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AAP’s Lokpal ‘mahajokepal’, Bhushan tears into Kejriwal

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A file photo of activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan. Photo: PTI

A file photo of activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan today accused Arvind Kejriwal of playing the “biggest fraud” on people by diluting the provisions of the Jan Lokpal draft of the Anna movement while Shanti Bhushan demanded the Delhi Chief Minister’s resignation.

Bhushan read out certain provisions of the draft Bill, that is yet to be made public by the Delhi government. He claimed that Ministers and officials of the Centre were put under the ambit of the proposed legislation “deliberately” to provoke confrontation.

He said Kejriwal does not like to be questioned like “Modi” so he has chosen not to make the contents of the Bill public.

“No activist or movement in India’s history has played such a big fraud with people. This will only ensure that the Central government does not approve and the Bill never gets passed. Kejriwal never had the intention to form a strong Lokpal body,” the former AAP leader said.

Dissident AAP MLA Pankaj Pushkar, who was also present at the presser at Bhushan’s Noida residence, claimed that he had managed to get hold of its copy in his capacity as a member of the Business Advisory Committee.

Bhushan questioned the appointment and removal processes of the Lokpal laid out in the Bill, which was recently cleared by the AAP Cabinet, saying they would put the Ombudsman at the mercy of the city government.

The Bill purportedly says that a four-member selection committee, comprising the Chief Minister, Speaker, Leader of Opposition and Delhi High Court Chief Justice would appoint the Lokpal, while the removal can be ensured by a motion in the Assembly with two-thirds majority.

“Even the Centre’s Lokpal Act, which has been termed as jokepal by Kejriwal, is stronger than this Bill. This is a ‘mahajokepal’. Kejriwal must resign from office,” senior Bhushan said.

They said by expanding the jurisdiction of the Lokpal, by proposing to bring Centre under its ambit was uncalled for and aimed at stoking another fight. “In all the draft Lokpals that we have prepared till date, state Lokayuktas are not supposed to have any such powers.”

The father-son duo also slammed the alleged provision which stipulates one-year imprisonement for false complaints, which they said will only deter complainants. “So the falsity is to be decided by a sarkari lokpal?” they asked.

“We can now understand why this draft was kept under the wraps. The plan was to pass this maha jokepal Bill and then play victim by claiming that the Centre is obstructing it. Will say nahi karne diya ji,” Bhushan said in a mocking tone.

(Agencies)

Controversy surrounding Aamir Khan’s comments politically motivated

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Aamir Khan

by Sherful Islam

The so-called controversy surrounding Aamir Khan’s comments on growing religious intolerance in the country is unfortunate and politically motivated. What Khan said was nothing new. But when top star expressed alarm and despondency over the rise in the number of such incidences and said that his wife had even contemplated relocating to another country, he was only airing an opinion under the freedom of expression enshrined in the Constitution of India.

Khan was not the first to speak out on the raging issue. His colleague, Shahrukh Khan, had echoed similar views. Several eminent writers, filmmakers, historians et al. have also given up their prestigious honours to inveigh against the government’s failure to respond with alacrity to such incidences. But instead of understanding why Aamir Khan went public with his comments and felt the way he did, a battery of angry posts on the social media, taunts and personal innuendos have welcomed him. What followed more were, inter alia, the calls to boycott his movies, stop using the e-commerce Snapdeal app, which he is brand ambassador of, and the latest by the right-wing Shiv Sena – offering Rs1 lakh to anyone who slaps him – which are nothing short of obnoxious.

So, what is causing more disquiet is that in today’s India, it has become next to impossible for anyone to freely air his/her opinions in public. Even the more worrisome trend is a section of ruling party leaders going hell for leather, accusing Khan of acting as an agent of the Congress and being part of its conspiracy to malign the Narendra Modi government. Some radical Hindu groups went to the extent of labelling him as an anti-national and asking him to leave the country. Mr. Perfectionist also came under attack from some of his Bollywood fellows, including Anupam Kher and Paresh Rawal, who have been the staunch supporters of the current political leadership. But instead of threatening or bullying Khan, the government needs to reach out to him and ask what makes him stick his neck out and say so.

