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Muslims are Indians by choice, not only by birth: Asaduddin Owaisi in Bhatkal

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Asaduddin Owaisi Bhatkal

Bhatkal: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has said that those who suspect Indian Muslims’ patriotism should know that Muslims are the only community who are Indians not only by birth but also by choice.

Addressing the valedictory ceremony of the centenary celebration of the Majlis-e-Islah Wa Tanzeem, a leading social organization in Bhatkal, warned the communal forces against maligning the image of this coastal town.

Criticizing the ‘Ghar Wapsi’ re-conversion drive taken up by Hindu outfits, he said, “Instead of talking about Ghar Wapsi (‘homecoming’), let them talk about ‘black money Wapsi’. This is the land where Prophet Adam stepped his feet. We are from this land. Our faith is not so weak that we will listen to the Ghar Wapsi propaganda.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to bring black money within a month after coming to power, and depositing Rs 15 lac in every person’s bank account. What happened to that promise now?” he questioned.

Asserting that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism and terrorist activities, he said, “I condemn the global attitude of relating violence with Islam. There is no relationship between ISIS, the terrorist organization and Islam. ISIS was born in the US.

“There are thousands of Dalit and Muslim prisoners languishing in jails for no fault of theirs. They should be released. Innocent Muslim youth should be acquited of the accusations of violence,” he opined.

He further said, “The police had warned that peace would be disrupted if I came to Bhatkal. Bhatkal is a part of India and I will keep coming here. Nobody can silence me.

“Those who call me communal should answer a few questions first. What is the reason for Muslims in India to remain backward and poor? There are Muslims in India who live under abject poverty. There are 42 percent of poor Muslims in Gujarat, 52.7 percent in Assam and 22.4 percent in Karnataka. Who is responsible for this? We are not vote bank machines. This is our land too, and we have every right to run the country and strive for its prosperity. Our children too should get education and reach the moon. Do not play politics with education. Give us scholarships and better facilities, so that we also get quality education. Do not deprive us of our fundamental rights,” Owaisi urged.

Owaisi congratulated Majlis-e-Islah Wa Tanzeem on completing 100 years and appreciated the service it has been rendering to society, especially with relief aids during natural calamities like the Kashmir floods.

Convener of the centenary celebrations committee Abdulla Damudi compered the programme while Tanzeem secretary Mohideen Altaf Kharuri proposed the vote of thanks.

Markazi Jamatul Muslimeen chief qazi Muhammed Iqbal Mullah Nadvi, Khalifa Jamath qazi Maulana Khwaja Mohideen Akrami Nadvi, Tanzeem president Muzammil Qaziya, vice-president S M Syed Parvez and others were present.

Rajasthan: 'IM' mail sender held, no terror link, not a Muslim

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email_case

Jaipur: The Rajasthan ATS on Saturday arrested a 34-year-old resident of Jaipur’s Murlipura area for for allegedly circulating emails to 16 ministers warning them of terror strike by Indian Mujahideen on Republic Day.

The police have identified accused as Sushil Chaudhary who was held on Saturday night for circulating threatening email claiming of orchestrating terror strikes in the state on the eve of Republic day.

The email sent to 16 Rajasthan ministers to their official email id on 22 December read, “We are Indian Mujahideen. You people be careful. We are going to give you a Big Bang surprise. You can do whatever you want, but it’s a challenge that we will carry out many bomb strikes in Rajasthan on January 26. Stop us if you can.”

“We have arrested Sushil Chaudhary, a resident of Murlipura area in Jaipur, after tracking IP (internet protocol) address of a cyber cafe,” the officer told IANS.

“Chaudhary confessed that he sent those e-mails to the ministers from a cyber cafe,” official said.

“The accused was arrested by the ATS from his residence after Google provided us the IP address through which he circulated the mails. It was traced to a cyber cafe in Vidhyadhar Nagar here,” ATS ADG Alok Tripathi told PTI.

