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Will facilitate complete reintegration of Kashmiri Pandits in Valley: Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

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Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

Jammu: Describing Kashmir as an epitome of secularism and brotherhood that has withstood the test of time, the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said the Government is committed to create a favourable environment for return of Kashmiri Pandit community to their homes, so that the void created by their absence in the cultural milieu of Kashmir is removed.

The Chief Minister said his Government is determined to facilitate the return of Kashmiri Pandits as part of the Kashmiri society and not as an isolated community.

Mufti Sayeed was speaking during the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly today when certain members raised the issue of return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.

He said the Pandit community provides diversity to the multi-religious ethos of Kashmiri society and the focus of the Government will be to bring them back to their homes.

Describing as misconstrued the impression being created by certain quarters regarding establishment of exclusive habitations, Mufti Sayeed stated that the Government has not acquired any land for setting up any exclusive enclaves. He further said the Government does not favour any clusterization for return of Kashmiri Pandits but their complete reintegration as part of the Kashmiri society. “Some Pandit organizations have also stated that a majority of the migrated community will feel vulnerable if they return to the Valley and live in exclusive zones,” he added.

Urging all political parties to cooperate in facilitating return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley, Mufti Sayeed said they are part and parcel of the multi-religious society of Kashmir and their migration over two decades ago was a huge tragedy. “Our emphasis will be on taking all confidence-building measures for their dignified return. We are only taking forward a process which was initiated by the previous Governments,” he said.

Describing Kashmir as a garden with flowers of all hues, the Chief Minister said it is the responsibility of all political parties to play a constructive role in facilitating the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley. “J&K has a history of cultural integration where Gandhiji found a ray of hope when the entire country was burning in communal frenzy in 1947,” he added.

(KNS)

Akshardham Attack: 11 years of torture, then acquittal, now book

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Mufti Abdul Qayyum was acquitted last year by the Supreme Court in the Akshardham attack case.

Mufti Abdul Qayyum was acquitted last year by the Supreme Court in the Akshardham attack case.

Ahmedabad: After spending 11 years of his life in prison for a crime he never committed, Mufti Abdul Qayyum, who was acquitted by the Supreme Court in the Akshardham terror attack case, has written a 200-page book recounting the pain of injustice inflicted on him by the state police and other investigating agencies.

In his book, titled ‘Gyarah Saal Salakhon Ke Peeche (11 years behind bars),’ the Mufti provides a detailed account of what he calls is a life branded as a terrorist without evidence. “I have mentioned in the book why I was booked by the Gujarat police in the Akshardham attack case. I have described the kinds of torture I was subjected to by the investigating agencies to make me sign false confessional statements,” said Mufti.

“This book is not just for the Muslims, it is for the most oppressed class of the country. If through my book, even one person is spared from state sponsored excesses then I will be happy that I have achieved something.”

Mufti Qayyum was arrested by former IPS officer D G Vanzara who was himself arrested later for involvement in a number of fake police encounters.

He was 29 at the time of arrest in 2003 – a year after the attack on the Akshardham temple. The police had accused him of writing a letter that was recovered from the possession of two alleged terrorists, who were killed in the attack.

A lower court in Gujarat later convicted him and two others, sentencing them to death. But on May 17 last year, the top court acquitted him of all the charges.

Since his release, the 40-year old Madrassa teacher has been trying to piece together his fragmented life. At the time of his arrest, 12 years ago, his now grown up son was barely ten months old. His wife Sujiya, not only struggled to bring up their children, but also had to live with the stigma of being called a ‘terrorist’s wife.’

“As my son grew older, his only constant question was about his father. Every day before going to school he would always ask; when will father come home. Every moment was filled with pain,” says Mr Qayyum’s wife.

The book, for Mr Qayyum, is a sad testimony of all that transpired in his life behind jail. Ironically, for him writing the book was easy, but he hasn’t been able to gather courage to read it again.

(Agencies)

Telangana must investigate alleged extrajudicial executions of five undertrials: Amnesty India

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Vikaruddin Ahmed

New Delhi: Amnesty International India  has asked the Telangana government ‘to order an independent criminal investigation into the killing of five undertrials by Telangana police on 7 April. ‘ according to its web site amnesty.org.in.

