By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,

Kolkata: A press conference was held by Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD) at Kolkata Press Club on December 10. It was presided over by Shabnam Hashmi and Dhruv Sangri.

The conference highlighted Narendra Modi’s miss-governance in his own state of Gujarat as he claims of bringing development to all of India. “People should know how are the people of Gujarat living now under Narendra Modi’s chief ministership. Gujarat ranks in worst position after Modi came to power. Every third day, a women is raped in Gujarat. Where is the development?” asked activist and chief functionary of ANHAD.

Shabnam Hashmi

Along with ANHAD member and Sufi singer Dhruv Sangari, Shabnam showed a short film titled `Kachcha Chittha’ an investigative series on Modi’s misdeeds. The film captures Modi’s expenditures for Sadbhavana Upvas. It also exposed the truth of Modi’s expenditure for his rallies.

Modi’s Sadbhavna Upvas cost was Rs. 50,000 excluding the costs of lightning was upto Rs. 1,80,000, Rs. 5,00,000 for hoardings, Rs. 20,00,000 for putting up tents.

While citing documentary evidence Shabnam said, “In 1995, when BJp’s government came to power in Gujarat 1995, the state loan was 10,000 cr which increased to Rs. 45,301 when Modi took office as CM in 2001. This whopping amount of loan increased to Rs. 2,00,765 cr upto 30 December 2012.”

“Out of 225 blocks in Gujarat, 57 are identified as undeveloped. In these blocks, 44.6 % infants in the category of below 5 years age are suffering due to lack of nutrition, 70 % suffer from Anemia and 40% are under weight. Moreover, out of 20 states with high anemia record Gujarat is at the top.” She is also said that the state of education is pathetic in Gujarat. In 8 districts of Gujarat vacancy of teachers has reached the number of 2494.

While quoting the census report of 2011 she also said that 29% people, which is upto Rs.1,75,00,000 of total population of Gujarat, do not get purified drinking water. Similarly, 32% of people were living under poverty line in 2001 which swelled to 39% by 2011, she said. She also mentioned the reports published by National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), Shabnam said that from 2004 to 2010 Gujarat is consistently ranking an all-time low in alleviating poverty.

“Only 12% Muslims have bank accounts in Gujarat out of which only 2.6% get loans. According to NSSO report, the percentage of Muslim employees recruitment in the last 12 years is nearly zero,” said Shabnam. She also said that 1958 cases related to Gujarat massacre are still now pending in Supreme Court, but only 117 persons are arrested. As far as attendance in state assembly is concerned, they have hardly met for 30-32 days.

By TCN News,

Aligarh: The Millat Bedari Muhim Committee (MBMC) has submitted a memorandum through the District Magistrate Aligarh to Prime Minister of India demanding that the Aligarh Muslim University should be declared a minority educational institution without further delay.

Elaborating on the demands contained in the memorandum, secretary of MBMC Jasim Mohammad said that the issue of the minority status of AMU is pending since long and successive governments have always assured AMU community to declare it a minority institution. Even Smt. Sonia Gandhi, UPA Chairperson assured the AMU community for the same during her convocation address in June, 2013 but no concrete step has been taken so for.

The MBMC has demanded in the memorandum to declare the AMU a minority educational institution otherwise county wide agitation will be launched.

Book: Sachar Ki Shifarishein (Second Edition)
Author: Abdur Rahman
Language: Hindi
Price: Rs. 220
Publisher: Kashyap Publication, Ghaziabad

By Afroz Alam Sahil,

When I completed reading ‘Sachar Ki Shifarishein’ by Abdur Rahman, I came to know the fact that Sachar Commission was not the only attempt in the line of development to have made in order to know the backwardness of Muslim community. The attempt like had been made earlier that ended up in formulating various commissions. In the era of British rule the process of establishing commissions had continuously been made. In this line, at first in 1871 the study of William Wilson Hunter was put up.

In 1886, Royal commission was established which had Sir Saiyad Ahmad Khan and Qazi Shahabuddin as its members. This commission had particularly heaved a deep sigh for low representation of Muslims in judiciary. In 1912, Islington commission was constituted. The report of this commission brought out in 1917 showed sorry figure for Muslims who represented low in 13 departments as to their Hindu counterparts having services in 18 departments. Out of 1371 ICS officers, 1305 were Britishers, 41 were Hindus and Muslims were just 9. The commission put forwarded various valuable recommendations. Muddiman Commission was established in 1924. So, before Independence commissions and policies had been lined up to enquire into the economic, educational and employment status of Muslims and, thereby, to provide them rightful share in nation’s wealth.

The book laments deeply on a document published by Inder Malhotra in 1965 for failing representation of Muslim community in the sector of employment. At that time, of Central Secretariat Services Muslims were only 6 out of total 681 on upper grade level, whereas on low grade level they were only 4 out of 2000. Out of 9900 stenographers Muslims numbered at 21. An American journalist Joseph Lelyweld (1968) held Muslim’s falling motivation and discriminatory attitude adopted by the country towards them for their deteriorating condition.

On May 10, 1980 Indira Gandhi government founded Gopal Singh Commission. The commission had spent 57.77 lakh and submitted its report to the government on June 10, 1983. But the government adopted all possible schemas to bury the report, however, the grief over the death of Gopal Singh and the anguish inside minorities compelled the government to present it in Lok Sabha on August 24, 1990. But the contemporary government had refused to accept all recommendations of the commission.

In 1989, the study of Surendra Navlakha was produced. Everyone knows what fate meets Ranganath Mishra Commission. Decidedly, on March 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set out Sachar Commission. The book ‘Sachar Ki Shifarishein’ emphasized the role of Sachar Commission Report in reproducing the economic, social and educational standing of Indian Muslims.

This book comprehends Sachar Committee Report and acknowledges the fact that no change has been seen in the status of Muslims even after six years of commission. But the report has incited the mass to speak openly about issues related to Muslim’s backwardness. The report has developed a discourse on the beliefs and values of Muslim community, and created numerous dialogues that pushed Muslims in mainstream. But mostly have been in English language. This causes damage to the reputation of Sachar Commission because the message this report tried to bring about was hardly made any presence in common Muslims. The author Abdur Rahman could be honored for the book that he brought out in Hindi. He made its recommendations reach to the common men.

The author tried to link the development of Muslim community to the development of nation. So many documents he devoured to present the facts. Every chapter opens with a couplet that attests our sense of discretion. The author has been a part of Indian administration for a long time. He is an officer in the rank of D.I.G. presently servicing as Additional Police Commissioner (Administration). He came from a farmer family of West Champaran, Bihar. He is an I.P.S. officer of 1997 batch posted at Maharashtra Cadre. He is sensitive to Muslim community.

The author is well known for his services. He was awarded Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award in 2007-08 for the contribution he did to establish communal harmony in Dhule and Yawatamal and for the efforts he made to bring two communities together. He was also honored with ‘Rajiv Gandhi Prashasnik Gatimanta Award’ of Maharashtra Government for bringing administrative reform in police system in 2008. He has been conferred with different medals and prizes.

In the preface of second edition of the book he writes, ‘Facts never gone old, until they were either corrected or replaced with healthier facts or outcomes. This proves true for Sachar Commission Report and Ranganath Mishra Commission. This report has stirred Muslim community and the attitude of governments and attempts are being made to improve the condition of Muslims. Central government is applying 66 recommendations out of 72 suggested by Sachar Commission. But except for education and scholarship, the reforms have been ineffective in other fields. At this point the community and individual action plays a greater role. This makes important for the mass to know about basic reports and facts. It is an honor for me that this book has second edition within a year.’

With 14 chapters and 4 appendices this book is the best tool for a layman to understand Sachar Committee Report. A valuable attempt by the author, and a must read for all.

(The article is translated by Fazal Karim.)

By Asma Anjum Khan,

Our Uncle Ghafoor is quite a character. You ask him time, he will tell you how to repair your clock. You tell him how hot the day has been ‘ and he will give you temperatures from Swiss Alps to Srinagar and shower curses for the Indian weather. Never mind, the same words are repeated when the rains arrive, turning Indian roads into gutters and then you ‘d better stop listening to worse than gutter foul mouth of our Uncle Ghafoor.

