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SC asks Centre to give details of 5th time applicants for Haj

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Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba at the Grand mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia September 8, 2016. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday asked the Centre to furnish details of applicants aged between 65 and 70 years, who have applied for four times earlier but have not been able to go for the Haj pilgrimage.

The top court clarified that it was an ad-interim measure and wanted the Centre to file the details of such persons to examine the issue raised by the Kerala Haj committee alleging that the policy to grant state-wise quota for Haj pilgrims was discriminatory.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud sought the Centres response by February 19.

“Purely as an ad-interim measure, it is directed that Pinky Anand, Additional Solicitor General, shall file a statement with regard to the fifth time applicants, who have crossed the age of 65 years and are below 70 years and have never been able to go for the pilgrimage,” the bench said.

Fifth time applicants are those who had applied four times earlier but were unable to go for Haj due to the limited quota fixed by the Centre for each state, and have applied again this year.

During the hearing, the ASG said the Centres policy was that all Haj seats should be equally distributed among the states and all of them should be given equal opportunity.

The bench then asked Anand as to what happened to the surplus seats.

She said the surplus seats “are kept in general pool and then subsequently distributed among the states on the basis of application received statewise.”

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the Haj Committee, said the current policy of the Centre to give state-wise quota was “arbitrary” and “discriminatory”.

He said Kerala has a higher number of people who want to go for Haj pilgrimage than states like Bihar and suggested that there should be an all-India draw of lots to select the pilgrims.

“First, let the details come then we will see what can be done in the case,” the bench said.

On January 5, the apex court had issued notice to the Centre seeking its response on the plea within two weeks.

The Kerala Haj committee had said that India has been allowed by the Saudi Arabian government to send 1.7 lakh Haj pilgrims every year and the Centre distributed the quota on the basis of the Muslim population in each state.

The Haj committee had earlier referred to the example of Bihar and said it gets 12,000 pilgrimage seats as against a total number of 6,900 applications last year.

In stark contrast, Kerala got 6,000 seats against 95,000 applicants desirous to go for Haj and, as a result, every applicant in Bihar gets the opportunity to go for Haj, but in Kerala, the situation was not so, it had said.

The Centre had justified the present quota policy saying it had been devised by the Central Haj Committee after considering the suggestions of the state Haj panels.

The Haj Committee had also raised the issue of allotting 25 per cent Haj seats to private tour operators and alleged that they charged exorbitant price of up to Rs four lakh from one pilgrim.

Instead of allowing private operators, the government should be sending all pilgrims for Haj which would begin in August this year, it had said.

(PTI)

Main accused in Kasganj violence held

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Lucknow: The main accused in the Chandan Gupta murder case in Kasganj was arrested on Wednesday even as a Congress delegation was stopped from entering the violence-hit district amid continuing tension in some pockets.

“Saleem, the main accused, has been nabbed,” IG, Aligarh range, Sanjeev Gupta said.

Kasganj SP Piyush Srivastava said notices pertaining to attachment of properties of the accused have been pasted on their houses.

Authorities stopped a Congress delegation in Mirhachi area in Etah on the border of Kasganj district.

They denied permission to the delegation from entering troubled areas, citing law and order issues, official sources said.

District Magistrate, Kasganj, R P Singh had refused to give permission to the Congress delegation apprehending that their visit to the troubled areas might create additional problems.

At least three shops, two buses and a car were torched after a youth was killed in clashes following stone-pelting by a mob on a motorcycle rally taken out to celebrate Republic Day last week.

At least 118 people have been arrested in connection with the violence. Tension still prevailed in a few pockets of the western Uttar Pradesh town.

Police said normalcy was slowly returning to the violence-hit town where security personnel have intensified patrolling in sensitive areas.

Stray incidents of vioon Wednesday. Officials said the state government was preparing a report sought by the Centre on the violence and steps taken to control it.

“We are sending a report on the incident and steps taken to restore peace. Details of the steps taken to punish the culprits will also be furnished to the Union Home Ministry,” an official said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday that his government was committed to providing security to each and every citizen.

“Anarchy has no place in the state,” he said, and promised strict action against the perpetrators of violence, asserting the guilty would not be allowed to go unpunished.

The Uttar Pradesh government has come under fire over the clashes with even Governor Ram Naik terming the Kasganj violence a “blot” on the state.

Opposition parties have also attacked the state government over the clashes.

