By Swastik Pal, TwoCircles.net

An old man in a mosque in Kolkata, walking with the "Tasibh" (prayer beads) during the Ramadan month.

Link:

TCN Ramadan 1434 series: http://twocircles.net/Special_Reports/ramadan_1434.html

By Tameemuddin Humble

Delhi based Infrastructure giant SPML Infra Limited (BSE:500402|NSE:SPMLINFRA), the parent company of Bhagalpur Electricity Distribution Company Pvt.Ltd(BEDCPL) that has recently been awarded the Power Distribution Franchisee for Bhagalpur Town and adjoining areas by Bihar Government, organized an Iftaar on 2nd August,2013 at Teachers Training College complex in Bhagalpur this Friday.

The event saw the coming together of the who’s who of Bhagalpur—the administration, police and people representatives, the professionals, academicians, activists rubbed shoulders with each other rejoicing in the spirit of Ramadan. For the 400 people congregated there, the Iftaar was about forging new ties and renewal of old ties which is also enshrined in the spirit of organizing it in Ramadan.

The Iftaar was followed by a presentation of Mr Amanullah, Director, Bhagalpur Electricity Distribution Company Pvt. Ltd (BEDCPL) and CEO of SPML Utilities Ltd. It delineated the prevalent power situation in Bhagalpur and how BEDCPL would change it irreversibly for the better in future, thereby unlocking new potential and unleashing new opportunities. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Amanullah said, “The purpose of this Iftaar was to bring the people of Bhagalpur, irrespective of cast, creed or religion, on a common platform for some lively engagement”.

The event organized by BEDCPL and facilitated by the AIMPL—a Ranchi based event management company famous for the television documentaries working for the last 10 years in Jharkhand.

Mr Amanullah, Director of BEDCPL said, “Alhamdolilah, the event first of its kind in Bihar by a corporate entity remained very successful and the people of Bhagalpur in general have appreciated the initiative. In today’s self-centered society where people don’t have time to meet each other, the Iftaar has given a wonderful chance to the cross section of the society to know Islam and its culture”, said the 40 year old Mr Amanullah who worked 10 years in America and 2 years in England before called in by the Planning Commission of India in 2006 on its PPP Infrastructure project.

The Iftaar generated bonhomie among the people of this city once badly affected by the riot.
Maulana Farooque Nadwi led the Namaz after the Iftaar and addressed the august gathering of more than two hundred Hindu intellectuals, telling them the spirit of Ramzan.

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

Guwahati, August 4: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the government is willing to talk with the protesters if they shun the path of violence.

In a statement here on Sunday, the CM said the doors for negotiations are always open for those who eschew violence and come forward for talks.
“Violence will not solve any problems. It will rather compound matters. Only through non-violent and democratic, peaceful means all problems can be resolved amicably across the table. The doors for negotiations are always open for those who abjure violence,” Gogoi said.

The Chief Minister said that the government would not tolerate violent protests in any manner. “No one can be allowed to take law unto their hands,” he cautioned

By TCN News,

New Delhi: 53 students from the Residential Coaching Academy run by the Centre for Coaching and Career Planning, Jamia Millia Islamia, have qualified to appear in the final examination to be held in December, 2013, a press statement by the university has jubliantly announced.

Civil services preliminary examination (2013) results have been declared by the UPSC.

The Centre for Coaching and Career Planning got a new lease of life when vice-Chancellor Mr. Najeeb Jung (now Delhi’s LG) made efforts to seek financial assistance from the University Grants Commission to establish a Residential Coaching Academy in Jamia.
With the establishment of this new facility, Jamia has initiated housing and coaching students from four categories—SC, ST, Women, and Minorities—to join civil and other services.

Students are selected after conducting an all India written test followed by individual interviews. The students selected are taught in a variety of optional and compulsory subjects. Teaching is followed by test series, feedback to them on their individual performance in various tests, and finally, mock interviews.

Admission process for the 2014 batch of aspirants will be initiated by the third week of August.

By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,

Guwahati: Seeing the turmoil in Assam, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked for President’s Rule in the state. Talking to the reporters at the party headquarters in Guwahati on Sunday senior BJP leader and the national vice president Bijoya Chakraborty also slammed the chief minister Tarun Gogoi for failing to maintain law and order situation in the state.

“We believe in democracy and want everything to be sorted out in democratic way but the way Assam chief minister has failed to address the law and order situation of the state we are forced to ask for President’s rule to control the unruly situation of the state,” said Guwahati MP Chakraborty.

BJP national vice president Bijoya Chakraborty.

Slamming the role of chief minister she said that this is the worst scenario the state has seen in the recent past. “Now, Assam is nobody’s business. Even the CM has gone to Delhi to govern the state in a most arrogant way. In spite of having all the inputs of possible chaos after the Telangana issue, the government has failed to control the violence,” she added.

She also termed the recent incidents of violence of Karbi Anglong which witnessed destruction of several government buildings and even the building of Asam Sahitya Sabha as unfortunate. “The top ministers of the state government should have been in the violent affected areas within two days and should have controlled the situation,” she further said.

By TCN News,

Patna: The interview for free residential medical coaching at Rahmani 30 was conducted on July 4 at Rahmani 30 head quarter in Patna. Bihar DGP Abhyanand, mentor of Rahmani 30 was also present during the interview.

The entrance tests for the Rahmani 30 medical entrance examinations was conducted on June 30.

After successfully preparing Muslim students for IIT engineering, law, etc, Maulana Wali Rahmani of the famous Munger based Rahmani Foundation has decided to start coaching to prepare underprivileged Muslim students for medical entrance examination.

