Self-Appointed Vigilantes Continue To Attack Muslim Meat Suppliers, Livestock Traders In Haryana's Gurugram
 Syed Ali Ahmed | India Tomorrow   NEW DELHI, AUGUST 14—Self-appointed vigilantes continue to target Muslim meat suppliers and livestock traders in various parts of Gurugram and nearby districts thanks to inadequate response of the police to the crimes against Muslims.   Two incidents of attacks on meat suppliers and livestock dealers have been reported in the last two weeks itself in Gurugram district, with police registering FIRs in one case simply on statements of the accused, not the victims.   While one incident took place in Khatola village, another incident happened in Gurugram city.   Another incident took place a few months back in a residential colony in Gurgaon in which Muslim family members were beaten up by sticks inside their home. Following that barbaric incident, a number of Muslims had left Gurugram for Muslim-dominated area.   Four Hindu youths from Khatola village called Mursaleen and Nasir, residents of Ghasera village f...

Situation Calm in Northeast Bengaluru, Tense on Social Media, BJP 'Attempts to Communalize Issue'
Syed Sujeel Ahmed | India Tomorrow   BENGALURU, AUGUST 13—All shops and establishments are shut in DJ Halli, KG Halli and Kaval Byrasandra on the second day of curfew imposed till 6 am on August 15, following Tuesday night’s riots. Sporadic movements of vehicles were seen in curfew-imposed areas as residents went out to nearby areas to attend to their chores.   “Just a fortnight back lockdown is lifted and again we are in a lockdown like situation,” said a shop keeper in Kaval Byrsandra sitting outside his closed grocery shop.   The DJ Halli police station limits is densely populated by the auto and taxi drivers from the city. Jeeps, commercial service trucks or tempos, autos and cars used to dot the road, which are now charred.   By and large the situation remained calm on the ground. However, throughout Wednesday, several state and national leaders from the BJP turned their ire towards Muslims and blamed them squarely for the incide...

Ram, Bhushan & Shourie Withdraw Contempt Plea
  NEW DELHI, AUGUST 13—Noted journalist N. Ram, advocate Prashant Bhushan and former Union Minister Arun Shourie withdrew their petition from the Supreme Court. The petition sought directions to declare unconstitutional a contempt law provision, which makes scandalising courts an offence.   A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra told the petitioners counsel senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan that it would not permit withdrawal, for refiling again in the apex court after sometime. Justice Mishra observed: "We can permit withdrawal for liberty to go to the High Court." Dhavan agreed to go before the High Court to challenge the validity of the provision of contempt.   This plea created trouble for some officials in the Supreme Court registry, for listing it before a bench other than the one headed by Justice Arun Mishra which has already taken up similar matters. According to sources familiar with the development, the issues connected with the wrong listing o...

Muslim Mulnivasi Manch Performed Last Rites Of COVID-19 Deceased, Wins Hearts Of All Communities In Pune
By Our Special Correspondent   PUNE, AUGUST 11—Muslim Mulnivasi Manch, a Pune-based social organisation has been tirelessly carrying out the last rites of dead COVID-19 deceased persons belonging to all faiths- Hindus, Muslims and Christians since the lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in last week of March.  The organisation has been at the forefront in providing relief to the families who lost their near and dear ones in COVID crisis but had no wherewithal to perform their last rites due to the restrictions of lockdown. So much so that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has legally permitted the organisation to carry out last rites at crematoriums, graveryards and cemeteries. The organisation has so far carried out as many 240 last rites related to cremation and burials during the last three months.   Its president Anjum Inamdar said that the organisation has members from different professions who work for the cause of humanity without ...

BJP Leader Demolishes The Under-Construction House Of CRPF Jawan Noor Kalim In Sultanpur
 Arshad Afzaal Khan | India Tomorrow LUCKNOW, AUGUST 9—A BJP leader-Shrawan Mishra- who is BJP Block Pramukh of Kadipur block in Sultanpur district, on Friday demolished an under-construction house of a CRPF jawan posted in Kashmir.     The incident happened in Shaikhpur village under Gosaigunj police station. The area falls in the Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency represented by BJP MP Maneka Gandhi.     Police have registered an FIR against Mishra. However, he is yet to be arrested.     According to details, CRPF jawan Noor Kalim had purchased a piece of land on the roadside in the village and had started construction of his house. The plot the CRPF jawan purchased is adjoining an agricultural land belonging to Mishra.     He had laid the foundation of the building and was constructing columns and structure of the house by using steel, concrete and cement.     Narrating about the incident, the CRPF jawan t...

