QBullet: Paris Suspect Identified, Meerut Love Jihad, and More

Read a compilation of the best news and views from across newspapers this morning on QBullet.

Heads of states at the G20 Summit in Turkey.

(Photo: AP)

1. G20 for Joint Steps to Fight Terrorism

As world leaders were leaving for Turkey to attend the G20 summit, all hell broke loose in Paris. The Hindu reports that this new development has put combating terror on top spot of the summit’s agenda.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a joint statement with US President Barack Obama, said that there will be “strong emphasis on having a firm stance on international terrorism”.

Traditionally, the forum has primarily discussed global economic issues but the skies had been darkened by the horrific attack in Paris just a day and half ago, Mr. Obama said, “As was true with the terrible attacks that took place in Ankara, the killing of innocent people based on a twisted ideology is an attack not just on France, not just on Turkey, but it’s an attack on the civilised world”.

Read the full report here.

2. First Clues to 13/11 Near Home of Concert Hall Killer in Paris Suburb

French police secure the perimeter after panic broke out among mourners who paid their respect at the attack sites at restaurant Le Petit Cambodge (Little Cambodia) and the Carillon Hotel in Paris on Sunday. (Photo: AP)

Praveen Swami met with people from the neighbourhood of Ismael Oman Mostefai, the first identified suspect in the Paris attacks investigation. He finds out how people in the neighbourhood remember Mostefai and how his involvement in the carnage has put the lives of Muslims in France in jeopardy.

Bangladeshi immigrant Shoaib Ahmed, who moved to France three decades ago, had similar sentiments. “I’m very scared what has happened will be used against all of us Muslims,” he said. “There are some people here who have long waited for something like this to give them a reason.”

Also read The Quint’s Exclusive: I Was Right There When Gunmen Unleashed Terror in Paris

3. ‘Love Jihad’ Couple Move in Together

It seems like a happy ending, at least for now, for an interfaith couple, thanks to the Allahabad High Court. A young Hindu girl from Meerut reached the court’s doorsteps when her love story was turned into a case of ‘Love Jihad’ by Hindutva groups last year.

After a case of rape and forced religious conversion was lodged by the girl’s father, Kaleem, a Muslim boy, and her lover was arrested. But the case took a turn when the girl told the court that she was not forced and registered a complaint against her parents.

She told the police that she had gone with Kaleem out of her own will and filed a case against her parents. When approached, Kaleem told this correspondent on Sunday that the “love jihad” controversy took a toll on his life and that of the girl.

Read the full story here.

4. After a Small Victory, a Setback for the IPS

File photo of policemen during a parade. (Photo: Reuters)

Just days after IPS officer Satyendra Garg was appointed, the Home Ministry has clarified that central forces will be reporting to internal security secretary Ashok Prasad.

According to Hindustan Times,

A senior post held by an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer at the home ministry lost its powers to oversee central police organisations last week, a move that IPS officers insist is a setback to their efforts to give police officers a key role in the security establishment. The home ministry has pruned the divisions that will report to internal security secretary Ashok Prasad.

Read the full story here.

5. Why Legal Pluralism Matters

The Supreme Court of India building in New Delhi. (Photo: Reuters)

An opinion piece in The Indian Express explains why the government’s version of the uniform civil code must be publicly debated. The writer cites examples of states which are said to have a uniform civil code, but in reality follow different personal laws, e.g. Goa. The piece concludes that it would be wise for the courts to first ask the government to draft a bluepirnt for a public debate before presenting an argument.

It is an erroneous perception that we in India have different personal laws because of religious diversity. As a matter of fact, the laws differ from state to state. It seems the framers of the Constitution did not intend total uniformity in the sense of “one law for the whole country”, because the power to legislate in respect of personal laws has been given to both Parliament as well as the state legislative assemblies.

Read the full piece here.

6. BCCI Frowns at Shahryar’s Media Blitz

BCCI President Shashank Manohar. (Photo: PTI)

The BCCI is reportedly not very happy with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Shahryar Khan’s announcing every detail of the correspondence between members of the two organisations to the media.

Speaking with The Hindu, BCCI President Shashank Manohar said that he had to clarify and even dispute the statements made by Khan about next month’s two Test matches, and a five-match ODI series.

Read the full story here.

7. Opposition Must Follow the Nitish Model in Parliament

File photo of Congress President Sonia Gandhi with senior party leaders. (Photo: PTI)

The dates for the winter session of Parliament are out. The Hindustan Times in its opinion piece explains that it’s time parties like the Congress learn from the Bihar poll result and implement those learnings in the Parliament. The writer says the “urban Indian” wants debate and policy options, and will not indulge in the ruckus created by the opposition for too long.

Take for instance the GST on which the Opposition cannot sustain the logjam for long. Many consumer states, including Bihar, stand to gain from it. As the principal Opposition, the Congress therefore must take the lead in educating people from the floor of Parliament on the ‘loopholes’ in the proposed law and the recipe it has for its improvement.

Read the full piece here.

8. What’s Wrong With Celebrating Tipu Sultan, Are BJP Elders Also Congress Sympathisers?

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. (Photo: PTI)

Speaking with The Times of India, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia talks about the label of a “manufactured intolerance protest”, the results of the Bihar electio,n and his views on a commemoration for Tipu Sultan.

I am shocked at this – are Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Narayana Murthy, Raghuram Rajan and Zubin Mehta Congress sympathisers? These are globally exalted personalities. Is the margdarshak mandal also a group of Congress sympathisers? Rather than introspect about the message from the masses, their unwillingness to listen to these voices is their intolerance.

Read the full interview here.

9. Hardlook Pollution Watch: Particulately Disturbing

Air pollution in New Delhi. (Photo: Reuters)

After a long debate about air pollution in the national capital at the onset on winter, The Indian Express now decodes pollution levels in Delhi post Diwali. According to the report, there is one good news, that particulate matter dispersed quickly this year on account of favourable weather conditions.

But the bad news – air quality nosedived and noise levels spiked.

Air quality monitoring during Diwali, tasked with multiple agencies in Delhi, often throws up starkly different analogies. This year, all agencies acknowledged that high wind speeds and cooler temperature allowed pollutants, especially particulate matter, to disperse faster this year. Air quality, however, still nosedived. Scientists said the dip, acknowledged across agencies, was despite the favourable weather conditions.

Read the full report here.

Stories From The Quint

1. Exclusive: I Was Right There When Gunmen Unleashed Terror in Paris
2. Nathuram Godse, the Man Who Killed the Mahatma
3. Time to Wake Up: Five Simple Ways to Become a Morning Person