“We were provided the IP address yesterday and the accused was held last night,” Mr Tripathi said.

“Prima facie there is no terror link and the accused is being interrogated to verify his motive,” he said.

The accused created a fake email id and sent the emails from a cyber cafe, ATS officials said. The ATS had requested the email company to provide details of the email id which led to the arrest, they added.

However, as per reports, even after getting the IP address, it proved very difficult for the police to trace him via cyber-crime investigation as he had skipped Gmail’s phone verification process while creating a fake Gmail account.

As reported by ToI, he had searched ‘how to bypass Gmail verification process’ on Google. He followed some steps after learning to bypass the process, so his contact information was routed through a website which generates fake phone number of the account creator for Gmail verification. The number which he used was US-based which initially confused the police.

Nevertheless, the IP address suggested that the email had been generated using a Reliance network. After getting the address from where the email was generated, the police reached the cyber cafe. Though Sushil provided a fake ID card, the police worked out some clues and identified him.

Low-intensity blast kills one, injures three at busy Church Street in Bengaluru

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PTI Photo

PTI Photo

Bengaluru: A low intensity blast rocked Church Street in Bengaluru on Sunday December 28. The explosion, which was minor, took place outside Coconut Grove restaurant.

A woman was killed and three persons were injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on the crowded Church Street at 8.35 p.m. on Sunday.

The deceased woman, hailing from Chennai, was identified as Bhavani Devi (38). The injured persons were identified as Karthick, Sandeep and Vinay. While Sandeep and Vinay were admitted to HOSMAT Hospital, Karthick and Bhavani Devi were shifted to Mallya Hospital.

No organisation has claimed responsibility for the blast so far.

The IED wrapped in a piece of cloth was placed behind an ornamental flower bush in front of Coconut Grove, a popular joint on the Church Street. The injured were pedestrians who were passing by. People ran helter-skelter after the blast while some others thought was a fire cracker burst. One of the persons injured was even thrown to a distance of over five feet, eyewitnesses said.

An auto driver named Narasimha Murthy rushed the injured to Mallya hospital in his auto, with the help of people who were at the spot.

Top police officials including city police commissioner M N Reddi rushed to the spot and are collecting evidence.

As soon as explosion took place, people were seen running helter skelter and eyewitnesses said that lot of confusion prevailed at the spot. The police have cordoned off the area.

M N Reddi said that additional police forces including the KSRP, canine squads and forensic experts have been pressed into action. He said the injured were hit by shrapnels from the IED.

Asked whether there were threats to the city, Reddi said there was a general threat perception due to the festivities, the New Year and recent happenings, but no definite threat, and the police have been alert.

The police commissioner has reportedly sent communique to all police stations, sources said and asked the Bengalureans to be on high alert. “One low intensity blast on Church Street. 2 injured, 1 serious. All requested to be alert & inform 100 if any unintended object found,” Reddi stated in his Twitter account.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today announced a compensation of Rs five lac to the kin of a woman who was killed in the low-intensity explosion outside a popular restaurant here that also left three persons injured.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the injured at a hospital here in the wee hours, Siddaramaiah said the government would provide a compensation of Rs five lac to the family of the woman, who succumbed to injuries sustained in the explosion last night.

(Agencies)

Salman Khan turns 49

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Salman Khan

Mumbai: Salman Khan is celebrating his 49th birthday today. The film fraternity took to Twitter to wish the ‘Dabangg’ star.

Smith's 192 puts Australia on top

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India's Shikhar Dhawan, right, is caught out by Australian captain Steven Smith during play on day two of their third cricket test in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)

India’s Shikhar Dhawan, right, is caught out by Australian captain Steven Smith during play on day two of their third cricket test in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill)

Melbourne: Steven Smith continued to haunt India as he compiled a career-high Test score of 192 runs to help Australia amass a mammoth 530 in the first innings and put his team on top after day two of the third Test ended with the visitors 108 for one, trailing by 422 runs, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here Saturday.