Bijwasan Mosque: Miscreants Lock It, Police Unlocks
Syed Khalique Ahmed & Rasheeduddin Khaja | India Tomorrow   NEW DELHI, AUGUST 9—Some antisocial elements locked the Bijwasan village mosque in Delhi, bordering Gurugram district of Haryana, after forcibly evicting the Imam from the premises on Saturday evening.   However, the police removed the locks and picked up the two accused persons after a local Muslim Dr. Intizar Khan called up the police.   Those detained by the police were Manjit Khatri, son of Bhagwan Khatri and Pramod, son of Mange Ram.   Dr. Khan said that three youths of the village, including Rakesh alias Rocky, son of Chandrabhan, were visiting the mosque Imam for the last few days and asking him to vacate the mosque. These youths came during day time when the local Muslims had gone out for work. There are only four Muslim families who are native of the village.   “We did not take it seriously when the Imam of the mosque Lal Mohammed complained about it”, said Dr...

School In Karnataka Slapped With Sedition Charges, Now Offers 244-Bed Covid Care Centre
Syed Sujeel Ahmed | India Tomorrow   BENGALURU, AUGUST 6—Bidar, a small town in North Karnataka was in the eye of a storm and occupied national headlines during February this year when a school, Shaheen, from the town was slapped with sedition charges.   At the peak of anti-CAA protests, the school had staged a play allegedly involving anti-Modi slur. The conduct of the district police and the rigorous manner in which they conducted probe involving school children of the age 5-9 years, came under sharp criticism by the child rights groups and civil society, as they claimed that the probe violated the Juvenile Justice Act.   Guardian Minister of Bidar in Yeddyurappa government, Mr Prbahu Chavan and district M.P Bhagvant Khuba, both belonging to the BJP, demanded revocation of school’s permission and strict action against the school management.  A schoolteacher and a single mother of a nine-year-old student, who is a housemaid, were put behind...

Trust To Build Babri Masjid, 25 kms Away From Ayodhya
India Tomorrow   LUCKNOW, JULY 30—The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board has announced to set up a 15-member trust to build a mosque in Ayodhya following the verdict of the Supreme Court in the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi title suit last year.   The mosque, according to board chairman Zufar Faruqi, will be constructed 25 kms away from Mabri Masjid site. The government has already allotted five acres of land for it.   Faruqi told mediapersons that the trust would be named the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation.   While he has named nine members of the trust, the remaining six will be co-opeted. Four of the nine members are members of the board itself.   Faruqi will be the chief trustee or president of the trust while Adnan Farrukh Shah of Gorakhpur will be its vice-president, Athar Hussain of Lucknow its secretary and Faiz Aftab of Meerut will be its treasurer.   Other members of the trust are Sheikh Saeeduzzaman of Banda, Mohammed Rashi...

Muslims From Malerkotla Donate Wheat For 'Langar' at Golden Temple, Win the Heart Of Sikh Community
Rasheeduddin Khaja | India Tomorrow   NEW DELHI, JULY 30—At a time when vested interests are hell-bent on tearing apart the social fabric of the nation, Sikh-Muslim bonhomie in Punjab has reinforced faith in communal amity. This has come to light after Muslim families of Malerkotla contributed 330 quintal wheat to the Golden temple in Amritsar.   For the temple authorities who were finding it hard to run the community kitchen in Harminder Saheb due to depleting ration, the donation came as a welcome relief. The gesture that has set an example of communal harmony and drew world attention is the result of the relentless efforts of an organisation called Sikh Muslim Sanjha Foundation (SMSF).    Members of SMSF went on door-to-door campaign to collect wheat for 22 days for its success. The response to their call was overwhelming with every house they visited donated wheat. However, Dr Naseer Akhtar, president of the foundation was not content with the achi...

Maharashtra Bakrid Row: Muslim Leaders Oppose Restrictions, State Government defends It
Pramod Chunchuwar | India Tomorrow   MUMBAI, JULY 28—The issue of celebration of Eid-ul-Azha has become hot now in Maharashtra as Congress, AIMIM leaders are opposing the restrictions put up by the Maharashtra government on celebration of the festival of sacrifice called ‘Bakrid’ in the local parlance.   Muslim leaders and community members are demanding to allow them to celebrate Bakrid by following social distancing norms.   “As per the explanation of Muslim religious leaders, the Qurbani cannot be done on symbolic basis. The Muslim religion does not have concept of symbolic worship. Therefore, we are requesting the Maharashtra government to allow Muslims to celebrate Bakrid with social distance,” Mohammad Arif Nasim Khan, senior Congress leader and former Minority Welfare Minister,  said.   “ For Muslims, Eid-ul-Fitr, also called Ramzan Eid and Bakrid are only two important festivals. Due to lockdown, we celebrate...

