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Saharanpur: Curfew relaxed for 2 hours, Muslims offer Eid prayers

July 29, 2014

Saharanpu eid

Saharanpur, Jul 29: It was a quiet gathering of around 5,000 that offered prayers at the main Idgah in Saharanpur under the hawk eye of the top administrators in the riot-torn city.

Curfew was relaxed in parts of the district from 7am to 11am on the occasion of Eid. However, curfew will be in place on Ambala Road, the main access route to the Idgah, where rioters torched dozens of shops, vehicles, and even a fire station.

Authorities will allow people to come out again between 3pm and7pm.

After offering Eid's namaz, people went back in silence as the administration didn't allow anyone to stay there for long.

District authorities decided late on Monday to disallow people in large numbers to congregate at the Idgah, because of tension in the area following communal riots on Saturday.

Local Muslims were keen on praying at the Idgah despite an uneasy calm in the area after the bloody clashes between Sikhs and Muslims last week left three people dead and several injured.

In peaceful times, more than a lakh namazis come at the Idgah to offer Eid prayers, with the roads leading to the Idgah packed with people.

"By allowing us to offer prayer at the Idgah, the administration has done the right thing. It will help the city to return to normalcy soon," said Shahzad Hussain.

Riots have proved to be a real dampener for children who will have to remain cooped in their houses as the city administration allowed relaxation of curfew only between 7 and 11 in the morning.

"Eid is for kids and women and they have been the most quiet this time," said Mohammad Hussain who lives near the Idgah.

Three-year-old Abu Bakar came with his father Bilal Ahmad to offer prayers at the Idgah.

"Kheer is waiting for me at home," said the child who is yet to understand the complexities of the situation.

Top city administrators lead by commissioner Tanvir Ali Zafar were present at the Idgah ground to keep an eye on the proceedings.

"The peaceful Eid namaz will go a long way to help the city return towards normalcy. We wanted to ensure that no provocative message should come out from the Idgah," said Zafar.

Zafar said once the curfew is lifted from the city, the administration will sit with elders of Sikh and Muslim community to find a lasting solution to the land dispute near the gurdwara which started it all.

Curfew was relaxed from 10am to 2pm in the new city and from 3pm to 7pm in the old town areas on Monday.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday assured a Shiromani Akali Dal delegation that his government was committed to provide security and justice to everyone in the state and compensation would be paid to the victims of the communal clashes.

The delegation of Punjab’s ruling party that met the CM in Lucknow urged him to provide adequate compensation to Sikhs who became victims of the violence.

While the Congress is blaming the ruling Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the violence, SP has accused BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of colluding to create unrest.

BJP, on the other hand, says the real culprit is the Akhilesh Yadav government.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

New Delhi, Jul 30: Preparing for a long haul in the Eastern Ladakh sector in extreme winters, the Indian Army has an edge over the Chinese as it has deployed 35,000 troops there who have already done tenures in high altitude and cold conditions.

The Indian troops deployed there are mentally prepared for tackling the weather and terrain.
In contrast, the Chinese troops deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are not used to these conditions as they have been brought from mainland China and are not accustomed to high altitude extreme cold weather conditions.

"We are preparing to provide extreme cold weather portable cabins for around 35,000 troops that have been deployed in the Eastern Ladakh sector," government sources said.

"Our soldiers deployed there have already done a tenure or two in Siachen, Eastern Ladakh or Northeast and they are physically and mentally prepared for a longer deployment there," they said.

The Chinese soldiers deployed on the Indian front include mainly conscripts who join the PLA for a period of 2-3 years and then return to their normal lives, sources said.

Indian and Chinese troops are engaged in a standoff situation all along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh from sub-sector north with both sides having deployed around 40,000 troops against each other over there.

The two sides have disengaged at three friction points including Patrolling Point 14, PP-15 and PP-17 and PP-17A.

At PP-17 and 17A, the Chinese have now maintained a small element of close to 50 troops and the remaining elements have gone back into their permanent locations.

The sources said the Army is also not much bothered about the Chinese build-up along the LAC as it has got more than two additional divisions from outside Ladakh sector.

