by Editor | Aug 27, 2024 | Business, News, Technology
New Delhi: More than 40 per cent of consumers in Tier 3 to 6 cities use digital payment on a daily basis, while 45 per cent claimed to use it once in two days, a new survey report has said.
“This reflects the frequent usage of digital payments by consumers, even in Tier 3 to 6 locations of the country,” said a report by Chase India on The State of Digital Payments in India.
The report identifies the key challenges faced by merchants and consumers in the adoption of digital payment services at the grassroots level.
According to the report, nearly half of the merchants who are not using digital payments in rural India are unaware of the service.
In contrast, a staggering 94 per cent of consumers who are not using digital payments are aware of it but still don’t use it, as they face issues like lack of internet connectivity, limited knowledge, mistrust in online payments and service-related problems.
The report added that around 74 per cent of consumers claimed to be using digital payment services for a transaction a family member made.
by Editor | Aug 26, 2024 | News & Trending
Syed Ali Mujtaba
New Delhi: A similar case of rape and murder like the lady doctor in Kolkata has come to light. This time from Nainital, Uttarakhand on August 14, 2024, the victim Taslim Jahan a Muslim nurse.
Since Uttarakhand is a BJP-ruled state, there is a conspiracy of silence in the media for this case, while it is gung-ho, for a ‘bhadrlok’ victim in the TMC-ruled state.
Taslim Jahan, a 32-year-old nurse, worked at a private hospital in Nanital. She lived with her 11-year-old daughter at Rudrapur’s Islam Nagar colony in Nanital.
The deceased went missing since July 30 and after a prolonged wait, her sister lodged a missing person’s complaint at Rudrapur police station on July 31.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police recovered a body from the bushes along the border of Uttarakhand. The skeleton was found at a vacant plot in Dibdiba area of Uttar Pradesh. The post-mortem report of the female body confirmed a case of rape and murder.
Instantly, the Uttrakhand police declared to crack the case of missing Taslim Jahan. SSP Dr. Manjunath TC said that after scanning the CCTV cameras it was found that the missing Tasleem Jahan was traveling in a tempo from Indra Chowk in Rudrapur police limits.
After the investigation, the police arrested the tempo driver Dharmendra from Jodhpur. The accused is a resident of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh and was driving tempo in Nanital and had fled to Rajasthan.
During the interrogation, the accused confessed that he waylaid the victim with the intention of robbery. He took the deceased to a secluded place, where he first raped her, then strangled her to death. He dumped her body in a vacant plot and ran away with the money and jewelry kept in her purse.
Well no bells toll for Taslim Jahan, rape and murder case, while the entirety is in shock for Moumita Debnath in Kolkota.
We the citizens of India have been witnessing the defilement of women’s bodies time and again. First, it was Nirbhaya in Delhi, Aasia in Jammu, Moumita Debnath in Kolkota, and now Taslim Jahan in Nanital. Will this lust for sexual gratification ever end in India?
by Editor | Aug 26, 2024 | Uncategorized
By Pervez Bari
BHOPAL: Haji Shahzad Ali, the prime accused in the attack on the police station in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, who is reportedly gone underground to avoid arrest, has come forward with his side of the story for the first time after the incident. Following the attack the police in collaboration with the district administration of Chhatarpur bulldozed his palatial bungalow on August 21 with utter disregard to the rule of law of natural justice.
Haji Shahzad has said in a video that he is innocent and that there is a conspiracy behind this. After his house, which was allegedly built on illegal land as claimed by the police, was razed to the ground, he has appealed to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav to get the case investigated impartially. He has said that he had gone with the people to submit a memorandum because of the insult of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by a Hindu priest Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj. He has charged that “anti-social elements” were behind the attack on the police station. He moaned: “My truth has not been told to the Chief Minister and the police, rather they have been misled”.
While explaining the reason for reaching the police station with the crowd Shahzad Ali, said: “The Mahant had insulted Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). In protest against this, Anjuman Sadar, Anjuman Sadar Committee, Ulema Committee and the public had gone to submit a memorandum demanding that an FIR be filed against him”. He has released a video of about 3 minutes on social media.
The FIR was sought to be filed against Ramgiri Maharaj for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and Islam during an event in Nashik, Maharashtra, last week.
