By TwoCircles.net Special Correspondent,

Jaunpur/Lucknow: Postmortem report of Khalid Mujhaid, which took place in Barabanki between 6:30 am to 8:30 AM, remained inconclusive.

Khalid Mujahid who was arrested on charges of serial blasts in 2007 died yesterday while he was returning from Faizabad to Lucknow jail on Saturday. Khalid fainted on way at Barabanki, according to police and was taken to District Hospital, Barabanki where he was declared brought dead by the doctors. Khalid was under police custody when he died.

Khalid Mujahid

Doctors have preserved heart and lungs for a finding out a possible case of cardiac arrest, while his relatives took the body to Jaunpur for burial.

Ulema Council leader Amir Rashadi was present in Barabanki and accompanied them to Jaunpur. He claimed that clothes of Khalid were changed after death showing that there was a conspiracy to murder him.

Roman Magasaysay award winner, Sandeep Pandey too reacted blaming the state government and demanding tabling Nimesh Commission report. Workers of Peace Party too reached Barabanki
mortuary and raised slogans against state government.

Imam Bukhari too arrived in Lucknow and met Mulayam Singh Yadav and CM Akhilesh Yadav. He also demanded Nimesh Commission report to be made public and also compensation and jobs to Khalid's family.

According to reports, around 10000 people had gathered at for funeral.

FIR against 42 cops:

Zahid’s uncle, Zaheer Alam Falahi, filed an FIR against 42 erring police officials, including former DGP Vikram Singh, IPS Manoj Kumar, Chiranjeev Lal Sinha, S. Anand as well as against the unknown Intelligence Bureau personnel, in the wee hours of the morning for conspiracy and murder.

TwoCircles.net was the first to break the story of the death of Khalid Mujahid, raising doubts of extra-judicial murder.

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

Later, Samajwadi Party government headed by CM Akhilesh Yadav as per their poll promise had moved a plea to revoke the terror charges but they were turned down by local court in Barabanki. Process was however going on for withdrawing his case from other districts.

Meanwhile, on Sunday under pressure from all quarters, UP government has sought a CBI enquiry into the death of Khalid Mujahid.

Related:

Family of Khalid Mujahid, civil rights activists suspect he was murdered

By Dr. Syed Ahmed, for TwoCircles.net,

Imphal: All Manipur Muslim Girl Students’ Union (AMMGSU) organized a one-day seminar cum interaction session on the theme “Education of Muslim Girls: Opportunities and Challenges” at Kuki Inn at Imphal on 18 May 2013.

The seminar was attended by former Speaker of Manipur State Assembly Dr. Md. Maneruddin Sheikh, Social Worker Okram Henry, Social Activist Dr. Dhanabir Laishram, A.R. Khan, IAS (Retd.), State Nodal Officer of National Tobacco Control Programme Dr. Konsam Kamolini Devi, Assistant News Editor of Dordarshan, Imphal Ch. Birendra Singh and Social Worker Sitara Begum.

Dr. Dhanabir Laishram speaking

In the key-note address, President of AMMGSU Rukshar Chowdhury presented a concise report of the survey conducted by the union in some of the Muslim inhabited areas of the State to understand the problems faced by the Muslim girls in getting modern education. She said, “From the survey we came to know that majority of the Muslim girl students in the State could not complete school education due to various socio-economic and cultural factors. Besides these, the State Government has failed to give adequate attention to promote the education of Muslim girls.”

Chowdhury further said, “It was seen that the infrastructure of the Government schools in the Muslim concentrated areas are in deplorable condition. Most of the schools do not have the basic requirements, like sufficient number of class-rooms, toilets, drinking water facilities, teaching-learning materials, etc. As a result these schools fail to attract the students. Very few Muslim girls could complete school education in the State. The enrolment of Muslim girls in colleges is extremely low. The number is further reduced at the university level. We were informed that Muslim girls often fail to get admission in good colleges due to the tough admission procedures. At present there are only 12 Muslim girls studying in Manipur University. We came to know that in the rural areas the engagement of Muslim girls in domestic chores by their parents, tradition of early marriage, distance of schools, specially secondary schools, are some of the main hurdles in completing their school education. However, poor economic condition of majority of the Muslims in the State remains the main reason for the low educational attainment of Muslim girls in the State.”