In very short period of its inception, Rahmani 30 has earned accolades for preparing students for IIT JEE under the mentorship of Abhyanand, current DGP of Bihar in Patna. Like its IIT JEE residential coaching in Patna, Rahmani 30 will now prepare students for medical entrance as well in similar pattern in free residential coaching in Darbhanga.
The final result is expected soon.

By TwoCircles Team,

The strike of crescent gets the knack to bring Muslims at loggerheads, every year it’s the same dilemma which engulf the spirit of Ramzan or Eid ul Fitr across India, the mess over Moon sighting. TwoCircles.net spoke with different players across India umpiring the Moon Match to bring out a perspective on why the supervision is going astray and how this crescent chemistry is igniting strong reactions among Indian Muslims.

Moon sighting or Moon fighting?

By Shaik Zakeer Hussain,

Bangalore: Once again, as it is the case every year, Muslims in India and across the world are facing the same dilemma that has encapsulated us for decades - the issue of Moon sighting.

Whether the moon was actually sighted in Delhi or Kerala or some other part of the country, one reoccurring outcome of all this is the state of confusion that it leaves an average Muslim in.

This year again Muslims in Karnataka and elsewhere faced with a customary situation, when they were left clueless about the first day of fasting.

Who do we follow, what should we do, was the reverberating question everywhere.

The controversy surrounding the issue of Moon sighting is nothing new. In the absence of an established leadership, differences are inevitable. While most Muslims put their trust in their local Mosque, some follow Saudi Arabia in this matter and others rely on calculations. These differences, upon a close examination are by and large political in nature and are driven by a group’s view of politics and priorities.

One particular example that comes to mind is the year 2000, when butchers of Bangalore decided which date Eid would be celebrated. While one set of them had slaughtered animals based on an early incorrect announcement and warned against any postponement, the other set prevented the day of celebrations from being announced on a particular date, as they were not prepared for the animal slaughter. The result was a pantomime of chaos and confusion and as Prof. Mumtaz Ali Khan had rightly put it, "Mutton became the deciding factor".

The state of affairs in the thirteen years since has not been promising.

Advocates of calculations state that, it is one probable solution to end the current chaos and cite examples of some nations in the west, who have successfully adopted it.

One such advocate is Indian born internationally renowned scientist and founder of Moonsighting Committee Worldwide (MCW), and Moonsighting.com, Khalid Shaukat. Speaking to TCN he said that, "Some Ulamaa in the past and some in the present time agree that calculations can be used to end this dilemma. Some Ulamaa in USA after having 30 years of facing this dilemma and mistaken claims of sighting (seeing something else and thinking it was a moon), made a consensus decision that calculations have attained a perfection for positions of sun and moon, and we should use them instead of remaining uncertain till the last moment. Visibility calculations have also been refined in the last 30 years to a point that they prove to be sufficiently accurate, barring cloudy conditions. Many a times visibility calculations show certainty that the moon should be easily visible, but clouds make it invisible. Such situations have proven that India has seen the moon and all Pakistan was clouded out and could not see the moon. In my opinion, in such situation, Pakistan should accept India sighting, but in actuality, they do not. They insist to see in Pakistan. In this Ramadan, Pakistan could use Australia sighting reports which came way before Maghrib time in Pakistan on July 9, and Pakistan could have started Ramadan on July 10, but they did not (insisting sighting in Pakistan alone)."

But the question is, whether using calculations to determine the onset of Ramadan, an Islamically viable option?

Moulana Kamal Ahmed, member of Hilal Committe of Karnataka says that reliance on calculations is not an option, as it goes against the hadith of the Prophet (SAWS), wherein he says “Fast when you see it (the moon) and cease fasting when you see it, and if it is hidden or cloudy, complete counting of Sha’ban as thirty days." (Narrated by Abu Hurayrah in Bukhari and Muslim).

In another hadith, Ibn Abbas (RA) reported “A bedouin came to the Prophet and said, ‘I have seen the crescent tonight.’ The Prophet said, ‘Do you bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah?’ He said ‘Yes.’ The Prophet said, ‘Bilaal! Announce to the people that they should fast tomorrow.’”

So the sighting of the moon and the Shahadat of at least two witnesses plays a vital role in determining fast or no fast, and Eid or no Eid, he says.

Clerics sighting moon in Lucknow on August 30 2011.

Frustrated with the current circumstances, a growing number of youths in Bangalore have decided to follow, what they call the global moon sighting. Syed Tauqeer, software professional says, "The difference of time between any two countries, at its most is not more than twelve hours, and the moon sighted in the US is the same one that is sighted in India or Bangladesh, so scientifically there is no problem in taking the moon sighted abroad into consideration." Tauqeer also argues that the Prophet (SAWS) addressed the entire Ummah in his Hadith and did not ask Muslims to only follow the moon cited in your location. He, along with a small number of highly educated youths and foreign Muslim students studying here even offer their Eid prayers in accordance to this.

When asked about this argument, Moulana Kamal dismissed it stating that the issue of India is different than the issues of other countries.

In this situation, wouldn't it be reasonable enough to have a strong network of communication between different states to avoid the degrading pitfall every year?

Moulana Kamal Ahmed agrees and says that, there is one Hilal committee for every district in Karnataka and there is a strong co-ordination between them. "In the scenario of moon not been sighted anywhere in the state, we talk to the representatives of Hilal committees of other states and take a decision." He advocates for a greater use of communication techniques to send the news across.

