Madurai: In raids in several places, three alleged ‘Al Qaeda operatives’ were on Monday arrested by the National Investigation Agency, police said.

Those arrested were identified as M Khareem, Asif Sultan Mohammed and Abbas Ali. While Khareem was arrested from Usmannagar, Asif Sultan Mohammed was picked up from GR Nagar and Abbas Ali from Ismailpuram, police said.

Explosive materials were allegedly seized from them, the police has claimed.

(Agencies)

Imphal: Angry customers vandalized two SBI branches in Manipur on Monday after the bank refused to allow people to withdraw Rs 24,000 each from their accounts citing cash shortage.

A policeman was injured in violence in one of the banks and while a mob damaged windows in another, witnesses and officials said. Bank work was hit in both places but no one has been arrested.

The trouble started at the State Bank of India in Manipur University when two customers insisted on withdrawing Rs 24,000 each – the maximum one can take out from the bank a week following demonetisation.

Branch manager Prasad Jain said: “They became angry when it was pointed out that our senior officials had declared that such big amounts could not be withdrawn.”

The customers then turned unruly.

N. Birean, a customer, said people who had been queuing up from early in the morning became angry when they were informed they could withdraw only Rs 2,000 each from their savings accounts.

An elderly customer who didn’t want to be named said: “Two thousand rupees is chicken feed. We have been wasting several days for this pittance?”

Sensing the mood, the SBI said the customers could take out Rs 4,000 each. “But the bank will be closed once the cash runs out,” one officer told the crowd.

On hearing this, the account holders started vandalizing the office, the witnesses said. Riot police rushed to the bank to bring the situation under control.

A policeman, Mutum Shyamo, was injured in the violence.

There was a similar incident at another SBI branch at Leimakhong in Imphal West district where account holders damaged windows following heated exchanges with the staff, witnesses said.

Though armed policemen have been deployed in all bank branches in the state, officials say it has become increasingly tough to maintain order as customers who are denied cash become restive.

There have been face-offs between the bank staff and customers in Manipur but this is the first time banks were vandalized.

The November 8 demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes has caused a severe cash crunch across the country. Several banks have unilaterally put curbs on how much a customer can withdraw from their accounts.

The RBI says the maximum a person can take out from his or her account is Rs 24,000 a week.

(Agencies)

Bengaluru: ATM cash van driver Selvaraj’s wife, who was found missing from her residence, has been arrested by Bengaluru police.

The police have also recovered cash worth Rs 79.8 lakhs. The main accused Dominic Selvaraj Roy is yet to be arrested.

The police had found the van abandoned in Vasanthnagar on November 24 with Rs 45 lakh and a gun inside it.

Police teams are searching for Roy in Chennai, Hyderabad and different parts of Kerala.

Roy, a resident of Lingarajapuram, had driven off with Rs 1.37 crore belonging to Bank of India branch, recently.

(Agencies)

Bengaluru: Congress party sources clarified that there will not be any Karnataka bandh on November 28 instead there will be a protest against demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes in the country by the union government. Earlier, there were rumors that there would be a state wide bandh led by the congress party to protest against demonetisation. The congress led opposition parties were decided earlier this week to protest against demonetisation of currency notes by organising Akrosh Divas in the country on November 28.

BJP is expected to remain neutral in the state and country on November 28. JDS is likely to keep its distance from the protest whereas left front isn’t expected to participate in the protest as it doesn’t has any strong hold in the state. Meanwhile, JDS stated that it opposes the demonetisation of currency notes, but it won’t support the protests organised by congress and other parties in the country.

Congress high command has asked all the state party units in the country to organise Akrosh Divas to register its protest in the country. Protests are expected to be held at local level in the country especially in congress party led state governments in the country. The party has asked all its activists to educate the people on problems originated after demonetising the currency notes. Common people, pensioners and others are only facing problems for getting currency notes whereas ban on notes hasn’t yet affected the rich and those who have huge amount of black money. Also, most of the people, who had huge amount of black money, might have transformed their black money into white.

Meanwhile, BJP hasn’t planned any program against Akrosh Divas instead it has started informing the people on positive effects of the currency demonetisation through social media and web portals. The party has said, note ban will positively impact on Indian economy and society in the long term. Therefore, citizens of the country need to tolerate the new change in the currency notes made by the centre to curb black money in the country.

Meanwhile, JDS state president HD Kumaraswamy said that his party won’t support Akrosh Divas as it is likely to affect the people in the state. Common people have been facing huge crisis as a result of currency crunch in the country. Therefore, the party has decided not to put any hurdle before the people by supporting the protest.