Riot-hit Northeast Delhi's Muslim Girl Student Shines In CBSE Exams
By Our Special Correspondent NEW DELHI, JULY 21—Vision-2026, a project of NGO Human Welfare Foundation (HWF) has announced to bear all the future educational expenses of Muslim girl, who was a victim of Delhi riots but scored excellent marks in her Std XII examinations.  A labourer’s daughter, Nargis Nasim(17), who studied in Std XII  in a government school in Northeast Delhi scored 62 per cent marks in two subjects of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examination bringing smiles on the faces of her family members and relatives. HWF's chief executive officer(CEO) Mohammed Naufal said that the house of the girl that was completely gutted during the riots was reapired by the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind(JIH( at a cost of about Rs. 1.84 lakhs. "Our MNGO will now financie the educational cost of the  girl", said Naufal.    Regarding the score, Nargis is surprised saying that she had thought of merely passing the exam&nbs...

Minor's Rape: Over 10,000 Women Protest In Kerala, Seek Action Against Teacher-BJP Leader For Allegedly Raping His Student
Syed Khalique Ahmed | India Tomorrow   NEW DELHI, JULY 20—Women in more than 10,000 homes all over Kerala protested on Monday against the police dropping rape and other charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against a school teacher who allegedly raped his 10-year-old student several times.     The accused, who happens to be the teacher of the student, is aslo a local BJP leader. The accused is currently on bail. Another accused, who is also a teacher, was, however, not booked at all despite a complaint lodged by girl’s mother in March this year.     The protest led by Women Justice Movement (WHM) is demanding removal of Inspector General(Crime Branch) S Sreejith as investigation in-charge and setting up of a new investigation team led by an efficient lady IPS officer, arrest of both the culprits under POCSO Act and action against the police officers who tried to mislead the investigation.     ...

Triple Talaq, Polygamy Don't Exist In Muslim Community: Says Delhi Minorities Commission Report
  Syed Ali Ahmed | India Tomorrow  NEW DELHI, JULY 18 – The Delhi Minorities Commission’s interview-based survey report, Socio-Economic and Educational Status of Muslim Women in North-East Delhi, released on Thursday confirmed that social problem of triple talaq and polygamy do not exist in the Muslim community.   The report was released by Minorities Commission chairman Dr Zafrul Islam Khan in presence of its members Kartar Singh Kochar and Ms Anastasia Gill at its headquarters.   The 86-page survey report is based on interview of 600 women in 15 areas of North East Delhi – Babarpur, Baqiabad, Gokalpur, Jafrabad, Janata Colony, Jiwanpur alias Johripur, Karawal Nagar, Khajoori Khas, Khanpur Dhani, Mandauli, Mirpur Turk, Mustafabad, Sadatpur Gujran, Seelampur and Ziauddinpur.   Explaining the socio-economic and educational status of Muslim women in Northeast Delhi, the report highlighted that survey team found no trace of triple ta...

Survivors of 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Facing Problems of Unemployment, Education: Delhi Minorities Commission Report
Syed Ali Ahmed | India Tomorrow   NEW DELHI, JULY 17—The Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) report on survivors of 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims in Delhi has said that Sikh riot victims and their children are facing three challenges: less family income, unemployment and inability to ensure quality education.   The report titled as “Socio-Economic and Educational Status of Survivors of the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots in Delhi”, runs into 87 pages. The condition of the Sikh riot survivors, who once formed part of the most affluent section of Delhi population, is very pathetic now.   The report was released by DMC chairman Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, in presence of Commission members Kartar Singh Kochhar and Ms. Anastasia Gill at DMC premises on Thursday. The report based on interviews of 360 riot survivors and their family members has already been submitted to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and State Legislative Assembly Spe...

Dreaded Gangster Vikas Dubey Killed In Police Encounter
  KANPUR, JULY 10—Gangster Vikas Dubey was killed on Friday morning after being critically injured in an alleged shootout with STF officials. He was shot when he reportedly tried to flee, following a road accident in which the vehicle he was travelling in overturned.   Dubey was taken to the emergency ward of the Hallett Hospital in blood-soaked condition.   SSP Kanpur Dinesh Kumar said that the doctors have confirmed the death of Vikas Dubey.   As mediapersons converged at the hospital, the gates were closed and STF officials refused to comment on the developments.   According to reports, as the convoy bringing Dubey from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain reached Bhauti area under Barra police circle in Kanpur on Friday morning, the vehicle in which Vikas was seated, overturned after skidding on the road due to heavy rain.   Vikas, along with two other police personnel in the vehicle, was injured in the accident.   As soon as Vikas was taken...

