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Three guerrillas held for killing Kashmir policeman: Police

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By IANS,

Srinagar : The guerrillas involved in the killing of a station house officer (SHO) in Jammu and Kashmir's Badgam district last month have been identified and three of them have been arrested, a police officer said Tuesday.

Talking to media persons in Badgam town, Superintendent of Police Irshad Ahmed said that seven guerrillas belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had hatched a conspiracy in the third week of November last year to kill SHO of Chadura police station, Shabir Ahmad.

"A Pakistani militant named Omar alias Zahid carried out the deadly attack killing the SHO in Chadura market on Dec 2 last year," he said, adding Omar was later killed in a gunfight with police and Rashtriya Rifles men in Hashoora village of Badgam district.

"We have arrested three militants involved in the conspiracy and the fourth one, Omar has been killed while three others are still absconding and we have launched a manhunt to nab them," said Ahmed.

He said that the group of guerrillas has been involved in a number of other militant and criminal activities in the district.


Omar laments killing of 51 civilian protesters in 1990

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By IANS,

Jammu : Jammu and Kashmir has to be freed of violence and guns, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Tuesday on the anniversary of the 1990 killings of 51 civilian protesters in security forces firing in Srinagar.

The firing had taken place in Gaw Kadal area of the capital Jan 21, 1990.

"Today marks the anniversary of a very dark day in the recent history of Kashmir. The #Gawkadal killings symbolise much of what went wrong," Abdullah wrote on Twitter.

The chief minister, however, reaffirmed his belief that the state needs to be freed of guns and violence, and said violence has come down appreciably in the state over the years.

"Though violence levels are at a record low, memories of incidents like #Gawkadal reinforce why Kashmir has to be freed of violence and guns," the chief minister said.

A shutdown called by separatists, protesting the Gaw Kadal killings, Tuesday affected life in Srinagar.

The killings had taken place during Governor's Rule in Jammu and Kashmir. Jagmohan was the governor then.

Yasin Malik, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), carried out a protest in Maisuma area of Srinagar, where sporadic incidents of stone pelting at security forces were also witnessed.

The overall law and order situation in Srinagar and adjoining areas was peaceful despite the separatist shutdown.

Journalist Neyaz Farooquee gets New India Foundation fellowship

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Delhi-based Journalist is working on memoir of growing up Muslim in Bihar and Delhi.

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

New Delhi: 27-year-old Delhi-based journalist Neyaz Farooquee has got the prestigious New India Foundation fellowship to write a memoir of growing up Muslim in Bihar and Delhi.

Farooquee left his job last year from Hindustan Times after working for over two years to devote more time on the book. He is also on the list of regular contributor for the ‘India Ink’ page of New York Times.

Originally from Gopalganj district in Bihar, Farooquee came to Delhi when he was still very young to study in a school of Jamia Millia Islamia. As he “failed to secure a seat for medical,” he completed graduation in Bioscience from Jamia Millia Islamia.

The 2008 Batla House shootout influenced most people living in the Muslim “ghetto” near the University. That made Farooquee change course too as he decided to become a Journalist and did his masters in Convergent Journalism from Jamia’s prestigious AJK Mass Communication Research Center.

Farooquee earlier got a non-fiction fellowship from Sarai-CSDS to work on a project on same issue. The book tentatively titled as “Unmaking of a Radical,” will be a culmination of the same project.

The Trustees of the New India Foundation are Historian Ramachandra Guha and UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani; while the Board of Advisers include academicians André Béteille, Niraja Gopal Jayal, Srinath Raghavan and Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, N. Ravi.

The New India Fellowships are awarded to scholars and writers working on different aspects of the history of independent India on eighteen-month cycle.

Several reputed journalists and academicians have been given this award in past. Six persons in all got this prestigious fellowship this year.

1. Nishita Jha (journalist, Bombay), to write a book on the changing narratives of violence against women.

2. Dr Jason Fernandes (sociologist, Dona Paula), to write a book on the political history of postcolonial Goa.

3. Amitava Sanyal (journalist New Delhi), to write a book on the social history of football in Kolkata.

4. Dr Sohini Guha (political scientist, New Delhi) to write a book on low caste politics in North India.

5. Neyaz Farooquee (journalist, New Delhi) to write a memoir of growing up Muslim in Bihar and Delhi.

6. Dr S. Sajikumar (economist, Thiruvananthapuram) to write a book on the sociology and economics of labour migration into Kerala.

Celebrating Prophet Muhammad in Delaware

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By Dr. Muqtedar Khan,

Last tuesday was very special for the Muslim community of Delaware. We celebrated the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) for this first time in a public ceremony. Nearly a hundred members of the community, including children and grand parents, gathered to mark the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. It was a joyous event with food for body, mind and the soul.

There was Quran recitation, a lecture that I was blessed to give, on the character and the mystical dimensions of the life of the Prophet of Islam. We had a quiz about his life for kids as well as for the adults followed by recitation of poetry in praise of the Prophet. Man families came from the tri-state area and some even drove from as far as Virginia.

The event marks a new turn in the development of the Muslim community. It is expanding, becoming more diverse and more established. Three new mosques have been dedicated in the past two years and two new Islamic schools have been established. Part of the growth can be attributed to the culture of tolerance and acceptance of the state of Delaware. Recently when some misguided youth tried to vandalize a mosque, the outpouring of support from the people and officials of Delaware was indeed heart warming.

While mosques are necessary for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligations, such as the Friday congregational prayers, Islamic schools, are seen by some as necessary for preserving the identity of the next generations of Muslims. They are the typical one-two step in the development of Muslim communities in the U.S.

But Muslims of Delaware are now sufficiently well situated that Islamic culture is beginning to flower and with the celebration of Mewlid – the birth of Prophet Muhammad, we have now taken the next step. Mewlid is celebrated with great joy in most Muslim communities worldwide. Except for some extremely conservative sects, like the Taliban and the Salafis, who refuse to celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad, most Muslims everywhere do, and often for weeks.

Celebrations are marked by lectures and conferences on the life, character and teachings of Prophet Muhammad. Communal remembrance and salutation ceremonies are organized, poetry is recited and ballads sung in the praise of God and his Prophet and people share food and sweets with friends and family.

The cultural festival essentially has three dimensions – expression of love for God and his Prophet, togetherness of the community, and education. Community leaders use the occasion as an opportunity to teach about and inculcate love for the Prophet. The crowning moment of every event is the praise of the Prophet’s moral character and in that a systematic moral education is provided to the young and the old through examples from the life of the Prophet.

Prophet Muhammad continues to inspire, educate and bring literally hundreds of millions of people together to become better human beings. In the Quran, God says to his Prophet, “We have glorified your remembrance,” and these Mewlid celebrations are a way in which Muslims participate in fulfilling God’s promise to his Prophet.

According to Islamic traditions, before God created His creation, he wrote a note to Himself that said – “My Mercy shall prevail over my wrath”. And then when he sent Prophet Muhammad as his messenger, he revealed in the Quran “We have sent you as nothing but mercy to all peoples”. In my talk that night I explained how the birth of Prophet Muhammad was the fulfillment of this covenant of mercy between God and his creation. We don’t celebrate his ‘birthday’ per se, we commemorate his birth as a way of invoking and glorifying God’s mercy.