So it’s an amusement par excellence to lend an ear to him,when the debate about Modi or Rahul begins seeping in every nook and corner of our great country and our chai centres. At these old social media forums,our men solve national and international problems sipping cups after cups of steamy chai. Our Ghafoor uncle speaks with authority ,as though Man Mohan had spoken to him last night, briefing him about all the important stuff from 3 G notes to Gursharan quotes.[By the way, will you all ,please stop laughing at my mention of Man Mohan 's speaking abilities? The Sardar does speak, i swear!]

So when talk about Rahul/Modi and who will become India ka Prime Minister , or Bharat Varsh ka Pradhan Mantri is gathering heat and dust ; our Ghafoor uncle becomes interesting.

Rahul or Modi…who among them who among them? What the hell of a difference would it make, you idiots?
But both have one problem in common.
And before Mishra uncle could wipe out his betel spittle ; his hand was raised hand Modi style,

Any of these two become prime ministers, India won’t be having a first lady. He looked solemn.

We will have to get them married first, he declared. When Shaukat chacha of the next mohalla failed to suppress his snorty chuckles; he got admonished for his Zaleel Harkat ; it is uncle Ghafoor’s pet word.

Who needs a First lady? The first Prime Minister didn’t have one! Shoukat spoke his mind nevertheless.

You forget Lady Mountbatten, Mishra ji gave a hearty laugh.

What the hell that Lady Mountbatten has got to do with it? Poor Uncle Ghafoor had read history only from his school text books. But Shaukat, shouted, Like your Vajpayee was a bachelor! Mishra ji murmured something ,must be his choicest abuse.

As the chai crowd now was clearly divided into two, one voice arose but corruption is the main issue Uncle Ghafoor,

Corruption, he minced his much used [and abused] denture cum teeth.. Go, and ask Anna Hazare how much…

Anna Hazare is a bachelor too!

This was Bakha, the waiter at the chai shop who served you quick, if you addressed him as an attendant.

Now the chai shop was cracking with laughter. But why the heck is a first lady needed? Someone thought aloud. Uncle Ghafoor held forth, PMs look better with their spouses. Don’t you see Michelle Obama? And also we have to receive other first ladies from foreign countries. He always pronounced it phoren.

But Pheku did marry once ,hai nah?

Dare not say a single thing, I tell you. Mishra ji roared.

But Mishra I am telling, who would take care of Rashtrapati Bhavan? Ghafoor Uncle‘s GK book was as empty as his bald head.

Just like President A PJ Abdulkalam, who did without a wife. Bakha again.

The chit-chat at the pan-shop went on.

And Rahul’s dulhaniya won’t be from Amethi?

Mummy ji Italy se layein gi Rahul Baba ki dulhan! Mumma’s boy!

Shoukat and Mishra now came quite close to a brawl but the situation was taken under control.

For Pheku , an American would be the best bet, wife ke sath visa free!

Killing two birds with one stone. Ghafoor uncle said satisfyingly, always a connoisseur of proverbs.

Bonus: As a wife is better equipped at catching her husband’s lies, we can hope for an end [ or control over] to Feku’s Fekuisms

So while everyone is in the Rahul Vs Modi debate, Ghafoor uncle, the sage old man is thinking of the many problems India might face in the absence of a fine first lady.

Jai ho!

--
Asma Anjum Khan is Assistant Professor of English in Maharashtra. This article was first published at IndiaOpines.com

By Saiyed Danish, TwoCircles.net,

As the astounding verdict of Delhi Assembly elections became clear by the late evening of December 8, the lather of ill-conceived asseverations of the Congress party drained off leaving behind a sordid tale of a manifest disapproval of the party by the voters. What were left were the scaffoldings of only eight seats whose representatives will sit in the 70 seat strong assembly.

Out the eight constituencies where the party was able to save it face, four are Muslim-dominated areas where Muslim leaders have been re-elected on party’s ticket. This technically makes 50% of all Congress MLAs Muslims in the Delhi Assembly.

Congress’ Haroon Yusuf campaigning at his constituency in Ballimaran.

The victorious Muslim leaders are four time MLA and minister Haroon Yusuf from Ballimaran by over 8000 votes, Hasan Ahmad from Mustafabad by 2000 votes, Ch. Mateen Ahmad from Seelampur by 22,000 votes and Asif Mohammad Khan from Okhla seat by over 25,000 votes. In addition to that, two other seats won by the party are the Chandni chowk seat from where Prahlad Singh Sawhney has won consists of 25% Muslim voters and Gandhinagar seat secured by the Sikh Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely. Clearly, it is the minority communities of Delhi, primarily Muslims, who rescued the party from a total debacle.

As it is clear now that the no single party has reached the magic figure in Delhi so there a greater chance of re-elections looms over the city. It is widely believed that the people who did not vote for AAP for obvious suspicious reasons will now express their allegiance to the party more confidently following its stupendous and unprecedented victory in 28 constituencies.

While looking at the margin with which these candidates secured their comfortable victories one can say that Congress party’s strategies worked best in Muslim-dominated areas this time. However, leaving Okhla, where a combination of Congress core supporters and sitting MLA’s supporters, worked in favour and the Seelampur bastion of Ch Mateen Ahmed, the party’s victories on other two seats of Mustafabad and Ballimaran cannot be called comfortable.

While BJP’s Moti Lal Sodhi’s 24012, and BSP’s Imran Hussain’s 16267 respective votes polled threaten swinging of equation if re-elections happen. Farhana Anjum of AAP also got 13103 which has brought her privileged rivals in her firing range. As in the case of Hasan Ahmad in Mustafabad, BJP’s Jagdish Pradhan’s votes (54354) are only 2000 short of defeating Ahmad.

Okhla MLA Asif Mohammad Khan during election's campaign.

Nevertheless, the experiment of taking Muslim voters in confidence due to Modi-factor is now a success. In every Muslim-dominated constituency the congress candidates made the threat of Modi appear as if he was the Bjp's CM candidate in Delhi instead of Harshvardhan.

Terms like faasiwadi, and mention of Gujarat riots were Haroon Yusuf’s hot favourite topics where Asif Mohd. Khan in Okhla extensively raised Batla House encounter issue and talked about using Sheila to get justice for the two slain youths in the operation in order to mobilize muslim votes. Haroon Yusuf in Ballimaran knew exactly how he had to pull votes as his popularity had hit an all-time low. When TCN had spoken to the voters in Ballimaran they said they will be voting for congress to stop Modi and not because of Haroon Yusuf factor.

On the other hand, Congress party’s decision of giving Asif Mohammad ticket instead of Shoib Danish while putting up with his tantrums paid off well. People voted for the popularity of Asif and his assurance to leave Congress if he could not ensure justice to Batla House youths.

Besides Modi factor, Muslims’ vote for the party also appears to be a message of loyalty sent by the electorate at a time when even the Hindu lower and working class votes shifted away from the party.

Will the Congress party take heed of this token of allegiance by the Muslims and take some much awaited steps required for their welfare or their gesture of standing by the party is going to get misunderstood more even is something to watch out for?

By IANS,

Agartala: CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat Saturday asked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to make clear its future political programmes and plans. He welcomed its electoral fight against the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"In the assembly polls, the AAP has become a viable alternative to the Congress and the BJP. We have to watch and see the party's (AAP) political programmes, policies and plans before supporting it," Karat told reporters during the CPI-M's ongoing Central Committee (CC) meeting here.

Talking about the outcome of the assembly elections, he said the BJP could not succeed in these five states (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Mizoram) in the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections though it did well in the preceding assembly polls.

"In India, there are some states where there is bi-polar politics, but in many states the electoral fight is triangular or multi-cornered, leaving scope for forming third secular alternative," he said.

The Left leader said the BJP benefitted in the assembly polls because of the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) failure in governance.

"Huge anti-Congress sweep has even taken away the vote share of CPI-M in Rajasthan, resulting in defeat in all 37 seats in the state."

The CPI-M had three legislators in the previous Rajasthan assembly.

He said the Left parties would work to curb polarisation on communal lines before the Lok Sabha elections (scheduled April-May next year).