Based on the different viewpoints presented, it is quite evident that there is lack of consensus among the Ummah on this matter. Though the majority of the Ulama are binded by the Hadith of the Prophet (SAWS), which demands the Shahadat of two witnesses and the naked sighting of the moon, however, they have restricted this aspect based on national identities, which only makes the matter worse.

With no central leadership in place, the question of the entire Muslim world starting and ending Ramadan on similar days might be a distant dream, but to desire the same for at least in India is quite moderate an idea.

Not necessary to celebrate Eid on same day all over country: Shahi Imam of grand royal mosque at Fatehpuri

By M. Reyaz,

New Delhi: There is no ruling to celebrate Eid or observe fast on the same day all over the country, but yes we should see to it that it is celebrated in same city on same day at least, says Mufti M. Mukarram Ahmed, Shahi Imam of grand royal mosque at Fatehpuri in Delhi.

Even though technology has advanced, but we cannot trust it entirely. When asked, if moon is seen in any one place, say Delhi or Kerala, why can’t people all over the country can celebrate Eid, he said, “It’s not always full proof, someone may mislead you over phone. If anyone sees the moon, he needs to have two witnesses and then only can we have an announcement.”

When asked that in countries like USA, they rely on astronomical department for more accurate lunar calendar or say Saudi Arabia, where uniformity is maintained, the Shahi Imam said that why should we bother about what USA or KSA so much, India is diverse and phone is not always the most reliable source, and we cannot rely on Met Department for seldom they get their predictions right.

When asked if we can use binoculars, why can’t we use telescope for more accurate position of moon, particularly on days when the sky is clouded, he said that he is not averse to any modern technological tool, and if someone wants to use it for accurate position, they are most welcome. They should see the moon, in presence of witness, and then inform to the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on time.

The Moon muddle with Grand Mufti of Hyderabad Deccan Ruyat-e-Hilal committee

By Mohd. Ismail Khan,

Hyderabad: Mufti Khaleel Ahmed is the chancellor of Jamia Nizamia one of the oldest Islamic seminary of South India, since past 40 years he is associated with Hyderabad Deccan Ruyat-e-Hilal committee a nearly 100 year old organization, now as its Grand Mufti every decision in the committee have to be passed only after attaining his consent.

On the contrary view of all the fuss over Ramzan moon sighting Mufti Khaleel Ahmed presents a very simplistic procedure, where committee keeps its representatives in every district and neighboring states to give conformation of moon sighting. If sky is not clear in their respective jurisdiction than they will approach other Hilal committees and accept their Shahadat (testimony), but if sky is clear in their area and moon is not sighted than Shahadat of other state committees are not accepted.

And eligibility to give Shahadat is much more modest one have to be a Muslim and pious Muslim will be preferable, for beginning of Ramzan one Shahadat is acceptable and for Eid if sky is not clear than two Shahadat’s are required.

If procedure is as simple and logical given by him than why so much of hassle every year? According to Mufti Khaleel Ahmed confusion arose because Muslims have certain misunderstanding and misconception of moon in an over simplistic nature, “Moon doesn’t have a uniformity in its movement, sometimes moon can be sighted in a single night in entire Indian subcontinent and in the Arab world at the same time, and sometimes there won’t be any clarity between north and south India.”

He then adds, “It is difficult to draw limitations of moon cycle, even modern science is bound by it, science can juts draw adjusted positioning of moon or any far can just predict the possibility of moon spotting in a particular day.”

Taking a gibe over Muslims living in the western world who have come up with scientific lunar calendar to follow Islamic Hijri, Mufti Khaleel Ahmed said Muslims in western world has made up that Lunar calendar for their own facility and concurrence, but he cautions, “In some months even science cant declare uniform answer on moon positioning, how will Lunar calendar help in those situations, those fixed calendars has the possibility to misguide. Science can help us and it is helping no doubt, but solely relying on it is not good proposition, because in the end science is also dependable on nature.”

Mufti Khaleel Ahmed said Lunar calendars in the form of Islamic Hijri calendar are also made in India by many Islamic seminaries including by his Madrasa basing on the astronomical science, but it’s not necessary that even these calendars have to be flawless, “Sometimes Hijri calendar issued by our Madrasa or Hilal committee can go wrong, calendar might predict that moon will be sighted on this day, but if due to over clouding and rain it can’t be sighted than we have to change the calendar according to future moon vision. Just because it’s written in Lunar or Hijri calendar we cannot keep Islamic sharia aside. The basic principle of Islamic month counting is begun by spotting the moon, which is not predictable, thus dates in those calendars cannot be constant in nature, and they have to be changed when required.”

That is why he feels, “Shariat has given us an easy way, start the Roza or Ramzan when you sight the moon, and stop it when you sight it again after certain require period.”

So if Shariat has given Muslims easiest way than science, then why so much of confusion? Mufti Khaleel Ahmed said confusion is unavoidable in case of narrow visibility of moon. In this condition he said Muslims should trust their respective regions Hilal committees, otherwise “If everyone start following on their own decisions than there will be different date of Eid’s in every street. Which will tarnish whole Islamic system; this is not in the interest of Muslims.”

But Grand Mufti of Hyderabad Ruyat-e-Hilal agrees that moon visibility is not the only factor in unending moon muddle, Hilal committees also has to share the blame, “Sometimes there will be laxity in coordination among different Hilal committees, on some occasions Shahadat’s are not accepted due to some regional atmosphere or feelings and more often due to sectarian issues.”

If majority of times confusion arises due to differences in many Hilal committees than why not create a single central Hilal committee as in case of our neighbor Pakistan, Mufti Khaleel Ahmed responds, “Pakistan has Government controlled committee, where as in India Government will not interfere in religious establishments, but Indian Government is not stopping it either, if Indian Muslims want they can establish that kind of centralized system according to Shariat.”

