Clashes in Athens as tens of thousands protest Macedonian name deal

Flag-waving demonstrators had created a sea of blue and white on Syntagma square near the parliament, while much of the city center was closed to traffic and some metro stations shut as a precaution.

 

 

International News: Clashes between police and a group of masked protesters left several injured in Athens on Sunday as tens of thousands demonstrated against a name change deal with neighboring Macedonia that the Greek parliament is due to ratify in days.

The violence flared as Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attempts to face down a political storm over his championing of a landmark agreement with Macedonia aimed at ending a 27-year dispute with Athens over the country's name.

Police estimates put the number of demonstrators at 60,000 at 1200 GMT, while organisers said 100,000 people had arrived for the rally, with hundreds of buses bringing demonstrators, especially from the region of northern Greece that also claims the Macedonia name.

Ten police were hurt in the protests, according to the Greek citizens' protection ministry, while a first aid station said two protesters were hospitalised with breathing difficulties.

Scuffles broke out after about 30 masked youths tried to force the closure of the parliament building, throwing stones and other projectiles. Riot police responded with volleys of tear gas, dispersing the crowd outside the legislature.

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Protest in Athens & Greece

Maharashtra Bandh: Security beefed up, schools and colleges remain open

All departments and affiliated colleges of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad will remain closed today.

Maratha Quota Stir: Security has been beefed up in Maharashtra as Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella body of Maratha groups has called for a state-wide bandh on Thursday over reservation issue.

Addressing the media, a leader of the Sakal Maratha Samaj, Amol Jadhavrao said that the state-wide bandh would be observed in a peaceful manner from 8 am to 6 pm. However, the bandh will not be observed in the Navi Mumbai.

"We have called for a state-wide bandh on August 9. The bandh will not be observed in Navi Mumbai, due to some sensitive issue. Essential services, schools and colleges have been excluded from the bandh called by us," Jadhavrao said.

Maharashtra Bandh

He also urged the community members to not commit suicide over the issue and maintain their calm.

Meanwhile, police officials have also been deployed across the state to contain any unpleasant situation. "Adequate police deployment has been done to ensure peaceful bandh," Manjunath Shinghe, Mumbai Police PRO said.

All departments and affiliated colleges of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad will remain closed today in....continue reading

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News Source : BS

Maratha Quota Stir: Community leaders vow to hold strong protests on August 9

Maratha quota leaders said today that the community members will hold strident protests across Maharashtra on August 9 for the cause.

Maratha Quota Stir: Maratha quota leaders said today that the community members will hold strident protests across Maharashtra on August 9 for the cause. The leaders said they have decided to suspend all communications as part of the protest.

"The state government has not only failed to implement its promises made to the Maratha community before the 2014 assembly elections and in the last four years, but also delayed the procedure of withdrawing police complaints filed against the Maratha youth across the state," said Vinod Pokharkar, a leader of the Maratha Kranti Morcha.

He accused chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders of not keeping the quota promise. Pokharkar claimed that at least 2,000 youths from the community were arrested by the local police under serious charges in the state, following the agitations held last month.

Maratha Kranti Morcha

"With the August 9 protest imminent, the state government ensured that hearing on the cases against the Maratha youth would take place after August 9. This means that these youths will remain behind bars till Thursday," he alleged.

He claimed that not a single police station in districts has received the state government's letter asking them to withdraw charges of non-serious nature against the arrested youths.

Fadnavis had announced last month that the government would withdraw non-serious charges against the Maratha youths. Pokharkar alleged that Fadnavis seemed not keen to withdraw the...continue reading

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News Source : BS

Shillong Violence: Curfew relaxed, Army shelters 500; All you need to know

The situation has eased in Shillong today and curfew will be lifted from 8 am to 3 pm but internet will remain suspended.

 

Latest News India : Tension prevailed in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong for a third day on Sunday but the overall situation has improved and curfew will be lifted for seven hours today but restrictions will remain in force. Army troops rescued about 500 people, including 200 women and children, following night-long violence on Saturday during which an angry mob burnt a shop, a house, damaged five vehicles and injured a senior police officer.

The situation had become so grave that the Army had to conduct flag marches, and authorities had to suspend Internet services in the city to prevent the hate messages from spreading.

The situation escalated yesterday after sporadic incidents of stone-throwing in the city, in which a petrol bomb was also thrown by protestors but no one was injured. Protestors clashed with security personnel on Saturday night, forcing the authorities to declare a night curfew between 10 pm to 5 am in the city.

What triggered the violence in Shillong?

The clash erupted after a bus conductor was allegedly assaulted on Thursday by a group of people residing at Them Iew Mawlong, a Punjabi settlement in Shillong, according to agency reports. Besides the conductor, three others were also injured.

Trouble escalated when rumours spread on social media that the conductor had succumbed to injuries, prompting a group of bus drivers to converge at Them Iew Mawlong. The police had to fire teargas shells to disperse them, officials said.

However, according to several media reports, the larger matter is of community clashes between Khasis and Punjabis and violence broke out following a heated argument between a Khasi boy and Punjabi women in Them Iew Mawlong.

According to residents of Them Iew Mawlong locality, that has 350 homes of the Punjabi community, the Khasi society wants them to evict the area as they consider them to be illegal settlers since as long as 1980, reported The Indian Express. However the Punjabi community, who say they have resided in the area for 200 years now, have no intention of moving out.

Soon after the incident, several groups including the Khasi Students Union, the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) and the Hynniewtrep Youth Council reiterated their demand for the eviction of the “illegal settlers.

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Bharat Bandh: Dalit protest death toll rises to 10

In the wake of violent protests, 16 additional companies of the SSB, four companies of the RAF, two companies of the STF, and 3,000 trainee constables have been deployed across Madhya Pradesh today.

Latest News : The Bharat Bandh called by Dalit groups protesting the apparent dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Prevention of Atrocities Act by the Supreme Court recently left at least ten people dead and hundreds injured as incidents of violence were reported across several states on Monday. Protesters were reported to have blocked trains, clashed with police, and set fire to private and public properties, including police posts. At the moment, reports say schools will remain shut in Uttar Pradesh’s (UP’s) Agra, Hapur, and Ghaziabad over the bandh. Whether schools and colleges in other states and cities, too, will stay closed is not clear yet.

Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi-led government moved the Supreme Court seeking a recall of its judgment on the SC/ST Act. While the SC declined an urgent hearing on a writ petition filed by the All India Federation of SC/ST Organisations against the verdict, the Congress demanded that the Centre bring an amendment to the said law in Parliament or file a “curative petition” in the apex court.

The government will on Tuesday mention the review petition in the top court for an early hearing.

With the Bharat Bandh protest in Madhya Pradesh (MP) claiming six lives, additional police and anti-riot forces are being deployed across the state. The Dalit protest saw curfew being imposed at several places. The Union Home Ministry, for its part, rushed 800 anti-riot policemen to MP and UP, and asked all states to take preventive steps to maintain public order and ensure the safety of lives and property. Thousands of people were detained following widespread incidents of firing, vandalism, and arson across over 10 states, several of them being BJP-ruled.

The Bharat Bandh call was supported by nearly all Opposition parties, which, along with Dalit organisations and Dalit members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, had criticised the SC order on the SC/ST Act and asked the Centre to file a review petition. While the BJP accused Opposition parties of politicising the issue and contributing to the violence, the Opposition alleged that in several places, particularly in Agra and Gwalior, it was BJP workers who attacked protesters. The Congress, for its part, said that the Centre had taken the Bharat bandh call “lightly”, which resulted in the violence.