Karat along with 77 CC members, including 13 politburo (PB) members (of the 93 CC members and 15 PB members) is attending the three-day meeting which began here Friday.

After the Left party was formed Oct 17, 1920, the CPI-M's PB and CC meeting is being held for the first time in the country's lone Left-ruled state Tripura.

The CPI-M general secretary said the meeting discussed the party's political strategies for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting also conducted a mid-term review of the decisions adopted in the 20th party Congress held in Kozhikode (Kerala) April 4-9, 2012.

Indicating the BJP might gain more seats in the Lok Sabha polls, Karat said the corporate and business houses are fully backing the saffron party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

"After the Lok Sabha polls, a non-Congress, non-BJP political alternative front would be formed which would implement viable alternative policies for the people."

"To curb the activities and to unearth scams of 'chit funds' in West Bengal, a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court must be done," he added.

"Though the Congress is squarely to be blamed for the price rise of essential commodities and rising inflation, the UPA government is also guilty of rejecting the Left parties' proposals to curb these steep increases," he said.

Regarding Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that bans gay sex and the recent apex court verdict again making it an offence, Karat said the CPI-M wants de-criminalisation of homosexuality.

International conference on Al-Zahrawi's legacy begins

By Pervez Bari,

New Delhi, December 14: “The time has come for the entire Muslim world to introspect and get awakened to revisit five centuries, from 750 to 1258 AD – which is often described as the Golden Age of Islamic science -- the teaching and practice of medicine in Europe was heavily influenced by the works of Al-Razi (d. 925), Al-Zahrawi (d. 1013) and Ibn Sina (d. 1037) to reinvent Islam’s image of peace, human values and service to humanity through Quranic injunction and Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) sayings (Hadiths).

The difference between non-Muslims and Muslims is only that of service to humanity by the latter on the directives of Quran”.

Union Ministers K Rahman Khan and Harish Rawat along with IOS chairman Dr Manzoor Alam and other dignitaries on the dais during the inaugural function of International Conference on Al-Zahrawi in New Delhi on Friday.

The above observation was made by K. Rahman Khan, Union Minister of Minority Affairs, who was the chief guest, while delivering the inaugural address of the three-day International Conference on “Revisiting Abul Qasim Al-Zahrawi's Legacy in Medicine and Surgery” here on Friday evening at the India Islamic Cultural Centre.

Rahman Khan lamented that whole of Islamic world today is in turmoil despite it is blessed with wealth at its hand but no research is being conducted to benefit mankind. He called upon Muslims, especially youth, to emulate Al-Zahrawi, who has been called father of modern medicine and surgery, not only in medical but all other fields to serve the mankind.

The New Delhi-based Institute of Objective Studies, (IOS), in collaboration with MESCO (Muslim Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation, Hyderabad), and Maulana Azad Education Foundation, Ministry of Minority Affairs, New Delhi is organizing the three-day international conference on to mark the 1000th death anniversary of the pioneer physician and surgeon and highlight his wide-ranging contributions to medicine and surgery. The co-sponsors of the event are India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi, and PARAS HEALTHCARE.

Prof. Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr. Faculty of Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, KSA, in his presidential address said that Islamic medicine is not specific medical procedures or therapeutic agents used in a particular place or a particular time. Islamic medicine is universal, all-embracing, flexible, and allows for growth and development of various methods of investigation and treatment of diseases within the framework described above’. The conceptual clarification from this definition opened the door to Islamization of modern scientific medicine.

Prof. Kasule said Islamic Health Care Industry provides a value-added to medical care, spirituality, ibadat-friendly hospital, and Islamic ambience. The Islamic approach provides holistic care. Unlike Islamic finance, it started with professional training at faculties of medicine. All have a stake in health only a few have a stake in banking, he added.

Meanwhile, Harish Chandra Singh Rawat, Union Minister of Water Resources, in his address said that he salutes the sense of dedication and sense of inequality in Islam which Al-Zahrawi followed to serve whole humanity and not Muslims alone.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam, chairmn of IOS, speaking on the occasion said Al-Zahravi, who made original and enduring contributions to medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology, pharmacology, dentistry and cosmetology, represents one strand of Islamic civilisational heritage, albeit a significant strand.

Dr. Alam said: “We have been mulling over the establishment of an Al-Zahravi museum in India where we would love to display editions of most of his works and replicas of his surgical tools, large facsimile editions of his drawings and other memorabilia. At this stage we are in planning stage. All this is to protect the heritage”.

Dr. Ahmad Abdul Hai, MD & Chief Consultant, Hai Medicare & Research Institute, Patna, in his key-note address said: “Islam has made a very glorious contribution to the art of healing. The basic impetus and the inspiration for this Islamic medicine came from the Noble Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet which took medicine away from the realm of superstation & fantasy and gave it a rational footing. This was the basis of Islamic Medicine”.

Dr. Hai quoted Dr. Ahmad Al Kadi of USA who had said: “the treatment in question may be spiritual, physical, exercises, nutritional adjustment, pharmaceuticals preparation (natural or synthetic) surgical procedures, implants, use of modern diagnostic tools (MRI & PET Scan), radiation therapy or a combination of any of these modalities”.

This definition of Islamic medicine may come as a surprise for some of us who feel that Islamic medicine is something limited to the therapy practiced by the revered old Hakeem’s, or is rooted only in natural herbs or is limited to the direct health related teachings found in the Quran & Hadith, or some faith healing manoeuvres, he added.

He said that Islamic medicine includes all the modalities of modern medicine but yet differs from it because it is rooted in divine faith & ethics. It strives for excellence. It is comprehensive, paying attention to the body, the psyche and the soul. It takes into account not only the individual patient but also the society. It is universal, utilizing all useful resources and offering its services to all mankind.

Earlier, Dr. Fakhruddin Mohammad, Organising Secretary & Hony. Secretary, MESCO, Hyderabad threw light on the introduction of the theme of the international conference aptly.

A view of Scientific Exhibition & Display of Instruments in the premises of IICC

Dr. Fakhruddin said that Abul Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al-Zahrawi (940-1013), known as Albucasis in the West, devoted his entire life, in Madinat al-Zahra, near Cordoba, in Muslim Spain, to medical research and practice. He made an outstanding and original contribution to medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology and obstetrics, pharmacology and dentistry. He has been described as the father of modern surgery.

At the outset Maulana Abdullah Tarique recited verses from the Holy Qur’an. Prof. M. Afzal Wani, Professor of Law, GGS IP University, Delhi, welcomed the dignitaries, guests and delegates. The inaugural session of the International Conference will be webcast live on the linkhttp://vectraimage.com/webcast/ios/. Dr. Mohammed Iftekharuddin, Director, MESCO, Hyderabad conducted the inaugural function with aplomb.

By TCN News,

Kuwait: Indo-Kuwait Friendship Society (IKFS) has sent “Thank you” letters to UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi & The Minister of External Affairs and Minister of State for External Affairs of India Salman Khurshid & E. Ahamed respectively for providing special visa arrangements for Kuwaiti nationals. The new measures will allow issuance of multiple entry visas to Kuwaitis at different levels either for business, tourism, study or medical treatment.

The new visa policey will allow, two types of business visas for one and five years with multiple entries. The tourism visa would be valid for six months, the medical one for one year with multiple entries the student visa would be valid for study duration.

Dr. Ghalib Al-Mashoor with Dr. Shaikh Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah

IKFS Vice President Attorney Sayid Mohamed Nizar said in a statement that “The new procedures will encourage Kuwaiti travelers to visit India in large numbers and would make India as a favorite tourist destination among Kuwaitis.” Nizar invited to Kuwaiti businessmen to invest in India’s infrastructural development projects as the Indian economy is now strong and entertains more foreign investments”.

Earlier, IKFS President, Dr. Ghalib Al-Mashoor had met Dr. Shaikh Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, Chief of Kuwait Foreign investment Bureau. Shaikh Meshaal (the son of Former Amir of Kuwait Late Shaikh Jaber Al-Sabah) said that IKFS executives are most welcome to discuss about various projects to be carried out thru mutual understanding and joint venture which could be beneficial to the people of both friendly countries India and Kuwait. He added that “Kuwait Foreign investment Bureau offices” are functioning under the umbrella of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Kuwait. Shaikh Mashaal also invited Dr. Ghalib to visit H.E.’s offices for further discussion of different investment projects to be carried out which will further cement old bilateral relationship between Kuwait and India.

