04 OCT. NEWS DIGEST

  

INDIA- RAPE OUTRAGE

 

Hathras victim alleged rape attempt in 3 videos, one re-issued by BJP's IT cell included

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/hathras-victim-alleged-rape-attempt-in-3-videos-the-one-re-issued-by-bjp-it-cell-included-1728205-2020-10-04

As BJP's IT cell seems to downplay the accusations of gang rape in the Hathras case, three separate videos of 19-year-old victim analysed by India Today TV clearly show that she had been consistently alleging sexual violence by her attackers.One of the clips, examined by India Today TV, was in fact posted by the party's IT cell chief, Amit Malviya, on Friday over which he commented: "Haathras victim's interaction with a reporter outside AMU where she claimed there was an attempt to strangulate her neck. None of it is to take away from the atrocity of the crime but unfair to colour it and demean the gravity of one heinous crime against another."Amit Malviya also posted a video of victim's mother outside a police station with her injured daughter, lying on the ground, wailing. In the footage, the mother did not mention rape.A careful hearing of 3 video statements of the victim reveals she complained of forced sexual advances by her attackers. The first clip, also posted on Friday by Amit Malviya, is the victim's first available video statement recorded on Sept.14. india today

  

BJP IT head tweets her video; illegal if she’s rape victim, says NCW chief

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bjp-it-head-amit-malviya-tweets-her-video-illegal-if-shes-rape-victim-says-ncw-chief-6693560/

Lucknow:National Commission for Women (NCW) has said it would look into the tweet by BJP IT head Amit Malviya sharing a video of 19-year-old Hathras Dalit woman who died after she was brutally assaulted and allegedly gangraped. Asked about tweet, NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma said: “If she is a rape victim, then the incident of tweeting the video is really very unfortunate and is also absolutely illegal.” Under IPC provisions, anyone who reveals the identity of a person who is a victim of sexual assault or suspected to be one can be imprisoned for up to two years. Chairperson of UP State Commission for Women Vimla Batham also said that she had not seen the video, but if it disclosed the woman’s identity, it was “definitely objectionable” and the commission would take cognizance and serve Malviya a notice. BJP leader tweeted 48-second video on Friday, writing, “Hathras victim’s interaction with a reporter outside AMU where she claimed there was an attempt to strangulate her neck. In the video, the woman can be seen lying on the ground, her face clearly visible. Till late Saturday night, the video was still up on Malviya’s Twitter account. Indian express

 

 Hathras case: Caste, politics have merged under BJP, RSS...that is what is called Ram Rajya or Hindu Rajya, or upper caste rajya says Dalit ideologue Chandra Bhan

https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/hathras-rape-murder-chandra-bhan-prasad

Scathing in his attack on upper castes, Dalit ideologue Chandra Bhan Prasad speaks to The Quint about how the Hathras rape incident is symptomatic of a friction between the oppressed and dominant castes. Prasad believes that every time a Dalit is brutalised, the crime ‘lightens the mood of the upper caste’. “Before whenever the caste order erupted, the state tackled that, the state disciplined that, the state brought its own law and order but now politics and caste, both the systems have merged under the management of BJP or RSS,” Prasad says. He added, "Caste and politics under the management of BJP, they have merged into one. The politics is now playing the role for the caste, not against caste. That is what is called Ram Rajya or Hindu Rajya, or upper caste rajya, where caste must make a comeback. That is what ram rajya is. Caste for Hindus means, those upper castes to whom caste comes first before Hinduism and Hinduism comes before the constitution and before the nation. That is what Ram Rajya is." Prasad said, "The collector, the SP, the sub inspector, the policeman, they want to be seen as being partial and being part of the entire ongoing revenge on Dalits. They want to be seen as partial and against the victim. So when they are burning her, they are smiling because they think it is a victory. It is like an Olympic medal 4 upper caste boys have brought to the upper caste homes." The Dalit ideologue continued, "the fact is that in most cases, that are happening from Gujarat to UP, the accused are upper caste, savarnas. If you see the way crimes are happening, the method mirrors an exceptional kind of brutality. Whenever a Dalit man is killed in Gujarat or in UP, it gives a hope to the upper caste people who may be illiterate, a constable, a judge, a vice-chancellor or a physicist. When a Dalit is brutalised it lightens the mood of the upper caste people from California to Kanpur. This is a kind of counter revolution happening and India is at that phase of this history, and many many more Dalits will have to sacrifice themselves." thequint

 

Hathras: 'Humiliated And Angry', Says Veteran Dalit Rights Activist Ruth Manorama On A Week Of Horror

https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/hathras-family-hathras-rape-case-hathras-case_in_5f7954f5c5b64cf6a2516026

The rape and murder of a 20-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras, who was then forcibly cremated by the police in UP without her family’s permission, unleashed a wave of outrage not seen since a 23-year-old physiotherapy student was raped and murdered in Delhi in 2012. The rape and murder of another Dalit woman this week, a 22-year-old in Balrampur, exposed the rapes that have continued in UP over the summer and how little BJP government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was doing to stop crimes against women.“I feel very humiliated and angry,” said Ruth Manorama, who has fought for the rights of Dalit women for 40 years. “Dalit women are like fodder in all kinds of atrocities. They violate Dalit women’s dignity in order to shame the whole community.” “There is a connivance between the state and the powerful upper caste non-state actors,” she said. “How long can one tolerate such things?” huffington post

 

The Wire Exclusive: Aligarh Hospital MLC Report on Hathras Victim Shatters UP Police's 'No Rape' Claim

https://thewire.in/women/aligarh-jnmch-hathras-victim-mlc-report-up-police-rape

New Delhi: Contrary to UP Police claim that the Dalit teenager at Hathras who succumbed to her grievous injuries on Sept.29 was not raped, medico-legal examination report (MLC) prepared by Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital (JNMCH) at Aligarh, where she was first admitted, reveals that doctors had recorded the detail provided by her of the “complete penetration of the vagina” and indicated the use of force in their preliminary examination.In line with the Union health ministry’s protocol for medical examination of victims of sexual assault which stipulates that examining doctors “should neither refute nor confirm” whether a sexual offence had occurred, the hospital reserved its opinion on whether the assault on the victim involved rape or not, and referred the case for further examination by state govt-run Forensic Science Laboratory in Agra.The medical examiner Dr. Faiz Ahmed, assistant professor at JNMCH, concluded, “On the basis of local examination, I am of the opinion that there are signs of use of force. However, opinion regarding penetrative intercourse is reserved pending availability of FSL reports.”54 page JNMCH report, which The Wire has accessed, recorded various details of the crime that the 19-year-old woman who died after battling for life for 2 weeks, provided, including “penetration by penis” and that she was “strangulated by her dupatta”. The wire

 

Hathras rape: Priyanka Gandhi says family wants DM to be suspended after allegedly threatening them

https://scroll.in/latest/974861/hathras-rape-priyanka-gandhi-asks-5-questions-to-up-government-says-womans-family-wants-answers

