Newsletter 17 Feb

February 17, 2020
 Team

Top 5 of the Day

1- PM Modi Inaugurated various project in Varanasi
2- Kejariwal Took Oath 3rd time as Delhi CM
3- Pakistan used cross-LoC trade to pump in money for J-K militants, arrested LoC trader tells NIA
4- Air Defense Command to be rolled out by beginning of 2021, says CDS General Rawat.
5- SC asks 3 senior advocates, to talk to protestors at Shaheen Bagh and try to persuade them on shifting the protest site

Tweet of the Day..

National

Kejariwal Took Oath 3rd time as Delhi CM yesterday

  • Along with Arvind Kejriwal, 6 other ministers have also took oath. While addressing a rally in Ramlila Maidan, he mistakenly (?) said “Delhi ko mahan Rastra bnayenge”.
  • Arvind Kejriwal (CM), Manish Sisodia, Satyender Jain, Gopal Rai, Kailash Gehlot, Imran Hussain, and Rajendra Gautam
  • As per norm, only 10% of member of assembly capacity can be minister.
  • Portfolio allocation in Delhi Govt has been finalized, CM Arvind Kejriwal will not be taking charge of any Department
    • Manish Sisodia will be the Dy CM and he has been allocated Education, Finance, Planning, Land and Building, Vigilance, Tourism, Services, Art, Culture and Languages Departments.
    • Satyendar Jain was heading the Home, Health, Public Works Department, Power, Industries, Urban Development, Irrigation and Flood Control Departments.
    • Gopal Rai, the Babarpur MLA, was heading the Labour, Employment, Development and General Administration Departments.
    • Imran Hussain headed the Food and Supply, and the Elections Departments.
    • While Hussain was heading the Forest and Environment for most of the term, it was later transfected to Kailash Gahlot towards the end of the tenure.
      • Gahlot was also responsible for the Transport, Revenue, Law and Justice, Legislative Affairs, Information and Technology, and administrative Reforms Departments.
      • Rajendra Pal Gautam was responsible for the Social welfare, SC and ST, Cooperative and Gurudwara Elections Departments.
      • Today, Sushil Gupta, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP, on if the party is planning to expand its presence beyond Delhi: If the public calls us, then we will have to go. If the country has to be improved then we will go wherever the public calls us.
      • Delhi Min. and AAP leader Gopal Rai, We will hold a campaign from 23rd Feb to 23 March in all the States to help people join the AAP. Our aim is to make 1 Crore people join this campaign.Is it in accordance with scheduled press conference on Feb 13th (couldn’t happened) by Indian political strategist, Prashant Kishor? 

PM Modi in Varanasi on Sunday; to launch over 30 projects

According to the PM’s Office, PM Modi had flagged off IRCTC’s ‘Maha Kaal Express’ through a video link. The first overnight private train in the country will connect three Jyotirling pilgrim centers of Varanasi in UP, and Ujjain and Omkareshwar in MP.

He has also dedicated to the nation the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Memorial Centre.

He also dedicated to the nation the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Memorial Centre and unveil a 63-feet tall statue of the RSS ideologue.

Later, he dedicated over 30 projects to the nation. These include

A 430-bed super-specialty government hospital at Banaras Hindu University

A 74-bed psychiatry hospital, also at the university.

He also participated in the closing ceremony of the centenary celebrations of Shri Jagadguru Vishwaradhya Gurukul and would release the translated version of the Shri Siddhant Shikhamani Granth in 19 languages and its mobile application.

Modi addressed a public rally and inaugurate Chowkaghat-Lehartara over-bridge.

He would also inaugurate the Vedic Science Centre at BHU.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath was present at the occasion along with his Karnataka counterpart, CM BS Yediyurappa and the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Anandiben Patel.

Modi would inaugurate a two-day ‘Kashi Ek Roop Anek‘ event at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Hastakala Sankul showcasing products from all over UP.

He also interacted with buyers and artisans coming from countries, including the United States, England and Australia.

Pakistan used cross-LoC trade to pump in money for J-K militants, arrested LoC trader tells NIA

Davinder Singh case

As per media sources, Former president of the LoC Traders’ Association, Tanveer Ahmed Wani, has

  • told the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that Pakistan was using the trade across the Line of Control (LoC) to pump in money for terror activities in JnK.
  • Wani is the sixth person who was arrested in the suspended JnK DSP Davinder Singh case.
  • Wani’s role comes under the scanner for giving money to Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Naveed Babu. After his arrest, he was taken to Jammu by the NIA on a two-day remand.
  • Earlier this month, NIA conducted a raid at the Tral residence of Davinder Singh, who was arrested on charges of escorting terrorists to travel outside JnK last month.
    • The NIA had registered a case against unknown people in connection with the trade across the Line of Control (LoC) in JnK in 2016 and carried out raids at trade facilitation centers in Salamabad in Kashmir’s Baramulla district and Chakan-da-bagh in Poonch district of Jammu.
    • During its probe in the past four years, the NIA had been unable to find the final beneficiary of the money received from traders, the officials said, adding that after Naveed’s questioning the agency had got a vital link.
    • The officials said that some more people were likely to be picked up for questioning in the case as the probe in the DySP’s case has brought the 4-year-old case to focus.
    • The cross-LoC trade, started in 2008 as a confidence building measure between India and Pakistan, was stopped in April last year by the Centre citing “funneling of illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency”.The officials said that they did not rule out the possibility of arrested police officer Singh having knowledge about the funding pattern through trade as he had been associated with Naveed Babu for long.

