Day: January 1, 2022

Chandigarh, January 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):India has deployed the first unit of S-400 Triumf, the air defence missile system it bought from Russia, in Punjab with an eye on Pakistan and China. Sources said the system has been deployed at one of the five IAF bases in the Indian state, which borders Pakistan. The system is already available with China, which deployed it along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh amid the border standoff.

S-400 Triumf system is capable of neutralising assets from over 400 km away. The unit deployed is part of the five squadrons bought in 2018. Among the most advanced such systems in the world, the S-400 is capable of protecting its air defence bubble against rockets, missiles, cruise missiles and even aircraft.

The delivery of the first unit had started in November, according to Russian officials. Bought for over US$ 5 billion, the deal became contentious after it drew the threat of sanctions from the US for engaging in large defence contracts with Russia.

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New Delhi, January 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):Jamiat-i-Ulama Hind President Maulana Mehmood Madani has filed a writ petition in the Indian Supreme Court demanding action against repeated instances of hate speeches against the Muslims and Holy Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (peace be upon him).

The petition which has been signed by Maulana Madani and some others, narrates various instances of derogatory remarks made against Holy Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (peace be upon him) and calls for violence against the Muslim community by several persons across India starting from 2018. The petitioners contend that no action under criminal law has been initiated with respect to any such instance.

The petition specially cites inflammatory speeches made by Yati Narasinghanand Saraswati, priest of Dasna temple, the anti-Muslim slogans made at the Jantar Mantar rally in August, 2021, the campaign and protests against Friday ‘namaz’ in Gurgaon where protesters have been disrupting congregations at designated plots by spreading cow dung as well as anti-Muslim violence in Tripura.

The petitioners also cite a report of Uttar Pradesh Police arresting over 100 Muslims for holding a protest against the remarks of Yati Narasinghanand Saraswati. It may be noted that recently, 76 Supreme Court lawyers wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India seeking suo motu action against the Haridwar conclave where genocidal calls were made against Muslims.

On December 23, Maulana Madani also wrote a letter to the Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttarakhand Chief Minister, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and National Commission for Minorities (NCM) demanding action against those who gave genocide calls against Muslims during a gathering in Haridwar.

Maulana Madani in the letter asked the authorities to take suo moto cognizance of the matter and prosecute the perpetrators under stringent laws. In their petition filed in the Supreme Court, Madani and others have said that no action has been taken against the alleged hate speeches made in Haridwar. They also said the law enforcement agencies are succumbing to non-state actors and are failing to protect the rights of the minorities.

“The above facts simply go on to demonstrate that through provocative and derogatory speeches of Indian citizenry, a religious community is attacked in order to compel them to abandon their religious practices. It is not a matter to be left to the administrative process in the country without holding them accountable. A considered judicial intervention of the Constitutional Court, by invoking under public law remedy, is required considering the present circumstances,” the petition says.

The petition, according to the report, makes three main demands: a report from government of India on action taken against hate speeches against Muslims, particularly targeting Holy Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (peace be upon him); Constitution of an independent committee to compile all cases of hate speech in the country; and Court-monitored investigation and prosecution of hate crimes.

The petition filed by Advocate M R Shamshad places reliance on the judgment of the Supreme Court in Tehseen Poonawalla vs Union of India, where the Supreme Court passed elaborate directions to deal with mob crimes and lynching. The petition also refers to the decision in Lalitakumari case, which held that police have the mandatory duty to register FIR when a cognizable offence is revealed.

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Jammu, January 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), at least 12 people were killed and 20 others injured in a stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra area of Reasi district in the wee hours of Saturday.

The Indian police launched a rescue operation soon after the stampede was reported. The injured have been admitted to various hospitals and the condition of many of the injured has been stated to be “precarious”. The stampede was triggered by a heavy rush of devotees on the first day of the new year. The yatra to the Vaishno Devi shrine has been suspended after the incident.

The police chief of IIOJK, Dilbagh Singh, confirmed that the incident occurred around 2:45 am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by stampede.

