Attacks on dalits, minorities should be dealt with firmly:Prez

Against the backdrop of attacks on Dalits and minorities, President Pranab Mukherjee today said these incidents should be dealt with "firmly", calling the violence against "weaker sections" that militate against the national ethos as "aberrations". Coming down heavily on forces of intolerance, Mukherjee cautioned against "unmindful pursuit" of a divisive political agenda and polarising debates by groups and individuals, saying they lead to institutional "travesty" and constitutional "subversion". The President also made it clear that democracy was not just about exercising choice to elect government periodically. In his address to the nation on the eve of India's 70th Independence Day--his fifth since assuming office, the President asked authorities and Institutions of State Power to adhere to the "Maryada"(dignity) in discharge of their duties as established in this ancient Indian ethos. "In these four years, I also saw with, some disquiet, forces of divisiveness and intolerance trying to raise their ugly head. Attacks on weaker sections that militate against our national ethos are aberrations that need to be dealt with firmly," he said. The President said the collective wisdom of our society and our polity gave him the confidence that such forces will remain marginalised and India's remarkable growth story will continue uninterrupted. "The great tree of liberty requires constant nourishment through the institutions of democracy. Disruptions, obstructionism and unmindful pursuit of a divisive political agenda by groups and individuals lead to nothing but institutional travesty and Constitutional subversion. Polarising debates only deepen the fault lines in public discourse," he said. Mukherjee said the Constitution has clearly defined the duties and responsibilities of every organ of the state. "It has established the ancient Indian ethos of "Maryada" as far as Authorities and Institutions of State power are concerned. The spirit of the Constitution has to be upheld by adherence to this "Maryada" by the functionaries in the discharge of their duties," he said. The President said India will grow, only when all of India grows. "The excluded ones have to be included in the development process. The hurt and the alienated have to be brought back into the mainstream," he added.

Sania Mirza-Rohan Bopanna to play for bronze

On the eve of the Independence day, Indian athletes at Rio Olympics will try to give the country more reasons to cheer. In one of its first, all eyes will be on Dipa Karmakar who will figure in the Final of Artistic Gymnastics, Vault apparatus. It was last Sunday when Dipa's score of 14.850 in the qualifiers proved enough, to take her to the final of the women's vault event. In the process, Karmakar, became the first Indian, across both genders, to qualify for a Final event in gymnastics at the Summer Games. After a bad outing in their respective doubles event the mixed pair of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna will try to make amends, as they are fighting today in the Bronze medal match. The Indian pair will be facing Czech duo of Radek Stepanek and Lucie Hradecka in the medal match. Indian Shooting contingent have been disappointing so far, but on the final day of Shooting events, India will hope that a medal comes. In the 50m Rifle 3 positions, Gagan Narang and Chain Singh will figure in qualifications round today. Indian men's hockey team will figure in the quarter-finals of the event against Belgium tonight. India the current 5th ranked team in the world will try beat the 6th ranked Belgium to make a place in last-4. In Badminton, after the doubles team exited, India's singles team effort will be led by Saina Nehwal who along with PV Sindhu and K Srikanth will be seen in their second group matches today. A win today will move them pre-quarter finals. A loss, however, doesn't mean that they will bow out but their fate then will depend on other ties of the group. Indian boxing is another unit where a medal can be expected. In today's round of 16, pugilist Manoj Kumar will box against Uzbekistan's Fazliddin Gaibnazarov in the 64 kg weight class. In Athletics, OP Jaisha and Kavita Raut will be seen in the marathon event today. And in the final round of Golf, India's Anirban Lahiri and Shiv Chawrasia will teeing off. Besides all the action Rio presents, Usain Bolt will be seen in action as semi-final and final of 100m is scheduled for tonight.

Imam among two men killed in shooting near New York mosque

In the United States, an imam and another unidentified person were shot in the head near a mosque in Queens neighbourhood of New York, police said. Both men were taken to a nearby a hospital, where 55 year old imam Maulama Akonjee, was pronounced dead, a spokesman with New York's Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information said. The unidentified male, age 64, later succumbed to his injuries. The motive of the killing was not clear. Police spokesman said there is nothing in the preliminary investigation to indicate that they were targeted because of their faith.