Recent developments in the Muslim World have made the life of Muslims miserable. Wherever we see, we see pain, suffering, war and violence. Even where Muslims are physically safe, politics and Islamophobia wont leave us alone. But once in a while, we have events like this one in
Newark, Delaware, when all else was momentarily forgotten and we were able to focus solely on the love we have for our Prophet.

Indeed, the collective remembrance of Prophet Muhammad was a balm and nourishment for our souls.

--
Dr. Muqtedar Khan is Associate Professor at the University of Delaware. His articles are archived athttp://www.ijtihad.org.

Rights’ Groups Welcome the SC Judgement on Capital Punishment

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By India Resists,

New Delhi: Civil and Democratic rights organizations have welcomed the Supreme Court judgment which has commuted the death sentence of 15 persons, including one female, to life sentence. Terming it a landmark judgment, the groups believe it to be a step forward in the abolition of the death sentence in India. Given below are the statements by JTSA, PUCL and PUDR. Summary and Text of the Judgment are also given at the end.

Statement by Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association (JTSA)

In what is surely a landmark judgement, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India has commuted the death sentence of 15 persons, including one female, to life sentence. With this judgement, the real and repugnant possibility of 15 executions in the near future has been allayed. Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association (JTSA) welcomes the Supreme Court judgement (Shatrughan Chauan & Anr vs Union of India and Ors [W.P.(Criminal) No. 55 of 2013 decided on 21 January, 2014),which has held that inordinate delay in deciding mercy petitions are fair ground for commuting capital punishment to life sentence. JTSA salutes the persistent efforts of lawyers Yug Mohit Chaudhri, Sidharth Sharma and all other lawyers who appeared in the case, as well as groups like Peoples’ Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) who were petitioners and interveners in the case.

The court has held that “undue, inordinate and unreasonable delay in execution of death sentence does certainly attribute to torture which indeed is in violation of Article 21 and thereby entails as the ground for commutation of sentence.” Significantly, the SC has also overruled the ASG’s arguments that the those charged under Terror laws (such as Devender Pal Singh Bhullar under TADA) could not be the recipient of the Court’s sympathy even on the ground of delay in disposal of mercy petition. It instead averred that it was not the gravity of crime or its consequences, but the delay alone, which could be a relevant factor in deciding such petitions in Article 32.

To quote the SC itself, “Mercy jurisprudence is a part of evolving standard of decency, which is the hallmark of the society”. While certainly this judgement will be a milestone in this evolution, the real victory will be the abolition of the capital punishment.

“Remember”, says the SC, “retribution has no Constitutional value in our largest democratic country.” To this one may add that the maintenance of an apparatus of execution should have no place in a democracy either.

Statement by People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL)

PUCL welcomes the landmark ruling of the Supreme Court today (21st January, 2014) authoritatively holding that inordinate delay in considering mercy or commutation petitions of death row convicts by the President of India / Governors will form a legal ground for commutation of the death sentences. The SCs judgment is historic for 2 other reasons: the apex court has held that apart from delay, the mental health condition of the convict, including schizophrenia and mental illness, as also solitary confinement are grounds warranting commutation.

Very significantly the SC has reversed the ruling of 12th April, 2013 of Justices Singhvi and Mukhopadhyaya in `Devinder Singh Bhullar’s’ case which made an invidious distinction by distinguishing terrorist crimes as being different from other crimes for which the constitutional remedies and also delay as ground for commutation will not apply. The Supreme Court has overruled this proposition holding that any person on death row, irrespective of whether it is mass murders or terrorist crimes, can equally appeal to the Supreme Court on grounds of delay.

In a noteworthy and a momentous way the SC, taking note of the controversy over the surreptitious, furtive and unconscionable manner in which Afzal Guru was hanged without informing his wife and family, has now held that the death row convict and his close family should be informed at least 14 days before the execution date about rejection of mercy petition so that he/they can take recourse to legal proceedings and also so that the prisoner can meet his wife, family and friends before the execution, partake of food he likes and be entitled to humane treatment. The court has also held that condemned prisoners are entitled to free legal aid to help draft mercy petitions and legally challenge its rejection. Post mortem of executed prisoners has also now been mandated to ascertain the manner in which hanging caused the death.

This ruling will give a new lease of life to the 4 Veerappan case death row prisoners as also others, and be of use to others including the 3 persons convicted in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case whose mercy petitions were pending for 11 years before being rejected.

The SC’s ruling is a momentous ruling for asserting that human values and humane justice should ultimately be the cornerstones of modern, constitutional India. We hope this will mark a significant step towards eventually abolishing death penalty altogether from our law books.

Statement by People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR)

People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) welcomes the judgement of the Supreme Court delivered today commuting to life the death sentences awarded to 15 convicts lodged in different jails in the country. In doing so the Supreme Court has upheld the spirit of the Constitution and the values of humanity and respect for human life enshrined therein. This judgement was read out in the court today by Justice Sathashivam, CJI, accompanied by Justice R. Gogoi and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh in response to a petition by the People’s Union for Democratic Rights, Delhi (PUDR) and 15 individual petitions of the convicts.

In particular the Court has categorically held that retribution has no space in the constitutional scheme. Those convicted to death need to be treated as human beings and basic rights cannot be denied to them. It has held solitary or single cell confinement as torture and that till the rejection of mercy petition death convicts cannot be confined in this manner. Access to legal counsel has to be ensured for all such convicts at every stage when the convicts are lodged in jail.

Recognising that most of those convicted to death are extremely poor people who do not have access to support from outside the jail, and that mercy petitions comprise a half page written by the the jail staff, the judgement has ruled that copies of all court papers need to be provided to death convicts within a week of confirmation of their sentence and legal aid be provided to enable proper drafting of mercy petitions.

The court has held that mercy jurisdiction is not an act of grace or favour but a constitutional duty and responsibility to be discharged scrupulously in accordance with constitutional values. Noting the procedural lapses in this regard the court has ruled that all documents concerning the prisoners need to be placed before the President at one go and the President take the decision within reasonable time to prevent unnecessary torture being afflicted.

The court has also frowned upon hurried or surreptitious manner of executions where convicts and their families are not informed about the rejection of mercy, convicts are not provided time to access to the judiciary after rejection of mercy, and families are not allowed a last meeting with the convict. This was exactly the manner in which Kasab and Afzal were executed over a year ago The judgement therefore states that information of rejection be provided in writing to the prisoners and their families; a minimum period of 14 days before execution can be carried out; and that jail authorities facilitate the meeting with the family. This the judgement rules is necessary since it is “intrinsic to humanity and justice.”

The Court also noted with concern that execution had been ordered for convicts with mental illness. Commuting such sentences, the court ruled regular evaluation of mental health of such convicts, mandatory heath report of physical and mental health after the rejection of mercy and provision of a medical board where the jail superintendent is not satisfied with the health of the convict.

The judgement recognizes that the death penalty is a cruel and barbaric form of punishment. It has therefore ordered that steps be taken to record the agony suffered by the convict during execution through a mandatory post mortem examination of the body.

PUDR once again welcomes the SC judgement as a step in the correct direction so that punishments inflicted on the accused are in consonance with the developing standards of decency in social life.