Australian stand-in captain’s knock landed India into an uncomfortable position of playing catch-up for the rest of the match. They were 108 for one at stumps with Murali Vijay (55 batting) and Cheteshwar Pujara (25 batting) at the crease.

Shikhar Dhawan (28) was the lone batsman dismissed by pacer Ryan Harris. Pujara was dropped on 12 by wicket-keeper Brad Haddin off Josh Hazlewood.

Smith’s centuries in Brisbane and here Saturday made him the first Australian to score two centuries in their first two Tests as captain.

The right-handed batsman’s imperious form saw him become only the 13th Australian to score centuries in three consecutive Tests.

He also crossed 500 runs in the four-Test series during his marathon knock, getting valuable support from Haddin (55), Mitchell Johnson (28) and Harris (74) at the MCG.

They were all aggressive with the bat with Harris hitting his highest Test score.

The Indian team again failed to polish off the tail that wagged resolutely to essentially bat the tourists out of the contest.

But it was Smith who was undoubtedly the star of the show, smashing his third consecutive century of the series with a knock studded by 15 boundaries and two sixes.

Australia resumed the day at 259 for five with the game in the balance and Smith on 72, accompanied by Haddin on 23.

And it was Haddin, overnight not out on 23, who came out with a more menacing mentality.

Aware that the Indians would target his perceived weakness against short-pitched bowling, he waited on the back-foot to counter the strategy.

Willing to pull and hook at the slightest provocation, he carted the short balls to all round the park for a form-finding half-century, cracking seven boundaries and a six on its way.

The Indians continued to feed Haddin despite seeing their plan becoming counter-productive.

Haddin perished much against the run of play, edging while trying to leave a Mohammed Shami delivery to give India a ray of hope at 326 for six.

But Smith quashed any such prospect by continuing to score freely. The Indians had neither any concrete plan nor any inspiration to stop the 25-year-old.

To make matters worse, they couldn’t dismiss the bowlers at the other end to minimise the damage.

Just like the Gabba Test, the Aussie tailenders hung around, setting up crucial partnerships with Smith. Initially they were circumspect, content only to defend but flashed their bat around when they grew confident.

Smith upped his scoring pace after the dismissal of Harris to guide Australia past the 500-run mark and was ultimately bowled trying to scoop an Umesh Yadav delivery towards fine leg.

Shami was the most successful bowler for the Indians, claiming four wickets for 138 runs from 29 overs. He was followed by Yadav and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, both taking three wickets each.

But all wickets claimed came at the cost of bleeding considerable amount of runs, with all four frontline bowlers giving away more than 100 runs each for their efforts.

(IANS)

Ghalib's Agra forgets him on birthday

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Despite repeated demands to name a road or an auditorium after the famed poet, the municipal corporation has not responded and Agra University has turned down a demand to set up a Ghalib chair to promote research and work in Urdu literature

Mirza Ghalib

Agra: Mirza Ghalib, whose contribution to Urdu literature was perhaps as significant as that of Shakespeare to English, was born here on this day over 200 years ago. The Taj city Saturday not only forgot to celebrate his birthday but also does not have a decent memorial to the poet, activists said.

Despite repeated demands to name a road or an auditorium after the famed poet, the municipal corporation has not responded and Agra University has turned down a demand to set up a Ghalib chair to promote research and work in Urdu literature.

Syed Jaffrey, director of the Mirza Ghalib Academy, wants better facilities and support from the government to promote research in Urdu literature.

“Agra, which has given so much to the Urdu culture, should have a decent memorial for the poet. The municipal corporation has proposals pending to name a street after the poet but there has been no follow-up,” he said Saturday.

The haveli in Kala Mahal area where Mirza Asad Ullah Khan ‘Ghalib’ was born in 1796 is now a girls’ inter-college. The mansion has no memorial to the poet.

The Uttar Pradesh tourism department had at one time planned to take over the haveli and convert it into a memorial, but the plan was shelved for some reason.

