Month: January 2020

JNU Violence

‘Attackers Were Brutal, Didn’t Spare Teachers, Girls’

By LokMarg

Usman Ahmad, 20, a Third Year student at the School of Language (Pashto) in Jawaharlal Nehru University, suffered severe knee injury when masked men attacked a peaceful march by teachers’ body on January 5. Ahmad recalls the chain of events that led to the unprecedented violence on the campus

On Sunday evening (January 5, 2020) around 4 pm, many of us students gathered to attend a peace march called in by JNUTA (Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association) from Sabarmati T-point.

Then suddenly we heard some commotion we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by a group of abusive men, their faces covered with mask, who started throwing stones at us. This caused panic among us and we began to run for cover and shelter towards the hostel area. The mob chased us and started beating students or teachers, whoever they could lay their hands on.

The attackers were beating up people indiscriminately – boys or girls, old or young, they hit them all brutally with sticks and iron rods. Even the elderly professors were not spared. Just as I was attacked by a stranger, I was saved by another stranger.

There were frantic calls for police and medical help as students were worried about the injured. But the attackers had clearly come with a strategy to inflict maximum violence. Not only was the mob beating us up, a group of them were on guard to not let any help or ambulance enter the campus. The police, which needed no permission to chase students in Jamia, did nothing to save the students from the mob this time.

The street lights outside the main gate had been damaged or switched off. It all seems well-planned to me. I have never seen this scale of mob violence in my life and I hope I never see it again. A lot of my friends were injured on Sunday and I am saddened about what is going on in my university.

I belong to Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh and I am the first person from my family to take up higher studies. I lost my father early in life and my elder brother, a mechanic, is the sole breadwinner for the family. Sunday’s incident has shaken my family too. They insisted on video calls to see if I were safe.

Why is it so difficult for people to understand that the increased fees will be a huge burden on many families who can’t afford to send their children to private universities? The JNU fees structure was such that people from any section of society could avail the benefits of higher education here.

We have been protesting against the fee hike for long. JNU authorities had asked us to register ourselves for the next semester. I want to ask if the exams have not been held how we can enrol ourselves for the next semester! Plus, enrolling ourselves would mean we agree to the new fee structure when we clearly don’t. So much has happened and yet our Vice Chancellor is nowhere to be seen. I feel sad and still wonder what is going on in a university we felt so proud to be a part of.

How Nirbhaya Convicts Will Be Hanged In Tihar Jail

By LokMarg

Four rapists, who were on Tuesday issued a black warrant by a Delhi court for brutally raping and murdering a 23-year-old physiotherapy student, are expected to be hanged according to directives prescribed under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018.

Since the death sentence was awarded to the convicts named Pawan, Akshay, Vinay and Mukesh years ago, the issuance of black warrant or death warrant by the court merely confirmed the date and time of their hanging.

More than seven years after the horrendous act was committed, the rapists are now scheduled to be executed on January 22 at 7 am in New Delhi’s Tihar jail. What procedure will the prison authorities follow to hang the rapists?

Firstly, they will be kept in isolation cells until the date of their execution. According to the manual, if desired by the prisoner, jail authorities have to inform their relatives and facilitate their last meeting.

The convict facing the gallows is also allowed to prepare his will.

Days before the execution is slated to be carried out, the Superintendent of the prison will inspect the gallows and the rope which is to be put around their neck for execution.

The official is also entrusted to see if the rope, made of either cotton yarn or manila, is carefully tested.

“As a rule, a dummy or a bag of sand weighing 1 and 1/2 times the weight of the prisoner to be hanged and dropped between 1.83 and 2.44 meters will afford a safe test of the rope,” the rules states.

The rules also go into great detail about the weight of the prisoner and the corresponding height from which he should be hanged.

For example, if a prisoner weighs less than 45.360 kilograms, he should be given a drop of 2.44 meters so that the rope does not break during the execution. “If he weighs more than 90.720 kilograms, a drop should be of 1.830 meters.”

The extreme limits of 1.83 meters and 2.44 meters are adhered to as per the physical peculiarity of the prisoner. Wax or butter is also applied to soften the ropes.

The rope for the execution of Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru in February 2013 was brought from Bihar’s Buxar jail.

The prison rules also categorically mention that the execution should take place early in the morning before it gets bright.

