A day after his car was fired upon from close range in western UP, AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi said he does not want ‘Z’ category security issued by government but is desirous of ‘A’ category citizen’s status “like you all”, as he questioned why has UAPA not been slapped on those responsible for the attack and those who are radicalising youth. Speaking in Lok Sabha, Owaisi said threats were issued to him by name in the“dharma sansads” held in Hardwar, Raipur and Prayagraj, and the government should look into them. “If someone gives a speech or posts support for a cricket team on Facebook, they are booked under UAPA. But no UAPA for (attack on) a sitting MP?” he said.
Strong earthquake hits J&K
A 5.7-magnitude earthquake hit Jammu and Kashmir last week, causing damage to the spire of a famous Sufi shrine in Chrar-e Sharief but there were no reports of any loss of life, officials said. The epicentre of the quake was at the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border. Strong tremors were felt in Jammu and Kashmir, they said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to enquire about the situation in the union territory following the earthquake. The officials said the quake hit at latitude 36.34 degrees north and longitude 71.05 degrees east at a depth of 181 km. The tremors damaged the spire of the revered shrine of Sheikh Noorud-Din Noorani, popularly known as "Nund Rishi".
Man wanted in 1993 Mum blasts case held
A man wanted by the Indian authorities in connection with the1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case has recently been held in the UAE. However, officials here said it was not clear in which part of the UAE he was held in. The accused, Abu Bakar alias Abdul Gafoor, was involved in landing of RDX explosives that were used in the blasts and was also a part of the planning and the conspiracy along with fugitive terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and his brothers, police said. The UAE authorities confirmed to Indian security agencies about his arrest and are in the process of deporting him to India. A close aide of Dawood, Bakar had fled to Dubai soon after the blasts.
AAP candidates in Goa pledge against defection
Weeks after Congress party candidates took a public oath in front of religious deities against defecting to other political parties after elections, candidates of the AAP in Goa signed affidavits against switching political parties after the February 14 polls. At a press conference in Panaji, Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also said that the issue of defections had reached “world record” proportions in Goa, calling for the strengthening of anti-defection laws in the country. “Anti defection laws need to be strengthened in India. Especially in the case of Goa. If an MLA wants to defect for reasons of ‘defection’ then they need to go back to the people,” Kejriwal said.