By Dr. Mohammad Sajjad,

It should not be surprising for many that one of the greatest nationalist politicians of colonial Bihar, in terms of political standing in the organizational structure of the Congress, was denied chief minister-ship (in 1937 and also in 1952) without any acceptable justification, which irked Maulana Azad. Small wonder then that the Publication Division of the Govt. of India has not published his biography (Builders of Modern India Series, a tribute paid to a large number of nationalists, many of whom may not be matching his stature). Ironically, highly funded department of History, AMU, has equally ignored its alumnus in undertaking researches on his life and times.

Syed Mahmud was born in a village Syedpur Bhitari, Ghazipur (U.P.). His father’s name was Md. Umar and grandfather’s name was Qazi Farzand Ali. His ancestors had come to Bihar during the Lodis (and had subsequently migrated to Ghazipur, only to return back to Bihar). But his political life started in Aligarh where he received his education during 1901-08. Here he was among those few students, who were trying to make Muslims join the ongoing anti-colonial nationalist struggle led by the Indian National Congress. He, along with his friends, participated in the annual session of the Congress in 1905 at Benaras, presided over by G.K. Gokhale, the political guru of both Gandhi and Jinnah. (It was this session where the resolution of free compulsory primary education was adopted). It was the time when the MAO College (later AMU), Aligarh was undergoing a great churning; students had started expressing their anti-colonial proclivities. In February 1907, he led a strike against the British manned management of the college. It started with disciplinary action against a sharp student, Raja Ghulam Husain, who had some confrontation with a constable in the annual exhibition (numaish). Violating the assurance given by the European Principal to Mohsinul Mulk, six students (including the three students, viz. Syed Mahmud, Tasadduq Sherwani and Abdur Rahman Bijnori) were punished. This administrative high handedness led to student unrest and the college was closed down till 2nd April 1907.

The enquiry committee submitted its report subsequently only to invite many controversies, notes of dissent; and the anti-colonial assertion of the students was major concern of the European staff. Growing proximity of the students with the Congress was their great worry. They had formed a secret anti British ‘society’ in 1903 where matters and strategies to expel out the British from India were deliberated. All this earned them epithets like ‘Qaum’ for S. Mahmud and ‘Agitator’ for A.R. Bijnori. During those days the hostel rooms of the students were decorated with the portraits of the Sultan of Turkey, The German Kaiser and of Gokhale. They were the anti-British symbols. On 5th February1907, few days before the agitation, a large number of students had assembled at the Aligarh Railway Station to welcome Gokhale, who delivered a mesmerizing speech on education. Syed Mahmud had then got elated and said, ‘Now I can die happily; seeing these Muslim students, I am assured of the freedom of my country’. Later this anti British group of students was joined by others like Saifuddin Kitchlew. They remained opposed to the Muslim League leaders like Syed Ameer Ali and Nawab Salimullah, who displayed loyalty towards the British. In 1908 when Aligarh was the venue of the annual session of the Muslim League, Syed Mahmud strongly condemned and agitated against those resolutions which demonstrated pro-British feelings.

Having expelled out of Aligarh, he went to the Lincoln’s Inn of London to become a barrister. Later, wrote a thesis on Mughal Politics and Administration from the Cambridge. He also got influenced with Pan Islamism under the influence of W.S. Blunt and E.G. Brown. Here also he organized some students and developed ideological conflicts with Ameer Ali (1849-1928), who was running the London branch of the Muslim League. In 1909, in London he came in contact with Mahatma Gandhi and J.L. Nehru. In 1912, he obtained Ph. D. from Germany and came back to India, and from 1913 he started his legal profession in Patna under the able guidance of Mazharul Haq. In 1915, he married Mazharul Haq’s niece. Throughout his career he insisted on communal harmony, played significant role in the Congress- League Pact of Lucknow in 1916. Served with the Home Rule League, AICC and gave up his legal practice to participate in the Khilafat Movement. He also authored, The Khilafat & England. In 1922, he was imprisoned. In 1923, he was elected Deputy General Secretary of the AICC. In 1929, with M.A. Ansari, he formed ‘Muslim Nationalist Party’ within the Congress, and became the General Secretary of the Congress, and served in this capacity till 1936. In 1930, along with M.L. Nehru and J.L. Nehru he was imprisoned in the Naini Jail of Allahabad, for his participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

The correspondences of Syed Mahmud reveal that by 1939, he had developed considerable disillusionment with the Congress on the issue of communalism, which he wanted to be addressed on priority. In fact, in 1937, when the Congress was going to form ministries in provinces, according to Maulana Azad, Syed Mahmud was the most deserving candidate for Chief Ministership in Bihar, but Rajendra Prasad played a game, called two essentially caste leaders viz. Shri Krishna Sinha (a Bhumihar 1887-1961) and Anugraha Narayan Sinha (a Rajput 1887-1957) from the Central Assembly and got S.K. Sinha ‘elected’. Azad expressed his agony in his India Wins Freedom (P.17), (blamed Rajendra Prasad who threw his weight behind S.K. Sinha), and said that ‘the Congress failed the test of Nationalism’. Whereas Rajendra Prasad’s Autobiography fails to defend the act, only thing he says that he did not repent the decision.

The Shri Krishna Sinha led cabinet made him Minister for Education, Development and Planning in 1937. His emphasis was on providing primary education to largest possible number of people, worked for revision of curricula, appointed Urdu teachers in the Patna University. He fought for raising the proportion of Muslims in the government jobs and in the local bodies. To mitigate the Hindi-Urdu tension, he launched a bilingual (Urdu &Hindi) newspaper called Raushni. He also wrote a book, A Plan of Provincial Reconstruction (1939). It became so popular that several editions were re-printed in the same year. It displays his vision for the problems like public health, education and human resources, material resources of Bihar. This book dealt at length about rural indebtedness and agricultural finance. He was engaged in such exercise when other big leaders of Bihar were engaged in caste based factionalism, much lamented by Ram Manohar Lohia (1910-67), Jaya Prakash Narayan (1902-79) and Sahajanand Saraswati also called Navrang Rai (1889-1950).

During 1946-52, he was the Minister for Transport, Industries and Agriculture in Bihar. In 1949 he suggested Nehru to enter into a particular military pact with Pakistan in order to safeguard the nation from China which could not materialize. Pained with communal partition of India, an optimist in him motivated him to write another book Hindu Muslim Accord (1949), celebrating the ‘Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of India ’. During 1954-57 he was the Union Minister of State for External Affairs but resigned due to eye troubles. He participated in the historic Bandung Conference (1955), where the Panchsheel was spelled out. He played remarkable roles in India’s useful diplomatic relations with the Gulf countries, Iran and Egypt.

By 1940s, the Muslim League leaders of Bihar had developed a low level hostility against him, so much so that they instructed their followers not to participate in the last rites (janazah) of his mother –in-law, the marriage ceremony of his daughter was sought to be disturbed by the lumpens claiming to be supporters of the Muslim League.

In June 1961, the communal riots and the abdication of responsibilities by the state disillusioned him. It got further accentuated in the riots of 1964, when he started re-thinking the question of minorities in both India and Pakistan, founded the Muslim Majlis Mashaweraat (MMM), yet he warned against having exclusively identity based political party in the India’s secular democracy. He rather wanted it to act more as a pressure group. In April 1968 he left the MMM precisely because its leaders started talking in exclusivist language.

In post-Independent Bihar, the Congress leaders acted only as caste leaders, established linear network of patronage distribution. For example, the Bhumihar and Rajput leaders had their ‘sub-contractors’ in many districts, who established a large number of high schools and colleges, offering recruitments to their caste fellows. These employees acted as their electoral resource-persons/booth managers. Syed Mahmud did not develop this kind of linear networks of patronage distribution.

Nadeem, the Urdu monthly from Gaya (Bihar), in its special number on Bihar, 1940, claimed that its idara had all the manuscripts to write a comprehensive biography, Hayat-e-Mahmud. But unfortunately nobody knows what happened to it.