The prison rules state that Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, medical officer-in-charge and a resident medical officer should be present at all executions. If so desired by the person to be hanged, a priest of his faith is allowed to be present at the place of hanging.

No other person, especially relatives of the prisoner, should be allowed to witness the execution. The jail authorities may, however, permit social scientists, psychologists, and psychiatrists, etc. to conduct the research there.

On the morning of the execution, the Superintendent has to make sure if any communication is awaiting him regarding the execution. He should then visit the prisoner in his cell and get any document requiring his attestation, such as a will, signed by him.

Next, the hands of the prisoner are pinioned behind the backs after which he is escorted to the scaffold guarded by the head warder and six warders, two walking in front, two behind and two holding arms.

On arrival of the prisoner near the scaffold, the Superintendent confirms his identity to the Magistrate. He then reads the warrant to the prisoner in a language he understands.

A cotton cap, with a flap, is then put on the face just before he is taken to the gallows-enclosures.

The prisoner should not be allowed to see the gallows. According to the manual, after entering the gallows, “the prisoner shall mount the scaffold and be placed directly under the beam to which the rope is attached, the warder still holding him by the arms”.

The executioner then straps the prisoner’s legs tightly together and adjusts the noose around his neck. The Hangman is paid by the government of Delhi for the execution of each prisoner. The person to execute the four convicts in the Nirbhaya rape case is being brought from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district.

Subsequently, the Superintendent should make sure that the rope around the neck of the prisoner is adjusted properly and the knot is placed in a proper position.

“The warders holding the prisoner’s arms shall now withdraw and at a signal from the Superintendent, the executioner shall draw the bolt”

The operations should be done simultaneously and as quick as possible. “On completion of all these operations, the Superintendent shall give a signal, on which the executioner in-charge shall push the lever to release the trap-door,” the manual stated.

When the trap-door is opened, the prisoner falls through and dies. After the execution, the body remains suspended for half an hour before being taken down or until the Resident Medical Officer has certified that “the life is extinct”.

The Supreme Court in Shatrughan Chauhan judgment in January 2014 made it mandatory to conduct a post-mortem after the hanging.

It is then disposed of according to the requirement of the religion the deceased belong to.

The body can also be handed over to the relatives if they give an undertaking that they will not make a public demonstration of the cremation of the executed prisoner.

“The body of the executed prisoner shall be taken out of the prisoner with solemnity. A municipal hearse or ambulance shall be used for the transportation of the body to the cremation or burial ground,” the rules state.

Qassem Soleimani Funeral

Iran Fires Missiles At US Base, Says 80 Americans Killed

By LokMarg

Iranian state television on Wednesday claimed that at least 80 “American terrorists” were killed after Tehran launched 15 missiles on US targets in Iraq.

The state media also added that none of the missiles were intercepted, reported Al Jazeera.

Adding that US helicopters and military equipment were “severely damaged”, the media outlet, citing a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) source, said that Iran had 100 other targets in the region in its sight if the United States took any retaliatory measures.

This comes after Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ elite Quds Force, was killed in a US drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport in Iraq last Friday.

His death marked a dramatic escalation in tensions between the US and Iran, that have often been at a fever pitch since Trump, in 2018, chose to unilaterally withdraw Washington from the 2015 nuclear pact world powers struck with Tehran.

Iran has threatened to strike inside America if the US responds to the missile attacks.

Hours after Iran launched retaliatory short-range ballistic missiles at two bases in Iraq that housed American troops, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) said that “all is well” and announced he will be giving a statement tomorrow morning.

“All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties and damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well-equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning,” Trump tweeted.

Iran launched a series of attacks on US targets in Iraq including the targetting of two bases at Al-Asad and Abril with over a dozen ballistic missiles amid rising tensions following the killing of senior Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in a US airstrike last week.

ANI

India Advises Nationals To Avoid Travel To Iraq

By LokMarg

Hours after missile attacks targetted two military bases in Iraq, India on Wednesday issued a travel advisory for its nationals, advising them to avoid “all non-essential travel” to the Middle East country, in view of the prevailing situation in the region.

“In view of the prevailing situation in Iraq, Indian nationals are advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Iraq until further notification. Indian nationals residing in Iraq are advised to be alert and may avoid travel within Iraq,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

In a follow-up tweet, Kumar said that the Indian Embassy in Baghdad and Indian consulate in Erbil will continue to function normally to provide all services to Indians residing in Iraq.

