Month: August 2020

Delhi Police being accused of Torture, Violence, Serious Rights Violations During Riots: Amnesty Report

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The report quotes accounts of victims of the riots, and says the police’s behaviour reveals a pattern of human rights violations and rampant impunity. Human rights organisation Amnesty International has accused Delhi Police of committing serious rights violations during the Delhi riots and even “indulging in violence with rioters”. It has called on the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to initiate “a prompt, thorough, independent investigation” into all such allegations against law enforcement officials. The 20-page report made public on August 28, which documented first person accounts of riot victims…

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Why Muslims fast and mourn on Ashoura

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The day commemorates the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad who died at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Ashoura is marked on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, by all Muslims. It marks the day Nuh (Noah) left the Ark and the day Musa (Moses) was saved from the Pharaoh of Egypt by God. The Prophet Muhammad used to fast on Ashoura in Mecca, where it became a common tradition for the early Muslims. Ashoura this year will be marked in most places…

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696 Fresh cases of coronavirus reported in J&K

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Seven deaths in Kashmir valley As many as 696 new Covid cases — 202 from the Jammu division and 494 from the Kashmir province — have been reported in J&K during the last 24 hours, thus taking the total number of positive cases in the UT to 35,831. Also seven Covid-19 deaths, all from the Kashmir valley, were reported from J&K. As many as 651 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals — 195 from the Jammu region and 456 from the Kashmir valley. According to the official bulletin…

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Unlock 4.0: What to expect from Sept 1

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Unlock 4.0, the fourth phase of opening of the economy after coronavirus lockdown, will start from September 1. This phase comes at a time when India’s Covid-19 tally has crossed the 3.46 million mark and the number of deaths due to the disease have gone up to 62,550. Officials have said Unlock 4 guidelines, which will be announced later this week, only mention the activities which will be prohibited while the rest can resume. Here is a look at what will change during Unlock 4.0: • The Centre is likely…

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Gupkar declaration tool to gain sympathy for power, asks cadre to get ready for polls: Ram Madhav

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Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) Kashmir Unit Friday said Gupkar declaration is used as a tool to gain sympathy and power. Party’s senior leader and Media-in charge, Manzoor Bhat said those who are claiming restoration of Article 370 and other things are living in the “fool’s paradise”. “They want to create the same pressure group like “All Jammu and Kashmir Plebiscite Front”, in 1955, which was founded by Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beg, just to gain power. Now it is the same frustration for power and chair but people have rejected them…

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Modi’s ‘Settler’ masterplan for Indian Kashmir

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Parvaiz Bukhari Prime Minister Narendra Modi is changing Indian Kashmir’s residency laws for the first time since 1947, in a bid to snuff out any challenge to the disputed territory belonging to India. Drawing comparisons with Israel’s “settler” tactics in the Palestinian Territories, Modi’s Hindu nationalist government aims to change the demographic makeup and identity of the Muslim-majority region, critics say. AFP looks at the background, what the new rules are and their implications for the area’s 14 million population. What has Modi done in Kashmir so far? The Himalayan…

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Gupkar Declaration II: Will history repeat itself in J&K?

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The events following the scrapping of Article 370 bear strong resemblance to Sheikh Abdullah’s campaign for a plebiscite, until more pragmatic factors ended the tussle. Basit Amin Makhdoomi The signatories of the now-famous Gupkar Declaration have finally spoken and seem to have spoken in one voice. In a statement titled “Gupkar Declaration II” issued to the press, six political parties of Jammu and Kashmir – the National Conference (NC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Indian National Congress, the J&K Peoples Conference (PC), the CPI(M) and the Awami National Conference…

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Silent rage in Kashmir

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One year after Jammu and Kashmir was deprived of its special status and its mainstream political voices were stifled, the people of the valley remain committed to fighting for justice. Anando Bhakto The first anniversary of the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5 was accompanied by a low-key yet determined exhibition of political resolve by mainstream actors, who emphasised their commitment to fight in the Supreme Court and outside for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. The administration had imposed a two-day curfew on August…

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Indra Mani Pandey envoy to UN in Geneva in valley to understand Kashmir

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India’s permanent representative designate to Geneva Indra Mani Pandey is currently visiting Kashmir to take feedback on the overall situation in the Valley, particularly with regard to human rights, days ahead of taking over his new assignment. Officers apprised him of statistics and details of the work done across the UT after August 5, 2019, terming it an era of “unprecedented development”. Pandey also interacted with security officials to understand the way things had changed since August 5 last year to present a clear picture before the international community as…

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Aamir Khan is being trolled by Hindu nationalists for meeting Turkish first lady

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On August 15, Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan posted a picture of her meeting Bollywood star Aamir Khan on Twitter. It soon went viral. “I had the great pleasure of meeting @aamir_khan, the world-renowned Indian actor, filmmaker, and director, in Istanbul…” Emine Erdogan tweeted after meeting the Muslim actor, who was in Turkey to shoot his latest film, Laal Singh Chaddha. Pro-government supporters were furious at Khan for taking a picture with the wife of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has criticised the Indian government’s decision to strip Indian-administered…

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