Regional

Chennai, Sep 24 (IANS) The powerful Dalit political party of Tamil Nadu, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), would conduct protest marches against the arrest of Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), the party said in a statement.

VCK founder leader and Member of Parliament, Thol Thirumavalavan in a statement on Friday said that the Popular Front of India was a transparent social movement. The arrest of senior leaders of the PFI and the raids conducted at its offices across the country were condemnable.

He said that the party will conduct protest marches against the action taken on PFI.

The VCK leader said that ever since Narendra Modi assumed office as Prime Minister, there has been a move against the Popular Front of India (PFI). He said that PFI and its political arm Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) were working for the upliftment of the poor and downtrodden in society.

Thol Thiruvamavalavan said that while most of the leaders of PFI were Muslims, non-Muslims were also in the leadership of the organisation.

Notably, the central agencies, including NIA and ED, conducted massive raids across 15 centres in the country against the PFI and arrested many functionaries of the organisation.

PFI national chairman OMA Salam, its secretary, Nasarudin Elamaram, ideologue, Prof P. Koya, and founder leader, E. Abdurahman were all rounded up and the arrests were recorded. The arrested are taken to New Delhi for further investigation.

In Tamil Nadu, raids were conducted at 11 centres and 12 PFI leaders were arrested including national executive member, A.M. Ismail from Coimbatore.

--IANS
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Lucknow, Sep 23 (IANS) The Samajwadi Party on Friday staged a walkout from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly after its members were disallowed to raise the issue of students' agitation in the Allahabad University over steep fee hike, and announced a boycott of the proceedings.

As soon as the proceedings of the Assembly began, Akhilesh stood up and tried to speak on the issue but Speaker Satish Mahana did not allow him to speak out of turn.

At this, the agitated SP members raised slogans and walked out of the House.

Thereafter, all SP MLAs, led by Akhilesh Yadav, marched back to their party office.

It is noteworthy that the students of Allahabad University have been protesting against the fee hike for over a fortnight and have also demanded the revival of the student union. The protests have intensified after many hostellers also joined in and took out a march inside the campus.

The protests are continuing even as Allahabad University pointed out that the fee has been hiked after 110 years. Since the inception of the university in 1922 - the university's Executive Council had approved the fee hike for different courses about a fortnight ago.

The university said the fee hike is the need of the hour considering the changes being brought in in accordance with the National Education Policy, under which more teachers have to be hired and new courses introduced.

The university also clarified that none of the current students would be affected as the fee hike would only be applicable for new entrants from the 2022-23 academic year.

--IANS
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Patna, Sep 23 (IANS) Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan was airlifted to Delhi for some medical treatment on Friday morning.

A Special air ambulance took him to Delhi and he will soon be admitted to AIIMS.

Chauhan was earlier admitted to Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) in Patna after he became semi unconscious on Thursday night.

The Governor was suffering from fever for the last one week and was reportedly having high fever for the last couple of days.

Earlier, Dr Manish Mandal, the superintendent of IGIMS, had said: "Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan is admitted in a private ward of IGIMS. He is under observation of a team of doctors. The doctors have detected infection in his urinary tract and his health is improving now.

--IANS
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Imphal, Sep 22 (IANS) Manipur's opposition Congress on Thursday vehemently criticised the BJP-led state government's decision for prior approval of all the books on the state's history, culture, tradition and geography by a government committee before their publications

Various civil society organisations and writers also criticised the state government's decision.

Manipur Pradesh Congress Vice-President Hareshwar Goshwami said that they are not surprised by such acts of BJP and "it is simply a clear manifestation of their true fascist nature".

"Their message is loud and clear. Think, what I think, or face the consequence. The new system is to shut our mouths before we speak. To stop our pens before we write. It completely violates the right to freedom and expression granted by our Constitution," said Goshwami, also a renowned author.

"How can I share my hard earned data and materials with others before I publish my book ? I am a writer and I will definitely defy this order and face any consequence," he added.

State Congress spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei said that the decision is "deeply disturbing and of seriously concern to the future of intellectual freedom and academic rigour among the intellectual community and authors, readers and thinkers of Manipur".

"It is cannot be accepted that the BJP government would decide what book to be published and what matters are to be read and thought about," Meitei said.

Congress' Rajya Sabha member and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh tweeted : "This is Modi's India where a BJP state govt appointed committee will decide which book can be published and which cannot. This is worse than censorship if such a thing exists! Outrageous !"

Announcing a 15-member committee, headed by Manipur Education Minister, the state's Higher and Technical Education Department, on September 15, issued an order, stating: "Any person or group desirous of publication of books on the history, culture, tradition and geography of the state may submit an application to the Director, University and Higher Education, Manipur along with a copy of the manuscript of the book who shall place the matter before the Committee for its approval. The Committee shall convene its meeting as and when required."