The advisory was issued after Iran’s missile attacks on the Ain Al-Asad airbase and another at Erbil in Iraq early on Wednesday which came hours after the funeral of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, whose killing in a US drone strike has intensified tensions in the region.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation also held meetings with the concerned airlines and sensitised them to remain vigilant and take all precautions, the regulatory body said.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said in a tweet late on Tuesday that an assessment of casualties and damage from the strikes is underway and that he will make a statement on Wednesday morning (local time).

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that it was restricting all civilian US aircraft from operating in the airspace over Iraq, Iran, and the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

(ANI)

Nirbhaya Convicts To Hang On January 22

By LokMarg

All four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya case will be hanged on January 22, Delhi’s Patiala House court said on Tuesday.

Additional Session Judge Satish Kumar Arora issued the death warrant in the presence of all convicts, who were produced before the court through video conferencing.

The convicts will be hanged at 7 am on January 22.

Earlier in the day, the court reserved the order on the plea of parents of Nirbhaya seeking issuance of death warrant against all the four convicts in the case.

The court heard the plea of parents of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim seeking to expedite the procedure to hang all four convicted in the case and also seeking issuance of death warrant against them.

It was informed by the lawyers of the convicts that they are in the process of filing the curative plea.

On Monday, the court had dismissed an application filed by the father of one of the death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya rape case, who had questioned the credibility of the sole witness by claiming that he was “tutored” and sought the registration of FIR against him.

The court had on December 20 reserved the order on an application filed by Pawan Kumar Gupta’s father till today. The petition had stated that the girl’s friend committed perjury for giving false testimony in the court.

The sole eye-witness was accompanying the 23-year-old girl when she was raped and murdered by six men on a moving bus on December 16, 2012.

Besides Pawan Kumar Gupta, three others – Akshay, Vinay, and Mukesh are facing the gallows in the case.

The main accused, Ram Singh, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail during the trial. Another accused was a minor at the time of the commission of the crime and was sent to a reform facility and released after three years.

All the four convicts had earlier knocked at the doors of the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court order of March 2014 which had confirmed the capital punishment awarded to them by the trial court on September 13, 2013.

However, the top court also dismissed their appeals after finding no merit.

(ANI)

Nirbhaya

Victim’s Mother, Women Panel Hail Hanging Verdict

By LokMarg

Moments after a Delhi court issued death warrant against all four convicts in 2012 Nirbhaya Delhi gang-rape case, Nirbhaya’s mother Asha Devi on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the judgement saying that her daughter has got justice and the order will strengthen the trust of people in the judicial system.

“Absolutely. Execution of the four convicts will empower the women of the country. This decision will strengthen the trust of people in the judicial system,” she said.

She was responding to a question whether the order will serve as a deterrent. “January 22 will be a big day for us. My daughter has got justice,” she added.

Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal also hailed the court order, saying it was a win for all ‘Nirbhayas’ of the country.

“We strongly welcome this decision. It is a win for all the ‘Nirbhayas’ living in this country. I salute Nirbhaya’s parents, who fought for seven long years. But why has it taken seven years to punish these people? Why this time period cannot be reduced?” she told ANI.

Police File FIR Against Injured JNUSU President

By LokMarg

The Delhi police have filed two separate FIRs against JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh for allegedly vandalising server room of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and attacking staff members.

Both the FIRs were filed against Ghosh on January 5. According to the JNU security department, a group of students wearing masks on their faces forcibly entered the office of the centre for information system located in a building near the Administration Building on January 1.

The police have filed FIRs against eight students, identified as Aishe Ghosh, Geeta Kumari, Vivek Kumar Pandey, Surya Prakash, Satish Chandra Yadav, Saket Moon, Sarika Chaudhary and Ameksha Priyadarshini, in connection with the case.

“They switched off the power supply and evicted all the technical staff working there and made servers dysfunctional. They obstructed and stopped the public servants from doing the duties they pushed, threatened, abused, and chased the staff out of the office ad server room. Subsequently, they locked the room and squatted at the door and did not let the staff enter the server room,” the university officials alleged in the complaint.

The second FIR was filed against Ghosh and 19 others for allegedly attacking security guards and vandalising the server room of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on January 4.