India Army has more troops than what the Chinese have brought there, they said.

For the winter deployment, the Army already has a sizeable stock of clothes and habitat for troops as the Indian army deploys troops at the world's highest battlefield Siachen glacier and is prepared.

For additional requirements, the force is in the process of placing orders for additional tents and shelters from indigenous as well as foreign vendors.

The time for summer stocking is on and we are going to get the additional cabins and tents by that time, the sources.

Months of June, July, and August are considered to be the best time for stocking winter rations and ammunition. The snowfall is expected to start soon in the Eastern Ladakh area where the temperature is already low.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has given financial powers of Rs 500 crore per procurement to the defence forces to address any type of shortages of weapons, ammunition, and habitat.

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News Network
January 7,2020

Mumbai, Jan 7: Against the backdrop of the attack on JNU students, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that what they wanted was happening, and said such "brutal politics" was never seen before in the country.

An editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' further alleged that the BJP wanted to see "Hindu-Muslim riots" over the Citizenship Amendment Act, but that did not happen.

Since the BJP has been cornered over the issue of CAA, several things are happening out of "revenge", it said.

Comparing the attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students to the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes, the Shiv Sena said: "divisive politics" was dangerous for the country.

It said the Union Home Ministry's decision to file cases against "unknown" attackers at JNU was laughable. "Those who entered JNU with masks are not unknown," it claimed.

On Sunday, a mob of masked young people stormed the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in south Delhi and targeted students in three hostels, unleashing mayhem with sticks, stones and iron rods, hitting inmates and breaking windows, furniture and personal belongings.

Nearly 34 people were injured in the violence.

"The fallout of JNU attack is being seen elsewhere in the country...what Modi and Shah want is happening. The country is in danger. Divisive politics is dangerous for the country," the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said.

Terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008, were also masked and the same was seen at JNU. Such elements need to be exposed, it said.

"Allowing blood stains in universities, colleges and beating up of students and indulging in politics over the burning situation...such brutal politics was never seen before," the Marathi publication said while terming the attack on JNU students as a "blot" on the law and order situation.

Lashing out at Amit Shah, the Sena said he his in Delhi and busy distributing official pamphlets door-to-door to promote the Citizenship Amendment Act.

There is "confusion and unrest" in the country over the new citizenship law, it pointed out.

"The BJP wanted to see Hindu-Muslim riots over the issue, but that did not happen. The nationwide protests are not being done by Muslims alone. Hindus will also be affected due to the new Act," the Shiv Sena said.

It said the BJP has been cornered over the CAA issue.

Since the prevailing situation is "BJP versus the rest", hence "out of revenge", several things are happening, the Marathi daily said, adding that "there is room for doubt if the JNU attack was part of the revenge."

The BJP has condemned the violence and said universities should stay away from politics, it noted.

"Who brought violence and politics in universities in the last five years? Who is implementing the policy of destroying those who don't agree with your ideology by use of power?" it asked.

Without taking any name, the Sena said those who call students opposing the CAA as anti-nationals, are themselves anti-national.

"When Amit Shah accuses Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi of inciting violence, he admits that the Gandhi siblings have that much power to create mass awareness against a law brought in by the Centre and bring people to streets," the Sena said.

One cannot say if the Gandhi siblings incited violence, but one thing is sure that the Union Home Minister and his party are forced to distribute pamphlets to "clarify" on the new citizenship law, it said in sarcastic comments.

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Agencies
June 10,2020

New Delhi, Jun 10: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday brought back over 2,300 kg of polished diamonds and pearls worth Rs 1,350 crore of firms belonging to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi from Hong Kong, officials said.

Out of the 108 consignments that landed at Mumbai, 32 belong to overseas entities "controlled" by Modi while the rest are of Mehul Choksi firms.

Both the businessmen are being probed by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with an over USD 2 billion alleged bank fraud at a PNB branch in Mumbai.

The valuables include polished diamonds, pearls and silver jewellery, and is worth Rs 1,350 crore. 

The ED completed "all legal formalities" with authorities in Hong Kong to bring back these valuables, the agency said.

These will formally seized under the PMLA now, it said.

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