(Dr. Mohammad Sajjad, Asstt. Prof., Centre of Advanced Study in History, AMU, Aligarh.)

By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,

Kolkata: Jahura Begum, a Myanmar citizen whose husband Muhammad Yakub and seven sons are living in a refugee shelter of United Nations in Jammu & Kashmir since 2009, will now be able to see her husband as her plea of the same has been accepted by the Calcutta High Court on December 12.

She will be transferred from Dumdum Central Jail to Tihar Jail in New Delhi. Although she has served her sentence, but due to but due to delay in the issuing of her release order by the Home department she is still languishing in jail.

It was in early 2009, that Jahura Begum, along with her seven children, had entered India via Bangladesh to see her husband Muhammad Yakub. In fact, Md. Yakub had applied to United Nation High Commission for Refugees in New Delhi in 2009 for shelter. The UNHCR later accepted his appeal and arranged for his refuge in Jammu Kashmir UN refugee camp the same year.

On the other hand, his wife had entered Kolkata through Benapole border, but since she had no visa and passport, consequently she got arrested at Bidhan Nagar Police station and sent to jail custody on April 2, 2009.

On May 12, 2010 Barasaat Fast Track Court held her guilty for entering illegally in India and while she was awarded imprisonment, her children were sent to a Juvenile Home. When Md Yakub received the information of his wife’s imprisonment he visited her in 2010 with the help extended by the UNHCR office in New Delhi. In 2011 UN finally arranged the seven children to live with Md Yakub in Jammu-Kashmir.

On December 12, Jahura Begum’s lawyer Debashis Banerjee appeal to Calcutta High Court that to facilitate the transfer of Jahura Begum from Kolkata to New Delhi so that her husband and children could meet her easily. He also argued that Jahura Begum had already served her sentence and is waiting to be taken to the Jammu and Kashmir relief camp where she can re-unite with her husband and children.

Sanjoy Bardhan, central government lawyer, also said, “Central Government is sympathetic to Jahura and she may be sent to Tihar jail.” After hearing both Debashis and Sanjoy, Justice Sajib Banerjee has ordered the Government of West Bengal to arrange for her to be sent to Tihar jail with immediate effect.

By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,

New Delhi: On the second day of the three-day International Conference on “Revisiting Abul Qasim Al-Zahrawi's Legacy in Medicine and Surgery” here at the India Islamic Cultural Centre in all eight sessions along with poster presentation were held which highlighted the various aspects of achievements of Al-Zahrawi in the field of medicine and surgery.

There were four Business sessions on Saturday where eminent doctors, surgeons, medical scientists, experts of Tib and scholars from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Iraq, Libya along with from Indian cities of Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Srinagar, Patna, New Delhi, Chennai, Aligarh, Lucknow, Aurangabad etc. presented their papers on (a) The relevance of al-Zahrawi’s clinical methods and surgical procedures and instruments to modern medicine and surgery; (b) Al-Zahrawi’s holistic vision of health and disease and its relevance in the contemporary medical discourse, Islamic concept of physical health; (c) Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to orthopaedics and its contemporary relevance; (d) Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to gynaecology and obstetrics and its enduring significance. While four parallel sessions were also held on Al-Zahrawi’s contributions to (i) ophthalmology; (ii) Cupping (Hijama); (iii) Surgery and (iv) Dentistry.

Prof. Hamidullah Marazi (Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi), S.H. Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, being presented memento by Prof. Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr. Faculty of Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, KSA and Major Zahid Ali Khan.

Dr. M. Yousuf Azam Professor of Surgery, Hyderabad, chairing a parallel session on Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to Surgery said that the Muslim Ummah in the last 1000 years after Al-Zahrawi has not persevered enough and taken initiative to produce such an intellectual giant once again.

Dr. Azam said Allah has given us wisdom but we have not explored it. We need to wake up from nostalgia and analyse to do some pioneering work for humanity at large to uplift it from the morass of ignorance, illiteracy and poverty.

Prof. Hamidullah Marazi (Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi), Director, Shah-I-Hamdan Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, in his comprehensive paper titled “Al-Zahrawi’s monumental contribution to medicine and surgery in a comparative perspective!” said Abu al-Qasim Khalaf bin Abbas Al-Zahrawi (A.D. 936-1013), known to the West by his Latin name Albucasis, was by all standards the greatest Muslim surgeon, as the European surgeons of his time regarded him as a greater authority than even Galen, the ancient world's acknowledged master. It is clear from Al-Zahrawi's life history and from his writings that he devoted his entire life and genius to the advancement of medicine as a whole and surgery in particular. His monumental work At-Tasrif liman 'Ajiza 'an at-Ta'lif (The Method of Medicine). The complete meaning of the title of the book will be: The disposal of medical knowledge to those unable to get it from the other compilations”. This 30 volume medical treatise covers surgery, medicine, orthopaedics, obstetric and gynaecology, ophthalmology, pharmacology, nutrition, etc. The book was completed by the year 1000 AD. It was the outcome of almost fifty years of learning practicing and teaching the art medicine. Al-Zahrawi wrote: “Whatever I know, I owe solely to my assiduous reading of books of the ancients, and to my desire to understand and appropriate this science. To this I have added the observations and experience of my whole life.”

Prof. Marazi stated that Al-Zahrawi’s writings were translated into Latin and were used as the standard book of medicine in Europe for several centuries. His writings on anatomy and surgery raised him to the level of Hippocrates and Galen. In fact his work represented the first step of surgery as an independent specialty away from medicine, grounded on the knowledge of anatomy. Al Tasrif became famous in the universities of Europe in the middle ages and was the chief reference work for surgery in the universities of Italy and France. Al-Zahrawi was one of the first scholars in Islam to promote nursing and encouraged women to become midwives.

With the reawakening of European interest in medical science, At-Tasrif quickly became a standard reference and was translated into Latin five times .It was the first independent surgical treatise ever written. The famous French surgeon Guy de Chauliac wrote: “it was nothing less than the greatest achievement of medieval surgery”, he quoted Al-Tasreef over 200 times. Thus, it can safely be said that his greatest contribution to the history of medicine is his famous book “Kitab-al-Tasrif”, a thirty volume encyclopaedia on medicine which is based on his personal experiences in practice of medicine for 50 years, Prof. Marazi pointed out.

Summing up he said that Al-Zahrawi was the first to: 1- Use cotton (in surgical dressings, in the control of haemorrhage and as padding in the splinting of fractures; 2- Describe in details the unusual disease, haemophilia. 3- Use cautery, wax and alcohol to control bleeding from the skull during cranial surgery and described the ligature of arteries long before Ambrose Pare. 4-Teach the lithotomic position for vaginal operations. He was the first surgeon to describe ectopic pregnancy; 5- Describe the tracheotomy operation and performed it as an emergency on one of his servants; and 6- Write on orthodontic and described how to treat misaligned teeth.

Prof. Dr. Maher Abd Elkader M. Aly, Professor of History of Science, Faculty of Arts in Alexandria University, Egypt, presenting his paper said it is internationally known that Gerard de Cremona had translated the book of Al-Zahrawi known as ALTASREIF into Latin in the twelfth century. This translation influenced the main scientific career in Europe in the studies carried out by Latin scientists, generations of physicians, pharmacists and surgeons benefited from the Book in its Latin translation. From this book quoted the French surgeon Guy De Chauliac, who died in 1369, a lot of information in his book (Chirurgia Magna). Prof. Lucien Leclerc mentioned, a number of authors of the fifteenth century in Europe who quoted from the book of Al-Zahrawi, among those Ferrari (known as Mathieu de Gradibus), and others who took many things from the Al-Zahrawi. Check has published a book in the year 1619 and mentioned the name of the Al-Zahrawi frequency , who’s book was in France in the second half of the 13th century, through Italy and Salerno school.

Aligarh-based Dr. Mohsin Raza, a senior Consultant General Surgeon, presenting his ppt said that Al-Zahrawi (Albucasis) was the greatest Muslim surgeon. European surgeons of his time regarded him as a greatest authority. Al Zahrawi was described by Pietro Argallata (1423) as "without doubt the chief of all surgeons". Another French surgeon Jaques Delechamps (1513-1588), made extensive use of At-Tasrif in his elaborate commentary, confirming the great prestige of Al Zahrawi throughout the Middle Ages and up to the Renaissance. He devoted his entire life to the advancement of medicine as a whole and surgery in particular.