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra late on Saturday put forth a list of questions and demands to UP govt from the family of the 20-year-old Dalit woman who was gangraped in UP’s Hathras district by four upper-caste Thakur men.In a series of tweets, Congress general secretary said the family wanted a judicial inquiry into the case. They also asked that Hathras DM Praveen Laxkar be suspended and not given a senior post, she said. The demand came in view of a purported video of Laxkar where he can be heard threatening the woman’s family and asking them to change their statement.“Do not finish your credibility,” Laxkar can be heard telling the family. “These media people...some left today and tomorrow more will leave. Only we will be here with you. Ok? It is up to you whether you want to change your statement or not. We can also change.” DM has denied making the remarks.In a subsequent tweet on Sunday, Vadra ramped up her attack on DM. “DM[PK Laxkar] behaved the worst with the family of the Hathras victim,” she tweeted. Vadra on Saturday also said that the family wanted to know why their daughter’s body was burnt with petrol without their consent. The Congress leader asked why they were being repeatedly misled and threatened by authorities. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also attacked Adityanath-led government over the matter. scroll

 

On Way To Meet Hathras Victim's Family, Bhim Army Chief Stopped; Protests

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bhim-army-chief-chandrashekhar-azad-to-go-to-hathras-today-to-meet-victims-family-a-day-after-gandhis-visit-2304849

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad is holding a massive protest in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras after he was stopped for a second time in a few hours by police when he was on his way to meet the family of 20-year-old woman, who died last month; she was allegedly gang raped and tortured. Visuals showed him standing on top of a truck and addressing a massive crowd.He marched for about 20 km before he reached the UP district. The car he was travelling in was earlier stopped by police. A video showed the Bhim Army chief, wearing a white kurta, marching with others. The protesters, carrying flags, raised sogans against the government. His car was stopped about 20 km before Hathras. Chandrashekhar Azad's visit comes a day after Congress leaders - Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra - met the family at their home.On Friday, Bhim Army chief joined a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar where hundreds of people came with placards and shouted slogans against the incident, which has sparked massive outrage."Our struggle will continue till UP CM doesn't resign and justice is not served. I urge the Supreme Court to take note of the incident," he said at Jantar Mantar.

 

Demands For 'Justice For Accused' At Gathering Near Hathras Victim's Home

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/huge-gathering-planned-in-hathras-organisers-demand-justice-for-accused-2304880?pfrom=home-topscroll

Justice should be given to the men accused of gang raping 20-year-old woman from Hathras, a meet of the so-called upper caste men in Hathras has demanded. The demand came days after the postmortem report from Forensic Sciences Laboratory said the woman, who belongs to the Scheduled Castes, was not raped. This morning, around 500 people, including the family of one of the accused, gathered at the house of BJP Leader Rajveer Singh Pehelwan, who said he is involved "in a personal capacity".  Alleging that the 4 men arrested have been falsely accused, they said justice must be given to them.A gathering of so-called upper caste men was also held on Friday near the village where the woman lived. NDTV

 

Muslim Groups Demand Justice for Hathras Victim

https://clarionindia.net/muslim-groups-demand-justice-for-hathras-victim/

New Delhi: Amid ongoing protests against the rape-murder of a Dalit girl in a village in Hathras district of UP, Muslim groups have come forward to demand justice for the victim.Calling the Hathras incident a “black stain for a civilised society”, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind’s general secretary Moulana Mahmoud Madani demanded to establish a fast- track court to give justice to the victim and punish the culprits. Jamaat-e-Islam Hind’s Women Wing leader Rahmathunissa expressed her solidarity with the ongoing campaign for justice for the victim. “We are with those who are fighting for justice for the ‘Hathras daughter’. Life and honour of all human beings are equal and precious. She was cremated past midnight. But the flames from her pyre have ignited the conscience of the nation,” said Rahmathunissa.Jamaat’s vice president Mohammed Salim demanded answers from UP govt over denying the family members their right to cremate their daughter. Student Islamic Organisation (SIO) held protests to demand justice for the victim at some places. SIO members in Telangana, Jharkhand and UP’s Rampur held demonstrations to protest the Hathras incident.Clarion India

 

UP BJP youth leader arrested on rape charges

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/up-bjp-youth-leader-arrested-on-rape-charges

Prayagraj police on Sunday arrested Shyam Prakash Dwivedi, vice president of BJP Yuva Morcha, who was absconding after charges of gang rape by a student. Kashi Prant or Varanasi unit leader was arrested from near Bakshi Dam. Another accused, Anil Dwivedi, has already been arrested.According to reports, a B.A student had alleged about a fortnight ago that she had been gang-raped by Shyam Prakash Dwivedi and Anil Dwivedi at gunpoint.The victim claimed that the accused had led her to his hotel and raped her there with his friend.IANS

 

UP Girl's Mutilated Body Found In Field, Family Alleges Rape

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/up-girls-body-cut-into-pieces-found-in-field-family-alleges-rape-2304745?pfrom=home-topstories

Lucknow: The body of a girl who went missing on September 26 at a village in UP's Kanpur Dehat district has been found reportedly mutilated in a field. 2 men - both relatives of the girl's family - have been arrested, the police said. The crime has been reported amid outrage over the gang rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman in UP's Hathras, who was cremated by police hastily, away from her family members.The parents of the minor whose body was found have alleged she was raped before she was murdered.The girl was from the Scheduled Castes community, so are the accused. ndtv

 

Hathras: Diaspora Groups in UK Seek Yogi’s Ouster, Write to UN

https://clarionindia.net/hathras-diaspora-groups-in-uk-seek-yogis-ouster-write-to-un/

Indians associated with over 60 diaspora groups in UK have urged UNHRC Michelle Bachelet to ask Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to dismiss UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in view of the outrage over the alleged gang-rape of a 19-year-old Dalit girl last month by four upper-caste men in Hathras district of BJP-ruled state.The signatories of the open letter are members of the diaspora groups like CasteWatch UK, South Asia Solidarity Group, National Valmiki Sabha, NRI UK, London Black Women’s Project and several Ambedkar International Missions in different countries.The letter demands that the UNHRC set up an international inquiry into the Hathras rape case and other sexual assaults and crimes against women, particularly Dalit and oppressed-caste women in UP since the Adityanath govt came to power in the state.Clarion India

 

OTHERS

 

‘Reclaiming India’: Leading international activists say Hindutva a Threat to Constitution

https://clarionindia.net/reclaiming-india-leading-activists-say-hindutva-a-threat-to-constitution/

