Alleges connivance of the Congress Party in Narednra Modi’s victory

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

New Delhi: Shabnam Hashmi, renowned socio-political activist, has resigned from all UPA government committees in protest against what she called “connivance” of the leading UPA partner to make sure the victory of BJP in Gujarat.

In a statement released to the media, she begins by saying, “I feel deeply disturbed at the betrayal of the hard work and faith of the thousands of activists who worked in Gujarat against the dictatorship and the fascist regime of NarendraModi and also crores of Gujaratis who voted against Modi in the assembly election.”

Shabnam Hashmi

She adds, “There was a strong anti-Modi wave but suddenly everything changed between December 15 evening and 17th morning…the overnight reversal and the following victory of the communal –fascist regime was not possible without the connivance of the political party that leads the UPA.”

As a protest against the betrayal of the aspirations of the marginalized people of Gujarat to throw out the Modi regime, Hashmi said she is resigning from all UPA government committees that she has been part of so far.

The statement says she has accordingly sent her resignations from the membershipsof :Maulana Azad Education Foundation, Ministry of Minority Affairs, CABE (Central Advisory Board of Education), NMCME (National Monitoring Committee for Minority Education) and NLM Council (National Literacy Mission) MHRD and Assessment and Monitoring Authority, Planning Commission of India.

She appealed to the nation, political parties and media to introspect and conduct an independent investigation into the Gujarat Verdict 2012 and to look at especially the presence of foreign diplomats and journalists in Gujarat just before the elections.

She has also demanded that use of EVM machines should be abandoned in any future elections.

ShabnamHashmi added, “If Gujarat was used as the laboratory of the hate ideology it can also be used as the laboratory of undermining the democracy in India.”

For past 30 years ShabnamHashmi has been working as social and political activist. She had started Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD) in the wake of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom and has since been working for harmony and peace.

For past couple of months she was camping in Gujarat and running a campaign Bole Gujarat (Gujarat speaks).

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

Kolkata: A middle aged,unknown woman was beaten to death by an irate mob, which had gathered near GJ Khan Road of Topsia (Kolkata) at around 8.00pm last night, allegedly because she has been trying to kidnap children by offering them candy.

She was labelled a member of the child lifting gang, and brutally beaten to death.

Advocate S.KhurshidAlam, co-ordinator of Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) chapter of Kolkata, whose chamber is nearby reached the spot and immediately called the local police station.

Over 500 people had gathered at the spot by the time police reached. After dispersing the crowd, the body was sent for medical examination.

For the last few weeks some children from the Topsia locality have been reported missing. APCR’s fact finding team had visited some of the parents of the missing children on December 23, 2012 and all the parents had complained about the indifferent attitude of the police towards their case.

Yesterday’s incident was the consequence of what rights activists call“insensitiveness of the police towards the case of missing children.”

There are reports of at least four children missing, of whom dead body of one has been found. However, rumor mills put the figure to somewhere above 10. There are also rumors that organ racketeers maybe behind the cases of missing children.

Speaking to TCN, KhurshidAlam of APCR condemned the incident. He said, “It is a matter of shame for the people of the locality that in Kangaroo court fashion a mob kills a lady without any evidence, making a mockery of the legal system.”

APCR has also demanded the police to be more vigilant and bring the real culprits to justice.

Related story:

APCR fact finding team on missing children in Kolkata

By IANS,

Srinagar : Authorities imposed restrictions in Kashmir's Pulwama town Friday after seven people were injured in retaliatory action by the security forces against a stone-pelting mob, police said.

The restrictions were imposed in view of the tension in Pulwama, 32 km from here, after security personnel retaliated to a mob attack on an ambulance carrying an injured army major following a gunfight with militants, a police official said.

"In the retaliatory action seven people, identified as Mohammad Yaseen Bhat, Ashiq Ahmad, Jahangir Ahmad, Gowhar Ahmad, Imran Bhat, Showkat Mir and Younis Mir, were injured," Deputy Inspector General (south Kashmir) Vijay Kumar said.

Of the seven injured people, one was referred to Bone and Joints hospital in Srinagar and six others were recuperating at the city's SMHS hospital, Kumar added.

A senior doctor in the Pulwama hospital said that most of the injured had reported bullet injuries.

Senior administrative officials were rushed to the town to take stock of the situation.

Two militants were killed and three security personnel -- an army major, a captain and a policeman -- were injured Friday in a gunfight between the guerrillas and the security forces in Budgam, Asthan Mohalla village of Pulwama.

Shabnam Hashmi, renowned socio-political activist and founding Director of ANHAD, today resigned from all UPA government committees in protest against what she called “connivance” of the leading UPA partner to make sure the victory of BJP in Gujarat.

Shabnam Hashmi spoke over phone with Ismail Khan giving her first reaction.

Shabnam Hashmi

TCN: What made you think that the Congress played a role in Modi’s victory?

SH: There was so severe anti-Modi wave that, on December 16 local news channels started telecasting reports of nervous Modi shifting his files away from the secretariat. Congress leaders were also enthusiastic in their campaigns. Then suddenly whole scenario changed. Congress party’s zeal died down and next day Narendra Modi comes out like an already declared champ and announces his victory.

TCN: In your official statement you mentioned about foreign diplomats visiting Gujarat…

SH: Many foreign agencies, including US internal agencies were present during the time of elections in Gujarat. They could have tempered with electronic voting machines (EVM’s) and the presence of foreign agencies during election period couldn’t have happened without the convenience of UPA central Govt.