Dignitaries seated on the dais in a session of the International Conference on “Revisiting Abul Qasim Al-Zahrawi's Legacy in Medicine and Surgery” at the India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi.

Dr. Raza said Al-Zahrawi was the first author to describe illustrations of instruments and explanations of their use in surgery. These instruments were mostly invented by Al-Zahrawi himself. There are approximately 200 such drawings ranging from a tongue depressor, a tooth extractor, forceps, scissors, pointed knives, catheter and obstetric instruments. Many modifications of his instruments are in use today. He described many operations and techniques, which are the basis of modern Surgery today.

While describing malignant breast tumour, Al-Zahrawi dictated that, it should not be cut through. It must be removed from its root. Cutting through will spread and fungate the tumour, revealed Dr. Raza.

Dr. Albina Shamsi, Guest Faculty, Deptartment of Jararhat, Ajmal Khan Tibbia College, AMU, Aligarh, in her paper said Al-Zahrawi's first surgical techniques were developed to treat injuries and trauma like suturing lacerations, amputation and draining and cauterizing the open wounds. The oldest operation for which the evidence exist is Trepanation (hole is drilled into the skull for exposing duramate). Since then with the course of time some great physicians were involved in developing the surgery like Homer, Hippocrates, Herophilus, Erasistratus, Galen. Al-Zahrawi was one among them. He was the physician to King Al-Hakam-II of Spain.

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

Guwahati: Be it Hasina Bibi, Anand Biswas or Rahmat Ali, their story is all the same besides being the fact that all of them belong to Assam. Ali is a 75 year old man living in a cottage on the bank of Beki River, a tributary of Brahmaputra at Sunpora in Barpeta district with an uncertain future.

Not just today, most of the years of his live have been spent like that only since he could recall the childhood days. All credit goes to the erosion caused by the river and the indifferent attitude of the government.

Hasina Bibi with one of her grandchild in her 12th house.

So, Ali after having changed his house for several times is planning to shift his house for the fourth time near Sunpora Reserve Forest area in the last 10 years. “We need to find a better place within a short period of time. This has become a part of our lives. Not just me, almost every family residing here face the same fate,” said the man pointing his finger at the locality.

At present Ali and his family struggle hard to make the ends meet. Once upon a time at least he could afford to dream with a little bit of plot of land but that too was shattered during the fateful summer of 2001, under cruel waves of river Beki.

Rahmat Ali and Anand Biswas stand on the bank of river Beki with a gloomy future.

“I had my own plot of land at Dawki near Jania but everything was finished. Now, we are even unable to dream,” said Ali whose only son works in Guwahati as an auto-rickshaw driver. But he has been giving the tax for the plot of land which is still under water for the last 12 years. So far, in the name rehabilitation, the gentleman has got Rs 500 in early 1990s.

The fate is same with Anand Biswas who has also living with his son and daughter in law in a newly built thatched roofed bamboo house. “Besides the river, we have nothing to take pride of. Our lives depend on the river only. If it wishes it can wiped us out within the night. We are totally helpless. The local representative of the government hardly visits us,” Biswas who once used to be a carpenter said.

The boats are the only means of communication to the outer world for the people.

Even the Jania Sattra, one of the Vaishnavite monasteries established to spread the message of peace and harmony by the great 15thcentury saint Srimanta Sankaradev, is also in danger from the erosion. “It’s a very critical phase here of the people and the properties. The people are living in hell without any future. What they will do in the coming days? I’m scared to think the future of their children. Besides, if the government does not take any immediate step, the place of great historical or cultural importance will be doomed soon,” said Abdul Kalam Azad, a research scholar who visited the area for a study.

If all these were so, meet this 50 year old lady – Hasina Bibi who has shifted her house as many as 12 times during the last two decades. But no obstacles seem to deter this lady from the dream of a better tomorrow as she believes in the power of education and sends her seven year old grandchild to ‘nearby’ school which is around 5 kilometre away. Whereas according to the norms, there should a lower primary school in every one kilometre. Baharul who studies in the first standard of Dawkmari Lower Primary school has to cross the river and walk up to school every day.

Even such beautiful rays of dawns have failed to bring any hope for these people stuck in a fateful zone.

“I wish my grandchild becomes an educated man to lead our family. We do not want to stay like this rest of our lives,” said a hopeful of Bibi.

Besides, their lives are not at all of the 21st century world when these people still do not have a proper sanitation system leave alone the facility of proper drinking water or the basic health facility or transportation.

“After 9 pm their area is disconnected for the rest of the world as the only way of communication is the boat. We cannot think of electricity. We even don’t know if we will be able to see it in our life time here in our village. We are utterly helpless if a woman becomes seriously ill after 9 pm,” said a fisherman who also has a boat to ferry the local passengers across the river. But they would continue to vote. “If we don’t vote we will be thrashed out of the state as Bangladeshi. So, we never miss to vote,” said Bibi.

This way life goes on for hundreds like Ali, Bibi and Biswas in the of 21st century India.

(Photos credit: Abdul Kalam Azad)

By IANS,

New Delhi : Over one lakh Muslims Sunday took an oath against terrorism and to spread the message that Islam is a religion of peace and has always promoted harmony.

The ceremony,,organised by the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind, was held at the Ramlila ground here, and came after a two-day conference attended by clerics of Jamiat-e-Ulemas in the Maldives, Britain, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar at Deoband in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, where it was decided to set up a forum to promote world peace.

"The forum will help promote peace and make the entire world understand that the motive of Islam is to promote peace and harmony. Islam has always wanted that peace prevails in the world," Jamiat-e-Ulema general secretary Maulana Arshad Madani said in address here.

Only better understanding and a proper universal brotherhood will bridge the rift among people and let the world live in peace, he added.

"Freedom is the basic human right of every person in the world and by spreading terrorism, a lot of organisations have just tried to sabotage tranquility prevailing in the world," said Maulana Madani.

Speaking on the occasion, Jamiat-e-Ulema-Pakistan (Fazlur) chief Fazlur Rahman maintained that peace cannot prevail as long as "atrocities are done on the people by the dictators in a society".

"Today the issue of terrorism is not just limited to Afghanistan and Pakistan but has affected almost all the nations of the world, which has made it immensely important for the people to come together and tackle all such sort of issues to let peace prevail in the society," he said.

By IANS,

Jammu : Government jobs in states with financial deficit like Jammu and Kashmir should be the last choice for educated, trained youth who should instead seek employment in private sector inside and outside the state, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Sunday.

Speaking at the foundation day of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri town, he said that opening and upgrading of various university campuses, degree and technical colleges and polytechnics in the state have expanded the orbit of receiving modern education for youth nearer to their homes.

"This has also catapulted the employability of the students to get lucrative and remunerative jobs in the open job market," he said, stressing that he wants to create such an educational environment to so educate and train the state's youth that government jobs will be least preferred by them.

He said this is more necessary in financially deficit Jammu and Kashmir where the total annual revenue is Rs.6,500 crore but salary paid to government employees is Rs.13,500 crore, losses on supply of electricity are Rs.2,000 crore while pensions amount to about Rs.2,000 crore too.

"The higher educational institutions, particularly universities, should link up with the leading players in the fields of industry, science, technology, IT, ST and other related disciplines and include subjects of their requirement in the curriculum,"Omar Abdullah said, adding that employment fairs by the leading business houses should form the regular activity at the universities.

He said he has already talked to some leading business houses of the country in this regard and would talk to more others.

The chief minister asked the students to get fully acquainted with the initiatives of 'Udaan' and 'Himayat' programmes sponsored exclusively in the state by the union government to create job opportunities for the educated youth of the state in private sector all across the country.

"You should avail this opportunity as it is only for Jammu and Kashmir and no other state in the country has this programme," he said.

The chief minister inaugurated a solar power plant built at a cost of Rs.2.73 crore, a boys' hostel which cost Rs.3.21 crore, a girls' hostel built at Rs.1.65 crore, a health centre, a basketball court and a Super Bazaar in the university campus.