In this video, Haji Shahzad Ali repeatedly called himself innocent and a person who helped the police. He said in the video that he was present in the police station when this incident happened. Suddenly stone pelting started and he tried to stop the people throwing stones. But in the meantime the policemen retaliated and also started pelting stones and the situation worsened. After this, stone pelting from both sides increased and finally the situation became from bad to worse.
He further said in the video that when people of the Muslim community were present in the police station, there were some anti-social elements in the crowd who took advantage of the situation and started pelting stones. He said that on the instructions of some senior police officers, he also tried to stop the crowd but the crowd was very angry and he himself also got hurt.
He said that he has built a “Khanqah” (Monastery) at a short distance from the place where he lives, wherein he resolves small disputes in his community. He said that many times people from other communities also come to him asking for help. He said that someone gave wrong information about him to the district administration and police to tarnish his image
Cong MLA Arif Masood questions party leaderships’ studied silence
Meanwhile, angry over the bulldozer action in Chhatarpur town, the Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Arif Masood has raised questions on his own party leaderships’ studied silence over the issue.
Masood has asked Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Jitu Patwari and the Congress Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar the reason for their deafening silence in this matter. Why they are not coming forward in the Chhatarpur case and seem to be totally aloof of the issue? Masood did not hesitate to say that Congress is in the doldrums in the state due to such policies of the party. He said that when action is being taken against a person of the society, then why is the Congress silent?
Masood has also questioned the administration’s action in Chhatarpur. He has written a letter to Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav demanding action against the officers who broke the house and vehicles without giving proper notice. Only two hours time was given to remove the household goods.
Opposed to bulldozing
Meanwhile, the organisations which advocate for the causes of the minorities were opposed to bulldozing such a big house. On the other hand, there is enthusiasm among the Hindu organisations. The RSS has reportedly expressed happiness at it. Madhya While Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said: “Whosoever breaks the law will face the music, and the government is ready to deal a severe blow to the anti-social elements.”
Founder of Bhim Army and MP Chandrashekhar Azad said it seems the government itself had turned into a judiciary. He appealed to the Supreme Court to take note of bulldozing a house and stop such action. Rajya Sabha member Imran Pratapgarhi has also spoken against the government’s decision to bulldoze the house.
In this case, former law minister PC Sharma has also opposed this action. He said that people who go against the law should be punished. But demolishing someone’s house is constitutionally wrong.
Muslim Vikas Parishad condemns
Meanwhile, Adv. Mohammad Mahir, president of Muslim Vikas Parishad (Muslim Development Council), has strongly opposed the indecency and disgrace done by Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj. He said that law and order has been restored in the country, exemplary punishment should be demanded for this act of Ramgiri. But the Muslim community should put its demand for it in a peaceful manner. Any kind of procession, demonstration or violence is not the solution to this matter. “We should have faith in the law, it will take appropriate action.
by Editor | Aug 26, 2024 | Opinion, Opinions
Asad Mirza
India took a significant diplomatic initiative led by PM Narendra Modi personally, when he offered New Delhi’s assistance at the highest level to help resolve the two-and-a-half years old on-going conflict between Russia and Ukraine, during his recent visit to Ukraine.
Last week on Wednesday 21 August, 2024, PM Modi embarked on a significantly historic two-nation visit to Poland and Ukraine. The Prime Minister first landed in Poland, on August 21 and then he headed to Kyiv.
This was PM Modi’s first visit to the war-torn Ukraine since Moscow’s invasion of Kyiv, and was also the fist visit by an Indian PM to Ukraine since bilateral diplomatic relations were established 30 years ago.
During his day long visit to Ukraine, on Friday 23 August, 2024, PM Modi met with Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy in the background of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War. During the talks PM Modi personally offered New Delhi’s assistance at the highest level to help resolve the conflict.
“We say it very loudly and clearly that we support the respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, it’s our highest priority.” Modi said. He further said that India is ever ready to play an ‘active role’ in every effort to restore peace in Ukraine and he would even like to contribute personally to end the conflict.
At their first face-to-face meeting, PM Modi met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a warm hug that came barely six weeks after Modi had similarly hugged the leader of Ukraine’s arch-enemy, President Putin, and which was criticised by the US officials.
