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Sreesanth to contest in Assembly polls for BJP

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Sreesanth

Kochi: Former Indian pace bowler S. Sreesanth on Tuesday said he has been offered a BJP ticket to contest the May 16 Kerala assembly elections.

“I will announce my candidature tomorrow (Wednesday). I have been offered a ticket by the BJP to contest either from Ernakulam or Tripunithura constituency. I wish to contest from Tripunithura,” Sreesanth told the media in Bengaluru.

He said he hailed from a family with leftist leanings, while his wife’s family supports the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Sreesanth was banned for life by the Board of Control for Cricket in India after fixing allegations. He last played in the 2013 Indian Premier League. He was arrested on charge of match-fixing and was lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi.

In July 2015, a Patiala House court in Delhi exonerated him and two other players in the case, against which Delhi Police have gone in appeal.

While his parents are settled in Ernakulam in Kerala, he keeps shuttling between Bengaluru and Kochi.

Sreesanth has played 27 Tests (87 wickets), 53 ODIs (75) and 10 T20Is (seven wickets) and was part of two World Cup winning teams, in the 2007 World Twenty20 and the 2011 World Cup.

(Agencies)

Had positive meeting with PM, says Mehbooba

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Mehbooba Mufti

New Delhi: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said she had a “positive meeting” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

“It has been a positive meeting with PM and I will go back to Srinagar and take the next step,” Mufti told the media outside the Prime Minister’s official residence at 7 Race Course Road.

“I am content after meeting PM,” she added.

“Stalemate (in J&K) has been continuing since two-three months. I feel positive after this meeting,” said Mehbooba, daughter of late chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayed.

She also said that she has called for a legislature party meeting on Thursday and will take further decision there.

(Agencies)

India is not just Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan: Tharoor takes a dig at BJP

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shashi tharoor

New Delhi: In an apparent dig at the ruling BJP over its stand on the JNU row, Tharoor said people should have the right to choose what they believe is correct and still be tolerant of others’ ideas in a democracy.

“Today nationalism is decided by whether or not one can say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. I am happy to say it, but should I also oblige everyone to say it?

“Our Constitution gives people the right not to say it just as it gives people the right to say it as well. I will choose when to say it and that’s democracy,” Tharoor said addressing students at JNU on Sunday night.

He called for an India ‘more accepting of diversity’ which he said has been the tradition throughout history.

“India is not just Hindi, Hindu and Hindustan. We want an India with both Krishna and Kanhaiya Kumar. We want in India people from every corner of this vast land an equal stake in our future.

“If we understand that the Indian civilisation allows many religions, celebrates range of opinions and is today sustained by constitutional democracy which stands for certain values that all of us claim as our own, if this is the Indian legacy we can live, then we can all stand under that flag and celebrate,” he said.

Tharoor was speaking on ‘JNU and Nationalism’ outside the administrative hall of the varsity which has been the centre of protests ever since sedition charges were slapped on three students over an event held where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

The former Union minister appreciated the students for stirring a debate on vital issues in India, saying student days are the days “to expand one’s consciousness”.

“You may have come here for education but you are also educating the nation. What is happening here has given the whole nation an education in the vital issues of dissent and democracy, sedition and of course of ‘azaadi’ (freedom),” he said.

Tharoor’s nearly 40-minute long speech was dotted with historical anecdotes and personal experiences and he repeatedly quoted personalities like Jawaharlal Nehru and Everlyn Beatrice Hall to drive home the idea of tolerance and diversity and their importance in India.

(PTI)

Asaram Bapu rape case: Victim’s father gets threat

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Asaram Bapu

Shahjahanpur: Days after a sharp shooter who killed 3 witnesses in Asaram cases was nabbed, father of the girl, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Asaram Bapu, has been threatened by an unidentified person to withdraw the case or face dire consequences.

“Some person had called me yesterday threatening me to withdraw the case against Asaram Bapu. The caller said that if the case is not withdrawn, I will be killed,” the victim’s father said in his police complaint yesterday.

Superintendent of Police, Manoj Kumar said that security has been beefed up at the victim’s residence and probe is on in the matter.

On March 13, Kartik Haldar, self-styled godman Asaram Bapu’s alleged henchman, suspected to have shot dead three key witnesses in rape cases filed against the religious leader, was arrested by Anti-Terrorism Squad of Gujarat.

He was allegedly involved in the killings of Asaram’s personal doctor Amrut Prajapati in June 2014, his assistant-cum-cook Akhil Gupta in January 2015 and another key witness, Kripal Singh, on July 10, 2015 in different parts of the country, said a release.

All of them were shot from close range as part of a conspiracy to eliminate those who had given their testimonies against Asaram, ATS said.

Kripal Singh was a clerk in the office of a transporter whose minor daughter had lodged a case of sexual assault against Asaram in Jodhpur.

Asaram had allegedly sexually assaulted the 16-year-old victim at his ashram near Jodhpur in Rajasthan in 2013.