TCN: Why would Congress party do such an act of supporting their biggest rival as alleged by you?

SH: There could be many reasons, like they might want to keep secular forces at national level stick to them as their savior, by using the image of Modi in Gujarat. At the end of the day Congress is also a political party.

TCN: There was an overwhelming feeling before the elections that Modi will win as predicted by many mainstream media outlets, what makes you think differently?

SH: I worked in Gujarat as a social activist during 2002 and 2007 elections; the wave of anti-incumbency was severe this time against Modi. Gujarat was different during this election; there were protests in rural Gujarat from farmers and other workers. Many Guajarati’s voted against him contrary to the perception created, even the urban middle class voted against him.

As far as predictions of corporate media are concern they were supportive of Modi for a long time, it doesn’t surprise meif they predicted his win.

TCN: After this resignation what is your next step?

SH: Well I have done my bit as a citizen of India to shake the conscience of the Indian society. Now it’s time for the Congress party to do some soul searching.

Related story:

Shabnam Hashmi resigns from all UPA government committees

By IANS,

Guwahati : A Bodoland People's Front (BPF) legislator Friday blamed his own party chief Hagrama Mohilary for the communal violence in Assam that left more than 100 people dead three months ago.

Hitesh Basumatary told the media that Mohilary was responsible for the violence that engulfed Kokrajhar and Chirang, which fall under the Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts (BTAD).

BTAD is run by the Bodoland Territorial Council, whose chief executive member is also Mohilary.

Describing Mohilary as a "dictator", he said the people of the state were "well aware who is responsible for the whole situation".

"Along with the people, I would like to (urge) Mohilary to cooperate with the government to seize all illegal arms in BTAD. I wish he will work for peace and prosperity in the Council area," Basumatary said.

Basumatary, who represents Chapaguri in the Assam assembly, denied Mohilary's allegation that he (Basumatary) was involved in a kidnap-murder case.

"How can he make such remarks even before the investigation report is out? Being a leader of a political party, he has violated the norms of democracy."

The communal violence which enveloped Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts also displaced closed to five lakh people.

Basumatary called for the seizure of all illegal weapons in the Bodoland areas.

"I'm not talking about Muslims or Bodos but one must find out from where all these illegal arms have come from? All these should be seized."

By Mohit Dubey, IANS,

Lucknow: The promise by the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) to move a resolution in the Uttar Pradesh assembly during the budget session in February 2013 to give Muslims a quota in government jobs and educational institutions has stirred a political storm in the state.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has threatened to launch a state-wide agitation against the move, many in the SP have aired their apprehensions over "such an overt minority appeasement move".

SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, the powerful cousin of party supreme Mulayam Singh Yadav, had earlier this week slammed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre for not pushing the minority quota issue "enough", and asserting that the state government would move the legislation on this in the assembly.

A constitutional amendment would be sought for creating the quotas, Yadav said.

The SP, many feel, wants the quotas for Muslims to counter arch-rival and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati's campaign for quotas and job promotions for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Muslims comprise about 19 percent of the 200 million population of India's most populous state.

With the SP aiming at a major haul of the state's 80 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, insiders say, the party is crafting an action plan which would be seen as "extremely pro and caring for Muslims". Many also feel this was the SP central leadership's way of offsetting the damage to the party that the Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, is hell bent on causing.

Bukhari, who campaigned extensively for the SP in the 2012 assembly polls, has now fallen out with the ruling dispensation, largely because of his bitter relationship with Urban Development Minister Mohammad Azam Khan, who has not missed a chance to take on Bukhari.

On his part, Bukhari says the SP is not serious about reservations for Muslims. "The SP government is cheating the minorities with its double speak", he said, accusing Mulayam Singh of sidelining the Muslims.

"With his vehement opposition to the SC/ST job quota in parliament, Mr. Yadav has made it clear that his focus in the coming days would veer around the upper castes and so the Muslim voters be damned," he fumed.

While SP leaders admit that the stand might lead to polarization on community lines in the state, they point out that any such eventuality would only end up helping the party in the general elections.

BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said that the Samajwadi Party was trying to divide the state on caste and community lines. "It is good to have a majority but one should not become reckless," he said, while pointing out that then chief minister Mayawati had moved a resolution to divide the state into four.

(Mohit Dubey can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in)

By TCN News

Mumbai: “The rising number of divorces, rampant cases of dowry victims, unhappy marriages are due to lack of ignorance about the respect of women in society and lack of aims and objectives of marriages" said Salma Baig in a workshop about marriage counseling.

A pre-marriage counseling workshop for girls and women was held today at Scholar high school, Jogeshwari West by Ladies Wing of Jamate Islami Hind. this uniquely designed program was attended by a a gathering of hundreds of women.

The purpose of this program was to educate girls and women about the importance of institution of family and marriages. "The present world is realizing the importance of human values and specifically values towards women. The current turmoil on different rape cases is one of its example" said Salma Baig.

While enlightening audience on the importance of love, Tanveer Khanam said "Love is within everyone as only it makes a person to respect and take care of others." Women is not just a item for play as current world shows her as an object, which is the reason why we see condition of women everywhere, shared Jabeen Choudhary while addressing on western approach towards women. She also said "respect of women is not in being an object of display for lustful eyes but to be in living life with pride and dignity, in the Islamic way."