Reproduced here is the summary of the Court’s guidelines prepared by Venkatesh Nayak of CHRI:

1) Death row prisoners may not be kept in solitary confinement during the period of pendency of their clemency petitions. This arises out of the fundamental right to life protected under Article 21 of the Constitution;

2) Prisoners sentenced to death have the right to legal aid for the purpose of filing appeals against the sentence and also for submitting clemency petitions. This also flows from Article 21;

3) Prison authorities must supply copies of all relevant court papers to prisoners sentenced to death within a week of the sentencing to enable them to file appeals or clemency petitions. This right also flows from Article 21;

4) The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has a duty to ensure that all clemency petitions addressed to the President of India are processed forthwith and submitted along with all supportive documents and also send reminders to the President’s office in case of delays in disposing the petitions;

5) Death row petitioners are entitled to receive a copy of the rejection order from the office of the Governor or the President whichever the case may be;

6) Notice of a minimum period of 14 days must be given prior to execution of the death sentence after the mercy petition is rejected. Readers will remember that two prisoners were executed in undue haste recently soon after their mercy petitions were rejected. Unfortunately, the Apex Court has given only psychological reasons for giving this notice. Legally, as the decision of rejection of a clemency petition by the President or the Governor is amenable to judicial review on limited grounds of political bias or lack of due application of mind, the notice period must be adequately long to allow the prisoner on death row to mount a challenge to the decirion of rejection in the appropriate court;

7) The mental health condition of prisoners on death row must be evaluated on a regular basis. Even if a clemency petition is rejected the jail authorities must satisfy themselves about the mental physical condition of the death row convict. If the Jail Superintendent finds the prisoner unfit the execution must be stopped and the prisoner must be produced before a medical Board for examination;

8) Families of prisoners whose clemency petitions are rejected must be permitted to meet their families and friends before the execution. Readers will remember that in at least one case last year the prisoner was executed hastily without permitting a meeting with his family members and friends.

9) As hanging as a method of execution is not fool proof and may cause immense pain and suffering to the prisoner being hanged, post mortem of all executed prisoner is now made compulsory. Such PM reports will indicate whether the prisoner died instantly due to hanging or died slowly due to strangulation.

Modi’s Caste and Hindutva Political Strategies

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By Ram Puniyani,

As Narnedra Modi was close to being nominated the Prime Ministerial candidate, another Modi, Sushil Modi, flaunted Modi’s backward caste origins. Recently (Jan 2014) in a public rally in Delhi, Narerndra Modi himself brandished his caste while speaking at a public rally. At one level it is surprising that Modi is showcasing his caste, as the aim of RSS, whose trained swayamsevak (volunteer) he is, is to forge a monolithic Hindu identity, papering over the caste differences and underplaying its inherent hierarchy. Hindutva, the RSS politics, is essentially an ideology based on a caste pyramid, where the different castes have a well defined place. The caste system gets its strength through subordinating the dominated castes. Dominated castes, dalits-OBCS, assuming Hindu identity, over and above their caste identity, is the fulcrum of strength of Hindutva politics.

Caste has been the major phenomenon, with which the Hindutva politics had to engage with. The beginning of RSS was more as a reaction to low castes coming up in the society. In 1920s when the dalits launched Non Brahman movement, aimed to fight against landlord-Brahmin combine, the upper castes, came forward to lay the foundation of RSS. This formation was aiming at Hindu Nation, in contrast to the agenda of Ambedkar who was talking of caste annihilation and was conceptualizing the concept of social justice in the framework of rising Indian Nationalism. RSS was also opposed to the national movement, which recognized the need for transformation of caste hierarchy, towards the values of equality. At this point of time the Hindutva ideologues like Golwalkar, upheld the Hindu holy books which had caste equations ingrained in them. These ideologues, overlooking the cruelty of caste system, glorified it as the basis and strength of Hindu society. With independence and the coming into being of Indian Constitution the march of dalits towards equality took the next step aided by the affirmative action provided by Indian Constitution. They did start the journey for their own share sky.

The changes in social scenario by 1980s led to a situation whereby upper caste felt that this undeserving section is being treated like ‘son-in-laws’ of the Governments in matters of education and jobs. They felt that their ‘deserving’ children are not able to get their due share of admissions and jobs. The result was anti-dalit violence in Ahmadabad in 1980s. Later the anti OBC violence in mid 1980s, opposing the promotion of OBCs in jobs was witnessed. With Mandal Commission coming in 1990s, the discomfort of upper caste was articulated by RSS progeny, who for electoral compulsions did not formally oppose the Mandal but diverted the social attention by enhancing the mobilization for Ram temple in a big way.

Meanwhile RSS planned for social engineering by which the dalits were co-opted into Hindutva politics and at places put in the forefront like in Babri demolition and also in the anti Muslim violence in Gujarat in particular. The anti-minority violence plays the role of bringing religious identity o the fore. In case of dalits through communal violence ‘Hindu identity’ came in as the overshadowing one, overshadowing the caste identity. After every case of anti minority violence, the Hindu identity became bigger for dalits. The recent case of Muzzafarnagar violence is the good example to observe this phenomenon. Here the Jats-Muslim bridges were broken through this violence and more so by transforming the Jat identity to the Hindu identity, by showing the fear of Muslims. Earlier also through this social engineering the dalit OBCs like Uma Bharati, Kalyan Singh, Vinay Katiyar have been brought in the forefront of RSS scheme of politics, through the act of Babri demolition and other related communal agenda. With this social engineering one can see the section of dalits veering towards this divisive politics.

At another level there is a conscious ploy through floating organizations like Samajik Samrasta Manch (Social Assimilation Platform), which talks of caste harmony while retaining caste inequality. This idea is in total contrast to the idea of Ambedkar for whom caste annihilation had to be the central agenda of dalit politics. While Ambedkar painfully drew attention to the plight of dalits and struggled for justice for them RSS has subtly and openly opposed the affirmative action for dalits and never raised its voice against atrocities on dalits. Agenda of communal politics is a clever ploy. At one level it opposes all affirmative action for the dominated castes, at another level it co-opts them and at yet another level it talks of harmony between different castes.

There is a twin track strategy as far as caste question is concerned. On one side it aims to project Modi’s backward caste identity, and this is for an electoral appeal. At another level it also aims to bring in overarching Hindu identity over and above the caste identity, while retaining the caste pyramid. The overarching Hindu identity is constructed through communal violence, through projecting the fear of the ‘other’, Muslim or Christian, as the one’s threatening ‘we the Hindus’. At ideological level it propagated ‘Integral Humanism’ propounded by Deendayal Upadhyay. This concept of Integral Humanism says that we Hindus believe that different Varnas have come from same Virat Purush (Grand Man). From his mouth came Brahmins, from arms Khstriyas, from thighs Vaishyas and from feet the Shudras were created. It menas that all these Varnas-castes are complimentary to each other.

Modi took this concept to spiritual level, in his recent book, Karmayoga, published by the state information department. In this book Modi says, “Scavenging must have been a spiritual experience for the Valmiki caste, “At some point of time, somebody must have got the enlightenment that it is their (Valmikis’) duty to work for the happiness of the entire society and the Gods; that they have to do this job bestowed upon them by Gods; and that this job of cleaning up should continue as an internal spiritual activity for centuries. This should have continued generation after generation. It is impossible to believe that their ancestors did not have the choice of adopting any other work or business.” This spiritual experience is reserved for the ‘Valmikis’, a sub-caste among Dalits, which has been condemned to scavenging jobs for centuries. The functions of the caste are also being glorified and propagated by many a Godmen, one of whom Pandurang Shastri Athwaley clearly stated that any deviation from the pre-assigned caste duty is detrimental for the society. Another God man Sri Sri Ravi Shanker has been propagating about caste harmony through his writing.