GST bill deadlock: Modi invites Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh for tea

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modi_sonia_gandhi_manmohan_singh

New Delhi: Reaching out to main opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh for tea this evening during which issues like GST may come up.

Modi today invited the Congress leaders at his Race Course Road residence at 7 PM, sources said.

This assumes significance as the Government and the Congress are at loggerheads which is stalling the passage of crucial legislations like the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had yesterday said that the Prime Minister is willing to speak to everyone to get the landmark indirect tax law through.

Jaitley, who needs Parliament approval for GST Bill in the winter session to roll out the new indirect tax regime as planned from April 1, said he has spoken to “almost all Congress leaders” on the issue.

“We have absolutely no hesitation even at the level of Prime Minister. We have never had in it in the past, we don’t have it (now). He is willing to speak to everyone,” he had said.

Congress had stalled passage of the GST Constitution Amendment Bill in the last session of Parliament over its demand that a revenue-neutral rate not higher than 18 per cent be mentioned in it. It is also opposed to states being given powers to levy additional 1 per cent tax on supply of goods over and above GST rate.

(PTI)

ISIL claims responsibility for Bangladesh mosque attack

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Two suspects arrested after gunmen storm mosque and open fire on praying worshipers, killing one and wounding three.

A man wounded in an attack on a Shia mosque is carried for treatment in Bogra district on Thursday [AP]

A man wounded in an attack on a Shia mosque is carried for treatment in Bogra district on Thursday [AP]

by Saif Khalid, Al Jazeera

ISIL claimed responsibility after gunmen killed one Shia Muslim and wounded three others at a mosque in Bangladesh, a US monitoring website said Friday, the second assault targeting the religious minority in a month.

However, a Bangladeshi official denied that Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was operating in the South Asian nation of 160 million people.

Three masked attackers entered the Imam Khomeini mosque in Haripur village and began shooting indiscriminately before escaping, witnesses told Al Jazeera. At least 20 people were performing evening prayers at the time on Thursday.

Two suspects were arrested in connection with the attack in Bogra district, 125 kilometres northest of the capital Dhaka, according to local media reports.

The US-based intelligence group SITE, which monitors the commications of armed groups, said ISIL had taken responsibility online for the mosque assault.

But Muntasirul Islam, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said he doubted the veracity of ISIL’s statements, adding past claims by the group could not be corroborated.

“We have spoken to the media before, categorically denying ISIL’s claims in the past. Investigating agencies did not find any relations with the murder of bloggers and foreign nationals to outside terrorist organisations,” Islam told Al Jazeera.

Seventy-year-old Moazzem Hossain – the mosque’s muezzin, the man who calls Muslims for prayer – died shortly after being admitted to a local hospital.

ISIL has claimed responsibility for the murder of two foreign nationals in recent months, as well as the grisly killings of several bloggers.

On October 24, ISIL claimed responsibility for a series of blasts targeting Shia Muslims in Dhaka during a religious procession, killing one person.

But Islam told Al Jazeera local armed groups were behind past attacks, not ISIL. “They use the name of Islamic of State [of Iraq and the Levant] to attract media attention,” he said.

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said those carrying out attacks are not real Muslims.

“Killing people during prayers at mosques is not a job done by a true Muslim … nor is suicide a job of a true Muslim,” she was quoted as saying.

Amid rising threat to foreign nationals, Australia on Friday asked its citizens to voluntarily leave Bangladesh, adding that it will withdraw government-funded volunteers by December 31.

Additional reporting by Mahmud Hossain Opu

Seventy-year-old Moazzem Hossain - the mosque's muezzin - died shortly after being admitted to a local hospital [The Associated Press]

Seventy-year-old Moazzem Hossain – the mosque’s muezzin – died shortly after being admitted to a local hospital [The Associated Press]

India win third Test, clinch series 2-0

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ashwin_india

Nagpur: India on Friday won the third Test by 124 runs, clinching the four-match series against South Africa 2-0 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium here.

Resuming the day at 32/2, South Africa were bowled out for 185 in their second innings while chasing a target of 310 runs.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the star, scalping seven wickets for 66 runs in 29.5 overs. Leg-spinner Amit Mishra also chipped in with three wickets.