"Any publication of a book in violation shall be liable to be punished under the relevant law," the order read.

The order said that it has come to the knowledge of the state government that some books published on the history, culture, tradition and geography of the state contains material which may either distort facts or disturb the peaceful co-existence amongst the various communities in the state or both.

"In order to ensure that books on the history, culture, tradition and geography of the state are published with accurate information, the Governor of Manipur do hereby constitute the committee ... to accord approval for publication of books," it said.

Various Manipuri civil society organisations, authors and experts have also criticised the decision.

--IANS
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Bhopal, Sep 22 (IANS) The minister of Cultural and Religious Trusts in the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government, Usha Thakur has demanded a survey of madrasas operating across the state. The minister has written a letter to the school education department for this purpose, mentioning that unregistered madrasas should be closed.

The development comes after Uttar Pradesh has ordered an investigation on Waqf Board's properties. "I have written to the school education department and have recommended a survey of all madrasas operating across Madhya Pradesh," Thakur said.

However, before Thakur wrote a letter to the school education department for the survey, the same had been recommended by the National Commission for Minorities (MCM). During a visit to Bhopal in May this year, MCM member Syed Shahzadi had recommended a survey of madrasas to ascertain if they have proper infrastructures and facilities.

According to the Madhya Pradesh government's record, there are around 2,650 registered madrasas in the state and each of them receives a yearly grant of Rs 25,000 from the state government.

The official sources said the registration of new madrasas in Madhya Pradesh has been stopped since 2019. Registration of madrasas is renewed every three years, which is being done only for the registered ones.

Though there is no official data on the number of unregistered madrasas in Madhya Pradesh, the officials believe that there may be around 500-550 madrasas operating illegally. Madhya Pradesh Child Rights Protection Committee has claimed that it has found at least four unregistered madrasas in Bhopal.

--IANS
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Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 22 (IANS) To protest against the manner in which their top leaders were arrested by a joint team of Enforcement Directorate and NIA officials in the wee hours of Thursday, the Kerala unit of the Popular Front of India (PFI) has called for a dawn to dusk Kerala shutdown on Friday.

The call for a shutdown was given by PFI general secretary, Abdul Sathar and other leaders after around 22 top leaders were taken into custody and it included their chairman OMA Salam, Nasarudheen Elamaram, P. Koya and several others.

The basic and essential services have been excluded from the shutdown.

The raids were conducted with the help of Central forces and there are reports that the top brass of the Kerala Police was informed but was not told what exactly is the mission and a few battalions of the force was asked to be ready, if a need arises.

While a few of the arrested have already been taken to Delhi, around a dozen is expected to be produced before the NIA court at Kochi, later in the day.

"This is nothing but a blatant violation of basic human rights and dancing to the tunes of the RSS, the Central agencies have taken into custody several of our leaders. We are sure all democratic loving people will oppose this. To protest, this we have called for a state-wide dawn to dusk Kerala shutdown to be observed on Friday," said Sathar.

All eyes are now on how intense would be the shutdown, as the normal practice in Kerala is any call for a shutdown means shops, offices, markets remain closed and public road transport vehicles do not operate.

--IANS
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Chandigarh, Sep 22 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said the state government has now decided to summon a session of the Assembly on September 27 to discuss various issues pertaining to the state.

In a statement, the Chief Minister said the government will approach the Supreme Court against the arbitrary and anti-democratic decision of the Governor to cancel the permission of holding a special session of the Vidhan Sabha after giving permission for it.

He said it is an unfortunate move and they will move to the apex court against this irrational decision.

Mann asserted that this decision will be challenged in the Supreme Court for safeguarding the democratic rights of the people and federal rights of the states.

Training his guns against the Punjab Congress for supporting 'Operation Lotus' of the BJP, the Chief Minister said it is ironic that the Congress, which is the biggest victim of this undemocratic operation, is standing by the side of the saffron party.

He said the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the BJP were hand in glove for this sinister move aimed at toppling the democratically elected government of Punjab.

Mann unequivocally said that the Congress and the BJP have marginalized regional parties, adding that now they want that power should remain confined between them only.

However, the Chief Minister said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has taken birth from an anti-corruption crusade and the party under the leadership of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is gaining momentum with every passing day.

He categorically said they will oppose every anti-democratic move and will not be threatened by pressure tactics.

Mann envisioned that Punjab will send a message to the entire country that in democracy people and not any individual is supreme.