This one day program was one of its kind as many felt need of such events to boost the morale and dignity of women in society. "Its an enlightening program wherein we got to know about the importance of women in society and how to live happier", thanked Aiman, a student, who participated in this workshop. The program was coordinated by Salma Baig, incharge of ladies wing of Jamate Islami Hind.

By TCN Staff Reporter

Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Itehadul Muslimeen(AIMIM) reiterated its earlier standon the Telanagana issue at the all party meeting called by Union Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.

MIM favored status quo of the state and in case of bifurcation on the ground of ‘economic backwardness’ Rayalseema and Telangana regions should be merged to form a separate state of ‘Rayal-Telangana’ with Hyderabad city as its capital.

MIM made it clear that bifurcation or not there will be no compromise on the status of Hyderabad and it should not be converted into a union territory. Ironically MIM was the first to give the suggestion of converting Hyderabad city into a union territory during the peak of Telangana agitation in 2010.

Eight political parties from Andhra Pradesh INC, TDP, YSR Congress, TRS, CPI, CPI (M), BJP, and MIM were represented by two delegates each from the party. While CPI, BJP, TRS supported formation of separate Telangana state, TDP maintained that it will not have any problem with the bifurcation of the state and will adhere to the decision from the union govt.

Whereas YSR Congress, and CPI(M) clearly rejected the idea of separate Telanagana state and supported status quo. The ruling party Indian National Congress was divided in its approach where each representative from different region singing in dissimilar tune. MIM on the other hand made all the options open with some conditions, which was in the larger interest of the party’s growth in different minority concentrated districts.

Majlis-e-Itehadul-Muslimeen was represented by its president Assaduddin Owaisi who was surprisingly accompanied by Gajula Vijaya Gyaneshwar Naidu an advocate and Jubilee hills constituency incharge of the party.

Mr. Owaisi during the meeting even had a verbal spat with his friend turned enemy and as put by him successor of Narsimha Rao chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy. Mr. Owaisi reportedly criticized A.P. Congress Govt. on the handling of the disputed Bhagya Laxmi Mandir adjacent to Charminar. Mr. Reddy interrupted Mr. Owaisi and protested against raising a separate issue in the Telangana meeting.

Which got both leaders into a verbal spat accusing each other of playing communal politics, Union Home Minister finally had to intervened to pacify both the leaders.

MIM’s unique stance of greater Telangana or a Rayal-Telangana state is different stand from all the other major parties. Telangana and Rayalseema both regions has significant concentration of Muslim population, Telangana has about 14% Muslim population, whereas in Rayalseema it is near to 18%. There are four assembly constituencies in Rayalseema where Muslim vote is a decisive factor. In addition to the above factors MIM already have good hold in the region, with party running Municipal Council in the Kurnool city of the Rayalseema.

Union Home Minister after the meeting announced in the press conference that a final decision on the fate of Andhra Pradesh will be taken within a month, but people in Telangana are skeptical that this assurance of present Home Minister could turn out to be the same old four week assurance given by his predecessor one year ago.

By Kaleem Kawaja

In the wake of the just concluded Gujarat State Assembly election that Modi's Gujarat state BJP won, some people have said that if Congress party had tried real hard it could have defeated Modi's BJP. Is that a credible statement? Let us analyze the political background and the
ground realities.

A few weeks before the polling many election observers had noted that Modi's BJP will win; the factors being.

a. A very large number of Gujarati Hindus are excellent people and very fair to minorities. Yet, the majority of Hindus of Gujarat being anti-minority is a fact that goes back several decades to 1947, including the lifetime of Mahatma Gandhi. Even in his lifetime, in Gujarat Gandhi was less popular among Hindus than Vallabhbai Patel. More institutions in Gujarat are named after Sardar Patel than after Gandhi.

b. The pre-BJP Congress in Gujarat too catered to pro-Hinduttava sentiments; although they were not violent against Muslims & Christians.

c. The population of Muslims in Gujarat is barely 9%; most of them live in urban areas; very few live in rural areas. So their electoral weight is not much.

d. Modi and his cohorts have greatly exploited all ugly incidents happening in India as being the handiwork of Pakistan that shares its border with Gujarat. He has totally brainwashed Gujarati Hindus against Muslims and has put fear of Muslims in their minds by years of continual degrading statements against Muslims. Look how in the current election he exploited the name of Ahmad Patel as Mian Ahmad Patel and said that Congress wants to make a Mian the chief Minister of Gujarat. Was that not fear mongering?

e. Modi did bring some development in industries & infrastructure in Gujarat.

f. Majority of Gujarati Hindus do not pay that much attention to the human rights of Muslims, whom Modi has painted as evil.

g. Despite all this, Modi's BJP won 115 Assembly seats in 2012 against 117 in 2007, and 127 in 2002 - a continuing decline in seats won. He fell much short of his own 2012 target of 125 seats in the Gujarat Assembly.

It is true that if Congress had tried substantially harder and had spent much more money, they could have won another 5 to 10 seats.

With their all-India calculation of money and strategy for 2014 and knowing well that they were not going to get seats more than or equal to Modi's BJP, they choose not to make Gujarat election a do- or- die contest. Muslims will like Congress to make a do- or- die issue of Gujarat because of Modi's 2002 atrocities, but Congress does not think in those terms.