But then he adds, “Even if Indian Muslims are not able to establish a central Hilal committee than at least Hilal committees working under different regions should cooperate and communicate with each other.”

Mufti Khaleel Ahmed said during his young days with Hilal committee people use to be dependent on radio and telegram to get any news, thus confusions use to arise resulting in one village celebrating Eid before its neighboring village. With the development of technology people are more interlinked with each other, thus an avenue was being provided to decrease the confusion, but now in this modern technological age confusion take place more due to differences on regional and sectarian lines.
In the end he made a request to all Hilal committees, “Committees can continue to work with their own existing policies but they should cooperate with each other so the increasing unease in Muslim community due to ambiguity and differences over moon sighting gets an end.”

Postscript: It is easy to brush aside the confusion over Ramadan or Eid ul Fitr, based on sighting of Moon. However, the confusion over Moon sighting is not restricted to the festivals, it would be reflected in the Hijri calander. The basic purpose of haveing calander is to bring uniformity and make arrangements systematic. By reiterating the confusions every year, the very purpose of a calander is nulliffied, and perhaps that is one main reason why for most of the year we are simply not bothered about Hijri calander, and rely more on Gregorian calander for routine works.

Related:

Ramadan begins and ends with confusion every year, this year is no exception//twocircles.net/2012jul21/ramadan_begins_and_ends_confusion_every_year_year_no_exception.html>

Moon Sighting: Hijra Committee prepares a scientific lunar calendar

In Bihar, NGO initiative for Muslim unity through Ramadan calendar

By TCN News,

Lucknow: On the 75th day of its indefinite dharna Rihai Manch hosted a grand Iftar on Sunday evening at the dharna site outside the UP Assembly. A collective dua (prayer) was made for peace and harmony, where hundreds of Muslims from differnt sects as well as several Hindus participated.

Rihai Manch (Forum for the Release of Innocent Muslims imprisoned in the name of Terrorism) is on indefinite dharna since May 20 outside the Uttar Pradesh Assembly demanding arrest of police officers involved in Khalid Mujahid's murder, issuing the RD Nimesh commission report and action report, and the immediate release of innocent Muslim youth imprisoned in the name of terrorism.

Khalid had died under mysterious circumstances on his way back from Faizabad near Ram Sanehi Ghat on May 18. He was declared brought dead by the doctors at district hospital in Barabanki. Later, on the complain of his uncle Zahir Alam Falahi, a case was registered against 42 police officers including former DGP Vikram Singh, ADG Brijlal and others who were on duty during the time of Khalid's arrest.

Khalid along with Tariq Qasmi was arrested by Special Task Force (STF) on 20 December 2007 from Barabanki. Huge explosives were also shown as recovered from his possession. STF claimed that he was involved in the serial blasts which occurred in Gorakhpur, Faizabad and Lucknow. Later, Nimesh Commission was constituted headed by Justice R D Nimesh who in its report raised fingers over STF's claim about the place of arres.

Khalid’s family and civil society groups are demanding CBI probe into Khalid’s custodial death and has compared his case with the fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan by the Gujarat Police. They have also questioned the role of the IB.

Rihai Manch is leading a sustained demonstration against the UP government for last demanding actions on its poll promise of releasing innocent youths languishing in jails in fabricated terror charges. As the holy month of Ramadan is in progress, Manch also makes arrangements for iftar and prayers.

Several rights groups and and politicians, including Prakash Karat, Subhasini Ali and other left leaders have also expressed their solidarity with the Manch demonstration and on different days made token participations.

By IANS,

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government late Sunday served a charge sheet on IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who it had suspended for razing the wall of an under-construction mosque in a village in Noida, an official said.

Nagpal, a former sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Noida, has been asked to submit an explanation of her conduct in 15 days.

In the charge sheet, the government has accused Nagpal of "jeopardizing" the communal harmony in the area, specially since the period is auspicious for both Hindus and Muslims owing to their ongoing holy months of Saawan and Ramadan.

By IANS,

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government late Sunday served a charge sheet on IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who it had suspended on grounds of razing the wall of an under-construction mosque in a village in Noida, an official said.

Nagpal, a former sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Noida who came into the limelight for her campaign against the "sand mafia", has been asked to submit an explanation of her conduct in 15 days.

In the charge sheet, the government has accused Nagpal of "jeopardizing" the communal harmony in the area, specially since the period is auspicious for both Hindus and Muslims owing to their ongoing holy months of Saawan and Ramadan.

The draft charge sheet, a senior government official told IANS, was vetted by the government at the "highest level" after receiving a draft copy from Meerut Divisional Commissioner Manjeet Singh. A copy of the charge sheet and a note has been sent to the union government as well.

"The suspended official has been served the charge sheet today (Sunday) and a copy dispatched to (the central government's) department of personnel and training (DoPT) which had sought a report from the state government Saturday," the official said.

The move of the Samajwadi Party (SP) government comes a day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi intervened in the matter and wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking him to ensure that "nothing unfair" was done to the official.

The SP had reacted sharply to her letter and had firmed up its earlier stand that whatever the government had done was correct.

Senior party leader Naresh Agarwal had asked Gandhi to write a letter to the Haryana chief minister, who is of her party, seeking corrective measures in the case of bureaucrat Ashok Khemka, who was transferred after he cancelled the mutation of the controversial Rs.58-crore land deal between Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra and realty giant DLF in Gurgaon district.

