1. Delhi riots case: Court frames murder charges against AAP’s Tahir Hussain, others
2. NIA raids Ghazwa-e-Hind operatives in Nagpur
3. Rahul Gandhi Disqualified As MP After Conviction In Defamation Case: Kapil Sibal
4. Pro-Khalistan protest: UK foreign ministry calls violence at Indian HC ‘unacceptable’
5. US pick for World Bank Ajay Banga to meet with PM Modi in Delhi

What Else

6. ‘Futile Propaganda’: India Snubs Pakistan Over Kashmir Remark At UN
7. Russia cannot meet arms delivery commitments because of war, Indian Air Force says
8. Marion Biotech’s manufacturing licence cancelled over kids’ deaths in Uzbekistan
9. Opposition raise concerns over EVM use in electoral process, to meet Election Commission
10. China-Russia trade surge lifts yuan use, but Russians would ‘give right arm’ for US dollars
11. No requirement in Pakistan program that interferes with polls: IMF
12. J-K TeNeM and Sunni Force PoK organized a protest in Khoi Ratta against corruption and inflation

Delhi riots case: Court frames murder charges against AAP’s Tahir Hussain, others

• Delhi’s Court has framed murder charges against former AAP MLA Tahir Hussain+10 in connection with the murder of IB official Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Delhi riots.
• On Feb 27, 2020, Ankit Sharma’s body was recovered from a drain in northeast Delhi’s Chand Bagh area.
• The postmortem showed that Ankit Sharma died of a hemorrhage suffered due to grievous injuries to his lungs and brain.
• In its order, the court stated that Tahir Hussain was continuously acting in a manner that was supervising and motivating the mob.
• The court further stated that these things were carried out to target the Hindus.
• 51 injuries found on IB staffer Sharma’s body, postmortem says he was attacked with knives, rods
• The Delhi Police filed two chargesheets in the Delhi riots case on June 2, 2020. (here)

NIA raids Ghazwa-e-Hind operatives in Nagpur

• As part of investigations in the ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ case of July 2022, the NIA on Thu carried out raids and searches at the houses of 8 suspects across 3 states.
• Incriminating material, including digital devices (mobile phones, memory cards) and documents, were seized, agency sources said.
• Last year in July, a case was registered in Phulwarisharif in Bihar against members of the Ghazwa-e-Hind module, which was being operated and controlled from Pakistan.
• Marghoob Ahmad Danish alias Tahir is said to be the administrator of the terror outfit’s WhatsApp group, which was launched by a Pakistani national, Zain.
• Tahir, who was arrested, added to the group many impressionable youngsters from India as well as other countries, including Pakistan and Yemen, to radicalize them and to constitute them into sleeper cells to carry out terrorist activities.
• Besides WhatsApp, groups were also made on other social media platforms like Telegram and BiP Messenger. (here)

Rahul Gandhi Disqualified As MP After Conviction In Defamation Case: Kapil Sibal

• Rahul Gandhi, who was convicted on Wed in a defamation case for his comment against Modis to target PM Modi, has been disqualified as a Member of Parliament.
• The Congress leader was an MP from the Wayanad seat, however, he now stands disqualified, as per the law, confirmed former party leader Kapil Sibal.
• Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, says that the moment an MP is convicted of any offense and sentenced for at least 2 years, attracts barring.
• “The law states that the moment you are convicted in any offense for two years, then your seat stands vacant,” Sibal said.
• “…He (Rahul Gandhi) can stay on as a member of parliament only if there is a stay on the conviction,” added Sibal. [Stay on the quantum of punishment, shall not work]
• “The law requires it and naturally the Speaker will move by the law,” he added.
• He also termed the conviction bizarre and said, “For a statement made in respect of certain individuals, for him to be convicted for two years — it is bizarre.”
• Sibal quit the Congress in May last year amid much bitterness and started his new platform “Insaaf ki Sipahi (platform for justice)”. (here)
• Senior Congress leader, Renuka Chowdhury to file defamation against PM Modi on his ‘surpanakha’ remark in house.

