J&K: UN Human Rights Council urges India to end communications blackout

The United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday urged the Centre to end the communications blackout in Jammu and Kashmir and restriction imposed on peaceful protests. The statement came a day after Pakistan said it planned to raise the Kashmir matter at the UN Rights Council.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under lockdown since August 5. Several political leaders have been detained or arrested, and politicians from New Delhi have also not been allowed to visit the region to review the situation.

P Chidambaram asked us to help his son in his business, Indrani Mukerjea told CBI

Indrani Mukerjea and her husband Peter Mukerjea had told the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate last year that when they met P Chidambaram in 2006, when he was the finance minister, in his North Block office, he asked them to meet his son Karti Chidambaram and help him in his business.

Full text: Dalit-Bahujans condemn politicians for supporting Centre’s move on Jammu and Kashmir

Members of all marginalised communities in India on Thursday condemned the support shown by few Dalit-Bahujan politicians for Narendra Modi-led administration’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

Ravidas temple protests: Delhi Assembly decides to rebuild shrine at site where it was razed

The Delhi Legislative Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution to reconstruct a Ravidas temple at the same site after the Centre allocates the land. This came a day after clashes broke out between the police and Dalit protestors during a demonstration against the demolition of the Ravidas temple in Tughlakabad locality. The Delhi Development Authority had demolished the temple on August 10 based on the orders of the Supreme Court.

Jammu and Kashmir: Another group of doctors urges Centre to end communication blockade

Twenty doctors issued an open statement on Thursday, expressing concern about the public health situation in Jammu and Kashmir. This came days after a group of 18 doctors published a letter in medical journal The BMJ, expressing similar concerns.

INX Media case: ‘P Chidambaram’s arrest was handled in a depressing manner,’ says Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday criticised the manner in which investigative agencies arrested former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram last night in Delhi in the INX Media case.

Bihar: All 21 guns fail to fire during former CM Jagannath Mishra’s funeral ceremony

The police in Bihar’s Supaul district on Wednesday failed to give the 21-gun salute to former Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra, who died in New Delhi on Monday, after their guns did not fire during the funeral ceremony.

VVIP helicopter scam: Businessman Ratul Puri moves court to surrender in money laundering case

Businessman Ratul Puri on Thursday filed an application in a Delhi court seeking to surrender in a money laundering case related to the AgustaWestland helicopter scam. Puri, who is the nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, is in the Enforcement Directorate’s custody at present in connection with an alleged bank fraud case.

India opts out of agreement to share hydrological data with Pakistan during flood season: Report

India has decided not to renew an agreement it signed with Pakistan in 1989 to share hydrological data during flood season. New Delhi said it would provide information only on “extraordinary discharges and flood flows”. The agreement was renewed every year with modifications whenever required. It was started based on India’s goodwill gesture.

Kerala caste killing: 10 convicted for Dalit Christian man’s murder, including his brother-in-law

A principal sessions court in Kerala’s Kottayam district on Thursday convicted 10 of the 14 people accused of killing a Dalit Christian man last year. The court observed that the relatives of Kevin P Joseph’s wife were involved in his murder, and called it a case of “honour killing”. On Saturday, Principal Sessions Judge CS Jayachandran will hear the arguments on the quantum of punishment to be awarded to the convicts.

‘There is no point talking to India,’ Imran Khan tells NYT; says he’s worried situation may escalate

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday told The New York Times in an interview that he would no longer attempt to deliberate with the Indian government on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and raised concerns about an imminent military escalation between the two nuclear powers. He cautioned “anything can happen” as the two nations continue to spar over the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in Indian Constitution.

Ajay Kumar Bhalla appointed Union home secretary

The Centre on Thursday appointed Ajay Kumar Bhalla the new Union home secretary till August 2021. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved Bhalla’s appointment. He will succeed Rajiv Gauba, who was appointed Cabinet secretary on Wednesday.

Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Nalini Sriharan’s parole extended by three weeks

The Madras High Court on Thursday extended the parole of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Nalini Sriharan by three weeks. Her furlough was supposed to end on August 25. Earlier this week, the High Court had asked the Tamil Nadu government to file its response to Sriharan’s plea seeking a 30-day extension of her parole.