Nagpal's suspension has led to a national outrage as she was believed to have taken on the illegal mining mafia, leading to her suspension.

By IANS,

Agartala/New Delhi: The Indian government was in touch with Bangladesh over the exodus of more than 1,500 tribals to the Indian border along Tripura seeking refuge after ethnic strife broke out with non-tribal Muslims, official sources said Sunday.

The Bangladesh government has informed India that according to their reports, the situation is under control and there has been no fresh exodus, said an official source.

The Border Security Force and the Border Guards Bangladesh are coordinating on the matter, the source added.

BSF Deputy Inspector General Bhaskar Rawat told IANS in Agartala that over 1,500 men, women and children of Chakma and Tripuri tribes have taken shelter in the border village at Karbook after fleeing from five villages in Khagrachari district in Bangladesh.

"The tribals entered Indian territory on Saturday evening after ethnic troubles in Bangladesh. They were stopped at the border by the BSF. We are providing them food and other assistance," Rawat said.

The tribals, mostly Buddhists and Hindus, fled the Chittagong Hill Tracts after clashes over the reported abduction of a local leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition in Bangladesh led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

An official of the Tripura home department said the state government has informed the home ministry about the development.

"At least one tribal villager was killed, four tribals were seriously injured and about 500 tribal houses were burnt to ashes," Delhi-based rights group, Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) director Suhas Chakma said in a press release.

Additional troopers of the BSF have been deployed along the India-Bangladesh border to deal with the situation.

"The villagers have been insisting that officials of the Bangladesh government and BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) should talk to them," Rawat said.

In 1986, over 74,000 tribals - mostly Buddhist Chakmas - took shelter in southern Tripura following violent attacks on thousands of tribals by non-tribals.

Demanding a sovereign status for tribals in Chittagong, separatist outfit Shanti Bahini had waged a guerrilla warfare against the Bangladesh government.

All the 74,000 refugees had returned to their homes in 1997-98 after the Bangladesh government signed a peace agreement with Shanti Bahini.

Tripura shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh, which is porous because it extends over mountains that are densely forested. Most parts of the border have been fenced.

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

Guwahati: Even as bandh, road and railway blockade have become a day-to-day affair in Assam in demand of separate states, state Jamiat Ulama (ASJU) has appealed to all the groups not to declare any such kind of activities till Eid al-Fitr, the festival which is scheduled to be celebrated on August 9.

ASJU president Badruddin Ajmal said that paying respect to the sentiments of the agitating people he would like to urge upon so that they do not declare any bandh or blockade programmes before the festival which is considered as the biggest among the Muslim community.

“We appeal all to maintain peace and harmony for the next few days till Eid is celebrated.We respect the sentiments of all the communities and their demand,” Ajmal said in a statement.

By IANS,

Agartala : Over 1,800 Bangladeshi tribals, who fled across the Indian border into Tripura after ethnic strife broke out with non-tribal Muslims, returned to their villages after Dhaka assured them security, officials said here Monday.

"Three Bangladeshi MPs and officials of BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) and local administration have assured the tribals full security. The tribals returned to their villages Sunday evening," Border Security Force (BSF) Deputy Inspector General Bhaskar Rawat told IANS.

A Tripura government official, quoting reports from across the border, said Bangladesh Minister of State for Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Dipankar Talukdar had visited the trouble-torn areas in the mountainous regions Sunday and assured the affected tribals that stern action would be taken against those responsible for the violence, and security would be provided to minority tribals.

Officials of BSF and BGB held a meeting at the bordering village of Karbook, 155 km south of here, and persuaded the tribals to return home.

Over 1,800 men, women and children of Chakma and Tripuri tribes had taken shelter in the India-Bangladesh border village of Karbook after fleeing from five villages in Khagrachari district under CHT.

Rawat said: "The tribals entered Indian territory Saturday evening after ethnic troubles in Bangladesh. They were stopped at the border by the BSF outside the barbed wire fence. We provided them food and other assistance."

The tribals, mostly Buddhists and Hindus, fled the CHT after clashes over the reported abduction of a local leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition in Bangladesh, led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

An official of the Tripura home department said the state government has informed the union home ministry about the development.

"At least one tribal villager was killed and four others were seriously injured. About 500 tribal houses were burnt to ashes," Suhas Chakma, director of Delhi-based rights group Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) said in a press release.

Additional troopers of the BSF have been deployed along the India-Bangladesh border to deal with the situation and to prevent refugee influx into Indian territory.

In 1986, over 74,000 tribals - mostly Buddhist Chakmas - took shelter in southern Tripura following violent attacks on thousands of tribals by non-tribals.

Demanding sovereign status for tribals in CHT in southeast Bangladesh, separatist outfit Shanti Bahini was at that time engaged in a guerrilla war against the Bangladesh government.

All the 74,000 refugees returned to their homes in 1997-98 after the Bangladesh government signed a peace agreement with Shanti Bahini.

Tripura shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh, which is porous because it extends over mountains that are densely forested. Over 85 percent of the border has been fenced.

By Veturi Srivatsa, IANS,

Parvez Ghulam Rasool Zargar, to give his full name, is a decent offspinner and handy batsman to be considered a bowling all-rounder. It is immaterial whether he came from Kashmir or Kerala, he will play for India if he is good enough to earn his cap. A cap can't be handed out for sentimental reasons.

Parvez not being handed his India cap on the Zimbabwe tour of one-dayers, which ended Saturday, has unnecessarily become the talking point, thanks to his state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah going to town criticising his non-selection even when his father Farooq Abdullah, who is the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, did not react so vehemently.