Does not BJP adopt a similar strategy in Assam, Bengal, UP, AP or such other states where their opponents are very strong? So this is real politic.

The Muslim community should analyze the facts and circumstances of the 2012 election before swallowing an incredible/emotional line that someone may give us.

Muslims have to learn how to deal with Congress and how to pressurize it for our interests but we should not hit Congress in the face. Muslims have electoral strength in Assam, Bengal, Bihar, UP, Kerala, and some parts of AP, Karnatak and Maharashtra. In other states (Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, small NE states) our population is about 5% (9% in Gujarat). So we have to strategize accordingly.

In the post Gujarat election Muslims have to develop a strong all-India strategy to isolate Modi in Gujarat state and not let him be a leader anywhere outside Gujarat. That should be our clear target.

--
Kaleem Kawaja is a community activist based in Washington, DC.

By TCN News

L to R - Prof. Tabassum Naqvi, Prof. Ekram Husain, AMU PVC Brig. S. Ahmad Ali, Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen. Shah and Dean, Prof. Hamid Ali at the Alumni Meet.

Aligarh: The Silver Jubilee Alumni Meet of 986-87 batch of Zakir Husain College of Engineering and technology, Aligarh Muslim University was organized here today. A large number of alumni gathered at the lawns of the Engineering College and were excited to see each other after a gap of twenty five years.

The Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah said that he was extremely proud of the achievements of alumni of this premier institution. He said that the networking of all alumni is a very important factor in achieving the goal. He suggested preparing a Directory of old boys and re-activating the alumni network.

By Ram Puniyani

Hidden in the back pages of some major dailies, there was news that the third Samjhauta bomber was held in MP (16, Dec 2012). National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Rajender Choudhary, near Ujjain in MP. He has been named as one of the bombers in the supplementary charge sheet submitted by the agency. One recalls that in the blast in Samjhauta Express, way back in 2007, resulted in the death of 68 persons, including 43 Pakistanis. The investigation showed that there were four brief-case bomb planters, who allegedly acted on the instructions from RSS pracharak Sunil Joshi, Sandeep Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra. Of these Sunil Joshi was later murdered. Many others’ from this camp, who are cooling their heels in jails, are Swami Aseemanand and company. This series of blasts like Mecca Masjid, Malegaon, Ajmer etc. were planned at times when religious conglomeration of Muslims at major festivals was there, so that the casualty is large.

The first striking point of this news is the under projection of the arrest. If we remember in earlier phase, when for the same incidents of blasts the innocent Muslim youth were arrested, there were banner headlines in all the news papers and anchors of TV channels were screaming to the highest pitch. In this projection the language press added all the necessary spices to highlight the religion of the arrested culprits. This was followed by the under reporting of the judgments, which found these Muslim youth innocent and then these youth were let off. Such news was again hidden in the back pages as small news items if at all. The pattern of media reporting showed a clear-cut bias in the nature of reporting. Unfortunately the media pundits have also ignored this major phenomenon of the pattern of reporting in case of communal violence and terrorist violence. In case of communal violence the large section of media accepted the version from police or dominant prevalent versions in an uncritical manner. In case of terrorist violence the media reported events with the underlying theme as if all terrorists are Muslims.

Shakeel Siddiqui speaks in Patna on June 18, 2012. His brother Qateel Siddiqui was accused on terror and killed in jail six months later with no chargesheet ever filed against him.

The attitude of police also was on these patterns in both communal and terrorist types of violence. In terrorist violence the arrest of Muslim youth was done with striking regularity, till the motorcycle of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, an ex ABVP worker, was discovered by Hemant Karkare. Till that time the earlier chiefs of ATS in Maharashtra and other states where blasts took place, were playing it cool. In most these cases the involvement of those associated with RSS ideology was not given a serious thought. When in April 2006 the blast took place in Nanded in the house of RSS activist Rajkondavar. In front of the house there was a board of Bajrang Dal and the saffron flag was fluttering. There was enough evidence to take the investigation further, which might have led to arrest way back of those who are currently in jails. Since large section of police preferred to be guided by biases rather than professionalism, the investigation remained half way and the series of blasts kept taking place. To arrest the Hindus for acts of terror was an ‘unthinkable thought’ for most investigating officers. To highlight this in media was not might not have been thought appropriate by the media. The police and media, both, focused on the ‘thinkable thought’ and projected Muslims as the culprits. This thinkable thought was product of the US propaganda duly taken up by the National media. As per this ‘All Muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are Muslims’.

When Hemant Karkare decided to go ahead in a professional way, the path was not easy for him. He soon faced the political pressure from some sections. Bal Thackeray in his paper Saamna wrote, that we ‘spit on the face of Hemant Karkare, while Narendra Modi said that Hemant Karkare is Deshdrohi (Anti National). The death of Hemant Karkare was a big setback to the investigation of blast cases. But the path was paved for thinking on these lines which were unthinkable earlier. With confession of Swami Aseemanand in presence of a magistrate, which he later retracted the evidence came forth clearly on which Rajasthan ATS and now NIA and other police agencies may be working meticulously to bring out the truth of these blasts.

