The National Commission for Minorities (NCM), which visited Indore areas recently hit by riots, on July 15 said that the violence was “pre-planned” and asked the BJP-ruled state Government to provide protection for witnesses so that they “won’t feel unsafe”. The commission led by Chairman Mohamed Shafi Qureshi added that the SIMI was named only to divert attention. However, it did not name any organisation as having instigated the riots. The NCM, which met top ...

The Akhil Bhartiya Muslim Yuva Ekta Committee on July 17 demanded a ban on organisations like the VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena, saying the outfits are “working against national interests”. An 11-member delegation of the Committee, led by Mohammad Shakeel Saifi, met President Pratibha Patil and also urged her to ensure immediate arrest of persons responsible for destroying the boundary wall and the inauguration plaque of a new Haj House at Dwarka in national capital on July 14....

The heads of various educational institutes in the city will meet higher education minister Dilip Walse-Patil on Saturday to request the government to make a law regarding attacks on the institutes.

After four attacks on educational institutes in four days by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) members, heads of the educational institutes held a joint press conference on July 17 to condemn the attacks. S B Mujumdar, founder-director Symbiosis Society, V D Karad, founder-director, ...

Air Force employee Aftab Ahmad may lose his job if he does not shave his beard. He joined the Air Force as corporal seven years ago when he was 17. Three years ago, the Air Force permitted him to grow a beard but a month later, Aftab was told to shave it off as per air force regulations. Another person Zubair too had a similar story. Both moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court and got a stay. But now, the court has decided the case in favour of the Air Force. The two Air Force men have exp...

Following protests by Christian organisations across the state of Andhra Pradesh, Chairman and Managing Director of Telugu daily Sakshi Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on July 13 apologised for an article and photographs of Jesus Christ that appeared in the daily. While protestors attacked the Sakshi office and damaged furniture in Chirala, stones were pelted at the daily’s office in Kurnool. “Sakshi was launched on Easter and it has succeeded in creating a niche and rea...

The Delhi High Court on July 15 asked the Delhi Urban Art Commission to inspect an investigation report about alleged changes carried out in the Court-approved project for renovation of the historic Jama Masjid. A Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Manmohan passed the direction after going through the report submitted to it by the amicus curae in the matter. The Bench ordered handing over a copy of the investigation report to the Commission for its perus...

Authorities of the Aliah University, the only Muslim university in the state of West Bengal, are in a fix. Classes have been affected by the protest of students demanding the inclusion of the word ‘madrasa’ in the university’s nomenclature. With the Trinamool Congress supporting the students, the situation has taken a political twist. Samsul Alam, AU Vice-Chancellor, said, “I do not know what to do in this situation.” Referring to students’ protest on Jul...