The Telangana police say the five undertrials – Viqaruddin, Amjad Ali, Mohammed Hanif, Zakir Ali and Izhar Khan – were being taken in a van by 17 policemen from the Warangal central prison to a court in Hyderabad. The police say that the undertrials attempted to overpower the policemen and snatch their assault rifles, and claim they opened fire in self-defense.

Video footage given to Amnesty International India by a journalist appears to show the five undertrials inside the police van after they were killed. All five appear to be handcuffed.

“Impunity for extrajudicial executions is a serious issue in India,” said Abhirr V P, Senior Campaigner at Amnesty International India.“Authorities in Telangana need to urgently conduct an independent criminal investigation into the case to determine if it involved extrajudicial executions disguised as ‘encounter’ killings.”

The five undertrials had been arrested on suspicion of killing two police officials and a state paramilitary official in different incidents between 2007 and 2010, and other offences.

On 1 April, two suspected members of a banned group allegedly shot dead two policemen in Nalgonda, Telangana. The police say that the suspects were killed three days later in an armed exchange with the police, in which another policeman was also killed.

According to guidelines issued by the National Human Rights Commission in 2010, alleged ‘fake encounters’ must be investigated by an independent agency. In September 2014, the Supreme Court stated in the PUCL versus State of Maharashtra case that killings in police encounters require independent investigations.

The UN Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions require that “[t]here shall be thorough, prompt and impartial investigation of all suspected cases of extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions, including cases where…reliable reports suggest unnatural death in the above circumstances.”

Girish Karnad turns up for Bengaluru beef fest, but cops take away food

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Girish Karnad (sitting, second from right) expressing solidarity with Left activists protesting the beef ban in Maharashtra. (HT Photo)

Girish Karnad (sitting, second from right) expressing solidarity with activists protesting the beef ban in Maharashtra. (HT Photo)

Bengaluru: Calling ban on beef as an act that was against the diverse food culture of our society, Left wing body Democratic Youth Federation of India and Dalit outfits today held a beef eating programme here that was attended by Jnanpith awardee Girish Karnad.

The event was organised in protest against the ban on beef in different parts of the country and also supported and attended another famous Kannada writer Dr K Marulasiddappa.

Protesters criticised the beef ban as an attempt to encroach upon the choice of food and against the diverse food culture of Indian society.

Both Karnad and Marulasiddappa did not eat beef,but said they support the event and stand against such ban.

“I don’t want people to say that because I eat beef therefore I opposed the law. No, everyone has the right to practice….” Karnad said.

To a question he said “Who said large part our population doesn’t eat beef? This nonsense is created by Brahmins;this is created by Hindutva protagonists. Vokkaligas, Muslims, Christians, Dalits and many other communities eat….then how is it against the practice of large population of this
country?”

Marulasiddappa said “I have not eaten beef here because I don’t follow that food habit, I have that right, but at the same time I don’t have right to scorn at those who eat it. I have respect towards them.”

Anticipating trouble as the event had invited a lot of opposition, police intervened and took away the eatables made of beef from the organisers.

Criticising the police action as undemocratic, organisers said, “this is against the law, we criticise this act by the police, ours was a peaceful programme, we have in no way affected the law and order situation.”

(PTI)

India ends evacuation in Yemen, 5,600 pulled out

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yemen

New Delhi: India has ended its massive evacuation efforts of its nationals in Yemen, pulling out 5,600 people, including 4,640 Indians and 960 nationals from 41 countries, the government said.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted: “The evacuation operation from Yemen is over. General V.K. Singh is returning tonight. We are closing our Embassy there.”

Earlier the external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted that India concluded its evacuation efforts in Sana’a by airlifting over 630 people by three special Air India flights from the Yemeni capital.

Akbaruddin said the security situation in Yemen has deteriorated further with a bomb blast at Aden port on Thursday. “India completes its air evacuations from Sana’a”.

“The total no. of Indians evacuated from Sana’a by air has crossed 2,900 by 18 special flights since the beginning of the air operations,” he tweeted.