There is no linear relationship between this politics and its strategies. This politics, Hindutva, wants to uphold the caste hierarchy in a subtle way and adopts different tactics in dealing with the caste question. Undoubtedly once the non upper caste become assertive as ‘Hindus’ through ideological indoctrination and become icons of Hindutva politics; that is the biggest ‘success’ of this politics. Modi being a Hindutva icon, being an OBC, is a big leap for Hindutva agenda of upholding caste system and at the same time making stronger forays on the electoral battlefield.

AP Federation of Churches writes to NHRC on murder of Pastor; highlights atrocities on Christians

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By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches (APFC) has written to the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) on the murder of Pastor Rev. B. Sanjeevulu at Vikarabad of Ranga Reddy Dt., and other atrocities on Christians in the State of Andhra Pradesh.



Family of Pastor B. Sanjeevulu

APFC is a state-level apex body of Archbishops / Bishops of the mainline Churches and Church Heads of major Christian Denominations representing the Christian Community in the State.
Four men allegedly stabbed Rev. B. Sanjeevulu several times and beat him with clubs and sticks outside his house and attempted to kill his wife as well on January 11. He later succumbed to injuries in hospital on January 13.



Pastor B. Sanjeevulu died in Yododa Hospital, Hyderabad, on Jan. 13, 2014

Christian leaders in Hyderabad had organised a dharna and protest hunger strike demanding justice to the Pastor’s family from the government and protection to the pastors and Christian Minorities on January 15. A delegation of Christian leaders and legislators also had a meeting with Kiran Kumar Reddy, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and submitted a memorandum to him.
Christian leaders have alleged that the visit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Togadia and his fiery speeches might have emboldened the alleged Hindu Vahini extremists.
The APFC has requested the intervention of NHRC in the case of murder of Pastor B. Sanjeevulu in obtaining compensation and protection to his family, and in the security of Christian Minorities in our State so that they can exercise their fundamental rights especially the freedom of religion and expression without fear and obstruction.



Christian leaders meet with Hon. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar on Jan. 15, 2014

Muslim organisations meet in Aligarh over agenda for last parliamentary session of UPA Govt

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By TCN News,

Aligarh: Several Muslim organisations met at the headquarter of Sir Syed Awareness Forum in Aligarh to discuss the agenda for agenda for last parliamentary session of the UPA government before the 2014 general elections.

“The next session of the parliament will be the last session of Lok Sabah and that will be the last opportunity for UPA especially Congress Party to rectify some of its mistakes,” said the General Secretary and Spokesman of the United Muslim Organisation (UMO) Dr. Shakeel Samdani while presiding over the meeting.



L-R: Dr. Jarrar, Ml. Obaid Iqbal Asim, Dr. Shakeel Samdani, Mr. Javed Akhtar and Mr. Pervez

Discussing the agenda of next parliamentary session he said that if the Congress Party manages to pass the Communal Violence Bill and Wakf Eviction Bill then that will not only be beneficial for Dalits, Muslims and the weaker sections of the society but also for Congress.

He said that if the parliament passes Women Bill relating to the reservation of seats in parliament and legislatures without a separate quota for minorities, SC, ST and backward classes then it will be considered as a conspiracy by Congress Party and BJP to further reduce the number of Muslims MPs in Lok Sabah and Vidhan Sabahs.

He further said that all efforts should be made by secular forces to prevent fascist and communal forces to grab power at centre.

Director, Finance, ACN Group of Institutions, S. Javed Akhtar said that the Muslims should vote that political party which is sincere for their educational and economic upliftment, and provide them security. Maulana Obaid Iqbal Asim, Secretary, UP Rabita Committee said that both the bills are very important for Muslims and that's why the government should not leave any lacuna in the bill. It has been observed by the Muslims that generally defective legislations are passed by the parliament so that the problem remains alive.

Rashid Usmani Advocate, Vice President, Income Tax Bar Association requested the Muslims Member of Parliament to work for millat and do something for public at large. At least for these two legislations they should not toe the party line and should put maximum pressure in the parliament. Dr. Jarrar Rizvi said that the BJP and Congress are trying their best to fail the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi and for that purpose they are using media to defame Kejriwal and his government. Former Court Member, Aligarh Muslim University, Pervez Ali Khan said that Congress never fulfils its promise and befools the Muslims. He said that in February 2013 Sonia Gandhi had promised to restore the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University and so far nothing has been done in this direction.

AlHaj Aslam Ansari, Vice President, Aligarh Udyog Vyapar Prtinidhi Mandal said that United Muslim Organisation should start a nationwide agitation if these two bills are not passed by the parliament in the fourth coming session and expose congress. Najam Abbassi, while welcoming the statement of Rajnath Singh about article 370 said that if BJP delete its agenda regarding Babri Masjid, Uniform Civil Coda and hate campaign against Dalits and Muslims that will be beneficial for the party.

At the end of the meeting, a resolution was passed regarding the implementation of Sachhar Committee recommendation, file affidavit in Supreme Court regarding Article 341 and giving tickets to the Muslims in proportion to their population by so called secular parties.


Modi's rally in Gorakhpur Thursday, security beefed up

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By IANS,

Lucknow : BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will address a public rally in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh Thursday and in view of the security threat to him, seven additional companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary have been sent to guard the rally venue.

A state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson said Wednesday that Modi, who is also the Gujarat chief minister, will make a brief stopover in Varanasi where he will arrive in a special aircraft from Ahmedabad.

After interacting with party workers at the airport, he will leave for the rally to be held in Manbela, Gorakhpur, in a chopper, party leaders said. Gorakhpur is 270 km from the state capital Lucknow.

Before reaching the rally site, Modi will halt at the Gorakhnath temple and perform 'puja' there, the district magistrate's office in Gorakhpur informed.

Inspector General of Police (law and order) Amrendra Singh Senger told IANS that four superintendents of police (SP) rank officials, eight additional SPs and 13 deputy SPs have been deployed for supervising the BJP's "Vijay Shankhnaad Rally".

Modi has so far addressed rallies in Kanpur (Oct 19, 2013), Jhansi (Oct 25), Bahraich (Nov 8), Agra (Nov 21) and Varanasi (Dec 20) in the Hindi heartland in a bid to galvanize the party cadres. He will address one more rally in Meerut Feb 2 after which the series of "Shankhnaad" rallies will culminate in a "Maha rally" in Lucknow March 2.

BJP has 10 Lok Sabha seats from the state and hopes to revisit the 57-seat mark of 1998. Modi is spending considerable time in these rallies and his close aide and former Gujarat home minister Amit Shah has been made the UP in-charge by the party's national leadership.

Looking at Innovation among Aligarh youth for sustainable development

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By TCN News,

Aligarh: Recognizing the multi-dimensional potential of young minds in realizing the sustainable development goals, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, conducted an interactive seminar at Aligarh Muslim University in collaboration with @ingenious solutions, with the aim of sensitizing young minds on issues pertaining to green growth and sustainable development.