Washington, DC: Leading Indian activists, intellectuals and academicians made a unanimous declaration that India’s constitutional democracy faces a serious threat from the rise of Hindu nationalism, and the only way that challenge can be combated was by a return to secular liberal pluralism and strengthening of the Constitution. Joining discussions on the first day of 2-day virtual conference, “Reclaiming India”, on Saturday, several speakers from both US and India drew a parallel between the ongoing assaults on civil liberties in both countries, and said it was important for activists in both societies to join hands in this struggle. The conference is being organized by 5 leading Indian American civil rights organizations: Hindus for Human Rights, Global Indian Progressive Alliance, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, and Indian American Muslim Council. Renowned African American activist, Rev. William Barber, a US-based Protestant minister and co-chair of Poor People’s Campaign, said both US and India were seeing a battle of “human rights versus authoritarianism.” Just as some “moral considerations” were separated from economics to justify slavery in US in the past, “immoral voices” were siding with “authoritarianism on the side of rugged raw nationalism,” he added. Rev. Barber recalled that just after America’s Civil War in the 1860s, the poor white people “who had been taught to hate black people came to see that, ultimately, injustice and slavery and authoritarianism would kill us all and first would always kill the poorest because the slaveholders used the poorest whites to fight the war.” Veteran Indian historian Rajmohan Gandhi noted that India was faced with a “very serious assault on our democracy” and a “destruction of democratic and human rights, of the notion of equality.” Although an attempt had not yet been made to change India’s Constitution, an “informal imposition of inequality, especially directed at Muslims and Christians” was already happening, he added. “People are being arrested without due process and detained without trial and charges,” Gandhi said. Gandhi, who is a grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, urged Rev. Barber to take up India’s dire situation “for the sake of humanity and raise your voices in defense of Gandhi’s values, in defense of universal values.” Rev. Barber responded by saying he would like to organize a visit of American activists to India to observe the situation firsthand.Renowned Indian historian and a biographer of Mahatma Gandhi, Ramchandra Guha blamed PM Narendra Modi for India’s all-round failures, saying Mr. Modi’s government had “conducted an assault on India’s already vulnerable social fabric. Modi is not only divider-in-chief but also India’s destroyer-in-chief.”Discrimination against Dalits, Adivasis, Women and especially Muslims has massively intensified under Mr. Modi’s rule. “The persecution of Kashmiris and the abrogation of Article 370 was a clear message that Modi’s India cannot have a Muslim-majority state,” Guha added.Speaking on the scourge of casteism in Indian society, Martin Macwan, a Dalit rights activist, said, “We have two rules in India, the rule of the constitution and the rule of caste. The constitution did not end the rule of caste. And so, India cannot be reclaimed today, not until we liberate it from an inhumane caste system.” Added Roja Singh, Professor at St. John Fisher College, New York, and founder of Dalit Solidarity Forum “The centrality of what was lost and what needs to be reclaimed by Dalit groups is personhood. Once your humanity is denied, all else is denied too.” Speaking on the subject of “Rescuing Hinduism from Hindu nationalism,” Anantanand Rambachan, Professor at Saint Olaf College, in Minnesota, said the “We cannot in the name of religion justify to honor the divine and dishonor, demean human beings and to be violent towards them.” Khalid Ansari of IAMC said today India’s democracy is facing an existential threat. This threat stems from the fascist ideology of Hindutva and its deep nexus with crony capitalism. clarionindia

 

Bijnor anti-CAA violence case: SI suspended for adding names to chargesheet without approval says Police

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bijnor-anti-caa-violence-case-si-suspended-for-adding-names-to-chargesheet-without-approva-says-police-6694291/

Lucknow:The investigating officer in an anti-CAA protest violence case in Bijnor district has been suspended for allegedly adding the names of 3 to 4 people as accused in the chargesheet without the approval of supervising officers, police said on Saturday. SP Dharm Veer Singh said Sub-Inspector Naresh Pal was suspended on Thursday in connection with the investigation into a case that had been filed in December. Pal allegedly added the extra names despite not receiving the approval of ASP(Rural), CO of Dhampur, and SHO of Bijnor Kotwali city station.Dharm Veer Singh said, “He instead got the approval to register the chargesheet] from another CO who does not have jurisdiction in the case.” SP said, “He filed the chargesheet last month in the court without notifying the concerned officers. This is a breach of protocol and hence, he was suspended on Thursday.”Singh said about 30 people were named in the chargesheet. indianexpress

 

Bihar students write open letter to RJD, urge to break silence on incarceration of Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider

http://twocircles.net/2020oct03/439216.html

Bihar: Scores of students of Bihar have a written an open letter to Tejashwi Yadav, the President of RJD and urged the party to break its silence on the continued incarceration of Muslim students from Bihar, including Sharjeel Imam and Meeran Haider.  The student community of Bihar, studying at eminent universities of India, including JNU and IIT in the letter writes, "Our friend, colleague, brother Sharjeel Imam has been incarcerated from the past 8 months on various charges as grave as sedition, UAPA and Hate Speech based on a cropped video run on various mainstream media ways to propel a narrative built around Muslims as a community posing a threat to the nation’s security which of course is a false claim that has cost injuries and lives of various Indian Muslims from a long time. We believe RJD too will disagree with this narrative built around a Minority community. Our friend, Sharjeel Imam is one of the first protestors against Unconstitutional CAA from the state of Bihar. His words and call for a Road Blockade, ‘Chakka Jaam’ have been misconstructed by the state and the media resulting in him being heavily charged with gruesome laws that he does not deserve to be charged with. What causes us even more pain and disappointment is your silence and RJD in general on the false incarceration of Bihari Muslim Students, not limited to Sharjeel Imam but including Meeran Haider as well, a student of Jamia Millia Islamia who has been vocal in Anti-CAA Protests." twocircles

 

Babri demolition was planned, accused never denied proof — Justice Liberhan who headed enquiry

https://theprint.in/judiciary/babri-demolition-was-planned-accused-never-denied-proof-justice-liberhan-who-headed-enquiry/516051/

New Delhi: Justice M.S. Liberhan, who headed the commission set up to look into events leading to the demolition of Babri Masjid on 6 Dec.1992 and also the lapses on the part of the then state government, maintained there was a “conspiracy” to pull down the mosque.This conclusion, he said, was drawn after the commission examined over 100 witnesses, the leaders present on the dais — including L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi — and newspaper clippings. Speaking to ThePrint, Justice Liberhan said, “I got no commentary to make on the trial court judgment. We are 2 separate identities. Our perception on the same facts may differ. But I stand by my report that said there was a ‘civil conspiracy’ to pull down the mosque.”Unlike the trial court, the Liberhan Commission had accepted the newspapers and video footage placed as evidence against BJP leaders. “These reports were never denied, not even by the accused. Newspapers and video footage were examined along with other evidence tabled before the Commission. And, since there was no denial, it was admitted as evidence to prove conspiracy charges,” he said. theprint

 

Haj pilgrims upset over new Income-Tax rule

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/haj-pilgrims-upset-over-new-income-tax-rule/articleshow/78460631.cms

Mumbai: An Income-Tax rule, which makes furnishing of returns mandatory for foreign visits which cost over Rs 2 lakh, including pilgrimages, has upset Haj pilgrims, Haj Committee of India, Haj tour operators and community leaders. They are petitioning ministry of minority affairs to get Haj exempted by finance ministry from this rule. "Not all Haj pilgrims are income-tax payees. It will be an unnecessary burden on pilgrims. We have urged ministry of minority affairs to look into it," said Haj Committee CEO Dr M A Khan. Minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told TOI he was in talks with finance ministry and hoped for an exemption, like it was done for Haj and Mansarovar Yatra in 1998. timesofindia