(Agencies)

Five accused in Advocate Naushad Kashimji murder awarded rigorous imprisonment

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Naushad Kashimji

Mangaluru: The court on Friday sentenced three accused to rigorous life imprisonment while two other accused were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for the murder of Advocate Naushad Kashimji.

The accused have been identified as Dinesh Shetty, Ritesh, Ganesh, Pratap Shetty and Subrahmanya; they were convicted on Wednesday.

Of the accused the three serving rigorous life imprisonment and will have to pay Rs 20,000 penalty each are Dinesh, Pratap and Ritesh. However, failure to pay the fine would result in five more years of rigorous imprisonment. They were also sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment with Rs 5,000 penalty each under Arms Act sections 3 and 25.

The other two accused were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 each and failure to pay the fine would attract three more years of rigorous imprisonment. The two also get six months of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 5,000 penalty each and non-payment of the fine would result in five more months in prison.

The penalty paid would be given to Naushad Kashimji’s wife and children.

Advocate Naushad spoke on behalf of Rashid Malbari, a close associate of Dawood Ibrahim and was murdered near his house at Falnir on April 9, 2009.

Naushad’s brother Sameer Kashimji, speaking to the media said that he was happy with the judgment. However, he said that the actual accused was roaming free, but this judgment would be a lesson for all involved in the murder.

(Agencies)

Muslims donate money to bail out 15 Hindu convicts languishing in jail

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indian-jails

Bareilly: “Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever is not kind has no faith,” said Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). As the controversy rages over “intolerance” in the country, here is a group of Muslim men who have quietly done for 15 Hindu men what even their own kin could not.

 

The Muslim men pooled in money to be able to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 to secure the release of the Hindu prisoners languishing for want of money in the district jail. They had been lodged in jail on charges of petty crime like ticketless travel. Unable to cough up the fine to make reparation for their misdeeds, the men were serving an additional sentence. Once the money was paid, the 15 men walked out free birds.

Outside the jail, the Muslims who paid for their release welcomed them into freedom with a warm embrace. As the 15 men stepped out of jail on Wednesday evening, there were smiles and tears all around.

One of the inmates, Nand Kishore, had served out the period of his sentence for ticketless travel, but was not released as he failed to pay a Rs1,000-fine. But as he left the jail premises and strode towards home, Haji Yasin Qureshi and his friends, all Muslims, hugged him and walked along.

Qureshi shrugged off the effusive gratitude that the men showed him and his friends, and said it is just the Almighty who needs to be thanked. He told the 15 men that they should swear never to repeat their mistakes.

The Muslim men had also made arrangements for Nand Kishore’s travel back to his native village. He was given a small sum as “pocket money” too. His eyes moist, Kishore bid the Muslim youth adieu as jail staffers watched, awe-struck.

Among the others to taste freedom were Ajay Kumar, Kishan Sagar, Pappu and Tilak. All of them were warmly embraced as they emerged from the jail, all deeply moved by the gesture of their benefactors who had come to their aid in a time of crisis.

Qureshi, who led the group that collected funds for the release of the men, said, “When we learnt of their plight from jail authorities, we decided that we should do what we could. We are never guided by the feeling that our efforts should be directed only towards members of our own community. We believe that if we help in releasing a man from captivity, Allah will bless us. Moreover, what better occasion than a time when there is all this talk about who should live in this country and who should leave.”

Haji Mohd Anees, a businessman, who too had contributed to the release of the men, said, “Sahib yeh to hamara watan hai aur Hindu hamare bhai hain. Hum yahin paida huwey hai aur yahin khaak mein milengey” (This is our country, Hindus are our brothers. We were born here, we will be buried here and mix with the soil here.)

BR Maurya, superintendent of the Bareilly district jail, said, “The 15 inmates were charged with petty crimes. Some were arrested on apprehension of breach of peace. They were serving out sentences ranging from 6 months to 10 years. The majority of them had served out the full sentence, but could not pay the fine imposed on them by the court.”