Speaking over the demonetisation, Kumaraswamy noted that the centre has taken right decision but failed to implement it by supplying new currency notes through banks. There were no proper preparations to prevent the problems originated as a result of demonetisation in the country.

(Agencies)

Facing The Foregone Conclusion: The second letter to India

I was right after all. IRF and I were set up for a ban. Despite some saying that I played the ‘Muslim card’, it is now proven that the decision to ban IRF was taken months ago and it was a communal decision. Before investigations were done, even before reports submitted, the ban was already decided. IRF was to be banned. Whether it was owing to my religion or some other reason does not matter. What now matters is that my work of 25 years – completely lawful work – has been banned. And that is the most unfortunate thing for this country.

This must be the most unique ban to be applied in the history of India, because not a single time was I questioned or given a chance to explain. Not a single chance. No notice, no summons, no calls and no contact ever made with me to get my side of the story. I kept offering my help in investigation but it wasn’t taken. The entire investigation was completed without any agency asking me a single question about my so called ‘wrongdoings’. But then why would they? My participation in the investigation process would have cleared up the air and exonerated me, which wasn’t acceptable to the government.

Now that they’ve banned me without asking me a single question, I have no choice left but to answer them only through the legal system and not personally. Their agenda is open and clear: implicate me by hook or by crook, which I will fight.

From the government’s point of view, the timing itself could not have been better. The decision to ban IRF was taken in the middle of the demonetization fiasco, as the country reeled under the self-imposed cash crunch. I won’t be surprised if this ban was meant to distract media from what was going on in the country. For the public that is starved for cash, for trade and basic amenities, one cannot expect much of resistance. Flawless timing really.

The ban notification alleges that I have incited violence through some of my statements. I would at this juncture like to re-emphasize that I have at all points only advocated peace and condemned violence in any form. In fact I am one of the few persons who ever publicly spoke against state sponsored violence and terrorism. These facts have never been given their due after having been explained on several occasions.

All the questions and allegations have been answered and explained a dozen times in the last few years. To people and to the media. Why? Because most have not bothered to look through the entire portion of the Q&A. They’ve watched a smaller, doctored clip and based their opinions on it. Common people aside, I expected professional investigators from government agencies to do a thorough job. Had they done so, this issue would have been a no brainer, a non-issue. But I guess, that was not the plan. The plan was to ban, not investigate.

Which is perhaps why the draconian law of UAPA was exercised on very select organisations such as Islamic Research Foundation. The name of the religion has been made synonymous with violence while condoning the reckless behavior of some majority leaders. The law does not seem to apply to the likes of Rajeshwar Singh, Yogi Adityanath and Sadhvi Prachi who continue to make inflammatory speeches aimed at inciting communal hatred for mere political mileage. Rajeshwar Singh of Dharm Jaagran Manch recently made a televised statement that 31st December 2021 will be the last day for Islam and Christianity in India and that he and his associates have taken an oath to end Islam and Christianity from India before 31st December 2021.

Don’t such statements and many more by fanatics like Sadhvi Prachi and Yogi Adityanath require them to be arrested and tried under UAPA? Leave aside legal action, the government has neither condemned their actions nor reprimanded them. Is this draconian law mainly meant for Muslims? Muslims who’ve been practicing and propagating their religion peacefully and well within the constitutional framework? Does the UAPA now exist mainly to silence minority groups?

I urge my Muslim brothers and sisters in India to rely on Allah alone, unafraid of this vicious campaign against them. Allah says, ‘And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all.’ (Al-Qur’an 3:120)

Like the demonetization fiasco, the Modi government’s IRF ban and its modus operandi has been distraught with senseless decisions and knee jerk actions. After having said that the Islamic International School will not be affected, the government goes ahead and freezes the School’s bank account. How will a school survive without its day-to-day expenses being met? We’re talking about the future of hundreds of school children here.

I know, and more than 100 million of my followers across the world know, that I’ve propagated peace and compassion and justice. I’m very sure I haven’t broken any law, and with this ban, I’m even surer that things have happened with a deeper, sinister agenda. The system and agencies have been used to suit a pre-meditated result set by the government of India, a government that took an oath to uphold the Indian Constitution, the same Constitution that allows me the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate my religion. Let us not be gullible to think this was just an attack on me. It is an attack on whom I represent, the Indian Muslims. It is an attack on peace, democracy and justice.

By the grace of the Almighty, my work is now spread across the world and a ban in India, however agonizing, will not ruin everything. I had mentioned in my first letter that God willing many Muslim countries will roll the red carpet for this humble servant of Allah. I have received from several Muslim countries a response better than what I had expected. I will continue my work and rebuild. But India is my home, my roots, and I will fight this ban come what may. God-willing, I will pursue all legal options to repeal this ban. Because Islam has taught me not to let an injustice go by. I will fight, be sure of that.