“After the survey the union had decided to place some proposals to improve the education of Muslim girls to the State Government. We have organized the seminar to draw some recommendations,” she added.

The seminar session was inaugurated by Dr. Maneruddin Sheikh. Dr. Dhanabir Laishram and Assistant Professor of Lilong Haoreibi College Dr. Syed Ahmed (the author of this report) presented papers on the theme of the seminar.

The paper presented by Dr. Dhanabir Laishram focused on the declining value based education system in the state. “Our education system does not have moral and ethical values. Parents want their children to bring good marks in the exams. As a result we have created an exam-based education system. Tuition becomes a part of our education system. All these give immense pressure and stress to the children. As a result we have created corrupt and immoral citizens. It is time that we know the real meaning of education. Our children need counseling,” the paper mentioned.

The paper presented by Dr. Syed Ahmed stated the findings of the some of studies done in the State and at the All-India level to assess the low level of education of Muslim girls. The paper stated, “The report on the socio-economic condition of the Muslims in Manipur, released in 2004, has shown high enrolment of Muslim girls at the elementary stage, however majority of these girls dropping out at the secondary level. In fact, the recent survey of National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) had also found similar trend at the all-India level too. The report had stated that Muslim girls stop showing up in class when they turn 14. The report further made the shocking revelation that in 1947, 8.5% of Muslim women attended college, compared to just 2.4% today. The Muslim women were way ahead of Hindu counterparts at the time of partition. According to the 2001 Census, one in 101 Muslim women is a graduate, whereas one out of 37 women in the general population is a graduate. The report of NCMEI has also shown that low level of education of Muslim girls is not due to religion but to poor economic condition of the Muslims. Just 16% of Muslim girls from poor families attend schools, while 70% of Muslim girls from well-off families.”

The paper also cited some of the reasons which compelled the Muslim girls in the State to drop out as they reach secondary level. It notes, “In the rural areas of Manipur the Muslim girls could not complete school education as their parents do not have enough resource to fund their education. The girls are also often engaged in household works, including agricultural activities. Moreover, Muslim parents give less importance in educating their girls. They give more preference to education of their boys. The tradition of early marriage further hinders the education of girls. Added to all these, the Government schools in the rural areas of Manipur fail to give quality education. The schools are in deplorable condition devoid of all the basic infrastructures. The poor rural Muslim parents could not afford the private schools. Furthermore, the illiterate Muslims in the remote areas are not aware of the scholarship schemes and other incentives that the Government provides for the students.”

President of AMMGSU Rukshar Chowdhury speaking

The paper also gave few recommendations to improve the education of Muslim girls. “The State Government should commission the Department of Minority and Other Backward Classes (MOBC) to conduct surveys to identify the problem areas in the education of Muslims in the State. Besides improving the infrastructure of schools in Muslim inhabited areas, the State Government should also plan to establish Kendriya Vidyalayas and Model schools in the large Muslim concentrated areas and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Bidyalayas in the remote Muslim inhabited areas of the State to give quality education to the Muslim students. Minority cells, with advisory committees, should be created in the Department of School Education as well as in the Department of Higher Education to cater the needs of the Muslim students efficiently. Admission procedures in the colleges and universities should be relaxed for the Muslim students. Hostels facilities should be made available in the campus of some of the premier colleges of the State for the Muslim girls from remote areas. The Muslims in the remote areas should be properly informed about the scholarship schemes and other incentives like free textbooks, uniforms, educational bank loans through awareness programmes,” the paper noted.

“As poverty is the most important factor for the low level of education of Muslim girls the State Government should evolve strategies to improve the economic condition of the Muslims in the State through poverty alleviation programmes,” the paper further added.

