below Bangladesh in terms of the per capita GDP. India will grow smartly next year, as per IMF.As per the World Economic Outlook report of IMF released on Tuesday, India's per capita GDP is set to plunge by 10.5 percent to $1,877 this fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. This will make India the third poorest country in South Asia with only Pakistan and Nepal behind.Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives now have more per capita GDP than India.IANS

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/bangladesh-overtaking-india-in-per-capita-gdp-sparks-furore

 

 

Indian economy in tatters, colossal downfall in pursuit of PM Modi’s 5 trillion dream: Abhishek Banerjee

 

Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday said the country’s economy is in “tatters”, and described IMF’s projections of Bangladesh surpassing India in terms of per capita GDP as “our colossal downfall” in pursuit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “5 trillion dream”.Mr. Abhishek, who is an MP and also president of Trinamool youth congress, posted a news clip on his Twitter handle to take a dig at the Union government.“Indian Economy in tatters, as even Bangladesh is set to overtake us in Per Capita GDP as per @IMFNews’s World Economic Outlook. Listen carefully, it’s not their resurgence, but our colossal downfall, in pursuit of @narendramodi Ji’s 5 Trillion dream!,” Mr. Abhishek, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said.PTI

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indian-economy-in-tatters-colossal-downfall-in-pursuit-of-pm-modis-5-trillion-dream-abhishek-banerjee/article32853833.ece?homepage=true

 

 

Miffed over Minister’s absence, Punjab farmers boycott meeting, tear copies of new farm laws

 

Farmers’ organisations from Punjab on Wednesday boycotted a meeting called by the Union agriculture ministry to resolve their concerns over new farm laws, and accused the government of playing double standards with no minister present to hear them out.Representatives from 29 farmers’ organisations, including Joginder Singh-led Bharati Kissan Union, were miffed at the absence of Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State for Agriculture in the meeting.PTI

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/farm-bills-farmers-protest-agriculture-minister-narendra-singh-tomar-krishi-bhavan-delhi-6724956/

 

Ad row: Mob pastes ‘apology poster’ on Tanishq showroom door in Gujarat

 

Rajkot :A mob of alleged Hindutva supporters reportedly barged into a Tanishq showroom in Gandhidham town of Kutch, abused its staff and pasted a poster on its door which stated that Tanishq was apologising to Samagra Kutch Jilla Hindu Samaj for its advertisement.“Around 120 people gathered in front of our showroom and six or seven of them later barged in and hurled abuses at the staff. They said they were Hindus and wouldn’t tolerate such ads. We told them that the ad was just meant to promote our jewellery business and nothing else and that the Gandhidham showroom had not issued it but that it was a decision of the company. We told them that we, too, are Hindus. But they didn’t listen to us. Some of them pasted a poster on the door of our show-room, clicked selfies by posing in front of that poster and then they dispersed,” an employee of the show-room in Gandhidham said on the condition of anonymity.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/mob-pastes-apology-poster-on-tanishq-showroom-door-in-gujarat-6724619/

 

 

Entire trial vitiated: Delhi court reserves order on transferring MJ Akbar's case against Priya Ramani

 

New Delhi:The Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday reserved its order on whether the criminal defamation case filed by BJP MP MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani will be transferred to another court or not.The order in the matter will be announced on October 22.The court said if it is found that the magisterial court trying the criminal defamation case filed by former Union minister MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani for two years did not have the jurisdiction, “the entire trial, and not just the final argument, gets vitiated”.An ACMM trying the case had on Tuesday sent the matter to Principal District and Sessions Judge seeking transfer of the matter to another court on the ground that his court was designated to hear cases filed against lawmakers.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/entire-trial-vitiated-delhi-court-reserves-order-on-transferring-mj-akbar-s-case-against-priya-ramani-1731542-2020-10-14

 

 

Supreme Court on interest waiver: Diwali for common man in hands of government this year

 

The Supreme Court today refused to give the central government a month’s time to implement the interest waiver decision on loans of up to Rs 2 crore. This came after the government said it has reached a decision in this regard but sought more time to roll it out.The Supreme Court rejected the government’s plea directing it to issue circulars on the waiver of interest on loans by November 2. “The common people are worried,” said the Supreme Court, adding, “When you have taken a decision why is it delayed.”

https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/supreme-court-on-interest-waiver-diwali-for-common-man-in-hands-of-government-this-year-1731552-2020-10-14

 

 

15 killed as heavy rains wreak havoc in Hyderabad; downpour likely in Maharashtra, Karnataka

 

Record heavy rains lashed Hyderabad under the influence of a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal that weakened into a depression as it entered Telangana after covering Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday. As it moved across the state further towards Maharashtra and Karnataka, very heavy to heavy rainfall was recorded in all the districts in its pathway.Fifteen people have died in Hyderabad in rain-related incidents. These include eight in Bandlaguda, three in Gaganpahad, two in Ibrahimpatnam and bodies of two out of nine persons washed away in Mailardevpally have also been recovered.

