CITIZENS’ COMMITTEE CALLS FOR INFORMATION ON DELHI RIOTS
A citizens’ committee formed to analyse the circumstances that led to the Delhi riots and the response of the public machinery has asked people to give information on the February violence that left over 50 dead. “The Committee is issuing this public notice inviting all persons, in confidence, who have information and material pertaining to Delhi riots to send such information and material, in as much detail as possible, to the Committee,” the committee said in a statement. The committee has been constituted with Justice Madan B. Lokur, former judge of the Supreme Court as Chairperson at the invitation of the Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG) to examine the events surrounding the Delhi riots of February 2020.
HC GRANTS BAIL TO MAULANA FACING UAPA CHARGES
The Jharkhand High Court has granted bail to Maulana Kalimuddin Muzahiri, booked under the stringent anti-terror UAP Act, for his alleged involvement in the activities of Al-Qaeda outfit. The Bench of Justice Kailash Prasad Deo, in its order, observed, “No material has been collected with regard to the involvement of the petitioner in any activities of Al-Qaeda outfit nor the Investigating Officer has collected any material with regard to the money given to this petitioner by any Organization, who was involved in unlawful activities.” The Court said, “Considering the fact that the petitioner is a Maulana having no criminal antecedent, this Court is inclined to enlarge the petitioner on bail.”
AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER’S RSS VISIT RAISES EYEBROWS
Human rights and political advocacy organisation The Humanism Project, in a letter to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, voiced concern over Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell’s meeting with the RSS chief in Nagpur last week. The Humanism Project expressed its dismay, shock and disappointment at the visit by the Australian diplomat. Former Greens senator Lee Rhiannon also tweeted in response to the diplomat’s RSS visit, labelling it as “deeply shameful”. She has endorsed a petition with over 1,400 signatures started by Peter Freidrich, an analyst of South Asian affairs, for the diplomat to resign with the hashtag #BarryMustResign. Writer Sanjukta Basu and journalist CJ Werleman also reacted to the High Commissioner’s RSS visit.
SC ASKS CENTRE TO CREATE MECHANISM TO TACKLE FAKE NEWS
The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to create a mechanism to deal with the menace of fake news in media. It sought to know from the Centre about mechanisms available under the Cable TV Network Regulation Act, and also what action has been taken against fake news in the last three weeks. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta replied that Centre takes a very cautious approach, as right to free speech as a fundamental right is available to media. The court then asked the solicitor general to create a mechanism for addressing grievances against fake news circulated by TV channels and media, if none such is available currently. The bench was hearing the pleas filed by Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind and others alleging that a section of the media was spreading communal hatred over Tablighi Jamaat congregation during the onset of pandemic.
FOR FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, NO MUSLIM IN BIHAR MINISTRY
When the 17th Bihar legislative assembly will meet for its maiden session on November 23, there will be no member from the minorities, especially Muslim community, in the treasury benches. It is for the first time in the post-Independence history of Bihar legislative assembly that no minister from the Muslim community would be among the cabinet ministers. All previous cabinets in Bihar, right from those headed by the first CM Shri Krishna Sinha to the last headed by Nitish Kumar himself, had at least one or more ministers from the Muslim community, old-timers recall. Also, the number of Muslim MLAs in the new assembly has reduced to 19 from 24 in the 16th House. Muslims have around 17% population in the State.