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Shiv Sena reacts to Modi’s Dadri remark; says ‘we respect him for Godhra’

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modi

Mumbai: Just hours after the Prime Minister termed the Dadri lynching incident and cancellation of Ghulam Ali’s concert in Mumbai as ‘unfortunate’, its alliance partner in Maharashtra-Shiv Sena has retaliated that the statements have come from the ‘Prime Minister’ and not ‘dear Modiji’.

Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut reacting to Modi’s comments raked up the 2002 Gujarat riots and said, “PM Modi got worldwide recognition because of Godhra and Ahmedabad incidents and we also respect him because of that, but if he has made such comments on Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and Ghulam Ali then it is unfortunate.”

Shiv Sena had earlier forced the cancellation of Pakistan ghazal singer Ghulam Ali’s concert in Mumbai. Columnist Sudheendra Kulkarni was also attacked with black paint by Shiv Sena activists protesting former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri’s book launch on Monday.

Earlier, in the day Modi while speaking to a newspaper had stressed that the BJP was opposed to pseudo-secularism.

On his party’s stand (on such incidents), Modi said, “The BJP never supported such kind of incidents. The opposition is raising the bogey of communalism against the BJP bringing those incidents but are they themselves not doing politics of polarisation”.

He said, “Such debate has taken place in the past. The BJP always opposed pseudo-secularism. Now again this debate is taking place in the face of unfortunate social malaise”.

“This debate can be resolved through dialogue and discussion,” he said.

Modi claimed that this a was merely vote bank politics and those parties resorting to such propaganda did not want the development of minorities.

(Agencies)

Kalburgi’s wife ​Umadevi refuses to accept Basavashri award

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M M Kalburgi

Dharwad: M M Kalburgi’s wife Umadevi has reportedly denied accepting the Basavashri award from Murugha Mutt in Chitradurga.

Reports state that Umadevi in a letter to the Murugha Mutt said that she was still in a shock after her husband’s death and was not able to receive the Basavashri award under such circumstances.

Professor MM Kalburgi was killed by two men on August 30.

The Murugha Mutt had planned on conferring the award on MM Kalburgi posthumously at an event scheduled for October 7. However, on October 9, Umadevi thanked the Murugha Mutt for choosing MM Kalburgi for the award but denied accepting it.

Another report adds that the Mutt wanted to send a person to convince them in accepting the award, but the family said that they were in no position to do so.

(Agencies)

Dadri lynching and banning Pakistan singer regrettable; but don’t blame us: Modi

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Narendra_Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to Kolkata-based Bangla language newspaper Anand Bazaar Patrika, termed the Dadri incident ‘dukhad’ (unfortunate) and questioned the logic behind blaming the Central government for the incident.

He said the Dadri incident and the banning of Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali’s concerts were regrettable, but asked if it “is it fair to blame the Centre?”

Mohammad Akhlaq was beaten to death by a mob which suspected him of having stored and consumed beef. Several members of the BJP are among the suspects in the case.

‘Always practiced secularism’

The Prime Minister said that the “BJP had always practiced secularism in any situation where there have been differences; the party has never supported anyone involved in such incidents.”

He took on the Opposition too, saying that by accusing the BJP of communalism and polarising communities, “isn’t the Opposition itself guilty of polarising the atmosphere?”

(Agencies)

Violence in Punjab after ‘desecration’ of holy book, several injured

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Police lathi charge members of Sikh groups protesting the alleged desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in Kotkapura. (Sanjeev Kumar / Hindustan Times)

Police lathi charge members of Sikh groups protesting the alleged desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in Kotkapura. (Sanjeev Kumar / Hindustan Times)

Faridkot: Several people were injured in a clash between Sikhs, who gathered to protest the desecration of their holy book, and the police in Punjab’s Faridkot district on Wednesday, eyewitnesses said.

Sources said that police used cane charge, water cannons and even fired in the air to disperse hundreds of protestors from the spot.

The clash took place in the main square of Kotkapura town, 230 km from here, on Wednesday when police tried to arrest leaders of the protestors.