(PTI)

Ramadoss says Cauvery talks with Karnataka wrong, Stalin hails it

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Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami’s move to meet and urge his Karnataka counterpart to release Cauvery river water to save the Samba paddy crop on Wednesday elicited contrasting responses from DMK and PMK leadership, with the former hailing it.

PMK founder S.Ramadoss on Wednesday termed the state government’s approach as “completely wrong” as he claimed it would be akin to forgoing Tamil Nadu’s hard-fought rights in the river water dispute with Karnataka.

In a statement issued here, Ramadoss said that as per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) Karnataka should release 192 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water per year but had released only 112 TMC this year.

The PMK leader said the Tamil Nadu government should have instead taken steps to get the balance 80 TMC water from Karnataka, taking the help of the Supreme Court and the central government.

Ramadoss said as Assembly elections were around the corner in Karnataka, its Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would not order release of Cauvery water.

On the other hand, DMK leader M.K. Stalin welcomed the Palaniswami’s decision and said he “should have done this much earlier”.

Stalin said Palaniswami should take along with him leaders of all opposition parties in Tamil Nadu to put pressure on Siddaramaiah to release water.

“If need be, Palaniswami should take all the opposition leaders to Delhi and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue.”

On Tuesday, the Tamil Nadu government said Palaniswami and Ministers from the Cauvery Delta region will meet Siddaramaiah. A decision on this was taken at a meeting on Monday.

The statement said a letter seeking an appointment had been sent to the Karnataka Chief Secretary and its Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary.

An official statement said water inflow into Mettur Dam had gone down and hence sufficient water could not be released for irrigation.

(IANS)

All India Mahila Empowerment Party making waves in Karnataka

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Dr. Nowhera Shaik conferred with The Nasheman Ratna Award 2018. Seen with Managing Editor of Nasheman Weekly, Mrs. Husna Rizwan.

by Rizwan Asad

Newly launched All India Mahila Empowerment Party’s (MEP), which has announced its decision to contest elections in all the 224 seats in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections under the leadership of Dr. Nowhera Shaik, is making waves in Karnataka.

With the entry of MEP, the calculations of major political parties have gone in jeopardy and many are worried about their political future.

As MEP is concentrating more on women, who are the majority of voters, and they may eat into the votes of other political parties, which in turn, many political parties are fear that they may lose their seats to MEP.

It may be recalled that many people are fed up with the present political parties, as only promises have been done, in terms of security, water, electricity and development, which has not been delivered in the last 2-3 decades.

The so-called major political parties have only given false promises for the past decades, and they have not given basic security to women. And even in govt, there are no women, who can raise above men, which is a sad state of affairs.

According to Dr. Nowhera Shaikh, fighting for justice and empowerment of women is MEP’s top priority, and free education to all, irrespective of caste, colour and creed, and MEP wants to see that the women in the state get their due rights.

There are more than 64 crores women in India, and yet, their basic necessities are not looked. It’s high time, we fight for the rights of women, and when MEP comes in power, we promise to fulfil, the agenda, which is there in our manifesto. It’s high time, people bring in a change, by giving MEP a chance.

It may be recalled, after the success of rallies in Tumkur, Kolar and Chikkaballapur, and the recent speech by Dr Nowhera Shaikh at the Nasheman Awards, thousands of people, especially women are joining the party, and more than 1700 applications have come in, from people of all walks of life, and as the days are passing by, MEP is growing stronger and getting a strong foothold, in the whole of Karnataka. Dr. Nowhera Shaik has promised that she’ll never let the people of Karnataka down. She has promised that she’ll get the free education.

She is confident of winning more than 150 seats, saying that most of her candidates will be women. She has invited people who have the motive to serve the nation, by joining the hands of MEP.

Syria opposition missing from Russia’s Sochi talks

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The Syrian opposition figures were apparently offended by Syrian government flags in the airport [Image from social media]

by Al Jazeera

Russia-hosted talks on the war in Syria are being held in Sochi without the representation of any major opposition group.

Turkey-backed rebel figures have refused to leave the Russian city’s airport in a last-minute protest.

An amateur video obtained by Al Jazeera on Tuesday showed a group of Syrian opposition delegates, who had arrived from Ankara late on Monday, waiting for a flight back to Turkey.

“Late last night, there was a kerfuffle down at the airport here – distressed Turkish officials running around trying to persuade a group of Turkish-backed opposition delegates to leave the airport,” said Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands, reporting from Sochi, referring to Monday evening.