While the arrest of Muslim youth was going on recklessly, some social activists tried, in vain, to draw the attention of the state and investigating agencies, about the arrest of innocents. That the real culprits are being overlooked was the underlying statement. These social activists were ignored till the people’s tribunal “Scapegoats and Holy Cows’ held in Hyderabad (August 2008) brought forward the truth for public and states’ attention to the tragic reality of blasts and the reality about the culprits who were getting away and the innocents were being arrested. Needless to say that due to such arrests, the social life and careers of those innocents who were arrested was ruined. Even now lot of questions persist; about Batla encounter and the alleged role of Azamgarh youth in the acts of terror. Some political leaders have been raising the issue but state so far has been very apathetic to the plight of Muslim youths and their families who have been implicated in this incident. Now some hope is being rekindled that these innocents may get justice as on one hand the professional attitude of NIA is nabbing the real culprits and hopefully will ensure that the guilty are punished by the court of law.

At the same time, though painfully late, the delegation led by Ram Vilas Paswan met the Prime Minister and submitted the memorandum on the issue. The Prime minister has promised that “The government will soon constitute a mechanism to stop arresting innocent youth, providing justice to them and their rehabilitation.” Dr. Singh also assured that he will talk to the Home Minister in this regard. One does not know how the state is planning to compensate the innocent youth, who have suffered immensely at the hands of the insensitive state machinery. Will Government gather courage to institute an inquiry into Batla encounter and bring forth the truth?

One presumes after the Nanded blast (April 2006), which was an accident in which the Bajrang Dal activists making the bombs were killed, had the investigation been taken to its logical conclusion many a blasts might have been prevented and many an innocent lives saved. That’s a conjecture, which sounds to be a strong possibility in the hindsight. Will this be a lesson to our concerned authorities to learn from and a pointer to adopt a more professional attitude in future?

By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net

Hyderabad: The brutal gang rape of 23 year old Delhi medical student has shaken the conscience of the nation. Fighting bravely for past 15 days the victim ‘Amanat’ succumbed to her injuries and died in a hospital in Singapore after waking up the sleeping nation.

TCN spoke to Ms.Kaneez Fatima who is joint secretary at Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee. To know how she comprehends the incident and the events unfolded after it.

TCN: How do you perceive Delhi gang rape incident, and the nationwide protest which followed?

KF: It was a shameful incident and a crime in the most brutal form. But one should remember several incidents of this magnitude or even worse happens every day in India. Often carried out by Armed Forces of this nation in Kashmir in North Eastern states, and in the tribal belts with impunity under the protection of law. Many such incidents occur at higher percentage in rural India especially in villages, but often they don’t even get reported by the media or to the police.

This case acquired significance because it has occurred in the national capital. People should shrug off their double standards of protesting on rape cases. This case has generated a movement against the brutal crime of rape and should be taken to its logical conclusion.

Kaneez Fatima in her office. [TCN Photo]

TCN: What reason you see behind increase in the sexual crimes against women?

KF: There can’t be a single reason; it is difficult to generalize every rape case. After this incident a debate is taking place and people started commenting on different reasons like women dress code, as if women with traditional dresses aren’t getting raped. Rapes don’t occur because women are travelling at night, but it is expedited by the mentality of men.

Now this mentality and psychology of man regarding women just as an object of their lust is being created in their minds by emancipating social media. In movies women are depicted as “item girls”, and are presented as an object to satisfy the lust of a man. Even commercial advertisements to sell their brands portray women in vulgarity that hundreds of women are ready to fell for a guy, who is using products that is being advertised. Media should control its decency, and should play a positive role in changing the patriarch mentality of India.

TCN: What according to you can be done to control sexual violence against women?

KF: Protestors are echoing a demand of strict laws; some are chanting death penalty for the rapists. But people fail to understand that strict laws hardly control any crime. Strict laws cannot deter person who doesn’t have any regard or fear of law from committing a crime. First of all there have to be a total over haul in our judicial process, especially in regard to rape cases. So we can get some convictions, and so that rape victims don’t have to face the humiliation of the system.

There have to be process of reformation and awareness among the general public. Govt. on their side should take measures which ensure women are provided proper security and consciousness should be generated by the Govt. and the general public to counter the image of women generated by patriarch society as a product, item girl, or just a sexual object.

Resistance against the demolition of Ghousiya Masjid and colony in Delhi

By Mohamed Tanveer Iqbal

New Delhi: A 400-year-old Gousiya Masjid (Khasra No: 217, Mehrauli) was demolished by DDA in Delhi on December 12th. This is not the first incident where DDA (Delhi Development Authority) demolished a masjid, the civic body has several such records of demolition and attempts for demolition to its credit. But this time it has demolished starting from December 5, 2012 also a residential neighborhood, making hundreds of poor people shelter less in winter.

People who have been rendered homeless.

Delhi Wakf Board Chairman and loyal Congress MLA Mateen Ahmad Choudary said “the area was a Wakf Board land which had been acquired by the DDA about 25 years ago and the Board would recommend to the DDA to reconstruct the wall which had been demolished” whereas in reality the whole Masjid was demolished leaving a portion of backside wall.

DDA without providing any alternate shelter or notice demolished the colony and reported that a wall of Masjid was demolished by mistake. To resist the demolition Ghousiya Colony Rehabilitation Forum was formed on December 14, 2012 and to demand the Delhi Government for the rehabilitation of colony and rebuilding the Masjid. The forum has till date provided assistance for continuous provision of prayers at the demolished Masjid.