In the complaint filed by the JNU administration, the University alleged that the accused were involved in physical violence and pushed the women guards, verbally abused them and threatened them of dire consequences if they opened the lock of university’s communication and information (CIS) office.

“They illegally trespassed the University property with the criminal intenttion to damage the public property. They damaged servers and made it dysfunctional. They also damaged fiber optic power supplies and broke the biometric systems inside the room,” the University officials alleged.

This incident allegedly occurred a day before Aishe Ghosh, other JNU students and teachers were attacked by a masked mob inside the campus. (ANI)

Govt Predicst 5% GDP Growth In 2020, Lowest In 11 Yrs

By LokMarg

The government on Tuesday released first advance estimates of GDP numbers for the current financial year (2019-20) pegging the growth at 5 per cent.

The latest data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s CSO is in line with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) estimate.

The first advance estimate of FY20 gross value added (GVA) growth stood at 4.9 per cent. The economic growth slowed to 4.5 per cent in the second quarter of current fiscal as against 5 per cent in the first quarter.

For 2018-19, the first advance estimates had pegged the GDP growth at 7.2 per cent which was brought down to 7 per cent in the second advance estimates and was further pared down to 6.8 per cent in the actual number.

“The real GDP or GDP at constant prices (2011-12) in 2019-20 is likely to attain a level of Rs 147.79 lakh crore as against the provisional estimate of GDP for 2018-19 of Rs 140.78 lakh crore,” according to an official statement.

“At the same time, the real GVA at basic prices is estimated to increase from Rs 129.07 lakh crore in 2018-19 to Rs 135.40 lakh crore in 2019-20. The estimated growth of real GVA in 2019-20 is 4.9 per cent as against 6.6 per cent in 2018-19,” it added.

Besides, the per capita net national income during 2019-20 is estimated to be Rs 135,050, marking an increase of 6.8 per cent as compared to Rs 126,406 during 2018-19 with the growth rate of 10 per cent.

(ANI)

Delhi Assembly Elections On Feb 8, Model Code In Force

By LokMarg

The Model Code of Conduct came into force in Delhi on Monday with the Election Commission announcing that assembly polls in the national capital will be held in on February 8.

Briefing the reporters here, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said the counting of votes will take place on February 11.

He said the election notification will be issued on January 12. The last date of nomination of candidates is January 21. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on January 22. The last date of withdrawal of candidature is January 24.

He said the dates of polls were announced on January 12 in the last assembly polls.

The CEC said Delhi has 1.46 crore voters and polling will be held at 13,750 polling stations and 90,000 officials will be deployed in the election process.

This assembly elections will be fought on the basis of performance, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday.

The key contest in Delhi is between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, BJP and Congress.

In 2015 assembly polls, AAP won 67 of 70 seats while the BJP could win only three. Congress, which was in power for 15 years in Delhi between 1998 to 2013, failed to get any seat.

Sonia, Oppn Slam Centre Over Violence On JNU Campus

By LokMarg

Demanding an independent judicial inquiry into violence at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Sunday, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Monday said that the “horrifying and unprecedented” violence unleashed by goons with “active abetment of the ruling Modi government is deplorable and unacceptable.”

“The voice of India’s youth and students is being muzzled every day. The horrifying and unprecedented violence unleashed on India’s young by goons with active abetment of the ruling Modi government is deplorable and unacceptable,” Gandhi said in a statement.

Speaking about different incidents in the campuses of universities and colleges, Sonia alleged that yesterday’s incident was an attempt to stifle the voice of dissent.

“Everyday campuses and colleges are raided across India, either by the police or lumpen elements with support of the BJP government. Yesterday’s bone chilling attack on students and teachers in JNU, Delhi is a grim reminder of the extent the government will go to stifle and subjugate every voice of dissent,” she added.

Gandhi stated that the students and youth need “affordable education, a deserving job, a promising future and a right to participate in our thriving democracy.”

“Sadly, Modi government seeks to suffocate and restrain each one of these aspirations. The entire Congress party stands in solidarity with India’s youth and students. We strongly deprecate the sponsored violence in JNU yesterday and demand an independent judicial inquiry,” she said.

On Sunday evening, more than 30 students, including JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh, were injured and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after a masked mob entered JNU and attacked them and professors with sticks and rods.

The JNU administration and political leaders, cutting across political lines, had condemned the attack on students and urged the police to take action against the perpetrators.

(ANI)