(Agencies)

Anupam Kher, Kirron Kher accused of land-grabbing

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Anupan-Kiran kher

Chandigarh: A widow sister-in-law of Bhartiya Janata Party MP Kirron Kher has accused her sister and her actor husband Anupam Kher of land grab and continuous harassment by allegedly using their power.

Gurinder Sandhu, a 50-year-old widow has made allegations against Kirron Kher and Anupam Kher for allegedly dispossessing her from her ancestral home. The widow claimed that the house in Chandigarh was owned by her husband before his death in 2003.

Sandghu reportedly said, her husband, Kirron Kher’s elder brother died in 2003 after which the BJP MP secretly transferred the property in her name. The widow claimed that she came to know about the transfer of property in 2012, after a portion was demolished on orders of Kirron Kher.

Sandhu had accused Kirron Kher of threatening her of dire consequences if she shared her ordeal with the media. The widow also claimed that the BJP MP from Chandigarh had also threatened her to throw her out of the house if she didn’t fall in line. Anupam Kher on Umar Khalid: Someone who is on bail is not an Olympic hero

Gurinder Sandhu, was quoted in Janata Ka Reporter where she said that everything is happening at the behest of Kirron Kher. Sandhu said, “I have two daughters. My husband died in 2003. Where do I go with them, please tell us”.

Sandhu also questioned Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher’s credibility on talking about morality to everyone and what they are doing at their own house?. Sandhu alleged that the BJP MP had also taken their car away. She alleged that Anupam Kher had said that he will won’t give anything to the family.

(Agencies)

Two Indians among 62 killed in FlyDubai plane crash in Russia

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FlyDubai

Moscow: At least 62 people were killed on Saturday when a passenger jet crashed in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, media reports said.

The Dubai Media Office says those killed in the crash of the FlyDubai airliner in Russia include two Indians.

Flydubai flight FZ981 was en route from Dubai and crashed while trying to land, RT News reported.

Air-traffic control and local emergency services confirmed that the Boeing 737-800 jet crashed near the runway during a second approach in conditions of poor visibility killing all 61 on board — 55 passengers, six crew members.

“During the landing approach a Boeing-737 crashed. It had 55 passengers on board. All of them died,” a regional official told TASS news agency.

CCTV camera footage posted on YouTube claimed to have captured the moment of the explosion as the aircraft impacted the ground. However, its authenticity could not be immediately verified.

Emergency crews have already put out the fire, according to an airport source.

The airport has closed until further notice.

(Agencies)

Digvijaya slams Centre’s clause for Urdu writers

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Digvijaya Singh

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday slammed the union Human Resource Development ministry’s proposal asking Urdu writers to declare that “the content in their books will not be against the government or the country”.

“It is condemnable. If they have introduced such a clause then it should be there for the writers of all the languages. Why are they only targeting Urdu writers. It is being done because their (BJP) only agenda is to divide the country on communal lines and rule,” said Singh.

The National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) has recently introduced a form, requiring authors of the books that it acquires annually, to declare that the content will not be against the government or the country.

NCPUL, that provides monetary assistance to Urdu writers, comes under the union HRD ministry-led by Smriti Irani.

The form handed out to the writers reads: “I son/daughter of confirm that my book/magazine titled which has been approved for bulk purchase by NCPUL’s monetary assistance scheme does not contain anything against the policies of the government of India or the interest of the nation, does not cause disharmony of any sort between different classes of the country, and is not monetarily supported by any government or non-government institution.”

Asked about the controversy over the ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ slogan, Singh said: “One should not be surprised. To hide their failures in governance and development they keep raising such issues of love jihad, ghar wapsi, ramzada-haramzada and now Bharat mata ki jai.”

(Agencies)

It’s a direct fight against dictatorship: Kanhaiya Kumar

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Kanhaiya-Kumar

New Delhi: In fresh attack on the NDA government, JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Friday vowed to wage a “direct fight” against “dictatorship” as he accused it of targeting universities across the country and sought support of all democratic forces saying it was about saving the country.

He said those talking about Constitution should allow law to take its own course in the sedition case in which he as well as JNU PhD scholars Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were arrested, noting delivering justice on street was not acceptable.

“You may not agree with my politics. It is not about JNU only. The universities are being attacked across the country. Now our fight is direct against dictatorship. All democratic people will have to come together. This unity is required in the country,” he said at the India Today conclave here.

Kanhaiya said while the question confronting the people today was about saving the country, the whole JNU episode was given a national versus anti-national spin. “The whole episode has been portrayed as a case of national versus anti-national. The job of a patriot is not to use a black law like sedition against people of the country, against youngsters and students.

“You are behaving with them in a way as if you have become the British and we are the soldiers of Bhagat Singh. If you don’t hesitate to use a black law like sedition, then we don’t have any problem in becoming the sepoys of Bhagat Singh,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, JNUSU Vice President Shela Rashid said the very idea of India which stands for accommodation and acceptance is under threat. “Since politics decides our future, we will decide our own politics. Universities are democratic places. We need to protect them from RSS,” she said.