Ghalib moved to Delhi where his poetic talent blossomed and found new expression at a time when Bahadur Shah Zafar was the Mughal emperor.

Sandeep Arora, a member of the city’s hotel and restaurant association, said when foreign tourists ask to be taken to Ghalib’s birthplace, Agra citizens feel “very embarrassed”.

“The central and state governments should jointly build a fitting memorial and a library in Agra for Urdu poetry lovers,” he said.

Surendra Sharma of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society said Ghalib’s house “should be converted into a national memorial” for the poet “whose contribution to Urdu literature has been as significant as that of Shakespeare to English literature”.

(IANS)

Modi government slashes Centre's allocation to Karnataka under MGNREGA

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MGNREGA

Bengaluru: Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil today slammed the Narendra Modi-government for “slashing the state’s allocation under the MGNREGA”, saying it would hit developmental work and poor people.

“The slashing of state’s allocation under MNREGA will hit not only the developmental work in rural areas but also poor villagers,” he said after a meeting of Chief Executive officers of Zilla Panchayats here.

Patil flayed the central government for meting out “step-motherly” treatment to the state.
He said the Centre released full amount of Rs 4,210 crore at one go under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to Andhra Pradesh but slashed Karnataka’s allocation by Rs 1,200 crore.

Patil said he would be meeting Union Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh between January 3 and 4 in New Delhi and request him to increase the allocations for the state under the scheme.

He also said he would attend the RDPR Ministers’ national conclave in Thiruvananthpuram on January 6 where he would once again press for increase in MNREGA allocations for the state.

Patil said “in a federal set up the government at the Centre cannot discriminate between the states or slash the release of funds to the state governments.”

The Minister said the RDPR department has constructed 5.10 lakh toilets as against the target of six lakh set for this year.

“I am confident we shall achieve the target by March end of the financial year,” he said. For next year, the department has set a target of constructing 10 lakh toilets, Patil added.

By 2018, the government is determined to build toilets in all the houses in the state. “By 2018 state will be freed of open defecation menace,” he said.

Patil said there is no proposal before government to postpone the panchayat elections to be held in May.

“Elections to GPs will be held as per schedule – there’s lot of time left to prepare. Six months are left,” he said.

(PTI)

PUCL statement on the mass killings of Adivasis in Assam

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A vehicle burnt by protesters at Gossaigaon in Sonitpur district of Assam on Wednesday. Photo: PTI

A vehicle burnt by protesters at Gossaigaon in Sonitpur district of Assam on Wednesday. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has condemned Tuesday’s violence against tribal people in Assam and called for strong action to avoid a repeat of such incidents.

In a statement, it said unarmed tribal people in Sonitpur and Kokrajhar districts of Assam were shot dead by gangs of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (Songbijit).

“PUCL demands that the police and para-military authorities immediately ensure the safety, security and protection of lakhs of people in the districts of Kokrajhar, Sonitpur and other districts of the Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts adjoining the border areas of Assam – Bhutan. At the same time, it should be stressed that unless the roots of the conflict are addressed and resolved, such violent attacks are bound to recur.”

“We learn that the NDFB (Songbijit) faction itself is led by a non-Bodo and does not enjoy the support of wider sections of the Bodo people themselves. We also learn that there is great popular resentment, even amongst the Bodos, against the NDFB(S) faction due to their extortionist activities and illegal and forcible collection of taxes from all communities, including the Bodo. Despite public knowledge of such illegal activities, the state government has done nothing to curb the unlawful activities of this group which is using arms to terrorise local population. In such a situation, to cloak what is clearly criminal activities using the term `terrorist’ is to lend legitimacy to the group and give an impression as though they are pursuing a political demand.”

“At the heart of the Bodo conflict is the long simmering sense of frustration, anger, alienation and disaffection caused by decades of neglect and mistreatment by successive regimes, both at the state and centre, which has kept large sections of the Bodo people in a state of deprivation, impoverishment and backwardness.”