 

Shahi Idgah Masjid issue: Petitioners to challenge dismissal order in Mathura dist court

https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2020/10/03/des65-mathura-mosque-temple.html

Mathura:A group of petitioners, whose plea to remove a mosque on 13.37-acre premises of Katra Keshav Dev temple of Krishna here was recently dismissed by a court, would challenge the decision in the district court, their counsel said. The petitioners include Lucknow-resident Ranjana Agnihotri and 5 others. The now-dismissed suit was filed in the court of civil judge, senior division, demanding the annulment of an earlier Mathura court ruling ratifying a land deal reached between the Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and Shahi Idgah Management Committee. "We would appeal this in the court of district judge soon," Hari Shankar Jain, the counsel for the plaintiffs said Saturday.PTI / theweek

 

Lucknow University staffer Rohit Srivastava first to donate money for Dhannipur mosque in Ayodhya

https://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/dhannipur-mosque-lucknow-university-staffer-first-to-donate/story-7u4gnE1t3JMhtkPDeUiygN.html

Lucknow:It was a small gesture as a true Lakhnavi. We are known for our Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb,” said Lucknow University law faculty employee Rohit Srivastava, who became the first person to donate money for the construction of a mosque that will come up on 5-acre land in Dhannipur village in Ayodhya district.As proof of his gesture and acknowledging his donation of Rs 21,000, he has been given a receipt bearing the serial number ‘001’.“I donated Rs 21,000 from my salary. I am sure that it will send a strong message among all, especially in times of intolerance and growing communal discord,” LU employee said. Hindustan Times

 

VHP meet in November to discuss campaign for Ram temple donations

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/vhp-meet-in-november-to-discuss-campaign-for-ram-temple-donations-6694581/

Lucknow :With the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya expected to start from October 15, VHP will, in its annual meeting in Delhi next month, discuss its door-to-door campaign to reach out to 11 crore Hindu families from Jan.15 for donations for the temple.In the meeting, VHP’s Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal, comprising oevr 300 saints, will also discuss other topics such as ‘love jihad’ and women safety. “We have already planned a meeting of the Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal on Nov.10-11. This is a routine annual meeting. Several saints from all over the country take part in it and discuss important issues. Generally, around 300 saints participate in these meetings, but we have to prepare a detailed plan for this year. From around Jan.15, we are planning to start a widespread door-to-door campaign to reach out to around 11 crore Hindu families from more than 5 lakh villages and connect with them directly with the construction of Ram temple. Of 5 lakh villages, 4 lakh had sent worshipped shilas in 1989 from the Ram temple,” VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said adding that the campaign would last for 90 days. Indian express

 

Shopian: Probe looks at role of SPO posted in Srinagar, Army says will act as per law

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/shopian-encounter-probe-role-of-spo-posted-in-srinagar-army-says-will-act-as-per-law-6692935/

New Delhi :Bodies of 3 Rajouri labourers, killed in Shopian on July 18 by Army which called them terrorists before admitting there was “prima facie evidence indicating that during the operation, powers vested under AFSPA were exceeded”, were exhumed in Baramulla Saturday and handed over to their families. J&K Police and Army have instituted their own inquiries, but questions remain — from the mystery detention of a Special Police Officer to Army’s claim about the “encounter” in Amshipora in Shopian, killing of 3 “terrorists” and the recovery of “arms and ammunition and IED material”. SPO detained by J&K Police is Fayaz Ahmad Rather, working at Rajbagh police mess in Srinagar and attached to a Dy SP with the counter-insurgency Special Operations Group. rom Seri Chauhana village of Poonch district, Rather, according to his family, was taken by police around a month ago. Rather and 2 others, who have already been produced before a court in Shopian, are being investigated for their alleged role in connection with the killing of Imtiyaz Ahmad (20) and Mohammad Ibrar (16) of Dharsakri village of Kotranka, and Abrar Ahmad of Tarkasi village by the Army.

 

“Won’t rest till killers of our children are punished,” say Rajouri families on receiving exhumed bodies of 3 slain youth

http://twocircles.net/2020oct03/439224.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Twocirclesnet-IndianMuslim+%28TwoCircles.net+-+Indian+Muslim+News%29

Baramulla: The bodies of 3 missing Rajouri labourers killed in a ‘staged encounter’ in Shopian on July 18 have been exhumed and handed over to the family members early morning on Saturday in Gantamulla, Baramulla.“The bodies were exhumed around 5 am and handed over to us,” Saleem, cousin of young Abrar, said on phone en-route to their village from Kashmir.The family members accompanied by social activist Guftar Chaudhary went to Kashmir on Friday for the exhumation. Labeled as unidentified militants, their bodies were buried in a graveyard in Gantamulla, Baramulla around 250 kilometers from their native village.TwoCircles

 

4 Kashmiri youth planning terror strikes in Delhi arrested: Police

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/4-kashmiri-youth-planning-terror-strikes-in-delhi-arrested-police-6688608/

Special Cell of Delhi Police on Saturday said it has arrested a group of 4 radicalised Kashmiri youth who were allegedly planning terror strikes in the national capital. In a statement, the police said the accused were nabbed from central Delhi’s ITO area and were carrying four sophisticated pistols and over 120 rounds of ammunition. The accused have been identified as Altaf Ahmad Dar (25), a resident of Pulwama, and Mushtaq Ahmad Gani (27), Ishfaq Majeed Koka (28) and Aqib Safi (22), all residents of Shopian, the statement said.PTI

 

Maharashtra: Man held for sending Army area photos to Pakistan WhatsApp group

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/maharashtra-man-held-for-sending-army-area-photos-to-pakistan-whatsapp-group-6702480/

 Nashik:A 21-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly taking photographs of a defence area at Deolali here in Maharashtra and sending the pictures to a WhatsApp group in Pakistan, police said on Sunday.Deolali in Nashik district houses defence establishments like the School of Artillery, Artillery Centre and the Combat Army Aviation Training School.The accused, Sanjeev Kumar, was caught by some soldiers on Friday while he was clicking pictures on his mobile phone of the Military Hospital area in Deolali Camp, where photography or video shooting is not allowed, a police official said.PTI

 

India-China 7th round of Corps Commander talks on October 12

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/7th-round-of-corps-commander-talks-on-october-12/article32764923.ece?homepage=true

India and China are scheduled to hold the 7th round of Corps Commander talks to work out measures for disengagement and de-escalation along the disputed border in Eastern Ladakh.The talks are scheduled on October 12 and is likely to be attended by both the Lieutenant Generals from the Indian side, a defence source said.Lt Gen Harinder Singh, 14 Corps Commander is set to be replaced by Lt Gen PGK Menon in mid-October. Indian side will also have a representative from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

 

Unpaid arrears, no clarity on subsidy programme worry millers; sugar exports may take a hit

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/unpaid-arrears-no-clarity-on-subsidy-programme-worry-millers-sugar-exports-may-take-a-hit-6693500/

Mumbai:Ahead of the upcoming sugarcane crushing season 2020-21, failure of the central government to clear pending subsidies has put sugar mills in a cash-crunch situation. For upcoming season, millers are circumspect about robust exports as the Union government is yet to come up with details of a subsidy programme.Faced with back-to-back bumper seasons and record opening stocks, the Centre had announced subsidy programmes for sugar mills to export their stock both for 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. Despite the pandemic-induced slowdown, mills from India have managed to export around 60 lakh tonnes (lt) of sugar, which is an all time record for the country. To boost exports, the Centre had announced a transport subsidy of Rs 10,448 per tonne of sugar exported. The total outlay for this programme was kept at Rs 63,288 crore.However, mill across the country are now complaining about unpaid dues, which they say, have put their balance sheet at stress. Prakash Naiknavare, managing director of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories, estimated the government dues towards mill to be around Rs 9,700 crore. “It includes the unpaid export subsidy as well as the interest payable for holding the buffer stock,” he said.