The event was graced by the presence of the Vice Chancellor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah and the Pro Vice Chancellor Brigadier S Ahmad Ali along with the US delegation. The Seminar witnessed some eminent speakers Prof. Parvaiz Talib, Prof. Ashok Mittal and Prof. Farooq Ahmad Dar from AMU and Ms. Livleen Kahlon and Ms. Garima Kaushik from TERI.



AMU Controller Prof. Parvez Mustajab giving away the Certificate to the participants of seminar at Engineering College, AMU.

The Event was inaugurated by Prof. Hamid Ali, Dean Faculty of Engineering and Technology who delivered a special address to the participants and the Welcome address was delivered by Prof. S M A Rizvi, former Dean Faculty of Engineering and Technology.

Themed “New Ideas for a New Tomorrow – Promoting Innovation and Youth Participation”the seminar is expected to witness the presence of more than200youths.Selected participants will get an opportunity to participate in the ‘YUVA Meet 2014’to be held from February 3-4, 2014 so that the voice of the young can be heard at the major international forum.

The two-day event of ‘New Ideas for a New Tomorrow – Promoting Innovation to Youth Participation’ was focused on Educate youth to enhance their understanding of issues concerning sustainable development and innovation, Instill a sense of responsibility and engage youth in environmental stewardship, Motivate and engage youth to play a pro-active role in addressing issues related to sustainable development, Build a network of like-minded youth to ensure a collective voice.



AMU Controller Prof. Parvez Mustajab with the participants of seminar at Engineering College, AMU.

The seminar strives to enable youth to discuss and deliberate on key sustainability concerns and collectively voice their views, exchange ideas, and form a common network thereby reaching out to many more like-minded people. Linking local issues with the global discourse, the sessions seek to fuel focused discussions aimed at motivating the youth to understand and play a pro-active role in addressing sustainability issues.

The closing remarks were given by Prof. Parvez Mustajab, Controller of Examinations AMU.

On behalf of @Ingenious Solutions, Omar Bashir Wani and Shikhar Garg, Who were also the organizers from AMU thanked TERI, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Prof. (Mrs.) Tabassum Naqvi and the university authorities for their support and guidance for the event.

JMI alumni celebrate Maulana Jauhar’s birth anniversary in Abu Dhabi

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By TCN News,

Abu Dhabi: Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni, UAE got together to celebrate the birth anniversary of one of the founders of the University Maulana Mohamad Ali Jauhar and hosted the Foundation Day dinner at Abu Dhabi on January 17.

The event was presided over by TP Seetharam, Indian Ambassador to the UAE and his wife. Dignitaries like Shazia Ilmi, Spokesperson of the Aam Admi Party and Kunwar Danish Ali, All India general Secretary of Janata Dal (S).



It was JMI Alumni's first event in Abu Dhabi, however this group was active in arranging this annual event for last 20 years in other Emirates.

The event was inaugurated by Nadeem Hasan and Nadeem Zaidi who welcomed the Chief Guest and other guest of honours. Parvez Siddiqui, in his welcome address, spoke on the history of the University and its illustrious alumni in different fields.

The gathering was also addressed by Ms Shazia Ilmi and Kunwar Danish Ali wherein they talked about their days in the university and how the university has given them a platform to be able to reach at a level where they can contribute to the society at large and the university along with it.



This was Ambassador TP Seetharam’s first public event as Ambassador to UAE.

About 300 JMI alumni and their family members attended the programme.

Muslim youth condemn Salman Khan’s ‘clean chit’ to Modi

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By TCN News,

Aligarh: Youth Initiative for Peace & Harmony (YIPH) has condemned actor Salman Khan’s remark over Nardenra Modi in a TV interview.

Condemning Dabang Khan’s remark, he said, “Gujarat genocide had not only shaken the country but also made waves in whole Bollywood but actor Salman Khan has given clean chit to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi without going deeply into the genocide.”

He drew the attention that thousands of people are still deprived their shelter in Gujarat and the Modi government has not done anything for them. Jasim Mohammad said that Salman Khan should not give public statement in favour of Modi without hearing woes of victims of Gujarat.

Describing the “insensitivity” of the actor, he said that despite the fact poor people lost their lives in Muzaffarnagar, Salman Khan performed in Saifai festival.

AMU Court Member Prof. Humayun Murad Said that Salman khan has favoured Modi only for the success of his film ‘Jai Ho’ and the film should be opposed because if the trend to support injustices began on commercial concerns then Indian democracy will be at danger.

Dr. Daulat Ram said that Salman Khan should have kept silenct over Gujarat issue and must not have expressed his opinion publicly.

Muzaffarnagar riots criminals moving freely, SC told

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By IANS,

New Delhi : The Supreme Court was told Wednesday that the perpetrators of rape, arson and causing grievous injuries during the September 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots were moving freely and the Uttar Pradesh Police had done nothing to arrest them.

"The government's own data shows that in the cases of murder, arson, grievous injuries and rape, 80 percent of the people named in over 600 FIRs lodged have not been arrested," senior counsel Colin Gonsalves told a bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice Ranjan Gogoi.



Gonsalves, who appeared for NGO ANHAD, told the court that the state government's records show that the reported death of children and old people have been confirmed by the government's inquiry reports.

Seeking a SIT probe onto atrocities committed during the riots, Gonsalves said that every single report starting with ANHAD report of September 2013, and those of the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission for Minorities, the Asian Human Rights Commission and Harsh Mandar show that the situation remains the same and government was in complete denial mode.

Gonsalves said this to the court in the course of the hearing of two petitions - one by Mohammad Haroon and eight other residents of Muzaffarnagar and the other by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) that had sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the communal flare-up and also for providing immediate relief to the victims of the riots.

The court had issued notice to the central and the Uttar Pradesh governments on two petitions on Sep 12, 2013.

The apex court was told that political leaders - MPs and legislators who gave hate speeches on visual media and elsewhere - have either not been arrested or released on bail soon after their arrest.

Appearing for a Jat whose family was allegedly victims of the riots, counsel M.L. Sharma trained his guns on the Muslim community alleging that it were they who had triggered the riots by attacking people returning after Jat Mahapanchayat which was peaceful.

Sharma alleged that it were the members of the minority community who had set-off the riots then came to apex court misleading it to claim compensation. He said that not only the members of minority community but all the victims of riots should get food, shelter and relief.

The hearing was adjourned till Feb 5, when senior counsel Rajiv Dhawan would respond on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government.

AAP Vigilantism and BJP criticism

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By Faraz Ahmad,

By now all sane and sensible people have condemned the Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti’s act of mobbing and sexually assaulting four young African women in Khirki village, Malviya Nagar on Thursday night, notwithstanding Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s theatre of the absurd of sitting on a dharna at Boat Club to demand action against officials of Delhi Police who came to the rescue of the African women.

It is bizarre, it is absurd, it is unimaginable—the Law minister of the capital of India leading vigilante mobs in posh South Delhi colony (residents pay rents double and triple the normal rate in other parts of Delhi only for relative peace and security and foreigners, specially poor Africans are charged many times more than the normal rates by the Shylockian owners of premises in South Delhi), Then Bharti’s band publicly egged on the Police officials to participate in this mob orgy, and satisfied its sexual fantasies by publicly witnessing their cavity search at AIIMS and forcing hapless women to provide in the open their urine samples. It was also one of the rare occasions when the victims actually praised the Delhi Police for coming to their rescue.