“There is also a perceived sense of historical injustice to the Bodos in their own homeland. The substantial influx of outsiders coming in as migrant labourers who eventually settle in the area has changed the Bodo – non Bodo population demographics. In turn this has created communal resentment and tensions which is cynically used by political forces to foster violence. This will need to be firmly put down.”

“The Governments, both State and Centre, should seriously initiate a major programme aimed at reassuring the Bodos of their historical identity and ensuring their inclusive development. At the same time, the governments should work to bring about greater community integration and harmony amongst different social sections in the area. Solutions cannot be found through enforcing police or military actions but only through genuine efforts at reconciliation and development which are actually seen to be implemented in the field. Equitable and inclusive development must be seen and felt to be occurring and benefiting all the communities, especially the Bodos. This can be the only sound basis for engendering communal harmony.”

“PUCL also calls upon all the political parties, especially the ruling Congress (I) party in Assam and the NDA at the Centre, not to indulge in games of finger pointing or apportioning blame but to work together to bring about communal harmony, reconciliation, amity and peace,” the statement said.

Mumbai court drops MCOCA charges in IM terror email case against 23 Muslims

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email_case

Mumbai: In a major setback to the Mumbai police, a court here dropped the charges under stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act against the 23 persons arrested for having links with terrorist group Indian Mujahideen reported PTI.

The Mumbai crime branch had arrested a set of 23 people in August 2008 and alleged that they were behind the terror emails that warned bomb blasts and later claimed the responsibility of the bombings. The accused, said the police, had hacked into the unsecured wi-fi network of a private firm Chembur, Khalsa college’s wi-fi and the wi-fi network of an American national, Ken Heywood (who stayed in Navi Mumbai).

Furious at the latest development, crime branch officials have declared it will appeal against the order of special court before the Bombay High Court.

It should be noted that the court has already granted bail to seven accused in the case due to insufficient evidence to support prosecution case against them. Mumbai crime branch had investigated the case in the aftermath of the August 23, 2008 Ahmedabad blast. The prosecution charge sheet claimed the accused had sent out email – especially to the media – claiming responsibility of the blasts.

A similar order had been passed earlier in the 2012 Pune serial blasts case. The crime branch of the police had arrested these men in connection with email sent to media houses and government offices minutes before blasts in Surat, Delhi and Hyderabad, allegedly carried out by the IM.

The Mumbai police’s spokesperson Dhananjay Kulkarni said the police will challenge the order. As the special MCOCA judge A L Pansare dropped the charges under the Act, the case is likely to be assigned to a regular court now.

In February this year, the court had dropped MCOCA charges from the Pune blasts case, observing that sections of MCOCA and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act cannot be applied together.

A series of 21 blasts had rocked Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008 in a span of 70 minutes, killing 56 and wounding over 200. Twenty-six unexploded bombs were found at different locations in Surat between July 28 and 30.

Two cars filled with material required for making explosives and detonators were found parked on the roadside near a hospital and other on the outskirts of Surat.

It was claimed that IM, had sent e-mails to TV channels claiming responsibility for the blasts.

‘Kissing Baba’ arrested in Andhra Pradesh

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Kissing Baba

Hyderabad: The “kissing baba”, a fake godman who was hugging and kissing women devotees to treat their illness and solve other problems, has been arrested in Andhra Pradesh, police said Friday.

He was Thursday arrested in Proddatur town of Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.

Police produced him before a court, which sent him to judicial custody for two weeks. The court also referred him to a mental hospital as he appears to have unsound mind.

Police said they also arrested Subba Reddy who was popularizing the fake saint among the people in the district. He used to tell people that the baba can remove their affliction and solve financial and domestic problems.

The bogus godman was operating for last two months from a room behind Ayyappa temple in the town. Many issueless couples were also approaching him.

Police swung into action after some television channels beamed shocking visuals of the man kissing and hugging women devotees. He used to give only a lemon to men but misbehave with women.

Police have appealed to people not fall into the trap of such fake godmen.

(IANS)

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