The protestors had tried to block highways towards Moga and Bathinda towns.

The injured included protestors and police officials.

The protestors had pitched their tents in Kotkapura town since Monday to protest the alleged desecration of a ‘bir’ (holy book) of Guru Granth Sahib in Bargari village, 15 km from Kotkapura.

Tension mounted in Kotkapura area on Monday after over 100 pages of the Sikh holy book were found scattered in a street near the gurdwara.

The holy book was stolen from a gurdwara in June.

Protestors clashed with police in Buttar Kalan village of Moga district on Tuesday, leaving many injured.

Police rounded up nearly 200 protestors in Kotkapura on Tuesday but released them later.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal urged people to remain calm.

(IANS)

Lynching a man to death is small issue, says cop-turned-BJP MP

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Satyapal Singh

New Delhi: Police officer turned BJP MP Satyapal Singh today kicked up a row with his remarks calling Dadri lynching a “small incident”, evoking strong reactions from Opposition parties, which said it was a reflection of the party’s “polarisation” strategy.

“As far as a small incident like Dadri is concerned, our country’s democratic atmosphere is fully competent to handle. Our country is full competent to handle such incidents,” said Singh, who is the former Police Commissioner of Mumbai.

The BJP MP from Baghpat also said Government needs to take a view on the plight of Muslims as well as followers of other religion.

Reacting sharply to Singh’s comments on Dadri, Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar said it is a reflection of what the BJP was trying to do.

“I am absolutely dismayed at the remarks of the BJP MP, who was also a former Police Commissioner of Mumbai,” he said, alleging that such remarks reflect the “strategy” of BJP to “usurp” power by “polarising” communities.

SP leader Rajiv Rai demanded an apology from the BJP and alleged that it was aiming at “communal polarisation”, which would be seen more as Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled in 2017 comes closer.

He wondered if Dadri is a minor incident, what else is a big incident. “They should apologise. I am disgusted that this statement comes from an MP, who was a former police commissioner.”

50-year-old Iqlakh was dragged out of his home by a 200-strong mob and beaten to death after a public announcement from the local temple that the family had slaughtered a calf and eaten its meat in Uttar Pradesh’s Bishada village in Dadri.

The Uttar Pradesh government has submitted a report to the Centre on the issue.

Concerned over communal incidents in Dadri and other places, the Centre had last week asked all states to take strictest action against those who attempt to weaken the secular fabric by exploiting religious emotions.

The incident has triggered a nationwide outrage with a number of eminent authors deciding to return their awards.

(Agencies)

Dutch board says Russian-made missile downed MH17

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Findings do not specify who launched BUK missile which brought down passenger jet over eastern Ukraine in July 2014.

Two hundred and ninety eight people - most of them Dutch and including 80 children - died in the crash on July 17, 2014 [FILE - AP]

Two hundred and ninety eight people – most of them Dutch and including 80 children – died in the crash on July 17, 2014 [FILE – AP]

by Al Jazeera

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was hit and downed by a Russian-made surface-to-air BUK missile over eastern Ukraine last year, the Dutch Safety Board said.

“Flight MH17 crashed as a result of the detonation of a warhead outside the airplane against the left-hand side of the cockpit,” the chairman of the Dutch Safety Board, Tjibbe Joustra, told a press conference on Tuesday.

“This warhead fits the kind of missile that is installed in the BUK surface-to-air missile system.”

While he insisted investigators had not pinned down the exact location of the missile’s launch site, maps shown to reporters clearly showed the area near Donetsk held by pro-Russian separatists.

Even before the highly-anticipated release of the official report on the disaster, Russian officials were disputing the findings which are sure to further degrade strained ties between Moscow and the West.

Joustra also hit out at the Ukrainian authorities for allowing civil aircraft to continue to fly above the eastern part of the country despite the raging conflict between Kiev’s forces and pro-Russian separatist insurgents.

Visibly shaken

“We have concluded as a precaution there was sufficient reason for the Ukrainian authorities to close the air space above the eastern part of their country,” he said.