TCN photo

But what is to be expected from a briefless lawyer, indicted for tampering with evidence by the Patiala House court, now strutting around as a Law minister? Obviously the man seems to have little knowledge and regard for Law. But instead of feeling contrite and apologizing to the young African women, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his band chose to brazen it out! Virtually putting his stamp of approval on Somnath Bharti’s shocking observation “Yeh log hamare jaise nahin hote (These people are not like us)!” Meaning we are the virtuous lot. Ha, ha, ha! A disgustingly racist public utterance, which was enough for any civilized and just government to sack him immediately. But then this is the same set of people who insulted Lalu Yadav from the podium at Ramlila Grounds for having too many children and the vast crowd sitting there clapped and screamed in joy. This is the mob, whom suave socialist Yogendra Yadav represents through his glib talk and Comrade Kamal Mitra Chenoy has chosen to join!

But why laugh at them? The South Delhiwallahs accompanying Somnath Bharti also felt the same way about the poor Africans, It is symptomatic of a mindset which believes that all dark skinned people are criminals, drug addicts and their women prostitutes. Somnath Bharti was naïve enough to publicly spell that out in so many words. It is the same mindset which believes that all Muslims are terrorists, they have four wives and have 25 children. Remember Narendra Modi’s public denigration of hapless victims of post Godhra massacre, dying a slow death in Ahmedabad relief camps, again arranged not by his government but the community itself: “Hum paanch, hamare pachees.” Earlier in 1980s they discussed in their drawing rooms how Khalistanis had poisoned their drinking water. All Sanghi propaganda.

BJP and specially Arun Jaitley’s or Vijay Goel’s condemnation of this vigilantism therefore sounds hollow , because this racist and communal mindset is a product of the breeding and training provided in the Sangh shakhas and from the time RSS was formed it specialized in spreading rumours about the “others” and leading violent vigilante mobs to terrorise and chase the “others” out. That’s exactly what Somnath Bharti and his AAP volunteers were doing on January 16 nght. Only difference, the shoe is on the other foot now. There is a saying in Hindi, “Guru gud hi raha chela shakkar ho gaya”–the student outdoing his trainer.

We were still too young and impressionable when the Indo-Pak war of 1965 took place and the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri gave a free rein to the RSS to go around the streets to enforce blackouts. But I remember that anyone switching on the lights even for a minute in our Timarpur government quarters, was immediately labeled as a Pakistani spy. That was not all. It had become impossible for Burqa clad women to negotiate Chandni Chowk because veils were snatched by Sangh vigilantes on the pretext of Pakistani spies hiding behind those veils. That was the first time RSS got a free rein in independent India and that was also the first demonstration of such vigilantism. Later day Shiv Sena, Sri Ram Sene and such others strutting around the streets of Bangalore, Mangalore and Ahmedabad or Mumbai, all drew their lessons and training from the same source–the Sangh. Had BJP been in power it might have done the same thing, except that perhaps Dr Harsh Vardhan, Arun Jaitely and Vijay Goel may not have participated openly in this naked drama. Nevertheless, Arun Jaitley and Vijay Goel criticising Somnath Bharti and Arvind Kejriwal is like the Kettle calling the Pot Black.

Delhi CM Kejriwal asked to order enquiry into Batla House Encounter

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By TwoCircles.net staff reporter

New Delhi: Now that Arvind Kejriwal has called off his dharna and declared victory over Delhi Police, an RTI activist Afroz Alam Sahil has asked him to order enquiry into infamous Batla House Encounter case.

Batla House encounter took place in a Muslim locality of New Delhi in which two Muslim youth and a police officer was killed. There has not been any judicial probe into the encounter which many believe to be fake.

Afroz Alam Sahil used RTI to get post-mortem report that poked holes in Delhi Police’s version of the encounter.

Sahil, who is the chairman of Insaan International Foundation has written to Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi Chief Minister and Najeeb Jung as Lt. Governor requesting probe into the controversial encounter.

In the letter Sahil says Kejriwal on many occasions has stated publicly that Batla House Encounter was fake and there should be an impartial enquiry. “Now, as the chief minister of Delhi, you are now in a position to order an enquiry into the matter to find out the truth behind this controversial encounter,” wrote Sahil.

Stating that “Batla House Encounter has done irreparable damage to the psyche of the Muslims in country. Incidents like Batla House have created a sense of alienation and paranoid among Muslim youth,” Sahil asked Kejriwal that “the probe can give solace, and closure to the soul of inspector MC Sharma and his family,” as they have the right to know the truth too.

Below is the text of the letter sent to Chief Minister and Lt. Governor of Delhi by INSAAN International Foundation. Similar letter was also sent to Prime Minister of India and President of India.

Letter:

To,
Mr. Arvind Kejriwal

(Hon’ble Chief Minister)

Sub: Demand for an independent judicial inquiry into the Batla House ‘Encounter’

Dear Sir,
As a citizen of this country, you have been at the forefront of many campaigns for justice and transparency, and have successfully taken those issues to its logical conclusion. We, as a citizen of this country, would like to remind you of another important issue, the police shootout at Batla House in 2008, which needs your immediate attention.

I would like to remind you that I have met you many times on this issue before you became chief minister of the state. On those occasions, and also publicly, you had agreed that the said encounter is fake and there should be an impartial enquiry.

Now, as the chief minister of Delhi, you are now in a position to order an enquiry into the matter to find out the truth behind this controversial encounter.

The detail of the said case goes like this. On September 19, 2008, two young men were killed, in what came to be known as Batla House encounter. It was alleged that they had executed the 2008 Delhi serial blasts and were planning a 9/11 type attack or retaliation for the “injustice meted out to them”. The encounter, according to Congress’s senior leader Salman Khurshid, brought tears to the eyes of Sonia Gandhi. It was announced just before the UP assembly elections. Also, you might be aware that many of the national political parties questioned the genuineness of the encounter. Congress leader, Digvijay Singh, repeatedly claimed the encounter to be fake.

I am personally involved in this process from the very beginning. Immediately after the alleged encounter, I recall, that several theories started doing rounds and it was amidst this confusion that I filed several RTI applications to find out the truth. But almost all the government department rejected my request, referring me from one window to other. That made me all the more suspicious of the encounter. There seemed something is being hid from public eyes.

If you observe the events of the entire case, you will realize that all procedures and norms were flouted in this alleged shoot out even as the government tried to manufacture consent that the Indian Mujahedeen network has been busted. Although, as the honorable Judge in this case observed later that this particular case had nothing to do with their purported links with terror groups, and the fact is that the prosecution failed to produce any credible evidence to establish their basic premise that they were IM members hiding in that particular flat.