When has Omar Abdullah started taking such keen interest in cricket and what is this specious argument that if 14 players got to play why not the 15th.

If only he had shown the same alacrity in unravelling the mystery of over Rs.50 crores vanishing from the books of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, the state's cricketers like Parvez would have benefited more.

His pleading tweets, "Come on BCCI give the young man a chance to prove himself", and "Did you have to take him all the way to Zim to demoralise him? Wouldn't it have been cheaper to do it at home?" may have given him politically a kick, but it is in poor taste, unless he wants to take credit for the young man's exploits on cricket field.

Omar should have also taken to task some people in the valley who make no secret of their dislike of Parvez playing for India and their statements that they would support their cricketer but not India. Worse, they said they would not even support the lad from Bijbehara, a small town in Anantnag district, if he plays a key role in India beating Pakistan! Not to be left behind, Union Minister Shashi Tharoor joined with his percussion: "Bizarre selection. Could easily have rested Jadeja & Raina for Rasool & Rahane," he tweeted. "What's the point leading 4-0 if you can't give every member of the touring team a chance to play at least once now by reshuffling the deck?"

Not taking away their right to express their views, do they at least concede that the national selectors, coach and captain are competent enough to pick the squad and the playing eleven? Whatever may be their compulsions, political or otherwise, they have trod a dangerous path, though they are not the pioneers of the indiscretion. There have been instances where politicians jumped in to back players from their states and luckily they confined themselves to making only puerile statements.

What is more bizarre in this case is that captain Virat Kohli chose to defend the selection when there was no need for him to do so and saying that he was not bothered by the criticism.

Kohli tried to justify Parvez sitting out, saying Amit Mishra was cooling his heels for the last two months and he had to be played and that the Kashmiri young man will get his opportunity when he goes with the India A team to South Africa from Zimbabwe.

Surely, Parvez himself may not be complaining too much about not getting to play in Zimbabwe since he did not fit into Kohli's scheme of things. Coming back to Omar's concern for Parvez, he and his father should have taken interest in cleaning up the state's cricket administration instead of acquiescing in carrying out the obnoxious quota system whereby the valley and Jammu get equal representation in the state's Ranji Trophy squad.

And then if Omar is so fond of Parvez, he should have given the 24-year-old a job in the state government, though he may not need one if he has a long run as an international cricketer. What is so special about Parvez? The list of people who waited for the India cap despite their enormous talent is long. Why go far, his own teammate Ambati Rayudu, who was hailed as the closest to Sachin Tendulkar in class when he was first spotted a decade ago, made his international debut in the fourth one-dayer at 27, though for no fault of his.

For the record, Rasool made his first-class debut for J&K in 2008-09 and has played 17 first-class matches, scoring 1,003 runs and taking 46 wickets. Playing against Australia for India A he took seven wickets for 41. He also played for Pune Warriors last season.

(Veturi Srivatsa is the sports editor of IANS. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at v.srivatsa@ians.in)

By IANS,

Srinagar : It is not just Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, but the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) and cricket fans in the Valley are upset at cricketer Parvez Rasool not getting a chance to make his international debut for India during the just-concluded tour of Zimbabwe.

Rouf Ahmad, a former batsman and the JKCA convener, strongly feels that Rasool, a spin bowling all-rounder, deserved a chance.

"They had already won the series and Parvez Rasool should have been given a chance. I completely agree with Omar Abdullah who said if they never wanted to play him, why take him to Zimbabwe," Ahmad told IANS.

Another JKCA member Muhammad Ashraf Bhat, also a selector, said Rasool could have easily been accommodated for the fifth and inconsequential ODI by dropping a fast bowler.

"He should have been played one or two matches. If they dropped Shikhar Dhawan to give a chance to (Cheteshwar) Pujara, they should have dropped a pacer to accommodate Parvez," Bhat told IANS.

Jammu and Kashmir's Ranji coach Abdul Qayoom Bagow, who has also coached Rasool for 15 years, was also disappointed.

"Naturally, as his coach I am disappointed. But, I am sure when he gets his chance, he will perform very well. Why they did not play Parvez while others were given a chance would best be known to the team management and the selectors," Bagow asked while speaking to IANS.

The Valley's cricket fans also argue that Rasool deserved a chance.

"If (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni had been the captain during the series he would definitely have played Parvez. Dhoni has been known for giving a chance to upcoming players and that is why today India has the most formidable cricket team with huge reserves available in every department of the game", said Farooq Ahmad Banday, 54, a cricket lover here.

Some feel Virat Kohli, the captain for the Zimbabwe series, played safe for a 5-0 clean sweep against Zimbabwe.

"Kohli probably did not play Parvez Rasool to assure a clean sweep against the less challenging Zimbabwe team. Kohli wanted to cement his claim as the Indian captain after Dhoni", said Maajid Ganai, another cricket fan.

By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,

Guwahati: It was an Iftar named ‘Sampritir’, organized for harmony and people from different walks of life became a part of it. Muslim Youths Forum Against Communalism, Terrorism and Sedition (MY FACTS), a platform of the young Muslim professionals organized the ‘get-together’ in a bid to bridge the gap and to eradicate the wrong notions regarding the Muslims in the state.

“All praise to the Almighty and the hard works of the friends for which it turned out to b a grand success like e wanted to be done. The message about the condition of the Muslims was taken forward with this initiative. Now, I can say with conviction that, MY-FACTS is indeed a group to be reckoned with to bring the message of Muslims forward,” said an elated Ashiq Zaman, a civil servant and one of the main force behind MY-FACTS after the event.