 

'Gandhi a supporter of Muslims & Gajwa-e-Hind, killer of Hindus', BJP, RSS workers observe ‘black day’ on Gandhi Jayanti in MP, booked by police

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/bjp-rss-workers-observe-black-day-on-gandhi-jayanti-in-mps-chhatarpur-booked-by-police

Madhya Pradesh Police on Friday evening booked BJP and RSS workers for observing Mahatma Gandhi’s 151th birth anniversary in Chhatarpur district as a ‘black day’.Chhatarpur police registered an FIR against one Rajesh Agrawal and 5 others after a Congress leader lodged a complaint.According to complainant Abhilekh Khare, Rajesh Agrawal, a social worker, Prashant Mehto, an RSS worker and president of right-wing front Bhagva Brigade and Pankaj Pipariya, a Chhatarpur BJP worker from Nowgaon panchayat, observed a ‘black day’, sitting at the city’s busiest Chatrasal Square on Friday evening. In the photos of the event, the trio can be seen holding multiple banners.  One of the banners, has the photos of Gandhi and Sardar Patel, the first deputy PM of India, they alleged that Gandhi was a ‘supporter of Muslims’ & Gajwa-e-Hind and ‘killer of Hindus’.In addition to that, talking to the media after the event, Prashant Mehto said, “Gandhi was a supporter of Gajwa-e-hind. He supported the killing of Hindus by Muslims. Gandhi always attacked the Hindu sentiments. How could such a person be father of the nation?” he said, adding that “Godse did the right thing by killing him”.

 

Bhopal SIMI activists in Central jail shun meal seeking relaxations: freepressjournal

https://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/bhopal-simi-activists-in-central-jail-shun-meal-seeking-more-relaxations

Bhopal:  6 activists of SIMI, in Bhopal Central jail were admitted to medical ward Friday after their health deteriorated. The inmates are on ‘fast’ to mount pressure on the jail administration to grant them more relaxations and facilities. There are 28 SIMI activists housed in the Central jail. The activists are kept in the high security section of the jail known as ‘Anda (egg) Cell’. Jail superintendent Dinesh Nargave said the six of the activists have stopped taking full meals and were only consuming dal-soup. After their health deteriorated, the doctor on Friday admitted them to the medical ward on the jail premises. The superintendent informed that the activists were mounting pressure on the administration to allow them to move freely and let them mingle with other inmates and also allot more time to meet their family members.The officer said that the administration was following instructions given in jail manual and no relaxations can be made to any person.freepressjournal

 

Tamil Nadu: Court fines, lets off 10 Muslim pilgrims from Indonesia

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/tamil-nadu-court-fines-lets-off-10-muslim-pilgrims-from-indonesia/articleshow/78472329.cms

CHENNAI: More than 5 months after 10 Indonesian nationals who came to the country to attend the Tablighi Jamaat conference and were booked under sections of Foreigners’ Act and Epidemic Diseases Act for flouting norms in Kancheepuram after the pandemic outbreak in the country, a district court has let them off, slapping a fine of Rs 1000 each on them. During the final hearing, the court held the foreigners guilty of the offences and sentencedthem of one monthsimple imprisonment, but held that since the offenders had already spent the time in camp and isolation, they can be set at liberty after payment of fine.

 

Mumbai: 20 Tablighis move sessions court against order rejecting discharge

https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-20-tablighis-move-sessions-court-against-order-rejecting-discharge

Mumbai: 20 foreign nationals from Kyrgyztan and Indonesia who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi approached the Dindoshi sessions court on Saturday against an Andheri magistrate court order of Thursday which rejected their discharge plea.In their plea filed through advocates Amin Solkar and AN Shaikh, they have sought that the lower court’s order be set aside. They told the court that offences of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and attempt to murder which the DN Nagar police had applied on them earlier had been dropped by a sessions court last month.

 

Transfer all Tablighi Jamaat cases in UP to three chief judicial magistrates: Allahabad HC

https://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/transfer-all-tablighi-jamaat-cases-in-up-to-three-chief-judicial-magistrates-allahabad-hc/story-h1SsFkP7LHtPWHk5FDseAK.html

Prayagraj:Allahabad high court has directed that all matters related to the members of Tablighi Jamaat in UP to be heard by 3 chief judicial magistrates (CJMs) of Lucknow, Meerut and Bareilly.The court also said CJMs would decide these matters within a stipulated timeframe of eight weeks.The court directed that the cases pending in Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Lucknow zones shall be transferred to CJM, Lucknow.Similarly, cases pending in Agra and Meerut zones are transferred to CJM, Meerut and those pending in Bareilly zone are transferred to CJM, Bareilly. A 2-member HC division bench, comprising Justices Shashi Kant Gupta and Shamim Ahmed, gave the order while disposing of a petition related to the trial of Maulana Ala Hadarmi and other members of the Islamic sect.HT

 

Soni Sori Tested Positive for Coronavirus – But NIA Made Her Travel for Questioning Anyway

https://thewire.in/government/nia-questioning-soni-sori-covid-19

Mumbai: A fortnight ago, tribal rights champion Soni Sori found herself in quite a conundrum. On September 24, she had tested positive for COVID-19. A day later, she was supposed to present herself before NIA for an inquiry in the killing of Bheema Mandavi, a BJP MLA, and four policemen in an alleged Naxal attack from the past year.Sori had informed the officials about her health condition; they, however, insisted she still appears. Four days later, the local administration went ahead and booked her under sections of the Indian Penal Code for violating the quarantine rules.