Coronavirus Pandemic: 'Qurbani' An Uphill Task In India, 'Online' Sale And Purchase Of Sacrificial Animals In Bangladesh, Pakistan
Syed Ali Ahmed | India Tomorrow   NEW DELHI, JULY 8—Sacrifice of animals or ‘Qurbani’ on the occasion of Eid-ul- Azha may be an uphill task for the Muslims this year as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and local police have yet not given permission for the decades old goat market at Jama Masjid that once upon a time used to supply animals to entire national Capital.  Meanwhile, the officials in neighbouring Bangladesh and Pakistan have gone for ‘online’ sale and purchase of sacrificial animals.   Live stock market (goat and buffalo) at Ghazipur, near Ghaziabad, that is part of the only slaughter house in Delhi, has also not reopened after it was closed down when lockdown was implemented on March 24 to check the spread of coronavirus in the country.   Not only Delhi, Muslims of Kashmir and Ladakh may also not get animals for sacrifice as goat and sheep were supplied to the Kashmir valley from the Delhi market only.   The ...

Northeast Delhi Riots: WhatsApp Group, 'Kattar Hindu Ekta' Created To Mobilize Rioters
Syed Ali Ahmed | India Tomorrow   NEW DELHI, JULY 7—The police investigations have unearthed a new modus operandi resorted to by rioters in killing Muslims during February 25-26 riots in Northeast Delhi in which 53 persons, mostly Muslims were killed.   A chargesheet filed by the Delhi police in connection with the northeast Delhi riots has claimed that a Whatsapp group called-Kattar Hindu Ekta- killed as many as nine Muslims and dumped their bodies into the Bhagirathi Vihar drain.   The chargesheet pertains to FIR No 102/20 registered at Gokulpuri police station in connection with the killing of Bhure, Amin and Hamza.   According to the chargesheet, Amin was killed and thrown in a drain in Bhagirathi Vihar on February 25 while he was coming on foot from Brijpuri Pulia. Bhure Ali was killed on February 26 and thrown at the same spot. Hamza was killed on February 26 and thrown in a drain in E Block. He was coming from Mustafabad.   Initially, the...

Eight Policemen Killed By Gangster In Kanpur, Two Criminals Also Shot Dead By Police
IANS KANPUR, JULY 3—In a shocking incident, eight police personnel, including a circle officer, were shot dead and six policemen seriously injured when a local criminal, Vikas Dubey, and his gang sprayed them with bullets in Vikru village under Chaubeypur police circle in Kanpur in the wee hours of Friday. The deceased include circle officer Bilhaur, Devendra Kumar, who was leading the team, three sub-inspectors and four constables. Meanwhile, police also claimed that two gangsters belonging to Vikas Dubey gang, were shot dead in Kanshi Ram Nivada village, within hours of the policemen’s killing. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the incident and offered his condolences to the families of the deceased police personnel. Chief Minister has directed the Special Task Force (STF) to take over investigations and ensure immediate arrest of the criminals. A forensic team has already reached the spot. IG Kanpur Mohit Agarwal sai...

Over 1.58 Lakh Migrant, Homeless People Provided Aid Under 'Vision 2026' by Human Welfare Foundation, Other NGOs
India Tomorrow  NEW DELHI, JULY 1—Under a nationwide project ‘Vision 2026’, a group of six non-governmental organisations partnered together and helped more than 1,58,600 migrants and homeless people across 138 districts in 19 states since the lockdown came into effect on March 24 in the wake of coronavirus spread this year.   Giving this information, chief executive officer (CEO) of Human Welfare Foundation Noufal PK said that the major focus of the project, which is in its second phase-the first phase was ‘Vision 2016’, is on helping the underprivileged and vulnerable sections of the society to fight hunger and prevent the spread of the corona pandemic.   The six NGOs that have collaborated together under ‘Vision 2026’ are Human Welfare Foundation (HWF), Society for Bright Future (SBF), Medical Service Society (MSS), Human Welfare Trust (HWT), Model Village Trust (MVT) and The Women Education and Empowerment Trust (TWEET)....

Nervousness Among People In Kashmir Valley After Govt Issues Orders to Stockpile LPG For Two Months
India Tomorrow  NEW DELHI, JUNE 28—The government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has issued orders to oil companies to stock LPG cylinders for two months in the Kashmir valley and asked the local administration to get school buildings vacated for the security personnel in Ganderbal, adjoining Kargil.   The latest fiat has resulted in a feeling of apprehension and worry among the local people as it comes in the wake of clashes between Indian and Chinese armies in Galwan valley in Ladakh sector in second week of this month.   Similar orders were issued in February last year before operation Balakot and subsequently in August as well ahead of the revocation of J&K’s special status.   The Hindu reported that the order was issued as “most urgent matter” by an adviser to J&K’s  Lt Governor G C Murmu after a meeting on June 23.   The order asked “to ensure sufficient stocks of the LPG in the Valle...