By M Reyaz,

The Apex Court judgment of December 11, putting aside the Delhi High Court order on decriminalisation of homosexuality, pertaining to Section 377 of the IPC has clearly divided into two ‘queer’ camps, where on one side besides LGBTS are those liberals extending their support, and on the other side, religious leaders and groups, who otherwise would not even see an eye to eye.

After listening to the arguments of all parties the two judge bench of Justice GS Singhvi and Justice Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhya held that “Section 377 IPC does not suffer from the vice of unconstitutionality and the declaration made by the Division Bench of the High court is legally unsustainable.”

Sunday, December 15 saw solidarity protests in Delhi against SC order on Section 377.

It should be pointed here that the Supreme Court made it clear that clear that “this Court has merely pronounced on the correctness of the view taken by the Delhi High Court on the constitutionality of Section 377 IPC and found that the said section does not suffer from any constitutional infirmity,” adding, “Notwithstanding this verdict, the competent legislature shall be free to consider the desirability and propriety of deleting Section 377 IPC from the statute book or amend the same as per the suggestion made by the Attorney General.”

Thus to the very least the SC, did not act ‘radically’ to protect the rights of sexual minorities as it has been found doing on several occasions, but in pure pedantic and legalistic manner, putting the ball, literally, in the Parliament’s court.

Religious concerns:

The Delhi HC ruling of 2009 that had decriminalized homosexuality, and was hailed by rights groups, was mainly challenged by Christian and Muslim religious groups and individuals, including All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), The Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, Raza Academy, Utkal Christian Council, the Apostolic Churches Alliances, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, etc. There are some Hindu individuals and cultural political groups, like Sanatan Dharam Priniti Sabha, that too challenged the HC judgment, but none of the major Hindu organizations.

While welcoming the SC decision, the Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev said that homosexuality is an ailment that can be cured. “I guarantee to cure them of homosexuality," he said mediapersons.

Spiritual leader Sr Sri Ravi Shankar, however, took a different stand. In three consecutive tweets on December 11, he wrote: “Homosexuality has never been considered a crime in Hindu culture. In fact, Lord Ayyappa was born of Hari-Hara (Vishnu & Shiva)… Homosexuality-not a crime in any Smriti. Everyone has male & female elements. According to their dominance, tendencies show up & may change… Nobody should face discrimination because of their sexual preferences. To be branded a criminal for this is absurd.”

Certainly most Abrahamic religions regard ‘unnatural sex’ as sin and hence prohibited. In June earlier this year, the lower house of parliament in Russia passed a bill that stigmatizes Russia's gay community and bans the distribution of information about homosexuality to children.

Pope Francis, however, took a very radical stand few months back when he said, "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?" This was clearly a shift in the Vatican’s stand. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, had in fact signed a document in 2005 that said that prohibited men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies from becoming priests.

After the Pope’s stand, I am not sure if the Christian groups are still holding on to their positions.

Now about the Muslims. Clearly, homosexuality is seen as one of the worst form of sin, in the eye of Allah and scholars of Islam regard it as “moral disorder” and “moral disease.”

"We know that homosexuality is against nature," Abdul Raheem Quraishi, general secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said, adding, "It goes against all its laws and it is what led to the spread of HIV/AIDS."

Though several of my more religiously devout fellow Muslims have often made me feel that I am not religious enough, or in their words “too liberal,” I have voluntarily started keeping myself in the category of what Editor of TwoCircles.net once called “MusLibs” (Muslim+Liberals). As a practising Muslim, however, homosexuality is something that I am yet to come to terms with.

Nonetheless, what has been most baffling to me on the SC order was the stand several Muslim groups took in the court and outside. In my opinion, any religious groups whether Christians or Muslims should have no locus standi in the case. After all, the court was deciding on one of the sections in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and certainly that has nothing to do with Islam or any religion.

Of all the groups that challenged the Delhi HC decision, the situation of AIMPLB has been more baffling, to me. Constituted in 1973, AIMPLB, as the name suggest is supposed to adopt suitable strategies for the protection and continued applicability of Muslim Personal Law in the country. Now, where on earth did scrapping of Section 377 of the IPC dealt with Muslims, in particular.

If the AIMPLB thinks that because it was a grave sin that would lead to depravity, and hence they needed to intervene to “save” the society, are we then going to see AIMPLB coercing government to penalise those consenting adults who indulge in pre-marital or extra-marital sex, for that tantamount to zina (rape) and is another sin of worse order. Similarly, drinking alcohol is haram in Islam, and so will Muslim groups now demand banning liquor all over the country. This list of ‘Donts’ in Islam which for many people fall in the acceptable category of ‘Dos’ can be more exhaustive. And so will the custodians of Islam challenge all of them in the court of law?

Let me give another example, most mainstream Sunni Muslims would consider Ahmadis as ‘heretics,’ but for Indian Constitution they would count as minority as much as Sunnis would. Should we demand a legislation against them too?

No one is forcing Muslims to drink alcohol, no one is forcing us to have extra-marital affairs and no one is forcing Muslims to ‘turn’ homosexual. So why this hue and cry? Simply because we do not believe in something, are we thence going to prevent others from practicing it too?

Not that I was ever a champion of rights of LGBT, certainly my religious beliefs restrains me. But at the same time, I never suffered with homophobia. I am not surprised or shocked at our mullahs and so called Sanyasis expressing their opinions on homosexuality. They certainly, like all of us, have rights to their views; the problem begins when they start asserting their ill-conceived opinions. However, I am shocked at how the Apex Court listens to those hypocrites? Are we living in a secular democracy or some authoritarian theocracy?

India is a secular democracy and not some authoritarian theocracy. The least Muslims, as a dominating religious minority could do, is work in solidarity with other minorities to strengthen the social democratic fabric of the society. We don’t have to agree with everything, but as long as any law is not forced upon us, why should we raise eyebrows simply because others are doing.

Moreover, if Muslim leaderships really feel that legalizing such laws would affect the ummah as well, there are other ways to reach out to the community, like explaining during weekly Khutba on Fridays, or imparting rightly guided religious teachings. But certainly we cannot force our views on others, that too in a secular democracy that we pride ourselves in.

Certainly for Muslims, in this this country, there are more grave concerns and it would do them better if they focused and used those same resources in fighting cases for issues like reservation, Muslim youth languishing in jails without fair trial, trying to improve the lot of Muslim women by educating them and giving them due rights as enshrined in Islam, and not worry about issues that concern them the least.

I would also advise our mullahs to learn something from Pope Francis and stop judging people. Let that be the work of Allah.

As a religious minority, I empathise with the situations of the sexual minorities. As religious minority struggling to get equality and justice, even those whose religious beliefs would not allow them to "believe" in homosexuality, should stop passing judgement on sexual minorities, and rather extend support in solidarity.

“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it,” French Philosopher, Voltaire said. That’s the beauty of democracy. And that’s what Islam teaches to a MusLibs like me Lakum deenukum waliya deen (For you is your religion, and for me is my religion).

(M Reyaz is the Assistant Editor of TwoCircles.net.)

(Photo credit: Shreya Roy Chowdhury)

By IANS,

New Delhi : The Supreme Court will Tuesday hear exiled Bangladeshi author Tasleema Nasreen's plea for quashing the charges against her for controversial tweet criticising a meeting between Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and religious leader Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan.

The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice P. Sathasivam agreed to hear the appeal following a mention by senior counsel K.K. Venugopal seeking the charges against the exiled Bangladeshi writer be quashed.

Nasreen has also sought the scrapping of Section 66(a) of the Information Technology Act which provides for the arrest of the person hurting the sentiments of others through offensive remarks or information through electronic media, including social networking sites.

By Special Correspondent, TwoCircles.net,

Aizawl: Even as Lal Thanhawla was sworn in as the Mizoram Chief Minister by Governor Vakkom Purushothaman for a record fifth term in his political career here in Northeastern state Mizoram, the state has witnessed another rare happening with not a single female MLA being elected to assembly.

The irony is that Mizoram is the only state where women voters outnumber the men.