The paper presentation was followed by an interactive session, which was participated by members of civil society organizations, academicians, Government officials, community leaders and students. Observations, recommendations and suggestions were further shared by the participants in the course of the interaction. Some of the recommendations worth mentioning are: monitoring of the Government schools in the Muslim areas, preparation of a comprehensive educational plan for improving the educational standard of the Muslims with adequate funds by the State Government, establishing schools and colleges exclusively for Muslim girls in large Muslim inhabited areas, institution of skill development centres for Muslim women, implementation of livelihood mission for improving the economy of the Muslims in the State, etc.

In the concluding speech, A.R. Khan said the Union will prepare a memorandum taking into account all these recommendations and suggestions. The memorandum will be soon submitted to the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who also looks after Department of MOBC & SC, and Education Minister M. Okendro Singh, among others, for implementation, Khan added.

By TCN News,

Hyderabad: Civil liberties Monitoring Committee has strongly condemned the custodial murder of a Madrasa Teacher Khalid Mujahid. This Committee believes that the Uttar Pradesh police killed this helpless youth who had been exonerated by the Nimesh Commission.

But Uttar Pradesh government instead of releasing and taking action against anti- Muslim police officers was playing politics about the release of the falsely accused in the case of the UP courts blasts.

Several times in last six years of custody, police team escorted Khalid Mujahid from jail to court and had threatened him of killing in encounter and at every time court was informed on time in written with every such threat but all went in vain and at the end they killed him brutally.

The murder of Mr. Khalid Mujahid clearly reflects the mind setup of state and judiciary, noted CLMC. This committee strongly believes that SP government, Police and judiciary is directly responsible for murder of Khalid. This committee slams the judiciary which could not protect a prisoner who was under judicial custody and failed to fulfill its fundamental responsibility to protect the life of a human being.

CLMC has sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Utter Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav to take the responsibility of murder of Khalid Mujahid and tenders his apology to the nation, and takes immediate measures to restore the confidence of Muslims.
Demands of CLMC:

1. Judicial enquiry by sitting high court judge on Khalid Mujahid custodial death.
2. Take immediate actions against all those who are responsible for murder Khalid.sack the police officers whose names are in FIR registered by Khalid’s father
3. Notorious UP police is much communal, so hand over all the cases to NIA for Investigation.
4. Release the Muslim youths who are detained since many years .
5. We demand Justice for Khalid Mujahid which should be appropriate and according to the international standard of justice.

By IANS,

Srinagar : Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairperson of the moderate faction of Jammu and Kashmir's separatist Hurriyat Conference, was placed under house arrest Monday, a day before the group has called for a march to the Eidgah here.

The Mirwaiz's movements have been restricted to maintain law and order, a police official said.

The moderate Hurriyat group has called for a march to the martyrs' graveyard in Eidgah area to commemorate the death anniversaries of Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq (the Mirwaiz's father) and Abdul Gani Lone.

While unidentified gunmen killed Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq in his Nigeen residence on May 21 in 1990, Lone was killed during a separatist rally in Srinagar city on May 21 in 2002.

Sources in the state administration told IANS that the proposed separatist march would not be allowed keeping in view the past experience.

"Such marches and rallies have often turned violent in the past. We will not take any chances with the law and order situation in the city or elsewhere in the state", a top official said.

By IANS,

Mumbai : Two elderly and ailing convicts in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case were respectively brought on a stretcher and a wheelchair to surrender before a TADA Special Court here Monday to serve their sentence.

While Zaibunissa Kazi, 75, suffering from multiple ailments including cancer, was brought on a wheelchair, Sharif 'Dada' Parkar, 80, was brought in an ambulance on a stretcher before Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) Special Judge G.A. Sanap in the afternoon.

They came three days after the special court issued non-bailable arrest warrants against them for not adhering to the Supreme Court deadline to surrender and serve their remaining sentence awarded in the blasts case.