Relatives earlier emerged visibly shaken after being privately briefed by Joustra in an conference centre in The Hague about the fate of the Boeing 777 which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it went down on July 17 last year.

Relative Robby Oehlers said a wave of sadness had swept through the room.

“They showed us the fragments that were inside the plane,” Oehlers said, adding in the room “it was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.”

Findings disputed

The findings were swiftly disputed by the missile maker Almaz-Antey, which has carried out its own tests into the crash.

The Russian company had performed a test which “disputes the version of the Dutch,” and the damage to the MH17 pointed to the use of an older type of missile.

“The results of the experiment completely dispute the conclusions of the Dutch commission about the type of the rocket and the launch site,” said Yan Novikov, director of Almaz-Antey.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk meanwhile blamed Russia’s security service.

“I personally have no doubt that this was a planned operation of the Russian special services aimed at downing a civilian aircraft,” Yatsenyuk told a televised cabinet meeting.

The long-awaited findings of the board, which was not empowered to address questions of responsibility, did not specify on Tuesday who launched the missile.

All 298 people – most of them Dutch and including 80 children – died in the crash on July 17, 2014.

Thailand bans film over depictions of Buddhist monks

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Buddhist body says Arbat could destroy the religion with its intimate scenes and depiction of monk taking drugs.

Buddhist monks, traditionally revered in Thailand, have been rocked by a number of scandals [EPA]

Buddhist monks, traditionally revered in Thailand, have been rocked by a number of scandals [EPA]

by Al Jazeera

A Thai horror film about Buddhist monks has been banned over fears it could “destroy” the kingdom’s majority faith, authorities say.

The culture ministry on Tuesday objected to certain parts of the film Arbat, including a kissing scene and one where a monk is shown taking drugs.

The clergy have long been revered in overwhelmingly Buddhist Thailand but in recent years have been rocked by scandals, including gambling and prostitution, as well as corruption at the increasingly wealthy temples propped by donations from the faithful.

“The movie has some scenes that will destroy Buddhism. If it is shown, people’s faith in Buddhism will deteriorate,” Somchai Surachatri, spokesman for Thailand’s National Office of Buddhism, told AFP news agency.

His office sits on the censorship committee at the culture ministry.

On Tuesday the film’s producer Sahamongkol Film International said it was “preparing to adjust some parts of the movie” before resubmitting it for consideration.

“We will try to maintain the essence and plot of the story as far as we can,” it said in a Facebook post.

Arbat, which translates from Thai as “violations committed by monks”, was scheduled for nationwide release on Thursday.

Corruption scandal

Thailand’s monks have come under increasing fire for their embrace of commercialism in recent years.

In April the Dhammakaya temple, one of the richest in the kingdom, returned about $20m given by a company executive later accused of embezzling the cash.

Donations have long formed the bedrock of Thai Buddhism.

Every morning barefooted monks make alms rounds in their local neighbourhoods while many devotees “make merit” by gifting money to temples.

The case of notoriously flashy monk, Wiraphol Sukphol, taking selfies while flying in a private jet triggered particular outrage.

Other embarrassing incidents in recent months include a monk arrested for multiple sexual assaults, clergy dressed in civilian clothes drinking alcohol and crashing a car, and monks, who are expected to be celibate, having girlfriends.

“Ye Modi kya kya karwayega”: Haryana minister on PM Modi’s Clean India Mission

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Krishan Kumar Bedi

Chandigarh: In an embarrassment to ruling BJP in Haryana, state Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi was caught on tape while allegedly mocking the Prime Minister’s pet ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaign, prompting the opposition to take a swipe at the state government over “lack of seriousness”.

“Don’t know what all Modi will make us do,” Bedi, who is Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, is purportedly heard saying in TV footage as he held a broom in his hand while cleaning a ground in Fatehabad.

After the Minister’s remarks, other officials present at the spot with him burst into laughter. When Bedi noticed that his comments may have been captured by media present at the spot, he asked them, “I hope you are not recording it. Don’t make me land in any trouble”.

The video has since gone viral on the social media.