“Indian naval vessels have also evacuated over 1,670 Indians from Aden, Al Hudaydah and Al Mukalla ports in Yemen since 31 March,” he wrote.

“Indian Naval Ship INS Sumitra evacuated 349 persons, including 46 Indians and 303 foreign nationals from Al Hudaydah port on April 9,” he said.

(Agencies)

Kejriwal justifies expulsion of Bhushan and Yadav

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Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday justified AAP’s decision to expel dissident leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from top party posts, saying limits were “crossed” and “conspiracies” hatched.

Kejriwal also expressed regret for using abusive language that surfaced in audio sting in which he purportedly hurled expletives against rebel AAP leaders Ajit Jha and Anand Kumar.

“I am a human being and I make mistakes. I was angry. The kind of language could have been avoided,” he said in comments that came amid the turmoil in the Aam Admi Party(AAP).

The Delhi Chief Minister was speaking after launching a book titled “The Crown Prince, The Gladiator and the Hope” authored by AAP leader Ashutosh.

He also sought to dispel the notion that contrarian voices don’t have a place in the party and said that there was respect for different view points in the party.

“The notion that there are no contrarian voices among us are wrong. It would be wrong to say Ashutosh, Manish Sisodia and Kumar Vishwas agree to everything. They have all left their careers, put everything at stake and joined us.

“But everything happens within decorum. There is a limit. Within the four walls, we argue and fight a lot, but outside we are a team. When limits are crossed, it is painful,” Kejriwal said.

When further prodded on Shanti Bhushan’s comments that BJP’s Kiran Bedi was a better Chief Ministerial candidate, he said, “There were a series of incidents. I felt a lot of pain. Just before the election, such statements were issued which could affect (the outcome of the polls).”

The AAP chief said that he broke down at a National Executive meeting in June last year because “conspiracies were being hatched and personal attacks were being made.”
“Probably it was difficult for me to handle it emotionally. That is the reason I got emotional,” Kejriwal said.

Bhushan and Yadav were first removed from AAP’s top decision-making body and then from its National Executive for “anti-party” activities.

Asked whether he was a “ruthless” politician in the wake of allegations that dissent within the party had been crushed, Kejriwal dodged the question, saying, “People like me the way I am.”

The AAP chief said that his personal opinion was to not concentrate on 434 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, but only focus on a few constituencies in selected states.

“But the decision to contest in Benaras (against Narendra Modi) was mine,” he said.

Lashing out at the media, the Delhi chief minister said he had won the elections despite them.

“This is a wrong notion that we won because of the media. We won despite the media. The media did not leave any stone unturned to destroy us. They made all attempts to defeat us in the polls. In the last Assembly elections, there was a sting four days prior to the polls, but the people supported us,” Kejriwal said, adding the media has written AAP’s obituaries several times.

(PTI)

Reign in the trigger-happy police force in Andhra and Telangana – statement by JTSA

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fake_encounter

by Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association

JTSA condemns the killing of over 20 woodcutters in the Seshachalam forests and the 5 under-trials in Nalagonda (Telangana). In the first case, reports are already emerging that 7 of those killed, were taken in police custody a day before the encounter. This, along with other details such as bullet injuries on the chest, head and face, contradict the police version of the events. The scale of this violence is unprecedented and suggests how entrenched the culture of impunity is in the state police.

The photographic and video evidence emerging from the police van in which five undertrials – alleged terrorists – were killed by the police party, which was escorting them from Warangal jail to a court in Hyderabad strongly suggests this to be a case of cold-blooded execution in custody. The arms on the dead bodies of these five men – with their hands handcuffed to the seats of the police vehicle – appear to be clearly planted in order to ‘dress’ this up as an exchange of fire. Is it a mere coincidence that the judgment in the case of these five men was due to be pronounced soon?

All efforts must be made to ensure that the post mortem reports and other evidence such as ballistics and the clothes worn by the deceased in both the cases are secured and not tampered with. Time-bound high level judicial probes must be conducted into both the killings. Simultaneously, cases of unnatural death must be filed immediately and special public prosecutors appointed in consultation with the families to prosecute the policemen who participated in the massacres.

The media must follow these cases right through to their logical end in the fixing of accountability and not be satisfied with merely reporting the events as they have taken place.