Both Kazi and Parkar, who were slated to surrender May 17, could not come on the designated day owing to ill-health and had sought an extension from the court which was not granted.

Parkar was hospitalised last week for chest pain, while Kazi had to undergo certain medical tests.

Shortly after their surrender, Special Judge Sanap directed police to take them into custody and send them to jail to serve their remaining sentence.

Parkar's involvement pertained to conspiracy and overseeing the landing of arms and RDX in Raigad in Maharashtra before the March 12, 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai.

Kazi was found guilty and convicted for allowing another co-accused to store some weapons at her home, which were part of a bigger consignment.

She came to the court on a wheelchair accompanied by her daughter and gave herself up to the court.

Soon after her arrival, Kazi was mobbed by media-persons and she broke down, pleading "mercy and forgiveness" from the government.

"At my age and my present health condition, it is not possible for me to undergo this punishment... I have suffered enough... I urge the government to pardon me and save me from this predicament," Kazi said.

Kazi said she was suffering from hypertension, cholesterol and thyroid problems and had undergone a major kidney operation some time ago.

"I simply cannot sit on the floor, how will I manage in the jail? At home my daughter looks after me, I don't know what will happen in the jail," she cried.

Though she has claimed innocence, Kazi was convicted under the Arms Act and the TADA Act and sentenced to five years' jail.

In March, Kazi, through her daughter (who has declined to be identified), had appealed to Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju to take up her case with the Maharashtra governor for a pardon.

By TwoCircles.net Special Correspondent,

Lucknow: Rihai Manch (Forum for the Release of Innocent Muslims imprisoned in the name of Terrorism) has demanded immediate arrest of 42 police intelligence officials against whom FIRs have been registered in connection with the custodial murder of Khalid Mujahid.

Khalid Mujahid who was arrested on charges of serial blasts in 2007 died on Saturday while he was returning from Faizabad to Lucknow jail on Saturday. Khalid fainted on way at Barabanki, according to police and was taken to District Hospital, Barabanki where he was declared brought dead by the doctors. Khalid was under police custody when he died.

Zahid’s uncle, Zaheer Alam Falahi, filed an FIR against 42 erring police officials on Sunday morning, including former DGP Vikram Singh, IPS Manoj Kumar, Chiranjeev Lal Sinha, S. Anand as well as against the unknown Intelligence Bureau personnel, for conspiracy and murder.

Postmortem report of Khalid Mujhaid, which took place in Barabanki between 6:30 am to 8:30 AM, remained inconclusive. Doctors have preserved heart and lungs for a finding out a possible case of cardiac arrest, while his relatives took the body to Jaunpur for burial.

However, photographs taken before his body was taken for the autopsy, accessed by TCN, clearly show torture marks on the face and blood clots. Speaking to TCN, his uncle Zaheer Alam Falahi, who saw the dead body in the hospital, confirmed that although his nephew was quite fair, his face appeared to have turned black and that his neck was swollen as if someone twisted it.

TCN was first to report the custodial murder of Khalid Mujhaid. Speaking to TwoCircles.net, Advocate Mohammad Shoaib, chairman of the Rihai Manch, had confirmed that he, along with his lawyer Randhir Singh Suman, had met Khalid at the Faizabad court and was with him till 3.15 pm. The interesting thing they had pointed out was that he was wearing Kurta-payjama as usual in court. However, the dead body of Khalid was spotted in a tee-shirt and lower.

Jail superintendent has already gone on record, saying Khalid’s health was normal. Early statement by the UP government said that he might have died due to heat stroke or heart attack.

Rajeev Yadav of Rihai Manch added that the bone of his neck appears to have been broken, and he had several other injury marks on the body. He added that Khalid was never before spotted wearing tee-shirt and lower, and clearly the cops changed his kurta to hide blood marks.