This show of personal bonding poses some rather bigger questions, i.e. firstly, whether India is treating both Russia and Ukraine equally and secondly, whether it has the diplomatic heft to get the on-going war stopped at the earliest?
As to the first question, PM Modi himself offered a rather eloquent and succinct response by asserting that “We are not neutral. From the very beginning, we have taken sides. And we have chosen the side of peace. We have come from the land of Buddha where there is no place for war. We have come from the land of Mahatma Gandhi who had given a message of peace to the entire world.”
During the last two-and-a-half years India has chosen to distance itself from the US-led Western bloc’s position of imposing sanctions on Russia, but it also expressed “heartbreaking” concern at the killing of innocent children. During his Moscow visit, Modi had conveyed to the Russian President Putin that “this is not the era of war”. This signalled that New Delhi doesn’t turn a blind eye to Russian actions and that didn’t go unnoticed by the Western bloc.
Further, the Indian position of abstaining from the UN resolutions over the past two-and-half years, and making it clear that “dialogue and diplomacy” is the way forward projects Delhi as a player working towards peace.
And finally, the important element of India asking Putin and Zelenskyy to sit together – means that Delhi is ready to nudge both to have a direct conversation, instead of peace summits which are unrepresented by one side – at the Burgenstock, Switzerland summit in June earlier Russia was not invited.
India has been part of several multilateral summits, starting from Copenhagen, Jeddah, Riyadh, Davos and Burgenstock, which have talked about the process to resolve the conflict, but there has not been any headway so far.
At present it seems that the Western bloc which is preoccupied with its own set of problems and the presidential elections in the US, is least bothered about the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This leaves India and China to play a proactive role of a negotiator between the warring nations.
On its part New Delhi believes it has more leverage with the Western bloc, than Beijing. Though the war could be resolved only when the US, Europe and Russia come together, but getting a conversation started between Ukraine and Russia could be a good start form India’s point of view. PM Modi’s visit is part of India’s effort to bring the two warring sides to the table directly, and Delhi can be the facilitator.
However, in the current scenario when New Delhi is buying Russian oil in huge quantity, Zelenskyy taking Modi’s word at face value seems rather bleak. New Delhi has overtaken Beijing as the biggest importer of Russian oil. They have grown from 0.5 per cent of India’s total oil imports to 44 per cent this month.
During the talks on Friday, the Ukrainians raised the issue and said that if India changed its policy here, the war would end. In his interaction with the Indian media, President Zelenskyy said that because of the sanctions, Russian trade elsewhere faced restrictions, and, “If you stop the import of oil, Putin will have huge challenges”. He bluntly noted that Putin’s war economy was benefiting from the billions he was earning through oil exports to India and China.
Later in response, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar pointed out at a media briefing that Indian imports needed to be looked at in the context of embargoes on buying Iranian and Venezuelan oil and as of now they helped the international economy in ensuring that “prices remain reasonable and stable.”
All in all, the way the war is going, pressure for peace negotiations is likely to grow and both Ukraine and Russia will position themselves for it. As of now, there are no indications that the Russians are willing to talk peace. Despite the Kursk offensive, Kyiv is finding the going tough and as of now, Russia continues to occupy large territories in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Zelenskyy wants a second peace summit in November and says he will have a peace plan ready for it and has asked Russia to attend as well. It remains to be seen how New Delhi will handle this proposal for a second peace summit.
Meanwhile, White House has said that the United States welcomes any other country willing to be helpful in trying to end the conflict in Ukraine and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kyiv can contribute to achieving a peaceful resolution aligned with Zelenskyy’s vision.
For India, however the biggest challenge is to get the prime minister’s personal initiative leading to a resolution accepted by both the parties, which may help make India emerge as the leading and active voice of the Global South too.
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by Editor | Aug 26, 2024 | News, Politics
NEW DELHI — The socio-economic plight of over a dozen castes among Muslims in India has taken the centre-stage as the KG Balakrishnan Commission of Inquiry continues its investigation into whether Dalit converts from other religions should be granted Scheduled Caste (SC) status. The three-member commission gathered feedback from the public, including representatives from Buddhist, Christian, and Muslim communities.
