NDA’s Waqf Bill is against ‘social justice’; it proves they are communals: Karnataka CM

News Network
August 8, 2024

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday flayed the NDA government over its plan to amend the law governing Waqf boards, saying the move shows that it's against minorities.

The Bill has proposed far-reaching changes in the present Act, including ensuring the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill also seeks to rename the Waqf Act, 1995, as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.

"The NDA government is totally against the minorities in this country, they are not for secularism, they are not for social justice. We have been telling the people of the country that they are communal parties, they are casteists, that's why they are doing like that," Siddaramaiah told reporters here in response to a question.

The Bill was circulated among Lok Sabha members on Tuesday night ahead of its introduction.

According to its statement of objects and reasons, the Bill seeks to omit Section 40 of the current law relating to the powers of the Board to decide if a property is waqf property.

It provides for a broad-based composition of the Central Waqf Council and the State Waqf Boards and ensures the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies. The Bill also proposes the establishment of a separate board of Auqaf for the Bohras and Aghakhanis.

The draft law provides for the representation of Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Agakhanis and other backward classes among Muslim communities.

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Agencies
February 14,2025

jeninWB.jpg

Israel has conducted a fresh drone attack on the Jenin refugee camp, as the Palestinian foreign ministry urges the international community to take a serious action to stop the regime’s intensified aggression on the occupied West Bank.

In the early hours of Friday, media reports said an Israeli drone targeted homes in the Jenin camp in the northern part of the West Bank.

Since a ceasefire in Gaza was announced last month, Israel has intensified its attacks in Jenin and other parts of the occupied West Bank.

At least 25 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s raids in Jenin this year, which have also displaced nearly 20,000, according to the camp’s media committee.

The Israeli army also continues to destroy homes and infrastructure in the West Bank city of Tulkarm and its two camps.

According to the Tulkarm Camp’s Media Committee, nine people have been killed, and about 10,500 others --around 80 percent of its population --  have been displaced since Israeli forces began the assault on the camp.

Video footage showed Israeli bulldozers destroying homes in Tulkarm’s Nour Shams Refugee Camp on Thursday.

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) said at least 380 people have been detained by Israeli forces since the start of their large-scale military raids in the West Bank after the Gaza ceasefire went into effect on January 19.

The deal between Israel and Hamas was reached after 15 months of the regime's genocidal war on the strip, which claimed the lives of at least 48,239 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 111,676 others.

The regime agreed to the ceasefire after falling short of realizing any of its wartime objectives, including freeing the captives, “eliminating” the Gazan resistance, and causing forced displacement of Gaza’s entire population to neighboring Egypt or Jordan.

The Palestinian Foreign ministry on Thursday urged the international community to take “an urgent and effective action” to force Israel to stop its aggression on the West Bank.

Referring to Israeli crimes in the occupied territories, including the forced displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes and the destruction of homes and infrastructure, the ministry said the international silence emboldens Israel to commit more crimes and enables it to continue its crime of ethnic cleansing.

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Agencies
February 7,2025

Washington DC: In a big relief for Indian students and professionals living in the United States on visas and awaiting green cards, a federal judge in Seattle has indefinitely blocked President Donald Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship. Slamming the order, the court reportedly said Trump is trying to skirt the rule of law to play "policy games" with the Constitution.

US District Judge John Coughenour's preliminary injunction is the second major legal blow to Trump's efforts to alter the US law as part of a broader immigration crackdown after a federal judge in Maryland issued a similar ruling.

"It has become ever-more apparent that to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain," Judge Coughenour said during a hearing on Thursday in Seattle, according to a report by CNN.

"In this courtroom and under my watch, the rule of law is a bright beacon which I intend to follow," Coughenour continued.

The judge noted that the Constitution is not something with which the government can play policy games. "If the government wants to change the exceptional American grant of birthright citizenship, it needs to amend the Constitution itself," he stressed.

The new nationwide preliminary injunction issued in Seattle expands a previous short-term block Coughenour issued against the President's order days after he signed it. It came a day after US District Judge Deborah Boardman in Maryland issued another preliminary injunction against Trump's order on Wednesday.

Both orders apply nationwide and will remain in effect while the case proceeds. The Justice Department said late Thursday it was appealing the Seattle court's order. The appeal of the preliminary injunction will reportedly go to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, a left-leaning appeals court, a move that could eventually land the issue before the US Supreme Court.

How Does Trump's Order Affect Indians In America?

Soon after taking for the second time on January 20, Trump signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship in the United States. The order denies US citizenship to children born on American soil to parents who are not permanent residents of the United States.

The order caused concerns among the Indian community in the US, particularly those living on temporary visas like H-1B (work visas), L (intra-company transfers), H-4 (dependent visas) and F (student visas). As per Trump's order, children born to parents on temporary visas would not get citizenship unless one parent was a US citizen or a green card holder.

Without the right to birthright citizenship, children of these immigrants are at risk of losing access to in-state tuition rates, federal financial aid and scholarships, significantly impacting their educational prospects. The order caused many expectant Indian parents to rush for pre-term deliveries before February 20-- the deadline fixed by Trump's order.

Trump's order also brought anxieties for Immigrants caught in green card backlogs, as their children born outside America could be forced to self-deport upon turning 21 unless they secure another visa.

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coastaldigest.com news network
February 12,2025

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to prioritize increased investments in Mangaluru during the upcoming Global Investors Meet for Coastal Karnataka. He emphasized the region’s immense potential for sustainable industrial growth.

Coastal Karnataka’s Strengths

The MP highlighted Coastal Karnataka’s skilled workforce, premier educational institutions, and strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, making it an ideal destination for industrial expansion.

With its strategic location, excellent port connectivity, and robust infrastructure, the region is particularly suited for industries in R&D, Global Capability Centers (GCCs) - IT and ITES, fintech, renewable energy, marine biotechnology, tourism, and food processing.

Challenges Hindering Growth

Despite these advantages, the MP acknowledged challenges such as youth unemployment, migration of skilled talent, and a lack of large-scale industrial investments. He urged the government to take concrete steps to address these issues.

Proposed Investment Initiatives

To harness the untapped potential of Coastal Karnataka, he requested the CM’s support in:

•    Establishing an IT and startup hub to leverage the region’s large talent pool, boost entrepreneurship, and curb brain drain.

•    Facilitating investments in GCCs and R&D centers, capitalizing on the region’s skilled workforce.

•    Setting up a technological innovation park in Mangaluru to attract investors and institutions.

•    Enhancing New Mangalore Port and developing an integrated coastal economic zone to encourage global trade and manufacturing.

•    Supporting sustainable fisheries, marine research, and ocean-based industries.

•    Encouraging investments in eco-tourism, wellness retreats, and adventure tourism to drive economic growth.

The MP stressed that proactive government intervention in these sectors would significantly boost the region’s economy, attract industries, and create employment opportunities. The proposal is now under consideration.

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