The then Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, NCT, Tejendra Khanna, opposed a Magisterial inquiry into this encounter, the Delhi minority commission’s four member fact finding committee was denied to investigate the case. A confusion was created on the name of Shahzad (who was alleged to have shot dead inspector MC Sharma). Police initially mentioned him in different government documents as Shahnawaz or Shahabaz alias Pappu. Though police claimed to have seized his passport which will have his exact name but ironically they couldn’t find his exact name. A note prepared about the seizures by Karnal Singh (Joint-Commissioner of Police) and Satish Chandra’s letter (Special Commissioner of Police) did not mention the passport initially. These facts and many more speak twisted story of encounter. The death of MC Sharma also builds suspicion around the facts.

Politics however on the Batla Encounter has not stopped. There is an urgent need that politics over the death must stop. Unfortunately leaders of all colors have used the Batla House shootout for their own narrow political agendas. Several local politicians have literally risen over the dead bodies of those killed in that flat. Even national leaders have not shied away from exploiting the sentiments of people over the issue. I don’t need to name them again and again. All of us know how they attempted to manipulate emotions over the incident.

Both governments, at NCT Delhi and UPA at centre, have shown extremely callous attitude towards the demand for an independent probe. You have been stressing on the need to deal with the alienation of Muslim youth but the denial to order a magisterial inquiry into the encounter raises questions about government’s seriousness as a protector of rights and liberty.

Batla House Encounter has done irreparable damage to the psyche of the Muslims in country. Incidents like Batla House have created a sense of alienation and paranoid among Muslim youth.

The way enquiries were scuttled and facts were twisted, over and over again, speaks volume of the seriousness of the cases. It warrants an immediate judicial probe in the matter. The independent probe being asked by responsible leaders and general public is not only to punish the wrong-doers but also to bring back Aam Admi’s faith in our democratic setup. But not only that, the probe can give solace, and closure to the soul of inspector MC Sharma and his family.

Your government, therefore, is requested to do the needful at the earliest so as to provide justice to the effected party, directly or indirectly An anguished community will regain their lost faith in democracy and judiciary and above all, they will revere the man who has always fought for Aam Admi’s rights.
With regards and high hopes,

Thanking you in anticipation

Afroz Alam Sahil

(Chairman, INSAAN)


Not returning to SP, says Amar Singh

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By IANS,

Lucknow : Former Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh has dismissed speculations about his return to the party fold.

Pointing out that he will never "again fall in the Samajwadi trap", the leader also announced late Wednesday that he would be distributing blankets to the riot victims at relief camps in Muzaffarnagar on his birthday Jan 27.

Taking on the SP leadership, which he pointed out had accused him of bringing glamour to the party, Singh questioned the Saifai festival glitz in which several film stars, including Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit, participated.

Singh said the SP government in Uttar Pradesh had miserably failed in ensuring safety and governance. He also denied that the Akhilesh Yadav government had withdrawn the money laundering case against him.

"This is factually incorrect. The case was withdrawn during the regime of Mayawati itself," he said.

He criticised Samajwadi Party's general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and Urban Development Minister Mohd Azam Khan, both his arch rivals while he was a party member.

But he praised PWD minister and the chief minister's uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav.

"I have very old personal association with Shivpal Yadav and that would continue," he added.

Singh used to be a prominent leader of the party and was seen as the most trusted aide of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for several years until the two parted ways and Singh was thrown out of the party a few years ago.

He later formed Rashtrya Lok Manch, a party that unsuccessfully contested on many seats in the 2012. Singh has since been lying low, largely due to health issues.

“Jail Chalo” planned for demanding Muslim reservation

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By TCN News

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) has organised a massive jail bharo protest in Chennai , Thiruchi, Covai and Thirunelveli on 28th Jan 2014 , In addition to cities in Tamilnadu it will also hold protest in Pondicherry, Karaikkal and Mumbai. The protest is organized to demand separate 10 % reservation in eucation and employment of Central Government and 7% reservartion in education and dmployment of state Government for Muslims.

Even after 60 years of Independence, the status of Muslims is far below than the national Average and other Socio- Religious communities.

To review the status of backward communities, the Central Government has appointed the “Mandal Commission”, which has outlined in detail including Muslims community. Subsequent to Mandal Commission, Central Government, has appointed Justice Sachar and Justice Ranganath Misra Commission to study the status of Indian Muslims in Education, Employment and socio-Economic conditions. Justice Sachar and Justice Ranganath Misra Commissions had rightly outlined the pathetic conditions of Indian Muslims and to overcome the issue, the committee has suggested a number of measures. One such important measure was to provide a separate reservations for Muslims in education and employment of Central Government, reference to Provisions of Constitution of India, vide Article 15, 16(4) and 46.

Quick re-view on Muslims Status:-

Muslims who can read & write – 59.1% rest of 40.9% can’t read & write. Degree-holders are mere 3.6% which is lower than other religions – 34.63% living without toilet, proper drinking water and 36.92% are living below poverty line which is below the national average! Muslims families average monthly income is Rs. 1832.20/- To overcome all these causes, the only solution is reservation for Muslims in education and employment of Central and State government.

To speed up this demand and pressure the Central Government to act on the recommendations, TNTJ has organized Nationwide Campaign to create awareness among Muslims and take the support of Secular People.

Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) has planned to organize massive jail bharo protest in Chennai , Thiruchi, Covai and Thirunelveli on 28th Jan 2014 , in which 20 Lakhs Muslims across the state is expected to take part in this protest .
Links:
English: https://www.facebook.com/ThawhidJamath
Tamil: https://www.facebook.com/ThouheedJamath

EFLU students’ protest against the suspension of Deputy Registrar Rasool Saheb

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By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,

Hyderabad: Different students’ organizations of English and Foreign Languages University have stirred up protests against the suspension of Deputy Registrar (Finance) T. Rasool Saheb which they claim is another extreme step from University administration to cover up irregularities and rampant corruption in the University.

A press statement jointly issued by Dalit Adivasi Bahujan Minority Students’ Association (DABMSA), Telangan Students’ Association (TSA), Students Islamic Organization of India (SIO), Progressive Democratic Students’ Union (PDSU) and Muslim Students’ Front (MSF) state as follows:

We, the representatives of student organizations, have been raising our voice against irregularities and rampant corruption at EFL University time and again. In response, the EFL authorities have been issuing show cause notices to students from SC/ST/OBC and minority students to silence us by punitive actions. It is now the turn of the senior officials. The Deputy Registrar (Finance) who had been attending the CAG audit work was intimidated on 2/1/14 around 5.30 pm and his office room was illegally confiscated. On 21/1/14, the Deputy Registrar (Finance) was suspended from service without following correct protocol. We strongly feel that this is in continuation of the process of targeting and punishing students and staff from marginalized communities since the Deputy Registrar (Finance) was a member of the minority community. Not only that but who ever questions the irregularities of the Vice-Chancellor Prof Sunaiana Singh, P Madavan in charge Registrar and the then Registrar (Prof. Syed Saeed) has been targeted to continue absolute anarchy and dictatorship.

We are aware that the CAG audit is in progress in the university and the Deputy Registrar (Finance) had been attending to the CAG audit work as per the administration’s instructions. On the evening of 2/1/201 at around 5: 30 p.m, the in-charge Registrar Prof. Madhavan called T. Rasool Saheb, Deputy Registrar (Finance) to the Finance Officer’s room and served him a office order dated 02 January 2014. The order said that the Deputy Registrar (Finance) should hand over his office with all the files immediately and use another room which will be given to him for official use till further orders. He was not given any reasons for handing over the room except that it is the vice-chancellor’s order and there is no scope for giving him any further time or any explanation. The Deputy Finance Officer was hence forced to leave his office without prior information or following any procedure even without any complaint or any official directions for the action.