 

BJP, JD(U) zero in on 50-50 seat share deal in Bihar; LJP plays hardball

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bihar-election-nda-bjp-jdu-ljp-seat-sharing-6700395/

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU and its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, are likely to evenly split the number of seats they would be contesting in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. With Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party still bargaining hard over seats, the two allies will contest 119 seats each and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha from 5 seats, a source has said. A formal announcement is expected today. JD(U) and BJP have been treading cautiously on seat-sharing amid aggressive posturing by LJP. Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi, MoS MHA Nityanand Rai, and BJP’s in-charge for Bihar Bhupender Yadav along with Home Minister Amit Shah today held a meeting at BJP chief JP Nadda’s residence to decide the future course of action. Trouble has been brewing between Nitish Kumar and LJP’s Chirag Paswan over seat-sharing in the state. Chirag, who has been under pressure from his party leaders to go it alone in 143 constituencies, met BJP President J P Nadda for the second time this week. Earlier, a senior LJP leader had said, “It is almost certain we will not fight under Nitish Kumar. Until a formal announcement, things can still change, but it seems difficult now.”

 

Congress having upper hand on seat sharing in Mahagathbandhan

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/congress-having-upper-hand-on-seat-sharing-in-mahagathbandhan

Congress had the upper hand during the seat allocation in Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar as it got 70 seats.According to sources in RJD, Congress applied pressure tactics to take 70 seats as RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav is lodged in Ranchi jail and Congress running the government in Jharkhand.However, the RJD initially didn't agree to give more than 58 seats to the Congress, sources said. Congress in 2015, contested Assembly elections on 41 seats and managed to win 27.Sources also said that RJD wanted to contest on 150 seats while CPI (ML) was also allocated 4 more seats whereas the RJD was not willing to allocate more than 15 seats.IANS

 

Stormy GST Council meet likely on Monday; non-BJP states to oppose Centre’s borrowing option

https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/stormy-gst-council-meet-likely-on-monday-non-bjp-states-to-oppose-centres-borrowing-option/article32764813.ece?homepage=true

GST Council meeting on Monday may turn into a stormy affair, with non-BJP ruled states still being in disagreement with the Centre on the compensation issue. While as many as 21 states, mostly ruled by BJP or parties which have supported it on issues, had till mid-Sept opted to borrow ₹ 97,000 crore to meet the GST revenue shortfall in the current fiscal, opposition-led states like West Bengal, Punjab and Kerala have not yet accepted the borrowing option given by the Centre. ources said in the 42nd meeting of the Council on October 5, opposition-ruled states would object to the Centre’s borrowing options and demand alternative mechanism for funding GST compensation deficit.PTI

 

MRI Scan at Rs 50: Delhi Gurdwara to Start Cheapest Diagnostic Facility for Poor Patients

https://www.inclusiveindia.net/health/mri-scan-at-rs-50-delhi-gurdwara-to-start-cheapest-diagnostic-facility-for-poor-patients/

New Delhi:At a time when public healthcare system is in tatters and private hospitals and labs are beyond the reach of poor people, the Gurudwara Sri Bangla Sahib of Delhi is coming up with a noble humanitarian move for poor patients. It is starting a diagnostic facility where standard diagnostic facilities, including MRI will be provided at nominal price.“Setting up the state-of-the-art advanced MRI, X-ray and ultrasound machine at Gurudwara Sri Bangla Sahib to provide services to people at just ₹50. Facility to be operational from December,” announced Manjinder Singh Sirsa, President, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, in a tweet on Saturday. For other patients, MRI will cost Rs 800, which is still just one-third of the open market rate.  Inclusive India

 

AG refuses consent for contempt against Digvijaya Singh

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ag-refuses-consent-for-contempt-against-digvijaya-singh/article32764873.ece?homepage=true

NEW DELHI:Attorney General K.K. Venugopal has declined a plea to give consent to initiate criminal contempt proceedings in the Supreme Court against Member of Parliament and senior Congress party leader, Digvijaya Singh, for his tweets.The plea by advocate Sumant Sudan referred to two tweets by Mr. Singh questioning whether the Supreme Court would declare the alleged sweeping powers of raid and arrest without warrant given by the UP government to the Special Security Force as unconstitutional or favour it under pressure.

 

2 Navy personnel dead as a glider aircraft on routine flight crashes in Kochi

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/navys-glider-with-two-on-board-crashes-in-kochi/article32764609.ece?homepage=true

KOCHI:A glider aircraft of Indian Navy crashed near Kochi Naval Airport on Sunday morning, critically injuring an officer and sailor on board.The power-hand glider which was on a regular training sortie, crashed into the area opposite the walkway near Mattancherry BOT bridge, located a stone's throw away from the Kochi Naval Airport. The crew — Lieutenant Rajeev Jha and Sunil Kumar — were extracted from the debris and rushed to INS Sanjivani, hospital in Southern Naval Command, by Navy personnel, official sources said. They were declared brought dead.

 

Being forced to name Ranbir, Rampal, Morea: accused in NCB probe

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/being-forced-to-name-ranbir-rampal-morea-accused-in-ncb-probe-6692559/

Mumbai :A FORMER executive producer of Dharmatic Entertainment, a sister concern of Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions who was arrested last week, told a court that he was forced by officials of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to falsely implicate actors Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Dino Morea. Kshitij Prasad had earlier said NCB had forced him to implicate Johar. The agency had denied it stating that the investigation was being carried out in a “professional manner”.NCB claims Prasad was part of a conspiracy for drug procurement and distribution and had received ganja from co-accused Ankush Arneja. NCB has also claimed links between Prasad and other alleged peddlers accused of connections with late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s cook Dipesh Sawant and actor Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik.

 

‘Some vested interests criticized our probe’: Mumbai top cop after AIIMS report on Sushant case

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/sushant-singh-rajput-suicide-aiims-report-mumbai-police-6701243/

Mumbai police’s probe stands vindicated with AIIMS ruling out murder in the actor Sushant Singh Rajput case, city police commissioner Param Bir Singh said on Saturday. Some people with “vested interests” targeted Mumbai police without knowing anything about the investigation, he told PTI. AIIMS medical board on Saturday stated that Rajput died by suicide and it was not a murder.PTI

 

*CORONAVIRUS-LOCKDOWN*

 

Centre estimates to utilise 40-50 cr COVID-19 vaccine doses on 20-25 cr people by July 2021: Health Minister  Harsh Vardhan

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/health-minister-harsh-vardhan-on-coronavirus-vaccine-plan-to-cover-25-crore-people-by-next-july-2304940?pfrom=home-topscroll

New Delhi :Centre estimates to receive and utilise 40-50 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine covering 20-25 crore people by July next year and it is preparing a format for the states to submit by Oct-end their list of priority population group to receive the vaccine, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday.He said priority would be given to health workers engaged in COVID-19 management in getting the vaccine. During an interaction with his social media followers on ‘Sunday Samvad’ platform, he said a high-level expert group is going into all the aspects of vaccines and the health ministry is preparing a format in which states will submit lists of priority population groups.Health Minister also said that state and UT govts had been advised to send details of "priority population groups" - a reference to which sections of the population will be first in line to recieve the vaccine - by the end of October."Vaccine procurement is being done centrally and each consignment will be tracked in real time. Priority will be given to frontline health care workers," Dr Vardhan said in the fourth edition of "Sunday Samvaad", his weekly social media interaction with the public.