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Srinagar, January 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Sopore Fruit Buyers Union protested against the alleged import of Iranian apples via Afghanistan under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA).

Scores of growers gathered at Sopore’s Fruit and Vegetable Market and raised slogans in support of their demand. They said the influx of cheaper Iranian apples is affecting Kashmir’s horticulture sector, which comes at a time when fruit growers have already sustained losses due to the natural disasters and COVID restrictions.

“We have suffered significant losses as a result of the influx of Iranian apples, and the industry is in a state of crisis,” Mudasir Ahmad, the association’s president said while seeking authorities’ interference into the matter to protect the interests of local apple growers.

Mudasir claimed that the ‘illegal’ import of Iranian apples has lowered the prices of Kashmiri apples as the imported apples are sold at a lower price. “The prices of Kashmiri apples have gone down, resulting in losses to us,” he said. The traders demanded an immediate ban/ stoppage on the import of Iranian apples.

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Srinagar, January 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the leaders of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration were put under house arrest, today, to prevent them from holding a proposed sit-in protest against delimitation commission’s draft recommendation.

The PAGD spokesperson, M Y Tarigami said the leaders of the Alliance have been put under house arrest and they have been locked from both inside and outside. Those put under the house detention include Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and M Y Tarigami.

The PAGD spokesperson said this is the gift from the authorities on the New Year and this is the picture of Kashmir as the authorities don’t even allow to hold a sit-in protest. “I don’t even know that I was put under house arrest. Some cops came and informed that you are under arrest,” he said.

Meanwhile, National Conference vice-president, Omar Abdullah, said this is the New Year with the same police illegally locking people in their homes. He said in a tweet that trucks were parked outside the gates of the leaders to scuttle the peaceful sit-in protest of PAGD. Some things never change, he said.

Peoples Democratic Party President, Mehbooba Mufti, also tweeted that she had been placed under detention. “A truck is parked outside my house too,” she said in a tweet. The PAGD had proposed to hold a demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission of increasing six seats in Jammu division and one in Kashmir Valley. With this, the number of seats in Jammu would have gone up to 43 and Kashmir to 47.

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Srinagar, January 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference (NC), has submitted its response to the draft proposals of the Delimitation Commission, calling for the exercise to be put on hold in view of the legal challenge to the India’s August 5, 2019 decisions.

The response of the three NC MPs to the commission’s proposals has been submitted, NC MP Hasnain Masoodi said. He said the party’s basic premise is that the exercise “offends constitutional morality, constitutional propriety, and the constitutional values” as much as the Reorganisation Act under which it is being brought.

“The Act itself faces challenge before the Supreme Court of India. It is under judicial scrutiny. The Supreme Court is examining whether it is constitutional. We call it constitutionally suspect law,” he said. “In a democratic polity, every limb, out of deference, has to wait for the outcome of the judicial proceedings in such a case,” he added.

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Srinagar, January 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), National Conference Vice-President, Omar Abdullah, has mocked the authorities in the occupied territory for illegally locking People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), leaders in their homes ahead of a peaceful protest against the recommendations of Delimitation Commission in Srinagar.

In a tweet, Omar Abdullah said, “Good morning and welcome to 2022. A new year with the same police illegally locking people in their homes and an administration so terrified of normal democratic activity.” He said that trucks have been parked outside the gates of the homes of PAGD leaders to scuttle the peaceful protest of PAGD sit-in protest. Some things never change, he added.

Abdullah, whose father and veteran politician Farooq Abdullah heads the PAGD, claimed, “Talk about a lawless police state, the police have even locked the internal gate connecting my father’s home to my sister’s. Yet our leaders have the cheek to tell the world that India is the largest democracy, hah!!”

Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti also tweeted that she had been placed under detention. “A truck is parked outside my house too,” she said in a tweet. The PAGD had proposed to hold a peaceful demonstration in Srinagar on Saturday against the proposal of the Delimitation Commission of increasing six seats in Jammu division and one in Kashmir. With this, the number of seats in Jammu would have gone up to 43 and Kashmir to 47.

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