“They apparently didn’t want to come out of the airport buildings because they had seen Syrian government flags plastered all over the branding for this Sochi conference, and that upset them.”

New constitution

The Sochi event, officially known as a Syrian Congress of National Dialogue, aims to foster an agreement between the government and the opposition to form a commission to write a new constitution for the war-torn country, Challands said.

But that seemed unlikely to happen without backing from major opposition figures.

The Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC), the country’s main opposition group, said following two days of UN-led talks in Vienna last week it would not attend the Sochi congress.

The SNC accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian backers of continuing to rely on military might and showing no willingness to enter into honest negotiations.

Authorities from Syria’s Kurdish autonomous region said at the weekend they would also boycott the event because of the ongoing Turkish offensive on the Kurdish enclave of Afrin.

“The belief among the opposition has always been that the Sochi conference, and probably this commission as well, is essentially representing Moscow and Damascus interests,” Challands said.

“They, along with Turkey, have been saying over the past few hours and days that perhaps they would agree with the proposals of the commission as long as it is limited and focused on maintaining direction towards Geneva [the UN-curated peace process].”

He added the opposition groups believed talks in Geneva were going to ultimately give the final peace settlement for Syria.

“And Turkey and the Syrian opposition groups do not want anything to deviate from that.”

The Sochi conference was originally scheduled to be a two-day event, but it was shortened to a one-day forum on Tuesday.

Russia’s Tass news agency on Tuesday cited the forum’s organising committee as saying that 1,511 out of more than 1,600 invited delegates arrived in Sochi for the event from Syria, Geneva, Cairo, Moscow and Ankara.

The committee source reportedly said 107 delegates were representing the Syrian “domestic” opposition, including Qadri Jamil from “the Moscow platform”, Randa Kassis from “the Astana platform”, Syria’s Tomorrow Movement led by Ahmad Jarba, Haytham Manna from National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change and representatives of the Civil Movement.

The committee source broke down the ethnicities of the participants, saying the majority were Arabs. Kurds, Yazidis, Assyrians, Armenians, Circassians, Chechens, Dagestanis, Abkhazians, Turkmens and Druze were also represented, according to the source.

Inside Syria, clashes and air raids by the Turkish army continued against Syrian Kurdish fighters in Afrin on the eve of the Sochi congress on Monday, with new civilian casualties reported.

In neighbouring Idlib, at least 23 civilians were killed on Monday in air raids launched by Syrian government warplanes, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and Syrian Civil Defence.

Sankara Eye Hospital organizes ‘Shikshana 2018’, to enhance ophthalmic (eye) care

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Bengaluru: Sankara Eye Hospital recognized as one of the specialist eye care infirmary in the country has organized a one-day medical forum, ‘Shikshana 2018’ at Vivanta by Taj, M.G Road, Bangalore. Almost 130 doctors participated from various regions of the state and country as this is a platform to interact and learn from the stalwarts in the field regarding preferred current practices and recent advances in the ocular field. Shikshana the daylong conference organised by Sankara Eye Hospital Bangalore, had over 100 doctors deliberate on aspects of orbit , oculoplasty and neuro ophthalmology.

The session provided practical information regarding concepts, diagnosis, surgical tips and management of ocular diseases in an interactive way to all the practicing ophthalmologists and upcoming post graduate students who have attended the event. Some of the interesting topics included diseases of the LIDS and lid position, diseases like orbital tumours and their treatment and diseases pertaining to the optic nerve and the visual pathway.

Few of the case studies that was discussed in the session were; a 6 year child with recurrent redness was treated as an allergy and it took a suspicious doctor to look at the eye lash under a microscope to see demodex a parasite.

Ravi(name changed) from Salem as a 14 year old was advised removal of his eye for a tumour melanoma. Re-examination showed it to be a possible benign variant melanocytoma and only that part needed to be excised. Today as a 21 year old he is working for a technology major.

A 24 year lady had pain discomfort around her right eye with a drop in vision which recovered. An MRI was done to rule out a pituitary tumour and with a course of steroids she had a full recovery.

The seminar has been conceptualized to bring in expert advice from doctors and discuss regarding various developments in the field of Occuloplasty. Oculoplastic surgery being the main objective of the event, which includes a variety of surgical procedures that deal with the eye socket, eyelids, tear ducts, face and the reconstruction of the eyes.