Juma prayer in destroyed Masjid, on Dec 14, 2012

Meanwhile the National President of Social Democratic Party of India E. Abubacker along with a delegation visited the demolished Masjid and victims on 17th December and promised them that SDPI will be struggling with them till they get justice and provide all aid possible.

Ghousiya Colony Rehabilitation Forum (GCRF) organized a sit in (dharna) protest at Jantar Manta, New Delhi on 18th December 2012(International Minority Rights Day) demanding the Delhi Chief Minster to rehabilitate the colony, to rebuild the Masjid, to take action on DDA official responsible for demolition and to stop the demolition and to immediately stop the demolition process which did not stop after 5th December.

The forum delegation presided by SDPI National Gen Sec Hafiz Manzoor Ali Khan met Wajahat Habibullah (Chairman – National Commission for Minorities and K Rahman Khan MP (Minister for Minority affairs on 19th December with the demands. And even met Delhi Wakf boar CEO Abid Hassan and demanded him to file a case on behalf of the Wakf against the demolition of Masjid at a wakf land.

Protest at Jama Masjid, Delhi.

Despite the many agitation of the forum there was no reply from the Government. And the DDA continued the demolition process and even continued demolition of pakka graves. Then the forum announced a blockade protest at Delhi Chief Ministers residence on 21st December with the slogan “Provide us shelter or we will shelter at Delhi Chief Minister’s Residence - rebuild our Masjid or we will pray at Delhi Chief Minister’s Residence." The blockade protest was postponed as Delhi CM met the forum delegation and assured to help the colony inhabitants. Due to the intervention of CM the demolition work stopped for the time being. And Delhi Chief Minister has also organized a joint meeting of DDA and Forum members on December 24, 2012 at her residence. But no such meeting happen till date as it was postponed at the last time and reason given was the recent protest against the Delhi gang rape incident.

And it is same in the case of K. Rahman M P, Minister of Minority affairs who is also doing the same, today also the forum met the Minister who promised for a joint meeting soon as he did several times earlier.

In case of the Delhi Wakf is more pathetic as MLA Matheen Choudary who gives good statement in media regarding this issue but taking no productive steps.

This shows that the Government is not serious regarding this issue.

DDA destorying nation's heritage.

The forum also met the Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Ahmad Bukhari and demanded him to join the struggles for demanding the Government to rebuild the Ghousiya Masjid and rehabilitate the colony on 28th December, who promised to visit the victims at the earliest.

The forum has now decided to propagate this issue in all street and corner of Delhi through awareness campaign and reach out to the masses. As this issue is not a Muslim issue or an issue of mere Masjid or colony of Ghousiya but an issue against the constitutional rights of Indian citizens thus the forum has demanded the Muslim community & also secularists of nation should join this struggle for justice.

Demands of the Forum:

1. To rebuild the Masjid and restore the graves immediately through the Delhi Wakf board.

2. Rehabilitate the colony and

3. A judicial enquiry to punish the persons of DDA and Police department responsible for the demolition of Masjid and disrespect to the graves.

---
The writer is the coordinator of the Ghousiya Colony Rehabilitation Forum. G

By IANS,

New York: A 31-year-old woman suspected of shoving an Indian immigrant in front of a subway train has been charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime after she told the police that she hated Hindus and Muslims since 9/11.

Prosecutors Saturday identified the woman, who allegedly shoved India-born Sunando Sen of Queens, in front of a subway train Thursday as Erika Menendez of Bronx.

"(She) said in sum and substance 'I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers I've been beating them up,'" Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said in a statement.

Witnesses cited by CNN said a woman paced the platform and talked to herself Thursday evening shortly before pushing Sen as the 11-car train entered the station.

The body of 46-year-old Sen, a graphic designer for posters who ran a small copying business called New Amsterdam Copies on the Upper West Side, was pinned under the second car after it came to a stop.

The woman made "statements implicating herself in the death of Sunando Sen," Paul Browne, the New York Police Department's chief spokesman, said earlier. Security video showed a person running from the scene.

Menendez was identified Saturday afternoon in a lineup, Browne said. She was recognized earlier in the day on a street in Brooklyn by a passer-by who called 911, the police spokesman said. The caller said she resembled the woman in the video.

"The defendant is accused of committing what is every subway commuter's worst nightmare-being suddenly and senselessly pushed into the path of an oncoming train," said Brown, the district attorney.

"The victim was allegedly shoved from behind and had no chance to defend himself. Beyond that, the hateful remarks allegedly made by the defendant and which precipitated the defendant's actions can never be tolerated by a civilized society."

Menendez is expected to be arraigned by Sunday morning. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. By charging her with murder as a hate crime, the possible minimum sentence she faced would be extended to 20 years from 15 years, according to prosecutors.

Ar Suman, a Muslim, and one of three roommates who shared a small first-floor apartment with Sen in Elmhurst, told the New York Times that he and Sen often discussed religion.

Though they were of different faiths, Suman said, he admired the respect that Sen showed for those who saw the world differently than he did. Suman said he once asked Sen why he was not more active in his faith and it resulted in a long philosophical discussion.

"He was so gentle," Suman was quoted as saying. "He said in this world a lot of people are dying, killing over religious things."

Reacting to the suspect woman's statement, the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations repeated its call for America's political and religious leaders to speak out forcefully against growing anti-Muslim hate in American society.

