Tablighi Darul Uloom Deoband has condemned the decision of Saudi Arabia to ban the Tablighi Jamaat after denouncing it as a ”gateway of terrorism”. Chief Rector of the seminary, Maulana Abul Qasim Nomani, has asked Saudi Arabia to rethink its decision, saying otherwise a wrong message may be conveyed to Muslims. This is for the first time that the Islamic seminary of Deoband has openly condemned the Saudi government. The religious affairs ministry of Saudi Arabia had recently dubbed the Tablighi Jamaat as a gateway of terrorism and banned it. Prominent Muslim activist Zafar Sareshwala told PTI, ”I am surprised by the decision of Saudi Arabia as the Tabligi Jamaat was always an antidote to any extremist idea. The Jamaat maintained its disapproval of all modern Jihadi movements. Eve...

After 14 civilians in Nagaland were killed in a botched-up Indian Army operation, the victims’ families have refused compensation by the government until the involved Army personnel are ‘brought to justice and the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is removed from the Northeast.' Last week, on December 4, six villagers were killed in Mon district, Nagaland in an ambush by the Indian Armed Forces. The security forces, as stated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, ‘mistook’ these villagers for militants. Later, seven other civilians were shot dead by the security forces at Oting, as a crowd attacked the security forces. The violence also caused the death of one soldier. The Nagaland government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 500,000 as compensation to each of the families of th...