Rahul meets Muslim intellectuals, discusses public policy
New Delhi, July 11: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met Muslim intellectuals as part of party's outreach to various sections ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha election. They gave
Those who met Gandhi to give their feedback on various issues and discuss "public policy" included M.S Farooqui, Amir Mohammad, Irfan Habib, Syeda Hameed, Ilyas Malik, Rakhshanda Jalil, Junaid Rehman, Farah Naqvi and others.
Congress Minority Department Chairman Nadeem Javed was also present at the meeting.
"A number of lawyers, historians and university intellectuals met Rahul Gandhi and discussed public policy with him," Khurshid told reporters later.
"They gave their feedback to the leader on different areas they are involved in. Hope more such interactions will take place in future," he added.
On Gandhi meeting selective intellectuals, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is selective when he chooses to meet his corporate friends but refuses to meet the farmers who protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi."
"This is a wrong comparison but I would only want to say that the Congress believes in development for all, inclusion of all, and equality for all.
"Our doors are open for everybody. The intellectuals who would want to wish to meet him, he (Gandhi) would be happy to meet them, he meets ambassadors of all the countries, diplomats from across the world, she said.
"He meets corporate friends from across the country, he meets women, people from MSMEs, fishermen, farmers of this country. His meetings are for everyone. His meetings are regular. He also meets ‘Anganwadi' workers. I think there is no one, he does not meet," she added.
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NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