Following this incident Mr. Rasool has filled a case in the Osmania University police station and was forced to knock the doors of AP state Minority Commission who registered a case against the in-charge Registrar P.Madhavan on 4.1.2014 vide petition/ref no. 557 of 2013. When the registrar did not appear before the Minority Commission on the scheduled date (18.1.2014), he was issued a Summons, as per the news item that appeared on TOI on 20.1.2014. In the meanwhile the administration set up a post-facto inquiry committee on 15.1.2014, weeks after the actual seizing of the room on 2.1.2014, which allegedly found Mr. Rasool guilty of “breach of trust” on the basis of which he was suspended on 21.1.2014. What is the point of setting up an enquiry committee days after the actual seizing and searching of the room? How can the room be seized in the first place without an enquiry and any prior notice?

We genuinely fear that the EFL University authorities have resorted to this extreme illegal step in order to manipulate and destroy the records in the office room of the Deputy Registrar (Finance) and to take revenge against Mr. Rasool for accommodating with the CAG Audit which has found several financial irregularities in the university. We have also heard from reliable sources that the CAG auditors have even sent show-cause notices to the vice-chancellor (for drawing illegal HRA) and Prof Syed Sayeed, the then-registrar (for illegal hike in pay scale). Added to this, when the present Registrar in-charge, P. Madhavan got the summons from the minority Commission and the news about the same appeared in the media, the EFLU administration took its revenge on Mr. Rasool, a senior responsible and honest officer by suspending him.

It has also come to our notice that the EFL authorities have been constantly changing officers who are liaisoning with the CAG team. After intimidating the Deputy Registrar (Finance), we are afraid that the illegally appointed Finance officer (recently on contract) Mr. G. Satyananda Rao may be asked to liaison with the CAG team to hide the financial irregularities. The whole issue zeros on the autocratic and anarchic functioning of the university administration under the leadership of Prof. Sunayana Singh and Prof P. Madavan curtailing all the constitutionally guaranteed democratic rights either to students or the staff.

As concerned students of this university, we have the following demands:

We demand an immediate revoking of the suspension order of Mr. Rasool.

We also demand that a CBI inquiry be set up to look into such blatant manipulative practices of the corrupt administration which is attacking everyone in the know to cover-up their financial irregularities. We also demand that the corrupt administrative officials be suspended immediately before CBI takes up the case to ensure fair investigation.

We also demand that the ministry of HRD should intervene immediately and constitute a judicial inquiry into the continuous harassment of students, teachers and staff from SC/ST/OBC and minority background.

Jointly issued by

Mohan Dharavath, Dalit Adivasi Bahujan Minority Students’ Association (DABMSA)

Satish. N. Telangan Students’ Association (TSA)

Sadique, P.K. Students Islamic Organization of India (SIO)

Upender, Progressive Democratic Students’ Union (PDSU)

Safvan, Muslim Students’ Front (MSF)

EFL University, Hyderabad

CLMS letters to President and CAG:

Meanwhile, Hyderabad based Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC) has also written to the President of India and Comptroller and Auditor General of India against “Autocracy of Prof. Sunaina Singh (VC) – Complete Anarchy in the system.”

CLMC General Secretary Lateef Mohammed Khan has urged actions against the Vice Chancellor and other erring officials.

Related:

EFLU suspends Deputy Registrar Rasool for ‘cooperating with CAG,’ he claims victimisation

Time to relive lovely 'horror' of granny's tales in Kashmir

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By Sheikh Qayoom, IANS,

Srinagar : As heavy snowfall clads Kashmir after many years, memories of grandmother's horror tales told to put children to sleep during the long winter nights have suddenly come alive.

Those tales had frightening characters like the abominable snowman, the mythical 'Yach', 'Ranthus' , 'Ram Ram Chock' and substituted conventional lullabies to discipline children and put them to sleep.

While the rest of the world still debates whether the abominable snowman, called the Yeti, ever existed, some locals in not very far off villages of the Valley swear to god they have seen one with their eyes.

"Yes, it is short, covered with hair all over and walks upright. Its arms are even shorter and the face is also covered with thick hair. I saw one in the forest when it was snowing very heavily and I was rushing home many years ago. It crossed my path, but did not harm me", said Mir Muhammad, 70, a resident of Anderwan village in Ganderbal district.

Mothers till some years back used to tell the stories of the 'Ranthus' to ensure children did not venture out of their homes during the winter nights.

"Ranthus is something all of us have heard about, but never seen. It is believed to be a female demon that comes down from the mountains in search of food and to lift children during the winter months," said Fatima, 69, the matriarch of an extended family in one of the local villages.

"Elders said it could imitate the human voice and that is why we were told not to answer a knock on the door or heed a call to come out of the home during the winter nights even if the caller sounded like an aunt or uncle," she added.

The most interesting of all these often heard but least seen mythical characters is the 'Yach'.

"It is believed to be an animal of the size of a fox or a large cat that visits homes during heavy snowfall and utters a peculiar cry. We were told by elders that the 'Yach' has a removable cap-like structure with magical powers. Anybody who succeeded in taking away the cap from the Yach's head would have all his Worldly wishes fulfilled in a minute", said Ghulam Muhammad Rather, 48, a farmer in Haripora village of Ganderbal district.

The scariest of these grandmother horror stories is about the 'Ram Ram Chock'.

"Ram Ram Chock is a djin or an evil spirit that uses a light similar to that of a lantern or an oil lamp during pitch dark winter nights to lead wayward travellers to its cave. There are people who swear of having seen those moving lights during dark nights in the villages especially around the local graveyards.

"When I grew up, I learnt it is phosphorescence emitted by some elements found in nature," said 60-something Bashir War, a retired veterinarian.

Whether it is the abominable snowman, the 'Ranthus', the 'Yach' or the 'Ram Ram Chock', the older generation of Kashmiris still adore these characters of their grandmother stories.

"Believe it or not, I now realize how handy must the 'Ram Ram Chock', the 'Ranthus' and the 'Yach' have come to our parents and grandparents when there was no television, no cinema and no internet or when not many could even afford a radio set to entertain their children", said businessman Muhammad Shafi Bhat, 52.

(Sheikh Qayoom can be contacted at sheikh.abdul@ians.in)

Modi's hands soaked in blood, says Mulayam

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By IANS,

Varanasi : Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav hit out at BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Thursday, saying his hands were "soaked in blood".

Addressing a large gathering here, Yadav blamed Modi for failing to stop the communal violence in Gujarat in 2002.

Saying that his son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was running an ideal government in Uttar Pradesh, he said the Samajwadi Party did not differentiate between people on caste and community lines.

"The state government is doing well and the opposition parties have failed to nail us on anything, and so are levelling baseless charges," he said.

He accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of failing to curb rising food prices and corruption.

He insisted that no government would be formed after the Lok Sabha election without the Samajwadi Party.

Speaking earlier, Akhilesh Yadav accused the media and opposition parties of launching a smear campaign against his government.

"A few film artists came to Saifai and the event grabbed national headlines while good things and development done by our government are not acknowledged," the 41-year-old said.

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