(Agencies)

Constitution Day celebrated at Greenwood High International School

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Greenwood High

Bengaluru: In a bid to join the country in national fervour and its tribute, Greenwood High International School celebrated the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar, which will be marked as the Constitution Day henceforth. The special school assembly began with Dr. B R Ambedkar’s teachings and the importance of the day by Principal, Aloysius D’Mello. The students enacted a skit depicting some important events of freedom struggle and the formation of the Constituent Assembly. The preamble to the constitution was also read out in the assembly by all students to mark the significant day. A presentation demonstrated the salient features of the constitution and its making. The program concluded with the school song and the National Anthem.

Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High International School said, “We planned a special assembly today to mark the birth anniversary of one of the most inspiring social reformer which also coincides with the day when the Indian Constitution was adopted in 1949. He was also the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and we wanted the students to understand the fundamental values of our Constitution. Our constitution is a unique one and we are glad to observe this national day”.

NRI Ravi Pillai spends 55 crore for daughter’s wedding in Kerala

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arathi-adithya-vishnu

Kochi: Kerala’s richest NRI Ravi Pillai is reportedly spending Rs 55 crore for his daughter Arathi Pillai’s high-profile wedding with Kochi-based Adithya Vishnu in Kollam, Kerala today.

Pillai is the chairman of the Bahrain-headquartered RP Group with a net worth of Rs 19, 300 crore.

The wedding set, spread over eight acres, has cost more than Rs 23 crore. It has been designed by art director Sabu Cyril of “Baahubali” fame, reports Manoramaonline.

“The design is unique for this event. But it’s largely modelled on the royal palaces of Rajasthan,” said Sabu Cyril. It took him 75 days to create the wedding set.

Manju Warrier, Sobhana and Stephen Devassy will be performing before 30,000 guests inside a 350,000 sq ft set .

The guest list includes royal families of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and UAE, CEOs of Japan Gas Corporation and Chiyoda Corporation Japan, Samsung Group.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Union ministers and film stars including Mammootty and Mohanlal will be attending the function.

Talking about the multi-crore ceremony, Ravi Pillai stated that his daughter’s wedding is not an extravaganza. “Besides conducting my daughter’s marriage in a good manner, I am also spending around Rs 10 crore for humanitarian initiatives. As part of it, as many as 2,000 cancer patients in the state will be given Rs 10,000 each as medical aid,” said Pillai.

(Agencies)

PM Cameron: Britain should join Syria air strikes

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Prime minister urges MPs to approve ISIL air raids, saying UK should not ‘sub-contract’ security to allies.

Cameron said the UK must expand anti-ISIL air strikes to Syria to deny the group a "safe haven" [Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters]

Cameron said the UK must expand anti-ISIL air strikes to Syria to deny the group a “safe haven” [Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Britain should join air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria, Prime Minister David Cameron has said.

Cameron attempted to persuade politicians to back action in parliament, arguing the Paris attacks have given new urgency to the fight against ISIL.

The Royal Air Force is part of a US-led coalition attacking fighters in Iraq, but not in Syria.

Cameron said Britain must join the coalition in Syria to deny ISIL a “safe haven” from which to plot mass-casualty attacks around the world.

“I believe that we should now take the decision to extend British air strikes against ISIL into Syria,” he said in a written statement to MPs. “It is wrong for the United Kingdom to sub-contract its security to other countries.”

On Monday in France, Cameron and French President Francois Hollande pledged to step up security measures after the attacks in Paris on November 13 that killed 130 people.

A parliamentary vote on the issue is expected next week.

Earlier this month, parliament’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee said British air strikes would be “incoherent” and ineffective without a plan to end Syria’s civil war.

Cameron replied on Thursday in the House of Commons saying air strikes were part of a “comprehensive overall strategy” to destroy ISIL and end the Syrian war.

Reporting outside parliament, Al Jazeera’s Charlie Angela said thousands of air strikes had been launched against ISIL in recent months and yet the group still remained a force in the region.

“There’s a big question whether Britain going in with air strikes would be all that effective,” she said. “This would be a good move diplomatically but it remains to be seen how effective militarily it would actually be.”

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