To my fellow Indians, I have only one thing to say. The country’s democratic fabric is under attack. People’s lives are being played with. Governments are misusing their authority on people they’re supposed to protect. This needs to change. It needs to change for the future of every one of us. I have faith in the judiciary and I still believe that truth will prevail and the Modi government will fail in its plans. But

whatever the outcome, I strongly believe that the best efforts to quash my work will only help it rise higher and stronger. Even though the Modi government is misusing the law to scare Indian Muslims, these actions, God-willing, will make me strive harder to spread the message of the religion of peace till my last breath. For Allah says, “Truth has (now) arrived, and Falsehood perished: for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish.” (Al-Qur’an 17:81)

Beshak. Without doubt.

Sincerely yours,

Dr Zakir Naik

Servant of Allah

New Delhi: A united Opposition today sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling them “supporters of blackmoney, as they forced two adjournments of proceedings in Rajya Sabha till afternoon.

Congress, BSP and TMC members rushed into the Well of the House shouting slogans demanding an apology from the Prime Minister for his remarks, while the ruling benches matched them with slogans praising of Modi, creating a pandemonium forcing Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to adjourn the proceedings till noon. When the House met again, similar scenes continued forcing another adjournment till 1430 hours.

Immediately after the House mourned the death of its former member Dipen Ghosh, Mayawati (BSP) was up on her feet saying the Prime Minister had this morning “wrongly accused opposition of holding blackmoney” and demanded that he should apologise for his remarks.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said when it was made very clear by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and others during debate on demonetisation yesterday that the opposition is against blackmoney, how can Modi make such allegations.

“How can Prime Minister level such an allegation… we are against blackmoney. Prime Minister must apologise,” he said as Congress and other opposition members trooped into the Well of House, raising slogans like “Pradhan Mantri maafi mango (Prime Minister apologise).”

Amid the din, Kurien got the listed papers laid.

He said a notice under rule 267 seeking suspension of business to take up discussion on ban on 500 and 1000 rupee notes has been received from Azad. “I am ready to admit that motion provided you are ready for discussion,” he said.

Azad said his notice was conditional upon the Prime Minister coming to the House and listening to the entire debate and replying to it.

He said when Modi had yesterday come to Rajya Sabha, “I had on behalf of the entire opposition welcomed him” and also asked whether he had come to participate in the demonetisation debate or in the Question Hour.

Kurien said it had been clarified yesterday by Leader of the House Arun Jaitley that the Prime Minister will come and intervene in the debate.

But Azad disagreed, saying “we were promised that Prime Minister will be in the House till the debate is over” but Modi did not return after lunch hour.

“Prime Minister says opposition is favouring blackmoney. This is an insult of the House and of the Opposition. When we have said we are against blackmoney, when the entire Opposition has said the same, how can he say that. Prime Minister should apologise,” he said.

Mayawati said Modi has stated that if opposition was given 72 hours before demonetising high denomination currency, they should not have opposed him and instead praised him.

Painting the entire Opposition as those blackmoney is a lie, she said, adding that the Prime Minister has to apologise for his remarks.

Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said Modi has levelled a serious allegation and should apologise. Ramgopal Yadav (SP) said there could not be anything more shameful than the Prime Minister alleging that the entire Opposition was a supporter of blackmoney.

Derek O’Brien (TMC) said there was a good debate yesterday where everyone had opposed blackmoney. And the now Prime Minister is saying “he is a saint and we are all devils”, he said, also demanding an apology from Modi.

Kurien tried to reason with members for starting a debate but the Opposition members shouted slogans demanding an apology from Prime Minister. BJP members too countered them by raising slogans supporting Modi.

As the pandemonium continued, Kurien adjourned the proceedings till noon.  When the House reassembled at noon and Chairman Hamid Ansari called the first question of the day, Congress members objected to taking up the Question Hour.

Leader of the Opposition Azad again referred to the remarks of the Prime Minister during the book release function earlier in the day.

“(The Prime Minister) levelled serious allegations on the entire Opposition. Opposition MPs are in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha…(MLAs and MLCs in) state assemblies,” he said, adding that the Opposition cannot remain silent when serious allegations are levelled against them. Azad said the Prime Minister has levelled allegation that opposition favoured blackmoney holders.

“The Prime Minister should apologise,” he said. Amid the din, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was heard saying that there was no question of apology from the Prime Minister, instead the Opposition should tender an apology.

In the meantime, Congress members trooped into the Well of the House. Some BJP members were standing in the aisle as Congress members shouted “Pradhan Mantri maafi mango”. As the uproar continued, Chair adourned the House till 1430 hours.

(Agencies)