Hijab-wearing Muslim women face discrimination in UK

Muslim women in Britain who wear headscarves are routinely being passed over for jobs or being side-lined in the workplace, with 71 per cent of the women from the community more likely to be unemployed than white Christian women, a new report by British MPs warned today. The House of Commons' Women and Equalities Committee concluded Muslim women are the most disadvantaged group in British society and a new government plan was required to tackle the inequalities before the end of the year. The cross-party committee said many Muslim women in the UK faced a "triple penalty" impacting on their job prospects being women, being from an ethnic minority and being Muslim. "The impact of Islamophobia on Muslim women should not be underestimated. They are 71 per cent more likely than white Christian women to be unemployed, even when they have the same educational level and language skills," reads the report titled 'Employment Opportunities for Muslims in the UK'. While 69 per cent of British working-age women were in employment, among Muslim women it was 35 per cent. Nationally, 5 per cent of women were unemployed and seeking work but among Muslim women, it was 16 per cent. Among women generally, 27 per cent were economically inactive or unemployed and not seeking work last year. However, among Muslim women the figure was 58 per cent. "There is a distinct level of institutional racism that is being endured by Muslim women and we must be open about that," said Maria Miller, chair of the committee. "Everybody is subject to the same law in this country and Muslim women can choose to dress in the way that they want in the same way that other women can and shouldn't have to suffer discrimination as a result of it. "One of the young women who gave evidence to us told the committee in an informal sitting that she had decided not to wear a headscarf and was struck by the different way she was treated both by people she didn't know but also people she knew," she added. Nearly half (44 per cent) of economically inactive Muslim women are inactive because they are looking after the home; this compares with a national average of 16 per cent of women who are inactive for this reason, says the report. Married women in Muslim communities are often expected to be home-makers while their husbands are the breadwinners, the committee heard from expert witnesses. "The impact of the very real inequality, discrimination and Islamophobia that Muslim women experience is exacerbated by the pressures that some women feel from parts of their communities to fulfil a more traditional role," it said. "The Equality Act applies to everyone and all women, regardless of faith, should be free to make their own choices about all aspects of their lives, including education, employment and dress, and subsequently be empowered to overcome the disadvantages they may face," it concludes. The committee also flagged up a concern the government's "Prevent" programme against radicalisation within the UK's Muslim communities was alienating some women.

MEA begins registration of Indian students abroad

Ministry of External Affairs has initiated the process of registration of Indian students studying abroad, in order to compile data so that the government is able to advise them in hour of need. In a letter to Telangana government, Dnyaneshwar M Mulay, Additional Secretary (CPV & OIA), Ministry of External Affairs, said Students Registration Module has been placed within Ministry's MADAD portal (the Consular Services Management System). He said the data entered into this module in a voluntary manner by the Indian students abroad would provide useful inputs about their pattern of migration globally, educational courses that they are registering in and related matters. Mulay requested the students to register themselves in this module, according to a press release issued by Telangana government. "In the subsequent weeks, the module will be expanded to include country specific advisories for Indian students; links to Facebook pages of Indian associations and Indian students associations; links carrying information on accredited educational institutions in various countries etc," he said.

Engineer caught accepting Rs 25,000 bribe

An Additional Assistant Engineer was caught red-handed here today by sleuths of Anti-Corruption Bureau while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000 from a complainant for releasing power from the newly installed agricultural transformer located in his fields. The bribe amount was recovered from the car of the Additional Assistant Engineer N Yedukondulu Reddy, Marpally Section, Electricity Department, Ranga Reddy district, an ACB statement said. Reddy is being arrested and produced before the ACB court, Hyderabad, it was stated.

SIT to probe gangster Nayeem's killing

An SIT was constituted today to probe the killing of notorious Maoist renegade-turned-gangster Mohammed Nayeemuddin and investigate "various criminal activities" conducted by him and his associates in Telangana. The Special Investigation Team would begin functioning immediately and investigate from where the seized material has originated, especially land documents, arms and ammunition and explosives, a release from the office of Telangana DGP said. Nagi Reddy, Inspector General Police, North Zone, would be in-charge of the SIT, comprising officers from various districts, constituted by the Director General of Police Anurag Sharma. 45-year-old Nayeemuddin, wanted in a string of cases including the murder of an IPS officer in 1993, was killed in an alleged exchange of fire with police in Shadnagar town of Mahabubnagar district on Monday. The incident had occurred when police teams, tracking a case of attempted extortion registered in Nizamabad district, came under fire from a suspiciously moving SUV near Millennium Colony on the outskirts of Shadnaga. Police yesterday conducted searches at different places in Nalgonda district Nayeemuddin is a native of this district and arrested nine persons, including four of his family members, on the charge of land-grabbing and extortion. The SIT consists of B Srinivasa Reddy, Addl. DCP, Crimes, Cyberabad; Sridhar, Inspector of Police, Begumbazar, Hyderabad city; S Sudhakar, Inspector of Police, Tr PS, Uppal; Shakir Hussain, Inspector of Police, Wanaparthy Circle; Rajashekar Raju, Inspector of Police, Korutla Circle, Karimnagar; Samala Venkatesh, Inspector of Police, CCS, Sangareddy; P Madhusudhan Reddy, Inspector of Police, Kodad Circle; and and Seetharam, Inspector of Police, Armoor Circle.