Neuro-ophthalmology is another parallel topic of discussion in the forum, a subspecialty which combines with the areas of neurology and ophthalmology, often dealing with complex systemic diseases in the visual system.

“We are extremely overwhelmed with the response received for the event which is a part of the 40th year celebration of the Sankara Movement. The session has certainly given more insights into the generally undiscussed aspects of eye care treatment, and the recent technology advancements in the field. The medical forum has been an extremely successful event today and we are looking forward in organizing similar events that will help in knowledge sharing and deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges in the field”, said Dr. Saptagirish Rambhatla, Dean and Head of Department, Orbit and Oculoplasty, Sankara Eye Hospital, Bangalore.

Bengaluru: Differences crop up among siblings over Gauri Lankesh murder probe

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Bengaluru: The commemoration of the 56th birthday today of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, shot dead here last year, saw differences crop up among her siblings over the SIT probe to nab the killers and the motive behind it.

While Gauri’s sister Kavitha expressed confidence on the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case, their brother Indrajit said he would move the High Court for a CBI probe. “Today is Gauri’s birthday; it has been almost five months now…the investigation is like stagnant water. I personally feel that politically it (investigation) is going as one-sided,” Indrajit told reporters.

He said he had decided to move the High Court seeking a CBI investigation, because he wanted a ‘fair probe’ as he felt there was ‘political pressure’ on the SIT. “Today I have taken a decision..I have also spoken to our advocate. Very soon I will approach the High Court requesting for a CBI probe, because for five months SIT has done its job. But I somewhere feel that due to political pressure they are investigating in one particular angle,” he said.

Indrajit said he had taken the decision as he wanted to ensure that the probe was carried out in ‘all angles’ so that Gouri’s real killers were nabbed and the actual reason behind the killing known. Kavitha begged to differ saying there has been good progress in the SIT probe and she ‘trusted’ the agency. She said SIT asked for a month’s time and were updating her and her mother about the progress of the probe.

“There has been good progress.They have evidence but are taking time so that they have solid evidence to avoid any gaps. I trust them,” she told reporters in another press meet. Asked for her reaction to Indrajit’s comments, she said “I don’t know what he is saying….without speaking to (SIT) officers or knowing things, it is wrong to comment.”

On the move to seek a CBI probe into the case, she said it would only give out a wrong message as the investigation would have to start from the beginning. Moreover not one of the 13 cases from Karnataka being probed by CBI had been solved yet, she said.

“When SIT has made such a progress at the time when it is ending if it goes to CBI they will start from the beginning.”

Both siblings also differed about observing the day as ‘Gauri Day’, organized here to commemorate her 56th birthday. The function was attended by Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani, actor Prakash Raj, JNU students’ leaders Kanhaiya Kumar, Shehla Rashid and Umar Khalid, among others.

While Indrajit termed the event, which he did not attend, as one sponsored by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Kavitha said it was organised by Gauri Memorial Trust and government had nothing to do with it. Indrajit said it was time society questioned Siddaramaiah and the Congress government about the culprits after five months. “I don’t think I will get justice there,” he said.

To this, Kavitha said the event was organised by the trust and money that came in as donations has been accounted for. “Anyone can check the account, it is open. Nothing from the government.. my sister always opposed any favour from the government,” she said.

The trust was formed in December 2017 in memory of Gauri Lankesh with an intention help launch a publication akin to her eponymous tabloid and to promote development and investigative journalism.

Gauri Lankesh, known to be an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead by unknown assailants at her home here on the night of September 5 2017. The killing led to national outrage and protests by many groups over “rising intolerance” in the country and attempts to muzzle dissent with the criticism targeted at the Modi government and right-wing groups. State Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy had in November last year said the killers would “100 per cent” be nabbed in a few weeks, even as he claimed that SIT had clues about the assailants, but those could not be disclosed at the moment.

The state government has announced Rs 10 lakh reward for anyone giving clues about perpetrators of the crime. SIT had in October released sketches of two suspects and CCTV footage in connection with the case and had sought people’s help in nabbing the accused.

(PTI)

Jignesh Mevani to campaign against BJP in Karnataka polls

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Bengaluru: Gujarat’s Dalit leader and newly elected MLA Jignesh Mevani on Monday urged the Karnataka electorate to not vote for the BJP in coming Assembly polls and said he will campaign against that party in the southern state.