L-R: Hakeem Tarique Qasmi and Khalid Mujahid

Advocate Mohammad Shoaib of the Rihai Manch told TCN, “To save the conniving officials of ATS, STF and intelligence agencies, police killed Khalid Mujahid.” He added that the torture marks on the body, reveals the agony he might have gone through before his death.

Advocate Shaoib further said that the escort had threatened Khalid even before about killing him in ‘encounter’ and that they had filed written affidavit in court in this regard.

Rihai Manch members warned the SP government that their resolve to fight for the causes of innocent youths will only be strengthened with the ‘martyrdom’ of Maulana Khalid Mujahid.

They also raised the question on Barabanki police handling of issue who have made only local SP leaders as witnesses.

Rajeev Yadav also criticized the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav for not coming to meet the grieving family despite call from several quarters.

For its part, on Sunday UP government has ordered for a CBI enquiry.

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

Later, Samajwadi Party government headed by CM Akhilesh Yadav as per their poll promise had moved a plea to revoke the terror charges but they were turned down by local court in Barabanki. Process was however going on for withdrawing his case from other districts.

Rihai Manch has also demanded that Rs one crore be given as compensation to the family of the victims.

Demands of Rihai Manch:

1. Immediately suspend and arrest all 42 polcie officials and intelligence agency personnel including, former DGP Vikram Singh, ADG (law & order) Brij Lal, IPS Manoj Kumar Jha, Chrianjeevnath Sinha, S Anand, and the escort of Khalid Mujahid against whom FIR has been registered.

2. Keeping up its poll promises SP government should immediately release Tariq Qasmi, as the murder of Khalid clearly shows that the government has miserably failed in giving security to Muslim youths arrested in the name of terror.

3. Immediately table the Nimesh Commission report in the Assembly that clearly exonerated Tariq Qasmi and Khalid Mujahid by raising suspicion on government’s version.

4. Immediately initiate time bound CBI enquiry in the death of Khalid Mujahid.

5. Bring home secretary, Barabanki magistrate and public persecutor within the ambit of the investigations, all of whom delayed Khalid’s release by ‘conniving’ in rejection of the plea for the withdrawal of the cases.

6. Police personnel who pressurized Tariq Qasmi to lie in court saying that Khalid was ill too should be brought within the ambit of the investigation, as his advocate Mohamamd Shoaib as well as jail superintendent has stated to the contrary.

7. Step up the security of prisoners across state, particularly those who are behind bars on charges of terror.

8. Give Rs one crore as compensation to the family of the victims.

By TCN News,

Aligarh: In a meeting, the Executive Committee of Aligarh Muslim University Teachers' Association has strongly condemned the mysterious death of Khalid Mujahid on May 18 in police custody, who was falsely accused in the November 2007 U.P. courts blasts case.

The Executive Committee rejected the police version of the story about his death from ‘heat wave’ to ‘heart attack’ and believes that it was not an act of custodial death rather a brazen and merciless case of custodial killing.

The Executive Committee also noted with shock and dismay that despite being exonerated by the leaked report of Nimesh Commission why Khalid Mujahid was not released. The Executive Committee also condemns the ruling Samajwadi party for not keeping the promises made in its election manifesto to release Muslim youth falsely implicated in terror cases.

The Executive Committee has hence demanded immediate suspension of all police officers involved a fair, thorough and time bound CBI enquiry and adequate compensation to the family of Khalid Mujahid.

The Executive Committee also demanded the ensuring of safety and protection of co-accused Tariq Qasmi and other innocent youths who are in police custody. It further demanded that the Nimesh Commission report should be immediately made public and all those falsely implicated in different terror related acts languishing in jails for years must be released forthwith.

By IANS,

New Delhi : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh Monday defended the decision to hand over charge of party affairs in Uttar Pradesh to Narendra Modi's close aide Amit Shah but stressed that Modi did not seek the appointment.

"He (Shah) is a general secretary of the party and has been a minister in a highly successful state. I think making him in charge is not a crime," Singh told reporters.