At Gyan Bhavan, more than 500 representatives of different religious groups met with the commission to express their concerns and demand equality for marginalised Muslim castes, who claim to be worse off than Hindu Dalits in terms of social, economic, and educational opportunities.
The commission, established in October 2022, is composed of three members: Besides Balakrishnan, it has retired IAS officer Dr Ravinder Kumar Jain, and University Grants Commission member Prof. Sushma Yadav. Their mandate is to review the constitutional provision that restricts SC status to Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists and to determine if this provision should be extended to other religions.
Currently, the Indian Constitution under Article 341 states that a person following any religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism cannot be considered a member of a Scheduled Caste. This inquiry is crucial in addressing the longstanding demands of Dalit Muslims and Christians who seek the same legal protections and benefits as Hindu Dalits.
Several Muslim communities argue that they are socially ostracised, economically disadvantaged, and educationally deprived, much like their Hindu Dalit counterparts. These communities seek to be recognised as Scheduled Castes.
Usman Halal Khor, a member of the Most Backward Commission in Bihar, shared that his ancestors were originally Dalit Hindus who converted to Islam due to the untouchability prevalent among Hindus. “Even after converting to Islam, the stigma persisted,” said Halal Khor. “We are still treated as second-class citizens. Despite embracing Islam 500 years ago, our communities continue to face discrimination and are considered inferior even within the Muslim society.”
Caste-based discrimination
Caste-based discrimination within the Muslim community was highlighted by multiple speakers. “Muslims, much like Hindus, have caste divisions,” said Hasnain Gadhiri, a resident of Sasaram. “For example, the Mahtar community still looks down on the Halal-eating community and denies them social equality. Historically, our traditional occupation was labour, such as transporting bricks and sand using donkeys, hence the derogatory nickname ‘Gadhiri.’ Even today, we are not invited to any significant social events, and this discrimination prevents us from fully integrating into society.”
Farooqui Bhatiara, another community leader, echoed this sentiment. “Our ancestors started running inns and roadside hotels, but elite Muslim families distanced themselves from our employment. They still don’t consider us as their own, and even our surnames are often used derogatorily. Just as Hindu Dalits have been granted legal rights, we too should be included in the Scheduled Castes to help us become part of the mainstream society.”
The Balakrishnan Commission met with representatives from various communities, including a delegation led by Ali Anwar, National President of the All India Backward Communities and former member of Parliament. During their meeting, Anwar and other leaders presented their case for including Dalit Muslims and Christians in the SC category, a demand first made by the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission, which recommended removing the religious clause from Article 341 of the Constitution. The Sachar Committee report also identified numerous Muslim and Christian castes that face untouchability and discrimination, similar to Hindu Dalits.
Ali Anwar expressed scepticism over the commission’s ability to deliver justice. “Previous governments set up three commissions that presented reports on the backward conditions of these communities,” said Anwar. “However, instead of implementing the recommendations, the current government has argued before the Supreme Court that a new commission was needed. The formation of the KG Balakrishnan Commission raises concerns that it might not act in the interest of these marginalised groups.”
The debate surrounding the inclusion of Muslim and Christian Dalits in the Scheduled Castes category is part of a broader struggle for equality. For many, the issue is not just about economic benefits but about dignity and recognition within their communities.
“Muslim Dalits are often overlooked and marginalised,” said a local activist who wished to remain anonymous. “Their struggle is similar to that of Hindu Dalits, yet they don’t receive the same protections. It’s a question of whether our society is ready to acknowledge these inequalities and take steps to address them.”
As the Balakrishnan Commission continues its inquiry, the hopes of many marginalised Muslim communities hang in the balance. The decision to grant SC status to Dalit converts from Islam and Christianity could have profound implications for social justice in India.
The representatives who appeared before the commission have made their stance clear: they seek the same rights and protections that Hindu Dalits have been afforded, arguing that the discrimination they face is no different. The commission’s findings will be crucial in determining whether these communities will finally be recognised and included in the Scheduled Castes, potentially changing the lives of millions.
The plight of backward Muslim castes remains a critical issue, as they continue to grapple with deep-seated social exclusion and economic hardship. The question now is whether the Balakrishnan Commission will heed their call and recommend necessary constitutional changes to uplift these historically marginalised groups.