Bedi along with senior officials of the Fatehabad district administration was cleaning the ground at Panchayat Bhawan in Haryana’s Fatehabad on Sunday on the conclusion of a sanitation campaign there.

When reporters later sought clarification from Bedi about his remarks, the Minister, who was attending another function in Kaithal, said: “We are committed to the Swachh Bharat campaign. We want that entire Haryana should not only be clean, but healthy too”.

“Someone had brought to my notice that some officials are not taking the campaign seriously. I was telling the officials that some people are trying to publicise the fact that they (officials) are being forced to pick up the broom because of (PM) Modi.”

“I was bringing this fact to their notice that such an impression should not go out (that officials were not willingly picking up the broom to clean). Now, if someone has done some (video) recording and linked with my comment in this manner, then it is not right. I was only apprising the officials and the whole issue was in that context only and not anything else”.

Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar said BJP ministers “are not keen on real service and tackling real issues, but they just believe in tokenism”.

State’s main opposition INLD’s senior leader Abhay Chautala said: “This shows how serious the government and its ministers are about campaigns launched by (PM) Modi”.

The incident has caused embarrassment to the Manohar Lal Khattar Government in Haryana, which will complete one year in office this month.

However, this is not the first time when Khattar’s Ministers have courted controversy. In January this year, Bedi was in the midst of another controversy when Kurukshetra’s Civil Surgeon Vandana Bhatia had complained that Bedi had allegedly misbehaved with her over telephone, a charge which had been trashed by the Minister then.

Congress leader Ashok Tanwar said the Minister’s remarks also show “that people feel suffocated in the BJP”.

“There is authoritarian attitude of top leadership of the BJP because of which sentiments in this manner are coming out in public,” he said.

Abhay Chautala, who is Leader of Opposition, said before polls, BJP made tall promises to the people and when they allegedly failed to deliver, their Ministers make such statements to divert the attention of the people.

Earlier this year, Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma had landed stoked a controversy by allegedly using objectionable language against Jawaharlal Nehru. Later on, the senior Minister had apologised, saying he did not mean to be disrespectful or to hurt anyone’s sentiments.

Haryana’s Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar had also drawn flak for his remarks on farmers committing suicide.

(Agencies)

Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana returns Padma Shri

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Dalip Kaur Tiwana

New Delhi: Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana on Tuesday announced that she will return her Padma Shri in protest against the ‘rising communal tension’ in the country.

“In this land of Gautama Buddha and Guru Nanak Dev, the atrocities committed on the Sikhs in 1984 and on the Muslims recurrently because of communalism are an utter disgrace to our state and society.

“And to kill those who stand for truth and justice put us to shame in the eyes of the world and God. In protest, therefore, I return the Padma Shri award,” she wrote in a letter to the Central government.

“I condemn the rising communal tension in the country and what is happening with minorities,” she said.

Ms. Tiwana was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2004. She was also awarded the Sahitya Akademi in 1971.

(Agencies)

Police foil Jagan’s fast, shift him to hospital

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Jagan-fast

Guntur: Police foiled YSR Congress party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s fast early on Tuesday by shifting him to a hospital, where he was forcibly administered fluids.

The leader of opposition was on indefinite fast for six day demanding special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

As his condition deteriorated, police swooped on the hunger strike camp here around 4 a.m. He was taken to a government hospital in an ambulance and was admitted to the intensive care unit. Doctors administered him fluids intravenously.

Jagan’s mother Vijayamma, wife Bharathi and other family members and senior party leaders rushed to the hospital to meet him.

Police had to face resistance from scores of party activists, who had arrived here from various parts of the state.

The government’s action in foiling Jagan’s fast came under criticism from the party leaders. One of the senior leaders, Botsa Satyanarayana, said the party would hold a meeting to decide its next course of action.

Jagan had vowed to continue his fast till the central government accords special status to the state.

The concern was growing among the party leaders as the leader of opposition had turned weak and was barely able to speak.

Doctors had advised Jagan to call off the fast since ketones in urine had increased alarmingly and this could have an adverse impact on the functioning of his kidneys.

(IANS)

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