Pro-Khalistan protest: UK foreign ministry calls violence at Indian HC ‘unacceptable’

• India and the UK have a strong partnership that is driven by close, personal ties, said UK Foreign Secy James Cleverly while adding that the violence is unacceptable
• The UK govt will make sure that there is proper security there as well as at all other foreign embassies in the country.
• The assurance comes after pro-Khalistani protested outside the Indian HC in London for hours on Wed, throwing water bottles, etc.
• In retaliation, India on Wed lowered the level of security in front of the British high commission and the envoy’s residence in New Delhi. (here)
• Indian High commissioner to UK V Doraiswami meets the UK minister of security and minister of state in UK’s foreign office for South Asia.
• Canada’s FM says in “contact with Indian diplomatic officials” over the Khalistani protests; it says, “committed to the safety and security of missions and diplomats”
• Global Affairs Canada is committed to the safety and security of these missions and diplomats.
• We take very seriously our security-related obligations under international law.
• Canada Govt Assures Commitment to Diplomatic Safety Amid Khalistani Protests and Contact with Indian Officials.

US pick for World Bank Ajay Banga to meet with PM Modi in Delhi

• The US nominee to lead the WB, former Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga, returns to his native India on Thu, capping a 3-week global tour to drum up support.
• The Treasury said Banga will visit New Delhi on Mar 23 and 24, where his likeness has already been posted on billboards.
• He will meet with PM Modi as well as the minister of finance, Nirmala Sitharaman, and the minister of external affairs, S Jaishankar.
• India’s govt endorsed the candidacy of Banga, a longtime finance and development executive who is now a US citizen, soon after his nomination in late Feb.
• He has won the support of enough other govts to virtually assure his confirmation, including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.
• The World Bank will accept nominations from other countries until March 29, but no competitors have been announced. (here)
• Banga tests positive for covid in India; U.S. Deptt of the Treasury in a statement says he remains “asymptomatic…. In adherence with local guidelines, he is quarantined in isolation.”

‘Futile Propaganda’: India Snubs Pakistan Over Kashmir Remark At UN

• India has once again slammed Pakistan for raking up the Kashmir issue at the UNHRC after it spoke about J&K during the General Debate under Agenda item 4.
• During its right of reply at the UN, India warned Islamabad against spreading propaganda and attempts to foment communal disharmony in India.
• India reminded Pakistan about the condition of minorities and called on the neighboring country to focus on the safety, security, and well-being of its minority.
• The Indian diplomat said that the democracy of India is mature enough to address any issues, including those instigated from the outside.
• He said that minorities in Pakistan face blasphemy laws, systemic persecution, discrimination, denial of basic rights and freedoms, enforced disappearances, and killings. (here)
• Pakistanis interrupt discussion on Kashmir’s transformation at Washington Press Club; escorted out: In a video, a visibly agitated Pakistani official appears to yell at the speaker during the discussion.
• At the same time, another Pakistani was seen escorted out shouting ‘Freedom of speech’. The Pakistani gentleman was then promptly escorted out. (here)
• Kashmiri activists raise concerns about hybrid warfare, radicalization, and drug trade at UNHRC: The 52^nd session of the UNHRC was a platform for Kashmiri activists from India to voice their aspirations and concerns regarding cross-border terror.
• Shuib Lone, a former lawmaker, and activist highlighted the major decline in violence, largely due to the constitutional changes in 2019 and local govt reforms. (here)

Russia cannot meet arms delivery commitments because of war, Indian Air Force says

• Reuters – Russia is unable to deliver vital defense supplies it had committed to India’s military because of the war in Ukraine, the Indian Air Force (IAF) says.
• New Delhi has been worried that Moscow’s invasion in Feb 2022 could affect military supplies from India’s largest source of defense equipment.
• The IAF statement is the first official confirmation of such shortfalls.
• The IAF statement was made to a parliamentary committee, which published it on its website on Tue.
• An IAF representative told the panel Russia had planned a “major delivery” this year that will not take place.
• A spokesperson for the Russian Embassy in New Delhi said: “We don’t have information which may confirm the stated.”
• There was no immediate response from Rosoboronexport, which is the Russian govt’s weapons export arm.
• The report does not mention specifics of the delivery.
• The air force had projected capital expenditure of $10.38 billion in 2022-23 and cut it to $7.15 billion in the national budget presented in Feb. (here)
• Xi Jinping’s visit will not impact India-Russia ties: Russian envoy: Russian envoy to India on Thu refuted claims by media experts that Chinese President Xi’s recent visit to Russia will harm Indo-Russian strategic ties. (here)