 

Day after testing Covid-negative, Jharkhand minister Hussain Ansari dies of cardiac arrest

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/day-after-testing-covid-negative-jharkhand-minister-dies-of-cardiac-arrest-6695135/

New Delhi:Jharkhand’s Minority Welfare Minister Haji Hussain Ansari died of a cardiac arrest on Saturday at a private hospital in Ranchi. Ansari had earlier tested positive for Covid-19 and had been admitted to hospital 10 days ago. However, a hospital spokesperson said Ansari tested negative for the virus on Friday. A person known to the minister, who was at the hospital, said, “He died on Saturday at 4 pm. He spoke to us on Friday after he tested negative (for virus) and it seemed that he would soon recover. We are deeply saddened by his death.”Sources said Ansari had recently undergone heart surgery.CM Hemant Soren tweeted in Hindi, “He was a simple man with conviction and a mass leader. May God give peace to the soul of Haji saheb and strength to his family during this period.”State Health Minister Banna Gupta said that Ansari’s death was a personal loss to him. Union Minister Arjun Munda also condoled his death.Ansari, 73, was elected from Madhupur in 2019 Assembly polls on a JMM ticket. In March, Ansari and his son were quarantined at their home after Jharkhand’s special branch flagged the son as a returnee from Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin. However Ansari had denied that his son had visited Delhi at that time.

 

Delhi Schools To Remain Shut Till October 31 Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/delhi-schools-to-remain-shut-till-october-31-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-2304903

New Delhi: All schools in Delhi will remain shut till October 31 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said Sunday. Delhi government had earlier ordered schools in the national capital to close till October 5, but allowed online classes - which have become the norm in recent weeks and months with the need for social distancing - to continue."All schools in Delhi will remain closed till October 31 due to Corona. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that as a parent, he understands the seriousness of the situation. At this time it will not be appropriate to take any risk regarding the health of children," Sisodia tweeted.

 

India Crosses 65 Lakh Coronavirus Cases, 75,829 New Cases In A Day: 10 Points

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coronavirus-india-crosses-65-lakh-cases-with-75-829-infections-940-deaths-in-a-day-total-fatalities-over-1-01-lakh-2304852?pfrom=home-topstories

India's COVID-19 tally has crossed the 65-lakh mark with 75,829 new coronavirus cases and 940 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry data released this morning shows. The country now has 65,49,373 total cases of coronavirus, including 9,37,625 active cases and 55,09,766 recoveries. A total of 1,01,782 people have lost their lives to COVID-19 till now. States of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Punjab reported the highest deaths in the last 24 hours. India has scaled up its testing capacity from one in January to more than 7.7 crore in Oct.

 

Pilgrims return to Mecca after 7-month as Saudi eases COVID restrictions

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/4/pilgrims-return-to-mecca-as-saudi-eases-virus-restrictions

A limited number of people circled Islam’s holiest site in Mecca on Sunday after Saudi Arabia lifted coronavirus restrictions that had been in place for months. The kingdom took the rare step of suspending the Umrah – the smaller pilgrimage that draws millions all year round from around world – in early March as the coronavirus morphed into a global pandemic and prompted countries to impose lockdowns and curfews to slow down transmission.But as nations begin to ease those restrictions, the Saudi government on Sunday started allowing a maximum of 6,000 pilgrims a day to enter the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Only Saudi citizens and residents will be permitted to enter the mosque during this first phase of reopening, and each pilgrim has up to three hours to complete the pilgrimage.Worshippers who wish to enter the mosque for Friday prayers or to perform the Umrah have to apply to reserve a time and date through an online application launched by the authorities to avoid overcrowding. The Saudi Hajj minister said each group of 20 or 25 pilgrims will be accompanied by a health worker and medical teams will be on the ground in case of an emergency. Muslim travellers from outside Saudi Arabia could be allowed to perform Umrah as early as November 1, the Interior Ministry has said.

 

*WORLD*

 

 

Nagorno-Karabakh: Azerbaijan says civilian killed in Ganja

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/4/nagorno-karabakh-sides-exchange-fire-on-multiple-fronts

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said one civilian had been killed and four wounded in an Armenian rocket attack on Azerbaijan city of Ganja on Sunday.Armenia denied attacking its neighbour but leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan, said it had targeted Ganja.In statements posted on its website earlier, Azerbaijan defence ministry said Ganja, a city of more than 330,000 in the western part of the country, and several other civilian areas were under attack using rockets and shelling.Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Ganja, said: “People here are telling us that approximately an hour after a rocket landed, a second hit another residential area a few blocks away, wounding two people.”Earlier, Armenian officials said Azerbaijan’s forces had shelled Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh’s main city, where sound of sirens was heard at approximately 9:30am (05:30 GMT), followed by several explosions, according to AFP.Separately, the defence ministry in Baku said Armenian armed forces were firing rockets at the towns of Terter and Horadiz in the Fizuli region.

 

Turkey rejects 'superficial' ceasefire calls for Azerbaijan-Armenia

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201004-turkey-rejects-superficial-ceasefire-calls-for-azerbaijan-armenia/

Turkey rejected “superficial” demands for a ceasefire on Saturday in the South Caucasus, where it backs Azerbaijan, after a week of fierce fighting with ethnic Armenian forces in the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, reports Reuters. While Russia, UD and France have called for an end to hostilities, regional power Turkey has staunchly supported Azeris and has repeated that what it called Armenian “occupiers” must withdraw.Armenia said on Friday it would work with the three big powers toward a ceasefire. But Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said they should have no role in peacemaking and on Saturday said Ankara backs the “oppressed” in the South Caucasus.

 

Washington: ‘Normalisation serves Israel better than annexation’

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201003-washington-normalisation-serves-israel-better-than-annexation/

US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman announced that the Israeli plan to annex land in the West Bank will not be implemented in the near future, stating that his country believes that normalisation agreements will serve Israel’s interests better than the annexation project for the time being.Friedman indicated that: “The imposition of the Israeli sovereignty will take place when Israel and the US reach a mutual decision on the matter, and we hope that this will happen when Israel signs more peace treaties with other Arab countries.”He added in an interview with Hebrew newspaper Makor Rishon that: “The correct term to describe the current state of the annexation process is suspension,” meaning that the plan has been suspended temporarily and will be implemented in the very distant future.

 

Fatah Central Committee approves agreements with Hamas

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201003-fatah-central-committee-approves-agreements-with-hamas/

During a meeting held in the West Bank and headed by President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday, the Fatah Central Committee approved agreements reached with the rival Hamas movement, Arab48.com reported.The Central Committee listened to a report read by Secretary-General of Fatah’s Executive Committee Jibril Rajoub, and senior Fatah members Rawhi Fatouh and Azzam Al-Ahmed.The three leaders reported the outcomes of the meetings taken place in Istanbul, Doha, Cairo and Amman, a statement issued after the meeting disclosed, without supplying additional details about the meetings in Cairo and Amman.