India Supreme Court makes landmark ruling on women in army

  • India’s top court has ruled that all women army officers are now eligible for permanent commissions, allowing them to be in commanding roles.
    • The ruling means that all women officers will now be on par with men when it comes to promotions, ranks, benefits and pensions.
    • The SC rejected the government’s plea to overturn the Delhi high court’s order on the same matter.
    • The ruling has been hailed as a “great leap” towards equality in the army.
    • Many serving and retired officers had been campaigning for this. Women at the moment are inducted into the army through the Short Service Commission (SSC) and don’t qualify for a permanent commission – which allows an officer to serve a full tenure.
    • So women are initially meant to serve for five years, but have the option of extending their tenure. However, they don’t get the same benefits as their male counterparts.
    • The only exceptions are the army’s legal and education wings, where women officers have been eligible for permanent commissions since 2008.
    • The government last year agreed to give permanent commissions to women but said this would only apply to those officers who had served less than 14 years, citing physical limitations of older women officers.”The contentions of center [the federal government] regarding the issue of physiological limitations and social norms to deny opportunity to women officers is disturbing and cannot be accepted,” Justice DY Chandrachud said while reading out the court verdict.

Air Defense Command to be rolled out by beginning of 2021, says CDS General Rawat

  • Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat said that it is likely that there will be a separate JnK theatre but the shape would be finalized later.
  • Indian Navy’s Eastern and Western commands to be integrated into Peninsular command.
  • CDS on Mon announced that India is looking to set up two to five theatre commands and the first one will be rolled out by 2022.
  • He said that it is likely that there will be a separate JnK theatre but the shape would be finalized later. He noted that the plan is to set up separate joint commands for logistics and training.
  • “The Military theatre commands are planned to be rolled out by the year 2022.
  • The shape of different theatre commands would be clear after the studies to be ordered in this regard are completed,” said General Rawat.

The Air Defense Command will be helpful in avoiding fratricides and timely implementation of orders in case of aerial attacks. He confirmed that the Indian Air Force will the air defense command and all long-range missiles and air defense assets will come under it.

SC asks 3 senior advocates, including Sanjay Hegde to talk to protestors at Shaheen Bagh and try to persuade them on shifting the protest site

  • SC asks senior advocates Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran and former Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah to talk to protestors at Shaheen Bagh and try to persuade them on shifting the protest site
  • People can protest but what is troubling us is the blocking of roads during protests. It’s is the fundamental right of people to protest: SC
  • The petitions seek appropriate directions to the Centre and others for removal of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters from Shaheen Bagh, near Kalindi Kunj
  • Our concern is what will happen if people start hitting the streets and block the road while protesting. There must be a balancing factor: SC
  • SC said that it is not saying that people have no right to protest against a law but the question is where to protest.

ISRO opens registration for its Young Scientist Program

  • The residential training program will be of around two weeks duration during summer holidays (May 2020) and it is proposed to select 3 students each from each State/ Union Territory to participate in this program covering state, CBSE, and ICSE syllabus.
  • Those who are studying in 9th standard will be eligible for the program.
  • The selection will be based on the 8th Std marks and extracurricular activities. The selection will be done through online registration.The online registration can be done through ISRO website www.isro.gov.in  up to 24th Feb 2020.

  • The 3 Kashmiri students of KLE Institute of Technology, arrested after their video allegedly with pro-Pakistan slogans went viral, were produced before a court in Hubli today amid protest by lawyers and activists of Hindu orgs. The 3 have been sent to judicial custody till March 2nd.

Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister(I/C), Civil Aviation, today handed over the letters of appreciation issued by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the 68 Air India Staff, who conducted evacuation operation of the Indians stranded at Wuhan. 

Remember, when a total of 647 Indians, as well 7 Maldivians, were evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the Novel Corona Virus Flu.

International

PM Imran Khan at Afghan Refugee Conference, said “8 million Kashmiris are in open prison because of BJP’s racist ideology. It will have severe implications in the future if the international community won’t raise voice”.

All most every day, somewhere, somehow on any forum, he seeks international intervention on Kashmir issue.

MQM founder Altaf Hussain has said the reports of JeM chief and UN-designated terrorist Masood Azhar having gone missing from so-called custody of the Pakistani Army.

In a tweet, Hussain noted that the reports of Azhar Reports of Masood Azhar having gone missing raises questions on Pakistan

and his family having gone missing has come ahead of the beginning of the key plenary session of FATF in Paris.