Lawyers write to Madras HC chief justice to protest judge’s remarks on Christian community

A group of lawyers wrote to the Madras High Court’s chief justice with the demand that no cases related to Christian institutions be handled by Justice S Vaidyanathan’s bench. This came two days after Vaidyanathan withdrew his controversial remarks against the Christian community in an order on Tuesday.

‘Undeclared state of emergency’ in Kashmir, say Opposition leaders at protest in Delhi

Leaders of several Opposition parties, led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, held a protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Thursday against the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The leaders demanded the release of those who are in custody in the state, restoration of normalcy and the resumption of telecom services.

Kerala: Expelled nun Lucy Kalappura files case against priest, five nuns for trying to defame her

Kerala nun Lucy Kalappura, who was expelled from her congregation earlier this month for having a “lifestyle in violation of the proper law”, filed a police complaint against a priest and five nuns for attempting to defame her. The police registered a case against the priest from the Mananthawady diocese in Wayanad, Kerala, and the nuns of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation for allegedly sharing a video that portrayed Kalappura in a poor light.

P Chidambaram’s arrest: ‘CBI and ED are now Centre’s revenge-seeking departments,’ alleges Congress

The Congress claimed former Union minister P Chidambaram’s arrest is nothing short of personal and political vendetta of the Narendra Modi government. “Their facts don’t support claims,” said party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala. “Over the last two days India witnessed the broad daylight murder of democracy as also the rule of law....The Narendra Modi government is using CBI and ED as revenge-seeking departments. They are using this case to divert attention from other issues.”

Corporate investments fell 60% in demonetisation year to lowest in this decade: Report

A report submitted last year by a panel set up to propose new direct tax laws found that investments disclosed by companies declined nearly 60% in the year of demonetisation, an article in The Hindu on Thursday said. As a percentage of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, corporate investments were merely 2.7% in 2016-’17, as compared to 7.5% in the preceding year.

IL&FS case: Raj Thackeray appears before ED at Mumbai office, prohibitory orders imposed in area

Police on Thursday imposed prohibitory orders outside the Mumbai office of the Enforcement Directorate where Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray arrived for questioning around 11 am, ANI reported. The investigating agency issued the summons as part of its investigation into alleged money laundering in the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services group.

‘Not fair’: Donald Trump says India must step up efforts to fight terrorists in Afghanistan

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that countries such as India, Iran and Russia will eventually have to step up their fight against terrorists in Afghanistan. He made the statement while lamenting that the US was left to deal with terrorists from nearly 7,000 miles away, and other countries were not doing enough.

Pakistan says consultations are on to take Kashmir matter to UN Human Rights Council

Pakistan on Wednesday said it planned to raise the Kashmir matter at the United Nations Human Rights Council. The statement came a day after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said his government would take the dispute with India to the International Court of Justice. The remarks came in response to India’s decision earlier this month to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.

Ravidas temple demolition: Bhim Army’s Chandrashekhar Azad detained after protests turn violent

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad was detained along with 50 others in Delhi on Wednesday after protests against the demolition of a Ravidas temple in the Tughlakabad locality turned violent. The Delhi Development Authority had demolished the temple on August 10 based on the orders of the Supreme Court.

P Chidambaram arrested amid high drama shortly after he shows up in public to deny he is in hiding

Congress leader P Chidambaram was arrested late on Wednesday amid high drama at his Delhi home. Just about an hour before, the former Union minister had held a press conference at his party’s headquarters to dismiss speculations that he was in hiding to avoid arrest. He is expected to be produced in court today, according to some reports.

Unnao rape case: Policeman challenges framing of murder, conspiracy charges against him in Delhi HC

A police constable from Uttar Pradesh moved the Delhi High Court on Wednesday, challenging the framing of charges against him for his alleged involvement in the murder of the Unnao rape complainant’s father. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva listed Amir Khan’s plea for hearing on Thursday.

Centre appoints Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba to Cabinet secretary’s post

The Centre on Wednesday appointed Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba as the Cabinet secretary for a period of two years. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said in a press release that Gauba’s term will begin on August 30.

Medical college students in Etawah forced to walk around campus with heads tonsured

Students at the Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Etawah were allegedly made to walk around the campus with their heads tonsured, shows a viral video on social media. The video showed students walking from the hostel to the hospital and then to their classes. The students are in the first year and the incident is suspected to be of ragging. In the video, the students can be seen walking in a single file with their heads bowed and their arms behind their backs.

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