"We again urge our nation's leaders to speak out forcefully against the rising level of anti-Muslim hate in American society that is being fueled and exploited by a vocal minority of Islamophobes," said CAIR-NY Executive Director Muneer Awad.

By IANS,

New York: Official responses to rapes in India are ad hoc and unpredictable and often "degrading and counter-productive", Human Rights Watch said Sunday.

"India does not have a uniform protocol for medical treatment and examination of survivors of sexual assault," the US-based body said in a statement.

This, it said, made "responses ad hoc and unpredictable, and in the worst cases, degrading and counter-productive".

This was reflected in the continued use of the so-called "finger test", which Human Rights Watch had documented in a 2010 report.

"While conducting medical examinations, many doctors record unscientific and degrading findings, which involve noting the 'laxity' of the vagina or hymen," it said.

"This was "apparently (meant) to determine whether the victims are 'virgins' or 'habituated to sexual intercourse'."

Often doctors, police and judges look for evidence of "struggle" or "injuries" especially hymenal injuries, in the medical examination report, discrediting those who do not report such injuries, it said.

"The Indian government should establish national standards and a uniform protocol for the medical treatment and collection of medical evidence in cases of sexual assault, and to eliminate the use of finger tests on sexual assault survivors," a Human Rights Watch statement said.

There should be "dignified treatment and examination of sexual assault survivors", the statement said.

"Dignity and accountability should underscore the police and medical responses to sexual assault throughout India."

It pointed out that Indian civil society organisations had long called for laws on sexual assault to be reformed.

Under current criminal law, India does not have a general definition of sexual assault.

It only defines rape (penile penetration), "outraging the modesty" of women, and "insulting the modesty" of women. Indian law does not recognize the offence of marital rape.

The Human Rights Watch statement followed the death of a 23-year-old Delhi woman who was gang-raped and assaulted Dec 16.

"This murderous gang rape is a sobering reminder of the pervasive sexual violence that women and girls across India suffer," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

"The government needs to act now to prevent sexual assault, aggressively investigate and prosecute perpetrators, and ensure the dignified treatment of survivors."

Human Rights Watch said there was an urgent need to reform the criminal law and procedure and to provide improved treatment of survivors to ensure justice for sexual assault victims.

The statement also said that while security forces have at times been implicated in sexual assault, the government has not taken action against them.

In May 2012, about 90 civil society bodies and individuals, including Human Rights Watch, wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking reforms in responses to sexual assault and greater police accountability.

The groups called on the Indian central government to constitute a high-level task force to develop a coordinated response to gender-based violence, especially sexual assault.

They also urged New Delhi to instruct state governments to monitor police handling of sexual assault reports and investigation, and hold accountable officers who mishandle their duties.

They called for funding an existing scheme to provide financial assistance for rape victims and monitor its implementation.

"The level of care - including counselling - provided to the Delhi gang-rape victim and her family demonstrates that political will can ensure support and care for victims of sexual assault," Human Rights Watch said.

"But this only followed public outrage and demonstrations after the attack.

"Human Rights Watch has found that survivors usually find it difficult to register police complaints, and often go from one hospital to another even for a medical examination, and often report suffering humiliation at police stations and hospitals."

By IANS,

New Delhi: A protest to mourn the death of the Delhi gang-rape victim turned violent Sunday afternoon as some students clashed with police at Jantar Mantar, in the heart of the Indian capital, and broke barricades. Police detained four people.

According to some peaceful protesters, a few students representing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) clashed with the police demanding speedy punishment for the rapists of the woman who died Saturday after battling for life.

"The protest was going on silently, but around 1.30 p.m. it turned ugly and violent when a group carrying flags and banners of ABVP tried to take out a march from Jantar Mantar to India Gate but police prevented them from moving ahead," Deepali Sharma, a student of Amity University who came to protest with friends, told IANS.

The protestors managed to break some of the barricades but the police immediately contained them.

"Four men who were creating ruckus were picked up and taken to the police station," a police official said.

A few elderly mourners, who joined the protest that started within hours of the victim's cremation in southwest Delhi's Dwarka area in the morning, condemned the violence.

"We are here for a purpose... we hope the cause is not hijacked or politicised," said Pawan Gupta, an advocate aged around 50, seeking stricter anti-rape laws.

Police have imposed prohibitory orders around India Gate and Raisina Hill and barricaded all roads leading to the area, as well as shutting down five Delhi Metro stations in central Delhi.

The 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist was brutally assaulted and gang-raped by six men Dec 16 in a moving bus. She died Saturday while undergoing treatment in Singapore. Her body was brought back to Delhi for cremation.

By TCN Staff Reporter,

Bangluru: Tipu Sultan’s warfare technology achievements are finally getting recognition. A visiting delegation of Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), under its chief controller on Friday has decided to convert the ruins of Srirangapatna Fort of Tipu Sultan into a Missile museum, from where world’s first iron-cased rocket missile was fired.

Tipu Sultan, the king of Mysore, is also referred as father of modern missile technology when he first used the 2 k.m. missiles against the British troops in the Third Anglo-Mysore war at the end of 18th century.

Tipu's rockets.

But today Srirangapatna Fort of Tipu Sultan, a historic monument is lying in ruins with some walls getting collapsed with illegal encroachments all around.This has also shocked the visiting delegation of DRDO scientists.