However, the recent judgment on Hashimpura reveals the problems germane to doing justice to victims of encounters and custodial violence, that are near rampant. While the judgment does not deny the incident of 42 Muslim men being killed in cold blood by the PAC, there were no convictions because of the extremely weak nature of the evidence put forward by the prosecution. There is a need for a clear mechanism whereby either the prosecution or investigating agencies can themselves be held accountable. In heinous crimes such as cold-blooded massacres, how can there be no means to ensure that the investigating agencies and prosecution do their duty in fixing responsibility? Unless such a procedure or mechanism is evolved, justice will always elude the mechanical and cynical application of laws.

BJP appeals to governor not to clear proposed ordinance to trifurcate Bengaluru

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vidhana soudha

Bengaluru: Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today petitioned Governor Vajubhai Vala requesting him not to approve the proposed ordinance by the government to trifurcate the city and to advise it to hold Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections as directed by the High Court.

BJP leaders led by Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and Former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka, former Ministers Suresh Kumar, Somanna and Arvind Limbavali among others, marched to the Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to the Governor.

The JDS, led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, also staged a protest in the city opposing the state government’s move to trifurcate Bengaluru City.

“We understand that the state government is contemplating trifurcation of Bangalore City by issuing an ordinance before the BBMP elections that are due after its dissolution on April 21. The Bangalore city BJP unit strongly condemns the state government’s cavalier approach and its unilateral decision to impose their writ against the wishes of people of Bangalore,” BJP in its memorandum said.

Flaying the ‘haste’ at which the state government was going about on the issue, BJP informed the Governor that the three member committee formed under the Chairmanship of B S Patil (former Chief Secretary) is yet to submit its final report but the state cabinet has approved the trifurcation after hurriedly obtaining an interim report from the panel.

Questioning the state cabinet’s decision to split BBMP into three corporations citing efficient administration and governance, the BJP said it was being done with an ulterior motive to postpone the BBMP elections scheduled for May.

The Karnataka High Court has passed orders to ensure that the BBMP polls are conducted before May 30, 2015, BJP in its memorandum said, adding, that the ordinance route was only aimed at creating legal hurdles for the elections.

(PTI)

Swami accused of sexually assaulting a school teacher; remanded in judicial custody

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Sevalal Swami

Davangere: Banjara Samaj Gurupeeth seer Sardar Sevalal Sanganabasava Swami who is accused of sexually assaulting a woman has been sent to one-day judicial custody by First Additional Sessions Court Judge Vishwanath B Suryavamshi on Wednesday.

The hearing was adjourned till Thursday. The court, however, granted bail to the mother of the seer, one of the accused in the case.

On Tuesday, the judge had issued a non-bailable warrant against the seer after he failed to appear in person during the last three hearings in connection with the case. A police team led by CPI Pampapathy, PSI Nagamma and staff executed the warrant by arresting the seer from a devotee’s house in the city and produced him before the court on Wednesday.

The seer was accused of having sex with a woman for eight years, promising to marry her and later betraying her.

The victim, a city-based schoolteacher, had lodged a complaint with the Davangere women’s police station on June 26, 2013, charging the seer with sexually assaulting her. She accused mother and sister of the seer of aiding and abetting the seer.

On April 4, the victim filed another complaint at the women’s police station stating that the seer, attired in plain white clothes, visited her house and pleaded with her to not appear before the court for hearing on April 7. The victim furnished the photos to the police, showing the seer in plain clothes at her house.

Meanwhile, Banjara community leader and Davangere APMC president Raghavendra Naik has said that the community has distanced itself from the Sanganabasava Swami and that he was never accepted as the pontiff of Sevalal Gurupeeth.

(Agencies)

Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi appointed new Chief Election Commissioner

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Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). He will assume his charge on April 19, an official statement said on Thursday.

Zaidi succeeds Chief Election Commissioner Harishankar Brahma, who demits the office on April 18.

Zaidi, a 1976 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, was appointed the election commissioner on August 7, 2012, by the president. He retired as civil aviation secretary on July 31, 2012.

Zaidi has served in various key positions, including Director General of Civil Aviation and chairman of the Airports Authority of India.

(Agencies)

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