“I’m ready to compromise with my ideologies to save our Constitution and to keep the BJP from winning the Karnataka elections,” Mevani said, speaking at a commemoration event held here on the birth anniversary of slain journalist Gauri Lankesh.

He also said that mainstream political parties from Karnataka should form an alliance to defeat the BJP.

Mevani, MLA from Vadgam in Gujarat, said he will campaign against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for three weeks in April. The elections are likely to be held in April-May in Karnataka.

The elections to the current 224-member Karnataka Assembly were held in May 2013.

“I will speak to the Dalits (in Karnataka) and tell them their vote shouldn’t go to the BJP,” he said.

He claimed the BJP and Prime Minister Narandra Modi had not kept their promises of providing two crore jobs every year, made ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

“The government hasn’t paid much attention to jobs or farmer suicides but only focused on issues like love jihad,” he said.

(IANS)

Delhi HC asks EC to state facts behind AAP MLAs’ disqualification

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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Election Commission (EC) to state the factual aspects behind its decision to disqualify the 20 AAP MLAs for holding office of profit by filing an affidavit.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar asked the poll panel to file the affidavit after the EC said it wanted to respond to some of the allegations made in the MLAs’ pleas challenging their disqualification from the Delhi Assembly.

The commission also told the court that it would rely upon its opinion given to the President to disqualify the 20 AAP MLAs who were appointed as parliamentary secretaries.

After the brief proceedings, the court listed the matter for further hearing on February 7 by when the MLAs have to file their responses to the EC affidavit.

The court also extended till then the January 24 interim order of the single judge restraining the EC from issuing any notification announcing byelections to fill the vacancies of the 20 Assembly seats whose legislators have been disqualified.

The matter was transferred to a division bench yesterday after advocate Prashant Patel, on whose plea the EC had recommended the MLAs disqualification which received the Presidential nod, moved an application for transfer of the matter to a division bench.

(PTI)

Farmer’s funeral pyre will destroy you, Sena warns BJP

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Mumbai: Taking a grim view of the suicide by an octogenarian peasant demanding fair compensation for his acquired lands, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday warned its ruling ally BJP that Dharma Patil’s funeral pyre will destroy the BJP government.

Condemning the incident which happened in the state government Mantralaya where the Dhule-based 84-year-old Patil consumed poison on January 22 and succumbed during treatment six days later, the Shiv Sena launched a vitriolic attack on the BJP.

“This is not governance. The Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) should run the state, not the BJP. Your administration stands on the dead body of Dharma Patil. His funeral pyre will reduce your chair to ashes,” the Sena said in editorials in party organs ‘Saamana’ and ‘Dopahar Ka Saamana’.

It pointed out how Fadnavis was delivering speeches in Davos at the World Economic Forum summit when farmers in the state were committing suicide.

“What’s the use of foreign investment in such circumstances? Merely making speeches will not solve the questions of food, shelter and clothing. Patil has been ‘murdered’,” the Sena said.

It added that though Patil was no more, his death had sparked a new flame in the minds of the farmers suffering injustice.

Recalling the sequence of events, the Sena said Patil was offered a compensation of just Rs 400,000 for his five acres of prime, fertile land, while a neighbouring farmer with a plot of less than two acres was given Rs 20 million (Rs 2 crore).

“He sought justice at the district level, then approached Mantralaya, where he was again ignored for three months. There were 600 mango trees flourishing on his land, plus a well, drip irrigation, electric pumps, and all he wanted was adequate compensation. By giving Patil this meagre amount (Rs 400,000), the government played a cruel joke on him,” the Sena said.

When the matter erupted into a crisis, the government attempted to ‘bribe’ him with Rs 1.50 million (Rs 15 lakhs) compensation, which Patil’s family refused and asked for a fair compensation, it said.

“In the name of projects for ‘vikaas’, government-appointed ‘agents’ grab control of such land. Those farmers who strike deals through ‘agents’ get huge compensation, the rest have to settle for paltry amounts. This is the scenario,” the Sena said.

The government machinery was also equally responsible for Patil’s suicide and the concerned minister and officials should be charged with murder, it said.

Accusing the erstwhile Congress-Nationalist Congress Party goverenment, the Sena said during their 15-year rule 15,000 farmers committed suicide. So all former Chief Ministers and officials should be similarly booked.

“This government is cheating farmers in the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj… In a similar situation, he would have thrown off his ministers and courtiers from mountain cliffs,” the Sena said.

(IANS)

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