More than 800 representatives from 205 countries and jurisdictions around the world, including the IMF, UN, World Bank, and other organizations, will take part in the meeting.

In a separate tweet, Hussain expressed his concern over the visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Pakistan.

Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed declared individual terrorists under new anti-terror law

The decisions have been taken nearly a month after Parliament approved a crucial amendment to The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 1967

Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed were on Wednesday declared individual terrorists. (PTI)

Pakistan is jailing me for 11 years. That’s what I get for my service of training jihadis- Hafiz Sayeed

“My name is not Khan and I AM a terrorist. But there is more to me. I am a philanthropist, revolutionist, destructionist, activist, perfectionist, feminist and now, a Twitter Terrorist. Although my account remains suspended by Twitter” he said.

Like the rest of Pakistan, this space on social media too was for long occupied by General Twitter. But not anymore. After all, I am no less than any Pakistani general. I have served my country by training jihadis and making hate speeches at the Jummah sermons. Oh, I forgot to mention that I am also a professor, as per The Print.

British MP Debbie Abrahams, who is critical of Kashmir policy, denied entry in India

  • Debbie Abrahams, a Labour Party MP who chairs a parliamentary group focused on the Kashmir, was unable to clear customs after her valid Indian visa was rejected.
  • Abrahams and Harpreet Upal, arrived at the airport on an Emirates flight from Dubai at 9 am.
  • Upal said the immigration officials did not cite any reason for denying Abrahams entry and revoking her visa, a copy of which, valid until Oct 2020, was shared with the AP.
  • A spokesman for India’s foreign ministry did not immediately comment.
  • Later, around 1500 hrs, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that Abrahams’ e-visa was cancelled so she was not allowed entry in Delhi today. She was informed about it timely and with due process.
  • “I tried to establish why the visa had been revoked and if I could get a ‘visa on arrival’ but no one seemed to know,” she said in the statement.

“Even the person who seemed to be in charge said he didn’t know and was really sorry about what had happened. So now I am just waiting to be deported … unless the Indian Government has a change of heart. I’m prepared to let the fact that I’ve been treated like a criminal go, and I hope they will let me visit my family and friends.”

Political

Babulal Marandi merges JVM with BJP, Amit Shah says he was stubborn against joining

  • Babulal Marandi went back to his parent party BJP 14 years after he quit the party and formed the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM).
  • Former Jharkhand CM Babulal Marandi has merged his JVM with the BJP at an event in Ranchi in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda.
  • Marandi went back to his parent party BJP 14 years after he quit the party and formed the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM).
  • Neeraj Kumar, JDU: Tejashwi Yadav will soon take out ‘Shahi Yatra’&its truth is that the high tech bus (Yuva Kranti Rath) belongs to Mangal Pal, who is registered under Below Poverty Line category.
  • Tejashwi must tell who did financial fraud with him bought the bus under his name?
  • Mangal Pal, the man under whom the bus (Yuva Kranti Rath) is registered: I do not belong to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category.
  • I am a contractor. The person under whom I am working has bought the bus under my name. All allegations are false.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi (party of 1 MP), “I request Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao to put a stay on National Population Register enumeration as Kerala did.”

NPR has no relation with the census & social welfare schemes. It is purely an exercise to implement NRC in the future.

States

JnK: Budgam Police told ANI yesterday, we have booked 2 drug peddlers, Ashiq Ahmad Gojri and Tariq Ahmad Parray under Public Safety Act (PSA). Huge quantity of drugs was seized from their possession and they were subsequently arrested and booked under multiple sections of the NDPS Act

  • Nawab Malik, Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) “State government will carry out a parallel enquiry in Bhima Koregaon case through SIT…Our Home Minister will make a decision soon, over forming the SIT”.
    • The Centre, in a sudden move last month, transferred the case from the state police to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), triggering a huge political row.
    • Despite of order issued by Pune court, such statement create doubt about intention of center and state.
    • The announcement comes on a day Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar met NCP ministers in the coalition government in the state amid public differences with ally Shiv Sena over the transfer of the case to the NIA, as well as the implementation of the National Population Register (NPR) in the state.
    • Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, after initial criticism of the Centre’s decision, recently approved the transfer of the Elgar Parishad probe to the NIA, allegedly overruling the state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who too is from the NCP.
    • Criticising the Chief Minister, Pawar had remarked that since law and order was a state subject, it was ‘unfair’ for the rights of the state to be ‘encroached’ upon.

The Elgar Parishad case, also called the Bhima Koregaon case, pertains to an attack on revellers who had gathered to observe the 200th year of the Bhima Koregaon victory, on Jan 1, 2018. Later that year, the Pune Police made arrested a number of scholars and human rights activists for their alleged links to Maoists, as well as their alleged involvement with the Jan 1 violence.

India in International Frame

BBC

India Supreme Court makes landmark ruling on women in army

Reuters

India’s use of facial recognition tech during protests causes stir

India summons Turkish envoy over Erdogan’s remarks on Kashmir:

Aljazeera

India denies entry to UK Labour MP who chairs group on Kashmir

Team
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