Amazingly neither Karnataka state archeology department nor Archeological Survey of India has took the responsibility of conservation of the historic fort with has an international significance.

DRDO Chief Controller (R&D), Dr. W. Selvamurthy, who led the delegation was saddened on the appalling condition of the historic fort and the world’s first rocket court. Speaking to the press after his visit Dr. Selvamurthy expressed his disappointment, “Itis really sad and appalling and this matter is of a great concern. The place which gave birth to the basics of rocket technology cannot be treated this way. I am shocked to see that monument is completely clogged with encroachments on main entry and exit levels. A portion of the front wall is also lies collapsed with illegal constructions bonces on all sides of the court walls.”

Selvamurthy also assured that he will raise the matter to the highest level, “I will write to the state Chief Secretary, the Archaeological Survey of India and the state Department of Archaeology and Museums to restore and convert the monument into an archaeological center of great importance.”

Finally lifting the curtains from the plans of DRDO Mr.Selvamurthy said DRDO wants to use the fort to showcase the technological advancement of India which according to the DRDO scientisteven in 18th century was most advanced then rest of the world.

DRDO proposes to convert crumbling Srirangapatna fort and rocket court into a Missile museum to make it a tourist spot and to showcase India's technological advancements in Defense field.

Selvamurthy said the museum could comprise of “life-size prototype of BrahMos, wide range of missiles India developed like Prithvi, Agni and all ballistic missiles, besides having an original piece of Tipu's rocket at the proposed archeological rocket center.”

By TCN News

New Delhi: Popular Front of India Chairman K.M. Shareef expressed deep condolences over the tragic death of the girl who was gang raped in Delhi a few days ago.

He strongly condemned the heinous Incident that happened in the capital city.

“Death of the 23 year old girl raises a number of questions on the safety and security of Indian women. First and foremost, the attitude of the government and police in particular is primarily responsible for such heinous incidents. The latest incident should open the eyes of the authorities to take all measures to check assaults on women anywhere in India.”

He also reminded that the “incidents of custodial and gang rapes by military, police and security forces are frequently being reported especially in the Border States and tribal areas. And the victims and their relatives of these incidents are never got justice and the criminals are not punished.”

“This vigor for justice should not be confined to a single incident; everybody should understand that all human beings have their right to dignity and identity, irrespective of class and creed.”

Regarding demand for stricter laws, K. M. Shareef pointed out that it is not the problem of laws or rules; instead, these types of crimes are repeated because of the lack of determination on the part of the authorities.

K. M. Shareef demanded that government should take steps for immediate trial of the culprits of Delhi gang rape incident so that it would be a lesson to all criminals in future.

By IANS,

New Delhi: A young man who saw a Delhi Police constable collapse and later die during the anti-rape protest near India Gate claimed that his phone was being tapped after police questioned him Thursday.

"My phone is being tapped...I don't know why," witness Yogendra Tomar told IANS.

Yogendra, 24, a journalism student, was questioned by officers of the crime branch of Delhi Police after he challenged the police version of the constable Subhash Chand Tomar being beaten by protestors.

Constable Tomar, 47, collapsed on Tilak Marg during an anti-rape protest around India Gate Sunday and died of cardiac arrest early Tuesday.

Talking to IANS, Yogendra said: "My statement was recorded by the police Thursday, while Pauline's (another witness in her 20s) statement was recorded the next day...but I don't know why they are tapping my phone."

"I told the officers what all I said earlier in the media," he said.

Police said the constable was trampled upon by the crowd. Yogendra and Pauline said the constable collapsed while chasing the crowd and that he was not beaten or trampled upon by the protestors.

While backing Yogendra's version, Pauline explained in detail how their efforts to revive the unconscious policeman failed, and added that she saw "no visible injuries" on the constable's body.

T.S. Sidhu, medical superintendent at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital where Tomar died, said Wednesday that the constable had "no major external injury marks except for some cuts on his right knee and bruises on his chest" and "was brought here in a total collapsed stage".

Police said they would study video footage from news channels to establish the sequence of events on the day of the incident.

Investigators Wednesday quoted an autopsy conducted on the constable which said he suffered "multiple internal injuries produced with the impact of a blunt object on his neck and chest". They did not talk about a mob attack.

By IANS,

Hyderabad: A huge quantity of explosives was seized here Sunday and two people transporting it arrested, police said.

Police said 1,300 gelatin sticks and 2,825 detonators were seized from a car which was intercepted at Nagarjuna Circle in the heart of the city.

M. Madhusudhan Reddy and G. Ramesh, residents of Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar districts, respectively, were arrested for illegal sale, transportation and possession of explosives.

Police said though Madhusudhan Reddy had obtained licence for purchase of explosives to blast rocks at the sites where he was working on contract basis, he was illegally selling the gelatin sticks and detonators. Ramesh was helping him in purchase and sale of explosives.

"The accused has violated his licence conditions and transported the huge quantity of explosive material endangering the lives and property of many people enroute. The slight impact/pressure or electrical impulse may cause a huge explosion on the road," a statement by police said.

Police were probing the supply of explosive material to various persons as there was possibility of explosives going into the hands of anti-social elements.

Police will also write to the chief controller of explosives, Nagapur to cancel Madhusudhan Reddy's licence for violating the conditions of the licence.

As per the Explosive Substances Act, punishment for making or possessing or transporting explosive substances is punishable with a term which may extend to 14 years.