AGP leaders during the Iftar party

Personalities from the worlds of politics, cinema, students’ organizations, bureaucrats, journalists and others all made their presence felt on the grand occasion which was organized at Greenwood resort in Khanapara of Guwahati.

People from various walks of life join the Iftar

“I hope this is a praiseworthy step taken by the youths of Muslim society. This is will definitely help the people to understand the reality of the Muslims. I wish MY-FACTS all the best for their coming days,” said Umme Fardina Adil, who topped in UPSC this year from Assam and was also a part of the event.

Tanishi Inam

Senior leaders of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Congress, representatives of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AMSU) and others have also advocated for such type of activity to bring people of different communities closer.

“This is a good attempt. We hope such efforts will work in the long run to understand each other in a better way,” said AGP president and former Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.

Umme Fardina Adil

MY-FACT was created in the backdrop of Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD) violence in 2012 and the subsequent chaos prevailed in the social and economic environment perturbed all educated Muslim youths of Assam.

“All of us strongly felt that there is a vacuum in the social space. The reason we identified is lack of enlightened and rational leaders who can reflect the voice and emotions of the community in the right platform and in the right manner,” said Alim Ullah Tanwar, another member of MY-FACTS.

Zerifa Wahid

Ashiq Zaman who also gave a presentation on the socio-cultural status of Muslims of Assam on the occasion.

Muslim ladies felicitated:

On the occasion several Muslim ladies who have excelled in various fields over the years were also felicitated by MY-FACTS. Among them was noted actor Zerifa Wahid, young entrepreneur Tanishi Inam, UPSC topper from Assam Umme Fardina Adil and cultural personality Tina Masood.

By Syed Ali Mujtaba,

There is a series of communal riots of low intensity happening in north India. The latest was in Tonk Rajasthan; where one person died due to police firing. In Merrut some mischievous elements tried to tease Muslims at evening prayers of Ramazan, playing loud music in front of the mosque leading to communal tension. In Allahabad, event like kite flying by kids vitiated communal atmosphere. In Lucknow communal tension is smearing for long. So are some other cities in north that’s on boil.

All this is a matter of concern of any Indian citizen but the so called national media is soft paddling such news? Even the social media that’s free from any one’s control is too ignoring such news. Even the champions of secularism are maintaining stoking silence on these developments and that’s something really worrisome.

The macro-picture in Uttar Pradesh regarding communal polarization is alarming. The Samajwadi Party's pro-minority politics versus the Bharatiya Janata Party's pro-Hindutva politics versus the Bahujan Samaj Party's pro-caste based politics is pulling the state in three directions.

The overt desperation of the Samajwadi Party to keep the Muslims in good humour is evoking sharp reaction from the saffron party. They are evident signs of staging small communal riots for a sharper religious polarization at the grassroots level.
The cow slaughter issue is again being raked up, with slogan like "Na perh katenge, na gaye kategi (neither trees will be cut nor will cows be slaughtered)" being visible at several places. Is it not Hindu communalism at its very best?

The cow slaughter issue was raised up by Hindu right wing elements there during the freedom struggle. It was raised in the 1930’s that pushed some disgruntled Muslims at that time to demand for Pakistan.

The situation has changed now but the issue has not. With such calls being given the helpless puppies are sure to incur the wrath of Hindutva juggernaut and likely to come underneath, with some shedding crocodile tears of feeling hurt.

What is seen is the saffron party’s protests have become louder with Narender Modi’s fortune on an upswing. His henchman Amit Shah, who is in charge of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh is orchestrating the communal polarization. It appears that the new guard has instructed the cadres to maintain a hard line against the Muslims in UP. This is to vitiate the UP politics once again on communal lines so that the BJP gains mileage out of it.

Uttar Pradesh is a communal tinder box that can be blow any time with slightest spark. With 80 Lok Sabha seats at stake, the communal polarization taking place in India’s most populous state is indeed an alarming trend and no one is making a note of it.

In developing communal polarization the way the suspension of Noida SDM Durga Shakti Nagpal by the UP government is projected is again a disturbing development.

While the so called national media projected Ms Nagpal as an upright IAS officer who was trying to take on the powerful sand mafia that incurred the wrath of the political bosses who suspended her to protect the wrong doers, the contrary facts that has come out about this is really startling.

The new facts suggest acts of communalism by the IAS officer that has totally changed the perspective of her suspension. According to UP government, Ms Nagpal went out of the way and presided over the demolition of the boundary wall of a mosque in her administrative area in Noida. The wall of the mosque was reportedly being built on government land that was allegedly demolished by the villagers. The villagers were emboldened as they received protection from Ms Nagpal who was present with a large pose of police force there. It’s only the restrained attitude of the aggrieved Muslims that prevented communal riots.

UP Chief Minister Akilesh Yadav has come out in defence of his suspension orders; "The officers have equal responsibility in maintaining harmony in the state. How could the officers demolish the wall of a mosque during the month of Ramzan?" he asked.

This development has sparked off a big debate in the country and the issue of communalism is once again being brought on the centre stage. While some view that Samajwadi Party wants to send the political message that it has saved another mosque from being demolished, others feels that an upright IAS officer is being haunted and her suspension is arbitrarily.

In building this opinion the role of media is very significant. The media has all along projected Ms Nagpal an upright officer, who is up in arms against corrupt political leaders, without even mentioning the actual cause of suspension. The one sided reporting has left the readers with little choice to make the judgement based on the given facts. However this is contrary to the official reasons of her suspension.

The true colours of so called national media are exposed in the reportage of Ms Nagpal suspension. The media by doing so has not done any service to journalism. It’s sad commentary on our country.