The BJP Sunday announced Shah has been appointed in-charge of BJP affairs in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The former home minister of Gujarat has faced allegations of involvement in the Sohrabuddin staged shoot-out case.

"Modi has not recommended anybody," said Rajnath.

Besides Shah, young leader Varun Gandhi was given the charge of the party's affairs in West Bengal, Rajiv Pratap Rudy of Rajasthan, and Om Mathur of Gujarat.

By IANS,

Thiruvananthapuram : The BJP Monday said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Sivagiri Mutt here last month should not be seen as a move to forge an alliance with Hindu groups in the state.

BJP spokesperson Nirmala Seetharaman said here: "Modi visited the Sivagiri Mutt last month because he was invited. His visit should not be seen in any political context."

Seetharaman was on a visit to the BJP headquarters here at a time when the Kerala BJP is trying to form a new state committee.

The mutt is the headquarters of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP), a group of disciples and saints, established by Sree Narayana Guru who propagated the concept of "one caste, one religion, one god".

Of late, both the NSS and the SNDP have been slamming the Congress-led Oommen Chandy government over being sidelined in favour of minority communities.

Modi's visit came at a time when the leaders of the once-warring groups of Nair Service Society (NSS) and SNDP were trying to work for their joint upliftment on the political front.

By TCN News,

Aligarh: India presently needs to translate thoughts, ideology and ideals of Nazeer Akbarabadi, eminent Urdu poet of yesteryears into action said Prof. Nazeer Mohammad, former professor of the Aligarh Muslim University and a renowned educationist while addressing a National Seminar, “Period and Personality of Nazeer Akbarabadi” held jointly by the Millat Bedari Muhim Committee (MBMC), the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), New Delhi and the Jamia Urdu Aligarh.

He pointed out that presently mutual trust, communal harmony and peace is the dire need for India’s development and the same was the focal points of Nazeer Akbarabadi’s poetry. He said that the poetry of Nazeer is the mirror for Indian Society. He had opposed religious orthodoxy and tried to move the society to positive direction.

Chief Guest Prof. Nazeer Mohammad deliver the keynote

Shamon Raza Naqvi, Registrar of Jamia Urdu Aligarh said that for the sustainable development of Indian society Urdu and Hindi both should be developed equally.

Earlier, Jasim Mohammad, secretary of MBMC pointed out that Nazeer Adbarabadi is more relevant today and his views on patriotism and nationalism must be recognized on national level. Appreciating the efforts of the NCPUL for development Urdu, he said that the Urdu language should be linked to the employment for its meaningful development.

Prof. Sheikh Mastan, Guest of Honour said that we need unity of the languages and the poetry of Nazeer has bound all the sections of society. Another Guest of Honour, Prof. Humyun Murad said that people like Nazeer Akbarabadi are born in centuries.

Presiding over the Seminar, Prof. Razaullah Khan President of MBMC said, “Nazeer had tried to emphasize upon those aspects of humanism which the intellectuals had often over looked.”

The seminar was conducted by Dr. Mujeeb Shahzar and Rizwan Ali Khan presented vote of thanks. Nearly 20 research papers were presented in the seminar of various aspects of life and work of Nazeer Akbarabadi.

By TCN News,

New Delhi: Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), has strongly condemned the suspicious custodial killing of Maulana Khalid Mujahid in Barabanki,Uttar Pradesh by UP police under, what it alleges, “ the supervision of the state government.”

The statement of SP Bararbanki, Waseem Ahmad given even prior to the postmortem that Khalid died on the way in Barabanki when he along with other three accused was returning from Faizabad court to Lucknow jail and the death was natural, seems false and fabricated, it alleged.

The contradictory facts and statements create suspicion and directing towards a big conspiracy in this custodial death, said Akhlaq Ahmad, national Coordinator of APCR.

“APCR strongly feels that custodial killing of innocents arrested in the name of terrorism is a set policy of state agencies to save themselves from any legal action. We had seen it in the murder of Qateel siddiqui who was arrested and then killed in Pune Jail in 2012. It seems that killing of Khalid Mujahid belongs to the same chain,” APCR said in a statement.