Marion Biotech’s manufacturing licence cancelled over kids’ deaths in Uzbekistan

• The license of Noida-based Marion Biotech was canceled by the UP Ministry of Food and Drugs in the aftermath of the deaths of 18 children in Uzbekistan, last year.
• Reports alleged that they died after consuming cough syrup manufactured by the firm.
• The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and the State health regulator decided to cancel the license unanimously.
• The official added that the firm can no longer “manufacture the syrup”.
• The official noted that the Noida Police arrested 3 employees of Marion Biotech from its Noida office on Mar 3, and LOU was issued for 2 of its directors.
• The FIR had come after an initial probe found that samples of Marion Biotech were “adulterated” and “not of standard quality.” (here)

Opposition raise concerns over EVM use in electoral process, to meet Election Commission

• The opposition parties held a meeting at NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s residence in the national capital in which the parties decided to seek answers from the EC of India regarding the efficacy of Remote Electronic Voting Machines in the elections.
• Leaders of various political parties participated in the meeting convened by Pawar including Congress MP Digvijaya Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, and Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav, SP leader Praful Patel, CPI leader D Raja, BRS leader Keshava Rao, CPIM leader Elamaram Kareem among others. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

China-Russia trade surge lifts yuan use, but Russians would ‘give right arm’ for US dollars

• Trade between China and Russia has grown significantly, catapulting the yuan to become a regional reserve currency for Moscow
• Analysts said it will not help significantly internationalize its use as the move is “a sign of its desperation” with “no use” in everyday life in the largest country in the world.
• Russia’s economy has been hit by Western sanctions, resulting in a broader use of the yuan after the Washington-led curbs restricted access to the US dollar.
• President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, signed a joint statement promising deeper financial cooperation this week, but the use of the yuan is seen to be limited to one-way trade despite an increase in commercial activities.
• “Recently, our Russian customers have begun paying us in yuan, it was often the US dollar,” said Will Liu, a marketing manager for a Guangdong-based medical device exporter. (here)

No requirement in Pakistan program that interferes with polls: IMF

• The IMF said on Thu that decisions regarding the constitutionality, feasibility, and timing of provincial and general elections “rest solely with Pakistan’s institutions”,
• Clarifying that there was “no requirement under Pakistan’s EFF-supported program which could interfere with the country’s ability to undertake constitutional activities”.
• This comes a day after the Election Commission ECP decided to put off the Punjab Assembly elections by more than 5 months, citing financial and security constraints.
• The ECP’s order on Mar 9 wherein the Fin secy briefed that “due to financial crunch and it was under compulsion by IMF, which has set targets for maintenance of fiscal discipline and deficit.
• The order also said that the Punjab chief secy, in a meeting held on Mar 14, had said that “it shall not be possible for the provincial govt to fund the elections” (here)
• PTI to move top court against ECP decision on Punjab elections date: PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry has said his party will challenge the ECP decision to postpone the date for general elections in Punjab from Apr 30 to Oct 8 in the SC.
• In light of the SC’s split ruling last month, President Arif Alvi announced the date for the Punjab polls after consulting the ECP.
• “There is no other option but to hold elections on April 30,” they insisted (here)

J-K TeNeM and Sunni Force PoK organized a protest in Khoi Ratta against corruption and inflation

• Jammu Kashmir Tehreek-e-Nizam-e-Mustafa and Sunni Force Azad Kashmir organized a protest in Khoi Ratta against corruption and inflation demanding imposition of Nizam-e-Mustafa in AJK at once.
• It was said that the AJK Government is promoting feudalism which is not acceptable. (Kashmir Express)
• United Kashmir People’s National Party North America member Madad Liyaqat condemned the ban on the book ‘Kashmiriyaat’ based on basic information about IOJK and sealing the book center in Dadyal and Bhimber.
• He added that this is a very big conspiracy that the AJK Govt is involved in but its real actors behind this conspiracy are the secret departments of Pakistan that are using various tricks to keep the new generations of Kashmiris at bay from knowing the reality of Kashmir.
• Liyaqat further added that all such elements should know that in the current era of internet and social media hiding information and truth is not possible and so making the world aware of violation of basic human rights in Kashmir from the history of Kashmir is not impossible.
• He vowed that UKPNP-North America will keep spreading our voice across the globe for getting the basic rights of Kashmiris. (Kashmir Express)