 

Islamic Jihad ready to participate in Palestinian National Council elections

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201003-islamic-jihad-ready-to-participate-in-palestinian-national-council-elections/

Member of the political bureau of Islamic Jihad in Palestine Mohammed Al-Hindi has announced that his movement is ready to take part in Palestinian National Council elections, Shehab News Agency reported on Friday.Speaking to the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV, Al-Hindi confirmed that these elections “must” be aimed at reconstructing PLO as: “A liberation organisation not as a submissive organisation.”

 

Israel forces arrest senior Hamas leader in West Bank

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201003-israel-forces-arrest-senior-hamas-leader-in-west-bank/

Israeli occupation forces raided the house of a senior Hamas leader in the West Bank city of Beitonya, Hassan Yousef, 65, on Friday at dawn and arrested him, Palestinian security sources reported.The security sources disclosed that a large number of Israeli occupation forces raided the city and broke into the house of Yousef, before arresting and sending him to Ofer Prison.

 

Fatah: Israel’s detention of Hamas leader ‘an attempt to thwart unity efforts’

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201003-fatah-israels-detention-of-hamas-leader-an-attempt-to-thwart-unity-efforts/

Secretary-General of Fatah’s Executive Committee Jibril Rajoub condemned on Friday Israel’s detention of senior Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef, Safa News Agency reported.In a statement, Rajoub announced that Israel’s detention of Hamas leader: “Is an attempt to thwart national unity efforts.”Fatah leader also conveyed that Israel’s detention of Yousef: “Is a retention of the occupation’s policy of detention of tens of Palestinians on a daily basis and a continuation of the decades-long Israeli aggression on the Palestinians.”

 

Palestine condemns Israel’s plan to build 5,400 new settlement units

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201003-palestine-condemns-israels-plan-to-build-5400-new-settlement-units/

Palestine Authority (PA) condemned on Friday Israeli plans to build 5,400 new settlement units in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, a statement revealed.The statement, which was issued by the PA’s Foreign Ministry, stated: “Expanding Jewish settlements is part of Israel’s unilateral moves to implement the US deal of the century and its plan to annex large parts of the West Bank.”It added: “This disproves the Israeli claim that it has frozen settlement to enable its normalisation with Arab states, and reflects the systematic American and Israeli violations of international law and United Nations resolutions.”

 

Thousands defy lockdown as they call for Netanyahu to resign

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/4/no-letup-in-movement-to-oust-netanyahu

Thousands of Israelis have protested across the country for the 15th week in a row, flouting a new law meant to curb anti-government demonstrations during a coronavirus lockdown.The street protests on Saturday and into Sunday, just three days after parliament approved an edict to limit the scope of such demonstrations, kept pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign for his handling of the coronavirus crisis, as well as allegations of corruption, which he denies.Netanyahu is on trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust. He has denied wrongdoing.According to protest organisers, an estimated 100,000 people rallied in squares and at junctions throughout the country from sunset on Saturday.

 

Sudan, Oman postpone normalising ties with Israel until after US elections

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201003-sudan-oman-postpone-normalising-ties-with-israel-until-after-us-elections/

An Israeli newspaper has reported that Sudan and Oman have postponed normalising ties with Israel until after US elections, Rai Al-Youm reported on Friday. eporting Israeli paper Maariv, Rai Al-Youm disclosed that the two Arab countries would not offer their “precious gifts” to US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the US elections. According to Maariv, UAE Ambassador to Washington Yousef Al-Otaiba confirmed that Sudan and Oman are not rushing towards diplomatic ties with Israel.

 

Sudan government and rebel groups formalise peace deal

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201004-sudan-government-and-rebel-groups-formalise-peace-deal/

Sudan’s power-sharing government and several rebel groups on Saturday formalised a peace agreement aimed at resolving decades of conflict which left millions displaced and hundreds of thousands dead, reported Reuters.Three major groups signed a preliminary deal in August – two factions from the western region of Darfur and one from the southern region – after months of talks hosted by South Sudan. Another powerful rebel group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, which had not participated in initial peace negotiations, agreed last month to join new talks hosted by South Sudan.

 

Xi hails ‘steady’ China-Bangladesh friendship, seeks joint promotion of Belt & Road Initiative

https://theprint.in/world/xi-hails-steady-china-bangladesh-friendship-seeks-joint-promotion-of-belt-road-initiative/516430/

Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping said he stands ready with Bangladesh leaders to better align the two countries’ strategies and jointly promote the construction of his multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to take the strategic partnership of the two countries to new heights.Xi made the remarks in an exchange of congratulatory messages with his Bangladesh counterpart, Mohammad Abdul Hamid, on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relationship on Sunday.In his message, Xi hailed the steady and long-term friendship saying he is ready to work with Hamid to better align development strategies with Bangladesh, step up cooperation under the framework of the BRI and push forward the China-Bangladesh strategic, cooperative partnership to a new level, official media reported. With over USD 26 billion Chinese investments and USD 38 billion dollars funding commitments, Bangladesh is one of the largest recipients of China’s massive infrastructure project.

 

OP-ED

 

·        SSR and Hathras outrage confirm RSS-BJP-IT Cell have lost the plot:Sujata Anandan, nationalheraldindia

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/ssr-and-hathras-outrage-confirm-rss-bjp-it-cell-have-lost-the-plot

·        From Muzaffarnagar, Dadri to Hathras: An Anatomy of Dominant Castes in Western UP:Prabudh Singh

https://www.newsclick.in/Muzaffarnagar-Dadri-Hathras-Anatomy-Dominant-Castes-Western-UP

 

·        The Sandip Roy Show: Romila Thapar on dissent in India from Vedic Brahmanism to Shaheen Bagh

https://indianexpress.com/audio/the-sandip-roy-show/romila-thapar-on-dissent-in-india-from-vedic-brahmanism-to-shaheen-bagh/6691624/

 

·        Dialogic study of Muslim women: professor Shafey Kidwai, AMU,frontline

https://frontline.thehindu.com/books/dialogic-study-of-muslim-women/article32711621.ece

 

·        Farm laws — not choice, just noise:P Chidambaram, indian express

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/farm-laws-protests-apmc-msp-p-chidambaram-6689858/

 

·        In Hathras story, the flaws of Indian democracy:Tavleen Singh, indian express

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/hathras-dalit-gangrape-case-up-police-tavleen-singh-6690015/

 

·        The Hindu Explains | How secure are the messages sent on WhatsApp?Sriram Srinivasan

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/the-hindu-explains-how-secure-are-the-messages-sent-on-whatsapp/article32762543.ece?homepage=true

 

·        28 years after, Babri masjid demolished yet again;By T J S George

https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/columns/t-j-s-george/2020/oct/04/28-years-after-babri-masjid-demolished-yet-again-2205406.html

 

·        UP Police Officers Must Be Investigated for Attempting to Shield Hathras Accused:Raghav Tankha

https://thewire.in/law/hathras-case-uttar-pradesh-police-shielding-accused

 

·        No ‘containment zone’ for Rajput caste panchayat in Hathras to malign Dalit victim:Ranjona Banerji

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/no-containment-zone-for-rajput-caste-panchayat-in-hathras-to-malign-the-dalit-victim

 

 Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq