Daily wrap: Kamal booked for Hindu terror remark; Lanka bans NTJ

Morphed Mamata picture: SC grants bail to BJP activist, asks her to apologise

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (May 14) granted bail to a BJP activist arrested for allegedly posting a morphed image of Mamata Banerjee on social media and asked her to apologise, while observing that freedom of speech ends when it infringes upon others’ rights. A vacation bench comprising justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said Priyanka Sharma, a BJP Yuva Morcha leader, will apologise in writing upon her release from jail for allegedly posting the morphed picture of the West Bengal chief minister.

Police book Kamal for Hindu terror remark, to be summoned for inquiry

The Karur district police on Tuesday (May 14) booked Makkal Nedhi Maiam (MNM) party leader Kamal Haasan on charges of promoting enmity between two groups. The actor-turned-politician had stated that Godse was a terrorist during a poll campaign in Aravakuruchi in Karur district. His statement garnered national attention, with various groups joining the narrative. Hindu organisations and BJP leaders condemned the statement and sought an apology from him.

Sri Lanka bans NTJ, two other Islamist extremist organisations

The Sri Lankan government has banned three Islamist extremist groups, including the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ) that carried out the terror attack on Easter Sunday in which over 250 people were killed. President Maithripala Sirisena issued an extraordinary gazette banning a number of extremist organisations on Monday (May 13). He also prohibited the use of drones in the country till further notice. According to the Gazette the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ), the Jamaathe Millaathe Ibrahim (JMI), and the Willayath As Seylani (WAS) organisations have been banned.

India declares LTTE ‘unlawful,’ SL’s anti-Muslim riots claim first death

India’s Ministry of Home Affairs released a notification on Tuesday (May 14) calling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) an unlawful association. The notification states that LTTE cadres sent to Tamil Nadu would “ultimately be utilised by the LTTE for unlawful activities”. It added that activities of pro-LTTE organisations and individuals have come to the notice of the central government despite the ban. It further stated that the LTTE’s “violent and disruptive” activities pose a threat to, and is detrimental to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, and declared the outfit “unlawful”. Meanwhile, a Muslim man was slashed to death in Sri Lanka on May 13, police said after imposing a nationwide curfew to contain a violent new backlash against Easter suicide bombings.

Federal Front ready to take Cong support, but won’t give driver’s seat: TRS

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Tuesday (May 14) said a federal front of regional parties proposed by its supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is open to taking support from the Congress to form a government at the Centre, as long as they don’t ask for the driver’s seat. Rao has been pursuing his idea of a federal front of non-Congress, non-BJP regional parties since last year, and TRS spokesman Abid Rasool Khan’s statement that his party is ready to do business with Rahul Gandhi-led outfit is seen as significant, ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results next week.

Jet Airways deputy CEO and CFO Amit Agarwal quits

Grounded carrier Jet Airways’ deputy chief executive and chief financial officer (CFO) Amit Agarwal has resigned, the airline said on Tuesday. Agarwal’s resignation is effective from May 13, it said. The airline seized operations temporarily around mid-April due to acute liquidity crisis. Most of the airline’s board members have also quit in the past one month.

Twelve-year-old from Kashmir valley pens fantasy novel

Twelve-year-old Touyiba Binti Javaid is probably the youngest writer from the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley. Her debut novel called ‘Luna Spark and the Future Telling Clock’ published by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages has created waves just a few days after it hit the stands. Talking to The Federal, the young writer says that the novel is her attempt to hook children to books.