“From the Mizoram election results we can safely conclude that all the literature produced and discussions and seminars organized on the theme of gender equity and political participation of women have had no impact at all,” said senior journalist of the region Patricia Mukhim in one of her weekly columns.

Not just this time, during the last two decades in the state not a single woman has won to make their way to the assembly. This time, among the 142 candidates in the fray, female aspirants were only six, fielded by various political parties.

She also slammed Congress for not giving much importance to female candidates. “The Congress, which claims to be more women friendly even feigned to pass the 33 per cent reservation for women’s bill in parliament, is interestingly very quiet about fielding more women candidate out of 40 seats,” Mukhim added.

The Congress and the main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) has one woman candidate each, while three women contested on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket. One woman joined the fray as an Independent candidate. Unfortunately, all woman candidates were defeated by male candidates of rival political parties.

Since Mizoram became a Union Territory in 1973 and a full-fledged state in 1987, there have been only three female legislators. Among them, a woman legislator of the MNF was a Minister in the government led by the late Laldenga in 1987. So when the political parties, intellect and the society at large, seems to be liberal and compassionate towards women empowerment and rights, the Mizoram election definitely has been a eye opener.

Out of the total population of 1,091,014, female voters outnumbered men by 9,806 in the total electorate of 690,860.

By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,

Kolkata: Various Muslim organizations of West Bengal have opposed the broadcast of the Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen’s script for a Bengali TV serial 'Dusahobas' (Living Difficulties) which, according to them would hurt the sentiments of the Muslims.

Dusahobas’ is slated to be telecast on an entertainment Bengali TV Channel "Aakash Aath” from December 19. According to sources, the serial is based on the travails and experiences in the life of the controversial Bengali author, who has been living in exile in India.

With a slogan of `Go back Taslima' Shahi Imam of Tipu Sultan Mosque Maulana Nurur Rahman Barkati and Idris Ali holding a press conference

Few years back, presence of Nssri\een was opposed in the Book Fair in Kolkata and due to stiff resistance she was forced to move to Delhi. The serial, would deal with this episode as well.

Nasreen was expelled from Bangladesh in 1994, after her controversial book Lajja.

The author has since found herself marred in several controversies. Only few days back, an FIR was lodged against her for her tweets that ‘hurt religious sentiments’.

In a press Conference Shahi Immam of Tipu Sultan Mosque of Kolkata Maulana Nurur Rahman Barkati and All India Minority Forum president Idris Ali said on 14 December that they are opposed to the Bengali channel broadcasting serial on the controversial author’s life.

Maulana Nurur Rahman informed that he has also spoke to the West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on the issue. Extolling the WB CM of being symbol of communal harmony, the Shahi Imam appealed to her to intervene and immediately stop the broadcast of the serial.

Idris Ali said that there are so many writers even within the country and we don’t necessarily need to follow the controversial Bangladeshi author.

Muhammad Kamruzzaman sent a letter on behalf of 22 Muslim organizations to the Police Commissioner of Kolkata Mr Surajit Kar Purkayashta on 13 December to stop the broadcast, which according to them would disturb the communal harmony in the state.

All Bengal Minority Youth Federation leader Muhammad Kamruzzaman.

They have threatened to take to streets if the administration does not stop the broadcast.

The 22 Muslim organization are: 1. All Bengal Minority Youth Federation. 2 West Bengal Sunnat Al Jamat Committee. 3. Magribi Bangal Anjumane Wayezin. 4. Ulama Parishad. 5. All Bengal Muslim Think Tank. 6. Jamiat-E Ahle Hadith West Bengal. 7. West Bengal Aminia Jamiate Muttakin Committee. 8. All India Ahle Sunnat Jamat. 9. All Bengal Minority Council. 10. All Bengal Minority Association. 11. Bangiya Imam Parishad. 12. Jamiatul Ayemma Al Ulama. 13. All India Imams Council. 14. All bengal Imam-Muazzin Council. 15. West Bengal Imam-Muazzin Association. 16. All Bengal Imam Muazzin Samity. 17. Ittehadul Ayemma. 18. Maktab Imam Association. 19. Ittehadul Ayemma and Muazzin Seva Samiti. 20. Tajpur Jamaul Ayemma. 21. Biswa Manabkalyan Islami Society. 22. Jamiat-E Ulamaye Bangla, Furfura Sharif.

By TCN News,

New Delhi: The Aligarh Muslim University Lawyers Forum (AMULF) today organized a dharna at Jantar Mantar to demand a strong anti-communal violence bill.

Aslam Khan, AMULF president and advocate, said that the UPA should stop lip services to issues concerning minorities and promptly act to pass a strong anti-communal violence bill.

The lawyers’ forum has also demanded justice for the victims of Muzaffarnagar riots. They also urged the government to protect the lives of those forced to live in camps after the riot from the harsh winter.

The rally was attended by Members of Parliament across party lines including independent MP Mohd Adeeb also spoke on the subject. They insisted on the early passage of the bill. Civil society members and lawyers like Vrunda Grover and Shakeel Ahmad explained the provisions in the bill. They dispelled the notion that the bill would adversely affect any community and asked all parties to unite and pass the legislation at the earliest.

Shehzad, a 26 year old former official of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and now a lawyer turned activist and founder of AIMA2014, shared insights on the legal nuances f the bill and its potential passage.

Besides leaders, several Muzaffarnagar riot victims also participated in the protest and shared their travails.

The rally wrapped up with the presentation of a resolution and memorandum to the Hon'ble President, Speaker and Prime Minister. The memorandum insists on the early passage of the Prevention of Communal Violence Bill and adequate relief to the victims of Muzaffarnagar.

By Dr. Syed Ahmed for TwoCircle.net,

Imphal: Kheiruddin Chowdhury, the prominent Manipuri Muslim poet of Barak valley of Assam, passed away on December 14, 2013. He was 74.

Kheiruddin Chowdhury had written more than a dozen books, including 6 books of poems, namely Minok Piranggi Mitkup Anidang (poetry, 1976), The Manipuri Mohammedan (1976), Adhunik Manipuri Kabitagi Bangla Anubad (1977), Sabnamgi Marik Anidang (poetry, 1978), Mukta Khujok Amadang (poetry, 1979), Barak Torbangi Mahakavya (poetry, 1980), Scattered Pearls (poetry, 1980), Ningsing Mingselda (poetry, 1986), Quran Hadiski Erolnungdagi (Islamic literature, 1995), Matamgi Bangla Kabita (translation, 1998), Nongkhong Pareng Wangmada (poetry, 1998), Diary Theke (poetry, 1999) and others.

Parliamentary Secretary Md. Amin Shah, MOBEDS Project Director Md. Salauddin Khan with Kheiruddin Chowdhury few months before.

Kheiruddin Chowdhury had also written numerous poems and articles on various themes in many journals. He was associated with Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Assam, Manipuri Muslim Development Organization, Assam, and Gramin Vikas Parishad, Assam. After his retirement, he served as President of Gramin Vikas Parishad. He was the Principal of Vishya Niketan, an institution of the Parishad.

For his contribution in Manipuri literature Kheiruddin Chowdhury was given numerous awards by various literary bodies of Assam and Manipur. He was awarded Kamini Kumar Award - Gold Medal (1977) for his collection of poems, Minok Piranggi Mitkup Anidang by the Manipur Sahitya Parishad, Imphal. He was also given the ICRA Award with the title “Saire Azam” by Islamic and Cultural Research Association in 1995. He was also awarded the Kabya Bhusan (2002), Sahitya Bhusan (2004, Assam), Sahityik Pensioner by Assam Government (2003), Man Patra by the organizers of Silchar Pourasbhana Gandhi Mela, among others. Manipuris fondly called him “the poet of Barak valley.”

Kheiruddin Chowdhury was born on November 29, 1939 in Badripar in Cachar District of Assam to Md. Nurjaman Chowdhury and Maherjan Begum. After passing his Matriculation Exam from Silchar Government High School, he studied at G.C. College, Silchar and also for a short duration at D.M. College, Imphal. He got his Graduation Degree in 1963 and Masters Degree in Political Science in 1966. He also cleared B.T Exam in 1975. He joined the Education Department of Assam.