It’s high time that such issues should be put on national radar and the concern raised should be nipped in the bud. Brushing them under that carpet could be convenient way out, but when we relate it with the statement of a political leader that some political parties are planning Hindu- Muslim communal riots in north India before 2014 general elections then alarm bells must ring.

The conspiracy of silence about the communal developments in north India is the most worrisome thing that’s happening at the moment.

--

Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba@yahoo.com

By IANS,

Srinagar : The Congress' Jammu and Kashmir unit Monday demanded an apology from coalition ally National Conference's (NC) additional general secretary Mustafa Kamal for "indecent and abusive utterances" against senior party leaders.

Demanding Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also the NC president, expel Kamal, they said they would ask party ministers to stay away from cabinet meetings till Kamal apologized or his party took action against him.

A meeting of Congress leaders held at the party headquarters here condemned the "indecent and abusive utterances" of Kamal against state Congress leaders including party president Saifuddin Soz.

State party vice president and legislator Ghulam Nabi Monga said it had become the habit of Kamal to speak against the Congress leaders, alleging he does not want the Congress-NC coalition to function smoothly in the state.

Mustafa Kamal, who is the youngest son of the NC founder, late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and the uncle of Omar Abdullah had recently called the Jammu and Kashmir Congress "a party of government servants who would get their monthly wages from Delhi".

He also said last month that the Congress in the state was a "party of beggars".

In the past also, Kamal has been making statements those have resulted in friction between the NC and the Congress.

By Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam,

Uncertainties abound in the wake of creation of states (provincial units). The creation of new nation states is even more seriously fraught with risks of violence and awakening of old historical animosities that can trigger repeated wars.

However, the territorial reorganisation and creation of new states within national boundaries is a necessity that cannot always be ignored. The creation of Telengana out of Andhra Pradesh is the culmination of a movement that had been going on for the last six decades.

States’ reorganisation and creation of new states had been going on since the late 50s. The first phase, under Pandit Nehru, was carried out on the basis of language and linguistic affinity between people.

The creation of Jharkhand, Uttrakhand and Chhattisgarh towards the closing decades of the 20th century was done on the basis of larger cultural and ethnic identities and aspirations, the language (or languages) factor still being pivotal.

Creation of new states also creates new animosities and rivalries, besides accentuating older antipathies within the new state’s jurisdiction and the neighbouring states, including the original state from which it is carved out.

Hyderabad may be suited more to Telengana than Andhra Pradesh because it is culturally closer to Telengana by virtue of being closer to it in physical space. For ten years it has to serve as the capital of both states. However, like Chandigarh they may work out a modus vivendi to keep the city as a common capital beyond the 10-year period.

In fact, this will be a cooling period for both states to learn new ways of functioning and modes of co-operation. This applies to Muslims of both states as well as any other group. Muslims are by nature slower to adapt to new political realities compared to other groups. They took more time to adjust to political realities of the post-Hyderabad state dispensation.

Telengana happens to consist of ten districts with relatively good number of Muslims. These ten are among the fourteen districts of undivided Andhra Pradesh with a relatively significant Muslim population. These districts also happen to be home to Urdu language, which is still popular among many non-Muslims as well. Muslims, of course, are Urdu-speaking and have an equal fluency in Telugu as well. Muslims should continue and enhance this valuable trait.

As the creation of Telengana has enhanced the percentage of Muslims in the new state, it has also, simultaneously, decreased their percentage in Andhra. In both states they should act as forces of integration between different caste and language groups.

This area (Telengana) has been a site of communist movement since the 50s. Great poets and writers contributed to it. In the following decades RSS too began its activity on the usual communal, divisive lines, as against the unifying politics of the communists.

It is because of these facts that some Muslims are concerned about Telengana’s future political direction. They argue that it is likely to go the way Jharkhand, Uttrakhand and Chhattisgarh did. Sangh politics seems to dominate in such states.

This is not the only uncertainty for Muslims, for whom the best course would be to support the integrating and unifying forces.

It is interesting to note here that the Institute of Objective Studies had organised a seminar on states’ reorginasation on August 4, 1990. It had favoured the creation of smaller states. One of the oft-cited reasons, backed by the seminar, was that smaller states were conducive to better administration.

Keeping in view our principled stand on the issue, we support and welcome the new state and wish it well

(Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam Chairman Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi.)

By IANS,

Mumbai : Alleged Indian Mujahiddeen operative Himayat Baig, sentenced to death after convicted for the blast in Pune's German Bakery, Monday challenged his conviction and demanded fresh investigation into the case, his lawyer said.

"Baig has filed an application before the Bombay High Court challenging the application of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on him by the (Maharashtra Police) Anti-Terrorism Squad. Since the UAPA has been applied illegally, the trial was also illegal," Baig's lawyer Mehmood Pracha told IANS.

Baig has sought a full re-investigation into the Feb 13, 2010 blast that left 17 people including foreigners dead and a retrial.

A division bench of Justice V. K. Tahilramani and Justice Mridula Bhatkar posted the matter for further hearing Aug 8, Pracha said.

The Valentine's Day-eve blast in the popular restaurant in Pune's upmarket Koregaon Park also left 58 others injured.

The case was first investigated by the ATS and the National Investigation Agency later took over the probe.

On April 18, a Pune sessions court found Baig guilty and sentence him to death after finding him guilty under various sections of Indian Penal Code, UAPA and Explosives Act.

However, five others accused in the case - Yasin Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal, Riyaz Bhatkal, Faiyaz Kagzi and Mohsin Chaudhary - are still absconding.