During her short but passionate address, Shela, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, said she grew up watching a very violent image of India but JNU gave her the democratic space. She said the ABVP raises very violent slogans as well which are specially directed at women but students largely do not complain against them respecting the spirit of free speech.

“We do not want to see you behind the bars,” she said looking at ABVP’s JNU leader Saurabh Sharma who was also part of the discussion. She said since the NDA government came to power, the ABVP has been misusing the political power to frame students.

Earlier, Kanhaiya said the sedition law must be scrapped. Welcoming bail granted to Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, he said all parties and people supporting democracy must come forward to demand abolishing the British-era law.

(PTI)

Court grants bail to SAR Gilani in sedition case

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SAR Geelani

New Delhi: Former Delhi University lecturer SAR Gilani was today granted bail by a Delhi court in a sedition case related to an event conducted at the Press Club here last month.

Additional Sessions Judge Deepak Garg granted the relief to Gilani on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety of the like amount.

Gilani’s counsel, Satish Tamta sought bail for him, claiming there is nothing on record that Gilani shouted anti-India slogans or asked others to do so. It was a meeting of intellectuals to discuss the Kashmir issue, he said.

“There was nothing in the event which led to any violence as there was nothing that could be called incitement,” Tamta said, adding that as per the Supreme Court order, shouting slogans merely doesn’t amount to offence under section 124-A(Sedition) of IPC.
However, Delhi Police had opposed the bail plea saying the event was “an attack on the soul of India” and it was “contempt of court.”

“The incident was in the continuation of what had happened in JNU a day earlier. As per the statements of Press Club of India officials, anti-India slogans were shouted and Gilani was also involved in it. Gilani had violated the law of the land and the offence was grave,” the prosecution added.

Earlier on February 19, a magisterial court had dismissed the bail plea of Gilani, who was arrested on February 16, after the police had alleged that “hatred” was being generated against the government.

Police had told the court that an event was held on February 10 in which banners were placed showing Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat as martyrs.It had also said the hall in the Press Club was booked by Gilani, through his associate Ali Javed by using his credit card and another man Mudassar was also involved.

At the Press Club event, a group had allegedly shouted slogans hailing Afzal Guru, following which the police had lodged a case under sections 124A (sedition), 120B(criminal conspiracy) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the IPC against Gilani and other unnamed persons.

The police had claimed to have registered the FIR taking suo motu cognizance of media clips of the incident. Following registration of the FIR, the police questioned DU professor Javed, a Press Club member, who had booked the hall for the event, for two days.

Gilani was arrested in connection with the 2001 Parliament attack case but was acquitted for “need of evidence” by Delhi High Court in October 2003, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court in August 2005.

(PTI)

2 Muslim cattle traders tortured, hanged to death by Hindutva extremists

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hang-muslims-cattle

Ranchi: Two Muslim men herding eight buffaloes on their way to a local Friday market were bashed up and hanged to death from a tree by unknown assailants at Balumath forests in Latehar district, 100km from here, in the wee hours on Friday. The buffaloes were freed by the men and locals claimed the assailants were Hindutva radicals.

The deceased Muhammad Majloom, 35, was a relative of Azad Khan alias Ibrahim who is around 15-years-old. The two had their hands tied together behind and their mouth was closed with a cloth. “The sight suggested that the two of them were subjected to extreme levels of brutality. It means that the assailants were moved by extreme hatred,” a police officer said.

In Jhabbar village of Balumath the sight of the hanging men engaged in cattle trade, sparked protests by locals. The protests turned violent when police tried to take down the bodies. SDO Kamleshwar Narayan and six cops were injured when locals pelted stones at officials who arrived in the morning to manage the situation and ensure that it does not take communal turn.

Injuries to senior officials forced police to resort to firing and baton charge. “The policemen resorted to air firing, but it did not hurt anyone,” Latehar SP Anoop Birthary said.

According to sources protesting locals claimed that the assailants targeted them because they were engaged in cattle trade. “Four months ago a group of men had tried to kill a cattle trader in Gomia village of Balumath. The man managed to escape,” Latehar MLA Prakash Ram said.

Locals blocked Latehar-Chatra National Highway 99 for hours. They demanded immediate arrest of the assailants and refused to clear the blockade unless the criminals were arrested and hanged to death.

A large number of armed forces were deployed in the village to thwart possible villagers’ attempts to create communal disturbance. “A meeting of the peace committee was held in the evening to develop a climate of calm in the area,” DIG Saket Singh said. The police were asked to check rumor mongers and locals were appealed not to monger rumours.

The investigation into the murder has not progressed much. An FIR was lodged against unknown for murder and another FIR was lodged against unknown persons and a few known locals for hurting the SDO and other officials. “It is not yet known if business enmity or other motive was behind the murder,” SP Birthary said.

(Agencies)

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