--IANS
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Patna, Sep 22 (IANS) Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's rallies in Bihar's Seemanchal region, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at the offices of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Purnia, Aurangabad and Araria districts on Thursday.

Shah's consecutive rallies are scheduled on Friday in Purnia and Saturday in Kishanganj districts. These two districts are considered as Muslim-dominated districts of Seemanchal region.

Separate teams of NIA reached the PFI offices of Purnia and Araria on Thursday morning and investigated the documents available in them.

Besides Bihar, NIA also conducted raids in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as well.

Sources have said that 106 persons belonging to PFI were also arrested during the raid. NIA sources have said that this would be the biggest raids conducted in the country on the PFI.

Following the raid, BJP's firebrand leader and MP Giriraj Singh slammed Janata Dal-United Chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav for making the state as a shelter home for terrorists. He also blamed that both the leaders are trying to make PFI a cultural organisation in the state.

"PFI is a terror organisation in the country. After the ban of Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), its leaders converted the organisation into PFI and formed sleeper cells in the state. Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav are responsible for it," Singh said.

Meanwhile, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) released a statement in Delhi and its National President M.K. Faizy condemned the raids by the NIA and the arrest of PFI leaders.

"The craven fascist regime has completely failed in the development of the nation and created a shadow enemy of the country to cover up its failure of governance," the statement said.

--IANS
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Chennai, Sep 22 (IANS) Shocked by early morning raids across the country, the Popular Front of India (PFI) is planning protest marches across Tamil Nadu on Thursday.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids in many places across Tamil Nadu. The raids are part of a nationwide search and raid operation against the PFI in various parts of the country.

NIA sources told IANS that 106 Popular Front leaders were taken into custody since the early morning raids across the country. The National President of the organisation, O.M.A. Salam and its General secretary, Naseerudin Elamaram were among those who have been taken into custody.

The raids, according to the NIA, is due to certain incriminating documents the agency has received while probing terror funding and the murders the organisation in Kerala and Karnataka is accused of.

Three RSS leaders, Sanjith, Adv Ranjith, and Sreenivasan were killed by the Popular Front activists in Palakkad and Kollam districts of the state. A Hindu Munnani and Bajrang Dal activist Harsha was killed by alleged PFI activists in Shivamoga in Karnataka state. Several documents were seized during the raids conducted after the murders of these people and it was, according to certain sleuths of NIA, found that the Popular Front had prepared a list of RSS and other Hindu activists who were to be killed.

The NIA and ED raids are due to these killings as also documents indicating funding. A Popular Front activist, Nasser was earlier taken into custody from Ernakulam in Kerala and he had, according to sleuths, revealed about the funding modus operandi of the Popular Front of India.

The NIA and ED on Thursday morning conducted raids at Chennai, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Dindigul, Salem, Ramanathapuram, and Erode areas of Tamil Nadu. The raids at the PFI state committee office in Chennai were conducted at 3.30 a.m. and it lasted till 8 a.m. Sources in the NIA told IANS that some documents were seized from the office.

The PFI, according to its leaders, will be conducting a protest march to the NIA Tamil Nadu head office in Chennai later in the day. Roads have been blocked in many parts of the state by the PFI and SDPI activists.

A heavy contingent of CRPF and other central police agencies were providing security to the NIA and ED teams who conducted the raids at the PFI offices.

--IANS
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Chandigarh, Sep 22 (IANS) In an embarrassment for Punjab's ruling AAP government, Governor Banwarilal Purohit withdrew his decision to summon a special day-long Assembly session to bring a confidence motion on Thursday to "seek confidence of the people of state".

The Governor withdrew the decision just a few hours before the session on the plea to seek legal opinion after the Congress and BJP approached him arguing that the House rules did not allow it.

Meanwhile, to recall the session most probably by next week, the Cabinet called a hurried meeting here on Thursday.

It is also learnt that all the 92 legislators will hold a protest march in Chandigarh from the Vidhan Sabha to the residence of the Punjab Governor.

On September 19, the AAP government had decided to convene the special session.

"The people of the state had given thumping majority to our government but some forces inimical to democratic values are trying to lure our MLAs with money. So we have decided to seek confidence from people of state in this special session," Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had said.

He had unequivocally said that AAP MLAs were non-purchasable as they are committed to the ideology of the party, and "nefarious attempts to destabilise the government had failed in Punjab too as the party MLAs are loyal to the people of the state".

Mann had said this special session will clear the mystery regarding conspiracy to topple the democratically-elected government in Punjab.

Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal had asked Mann not to enact the drama of a confidence vote, saying bribery allegations could only be verified by an independent inquiry by the CBI or the high court and that no purpose could be achieved by calling a special session of the Vidhan Sabha.

--IANS
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