https://indianexpress.com/article/weather/weather-today-live-updates-6724269/

 

 

HC orders FIR against former CM Kamal Nath, six others for violating Covid norms in poll rallies

 

Gwalior :Ahead of the by-elections on 28 seats, the Gwalior bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Datia and Gwalior to register an FIR against former chief minister and state Congress president Kamal Nath, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar of the ruling BJP and five other political leaders for violating COVID-19 guidelines stipulated by the court.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/hc-orders-fir-against-kamal-nath-narendra-singh-tomar-covid-protocal-mp-bypolls-6725018/

 

*WORLD*

 

 

Nagorno-Karabakh:Turkey denies sending Syrian fighters

 

 

In a speech to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party in Parliament, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey had not sent Syrian fighters to Azerbaijan, as some reports have alleged. He added that Turkey fully backed its Azeri allies.Erdogan also said the Minsk group was stalling in dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and repeated that the region should be given back to Azerbaijan.The OSCE Minsk group is co-chaired by Russia, France and the United States.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/14/red-cross-says-hundreds-of-thousands-affected-live-updates

 

Russia disagrees with Turkey’s position on conflict

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow disagreed with Turkey’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and that a military solution was unacceptable.“We do not agree with the position voiced by Turkey, that was also expressed several times by (Azeri) President Aliyev,” Lavrov said in an interview with local radio stations. “It is not a secret that we cannot agree with a statement that a military solution to the conflict is permissible.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/14/red-cross-says-hundreds-of-thousands-affected-live-updates

 

Azeri president warns Armenia against any moves on gas pipelines

Also in the Haberturk interview, Aliyev sent a warning to Armenia over its pipelines.“Armenia is trying to attack and take control of our pipelines,” Aliyev said. “If Armenia tries to take control of the pipelines there, I can say that the outcome will be severe for them.”The international community is concerned about the prospect of war because Nagorno-Karabakh serves as a corridor for pipelines taking oil and gas to world markets. Read more about that here.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/14/red-cross-says-hundreds-of-thousands-affected-live-updates

 

Lebanon, Israel launch talks over maritime border dispute

 

 

Lebanon and Israel held a short opening round of indirect talks over their disputed maritime border on Wednesday, breaking up after an hour with Lebanese state media reporting a second round to be held on October 28.Wednesday’s session was mediated by US officials and both sides insisted the series of talks are purely technical and not a sign of any normalisation of ties. The opening round of discussions was held at the headquarters of UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL in the Lebanese border town of Naqoura.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/14/lebanon-israel-talks-maritime-border

 

 

Israel approves first West Bank settler homes since Gulf deals

 

 

Israel has approved 2,166 new settler homes across the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, official figures sent to AFP showed, ending an eight-month lull in settlement expansion.The approvals came less than a month after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed agreements to normalise relations with Israel, which in return pledged to freeze its plans to annex swathes of the West Bank.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/14/israel-approves-first-west-bank-settler-homes-since-gulf-deals

 

 

Malaysian palace postpones meetings with Anwar Ibrahim allies

Malaysia’s national palace has postponed audiences with the king for the allies of opposition leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, senior opposition leaders said on Wednesday, amid a fresh tussle for power in the Southeast Asian nation.Anwar met King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on Tuesday, providing him with evidence to back up his claim about having enough support in parliament to form a new government and replace incumbent Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who took the post in March.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/14/malaysian-palace-postpones-meetings-with-anwar-ibrahim-allies

 

Thousands flee amid fighting between Taliban and Afghan forces

Tens of thousands of people in southern Afghanistan have fled their homes following days of heavy fighting between the Taliban and security forces, officials said, as violence continues to soar despite ongoing peace talks.Taliban fighters launched a series of attacks on the city of Lashkar Gah in Helmand province on Sunday night, prompting the United States to call in air strikes to defend the Afghan forces.The fighting triggered an exodus of local residents who crammed onto motorcycles, taxis and buses.“More than 5,100 families or 30,000 people … have fled the fighting so far,” Sayed Mohammad Ramin, director of the refugees department in Helmand, told AFP.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/14/tens-of-thousands-flee-taliban-offensive-in-southern-afghanistan

 

 

OP-ED

 

 Distinction between free speech, sedition is being lost sight of by establishment
Madan B Lokur
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/sedition-law-free-speech-india-modi-govt-madan-b-lokur-6723906/


Hathras highlights how Project Hindu Rashtra has intensified caste oppression
D. Raja
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/hathras-dalit-gangrape-up-6723864/

 Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq