Raising concern over the arrest of Muslim youths on terror charges, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan on Jun 18 said it is extremely unfortunate and disturbing that Muslims are stereotyped as “criminals and terrorists”. While addressing a press conference in the city, the Rajya Sabha MP also slammed the police and security agencies for violating norms while handling such cases. “Police violate norms while taking young Muslim boys into custody on different charges of ...

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Jun 19 demanded immediate amendment to the Right to Education Act, Wakf Bill and Direct Taxes Code Bill among others. The Board has launched a campaign throughout the country to spread awareness among the people regarding these laws and the need to get it amended, the Boards\' All India Executive Members Maulana Taibur Rahman Barbhuiya and Maulana Ataur Rahman Mazarbhuiya, who is also the Katigorah MLA, told reporters. The Right to Education Act was ...

A south Kolkata girl, who has reverted from Hinduism to Islam, and her sister who is also keen to revert, were beaten up allegedly by the associates of the local councillor. The girls have also alleged police inaction, reports said on Jun 16 and 17. Vinita Shaw, 25, a resident of 57/2B Bondel Road, came to the fold of Islam in December last year. Her new name, vide an affidavit by a first class magistrate, is Taiba Khatoon. Her sister, 18-year-old Pooja Shaw, too, expressed her wish to follow...

An alleged desecration of the Qur’ān triggered massive protests in Bandipore on Jun 16. The police picked up ten persons for questioning and also put restriction on civilian movement to prevent the protests from spreading. Villagers alleged that on Friday evening some drunk labourers of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) entered a local mosque at Tragbal village on the Bandipore-Gurez road and damaged the Qur’ān and other religious books kept there. “We have registered a ...

In an unusual comment, Afghan Taliban has praised India as a “significant country” in the region and said New Delhi has done well to resist United States calls for greater military involvement in Afghanistan. “No doubt that India is a significant country in the region... They are aware of the Afghans’ aspirations, creeds and love for freedom. It is totally illogical they should plunge their nation into a calamity just for the American pleasure,” the Taliban said ...

The Supreme Court has said that an extra-judicial confession of a crime is admissible as evidence provided the statement recorded inspires confidence and is corroborated. A bench of Justices A K Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar said that though an extra-judicial confession is a weak evidence by itself, a court of law can rely on it if the statement was made by the suspect voluntarily and truthfully. “Wherever the court, upon due appreciation of the entire prosecution evidence, intends to bas...

The Supreme Court has said that an extra-judicial confession of a crime is admissible as evidence provided the statement recorded inspires confidence and is corroborated. A bench of Justices A K Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar said that though an extra-judicial confession is a weak evidence by itself, a court of law can rely on it if the statement was made by the suspect voluntarily and truthfully. “Wherever the court, upon due appreciation of the entire prosecution evidence, intends to bas...

The visiting ‘Group of Ministers (GoM) on Media’ on Jun 13 refuted Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s oft-repeated allegation that the Centre was discriminating against his government on the matter of allocation of funds. The GoM comprised Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni and Law Minister Salman Khurshid. Replying to questions, Chidambaram said there was no question of any discrimination against the Gujarat government and f...