Headlines from today's papers.
23 Muslims, including women and children, killed in Assam
Suspected Bodo militants killed at least 23 Bengali-speaking Muslims, including women and children, in the Kokrajhar and Baksa districts of Assam, which fall under the Bodoland Territorial Council. The attacks took place over 24 hours, the last of which occurred on Friday evening. Curfew has been imposed in all parts of Kokrajhar, Baksa and Chirang, which are three out of the four districts in the Bodoland region. Bodos claim that many Muslims in the region are illegal migrants from Bangladesh. The Indian army carried out flag marches and has received shoot-at-sight orders. The Assam government, meanwhile, accused the Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland of carrying out the killings. Some reports claimed that Muslims had been killed because they did not vote for the party the Bodo militants asked them to, but the government denied any connection with the Lok Sabha elections.
EC likely to bar government from appointing new army chief
The Election Commission is likely to bar the central government from nominating a new chief of the armed forces until after the elections, after it received a request to this effect earlier in the week. According to reports, the EC feels that the urgency in appointing a new army chief is "unjustified" since incumbent General Bikram Singh is due to retire only on July 31, after the election code of conduct is lifted. An Army chief's successor, by convention, is announced two months ahead of the retirement of the incumbent. However, the EC could allow the Centre to name a judge to head an investigation into the "Snoopgate" scandal, as it does not want to be seen blocking a judicial commission.
Prasar Bharati CEO blames I&B minister for editing Modi's interview
A day after public broadcaster Doordarshan came under severe criticism following reports claiming that many parts of an interview with Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had been edited out, Prasar Bharati chief executive Jawhar Sircar sought to distance himself from the issue, saying that the editing was left to the discretion of the editorial team of the channel. In a letter to the Prasar Bharati board, Sircar even blamed Information and Broadcasting minister Manish Tewari for blocking “more operational autonomy” that had been sought for the news division. Sircar suggested that the best option for Doordarshan was to seek a “balancing interview” so that their neutrality was not questioned. Tewari declined to comment on the matter.
Pakistan ready to work with Modi government: foreign affairs advisor
Sartaj Aziz, the advisor on security and foreign affairs to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said that Pakistan is ready to do business with any leader elected by India, even Narendra Modi. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Aziz also praised the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government, saying that Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure as prime minister was the last time there was any real progress between the neighbours. The remarks came just a day after Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif's controversial reference to Kashmir as Pakistan's jugular vein, which Aziz claimed was made in response to statements made during the Indian elections that Kashmir was an integral part of India.
CBI drops murder charges in Nido death
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday announced that it has dropped murder charges against the three accused in the Nido Tania killing case. Tania, 19, was the son of a Congress MLA from Arunachal Pradesh, Nido Pavibtra, and was studying in a private university in Delhi. On January 29, he had an altercation with the three accused after they made fun of his hairstyle, following which he was allegedly thrashed and was found dead the next day. According to the agency, Tania's killing was not pre-meditated, but the result of an altercation between the deceased and the accused. Since the act was not planned, the agency said that the three juvenile accused would not be tried for murder. The proceedings against the trio will be carried out by the Juvenile Justice Board, the agency added.
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23 Muslims, including women and children, killed in Assam
Suspected Bodo militants killed at least 23 Bengali-speaking Muslims, including women and children, in the Kokrajhar and Baksa districts of Assam, which fall under the Bodoland Territorial Council. The attacks took place over 24 hours, the last of which occurred on Friday evening. Curfew has been imposed in all parts of Kokrajhar, Baksa and Chirang, which are three out of the four districts in the Bodoland region. Bodos claim that many Muslims in the region are illegal migrants from Bangladesh. The Indian army carried out flag marches and has received shoot-at-sight orders. The Assam government, meanwhile, accused the Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland of carrying out the killings. Some reports claimed that Muslims had been killed because they did not vote for the party the Bodo militants asked them to, but the government denied any connection with the Lok Sabha elections.
EC likely to bar government from appointing new army chief
The Election Commission is likely to bar the central government from nominating a new chief of the armed forces until after the elections, after it received a request to this effect earlier in the week. According to reports, the EC feels that the urgency in appointing a new army chief is "unjustified" since incumbent General Bikram Singh is due to retire only on July 31, after the election code of conduct is lifted. An Army chief's successor, by convention, is announced two months ahead of the retirement of the incumbent. However, the EC could allow the Centre to name a judge to head an investigation into the "Snoopgate" scandal, as it does not want to be seen blocking a judicial commission.
Prasar Bharati CEO blames I&B minister for editing Modi's interview
A day after public broadcaster Doordarshan came under severe criticism following reports claiming that many parts of an interview with Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had been edited out, Prasar Bharati chief executive Jawhar Sircar sought to distance himself from the issue, saying that the editing was left to the discretion of the editorial team of the channel. In a letter to the Prasar Bharati board, Sircar even blamed Information and Broadcasting minister Manish Tewari for blocking “more operational autonomy” that had been sought for the news division. Sircar suggested that the best option for Doordarshan was to seek a “balancing interview” so that their neutrality was not questioned. Tewari declined to comment on the matter.
Pakistan ready to work with Modi government: foreign affairs advisor
Sartaj Aziz, the advisor on security and foreign affairs to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said that Pakistan is ready to do business with any leader elected by India, even Narendra Modi. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Aziz also praised the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government, saying that Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure as prime minister was the last time there was any real progress between the neighbours. The remarks came just a day after Pakistan army chief General Raheel Sharif's controversial reference to Kashmir as Pakistan's jugular vein, which Aziz claimed was made in response to statements made during the Indian elections that Kashmir was an integral part of India.
CBI drops murder charges in Nido death
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday announced that it has dropped murder charges against the three accused in the Nido Tania killing case. Tania, 19, was the son of a Congress MLA from Arunachal Pradesh, Nido Pavibtra, and was studying in a private university in Delhi. On January 29, he had an altercation with the three accused after they made fun of his hairstyle, following which he was allegedly thrashed and was found dead the next day. According to the agency, Tania's killing was not pre-meditated, but the result of an altercation between the deceased and the accused. Since the act was not planned, the agency said that the three juvenile accused would not be tried for murder. The proceedings against the trio will be carried out by the Juvenile Justice Board, the agency added.