APCR stands that this is a planned murder of an innocent Indian citizen who was in judicial custody and belongs to the religious minority community. It is observed that custodial death of Khalid Mujahid is planned and executed by those state players who were named in the Nimesh Inquiry commission report as the culprits of illegal detention and torture of this youth.

Demands of APCR from the state government:

1-Terminate and arrest all the police personnel named in the FIR filed by Zaheer Alam Falahi ,uncle of Khalid Mujahid in Barabanki Police station and start legal action against all of them .

2-Start CBI enquiry of the incident covering all the state agencies and police officers nominated in the Nimesh Enqiry commission report including the police escort carrying Khalid Mujahid and the District Magistrate, Superintendent of the Barabanki District.

3-Release all innocents arrested in the name of terrorism as per the commitment written in the party manifesto.

4-Table the report of Nimesh Inquiry commission in the assembly without any delay.

5-Pay life compensation to the family of Khalid Mujahid.

By Shaik Zakeer Hussain, TwoCircles.net,

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday evening allocated portfolios to 28 ministers, which includes two Muslim MLAs.

While senior Congress legislator Qamar-ul Islam will head the Municipal Administration, Public Enterprises, Minorities Welfare, and Haj & Wakf ministry, UT Khader will be in charge of the Health & Family Welfare portfolio.

Of the total 34 ministerial berths, the Chief Minister himself will be in charge of 11 key departments, including the Finance Department, Energy, Large & Medium Scale, Industries, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Cabinet Affairs, Planning and Statistics, Intelligence Wing, Bangalore City, Mines & Geology, IT, BT and Science & Technology Department and Sericulture.

Qamar-ul Islam, or Qamar Saab as he is referred as is a six-time MLA from the Gulbarga-North constituency. A powerful orator, Muslim groups in Hyderabad Karnataka region have demanded the government to appoint him as a deputy speaker of the state. He has served as the Cabinet Minister for Housing and Labour in the Veerappa Moily cabinet in the past.

U T Khader is a three-time MLA from Mangalore (Ullal) and enjoys a huge following among all religious sections.

Though there were huge expectations that, five times MLA and former Home Minister R Roshan Baig will be inducted in the ministry, the Congress party, however, decided not to include any tainted ministers in the new cabinet.

R Roshan Baig is one of the many ‘Muslim leaders’ of the state named in the two-lakh crore Wakf land scam.

By IANS,

Dubai : Passport authorities in Saudi Arabia are refusing to accept new passports issued by Indian missions in that country and submitted by Indian expatriates for updating.

The Saudis have refused to transfer data from old passports to the new ones, saying they were officially not informed about the new design of the Indian passports, the Arab News reported Monday.

While the old passport had its holder's photograph on the second page, the newly designed one has it on the third page.

Even after the Indians obtained a letter from the Indian consulate in Jeddah, the Saudi authorities refused to relent, saying the confirmation about the validity of the new passport should come from the Saudi foreign ministry.

Indian workers have been thronging the Indian embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah ever since a new labour policy was implemented in that country.

The Nitaqat or Saudisation policy makes it mandatory for all Saudi companies to reserve 10 percent of jobs for Saudi nationals.

The Indian missions in that country earlier appealed to all affected Indian workers to either rectify their residency status or leave the country.

Affected workers have been trying to take advantage of a grace period announced by the Saudi authorities that is currently underway and will end July 3.

There are around two million expatriate Indians in Saudi Arabia, many of them blue collar workers.

TwoCircles.net Special Correspondent,

Lucknow:Two students have written to the CM Akhilesh Yadav requesting for an enquiry in the series of events before the arrest of Khalid Mujahid and Tariq Qasmi. The students are—first year law student Tanaya Thakur and Class XII Aditya Thakur. They are children of IPS officer Amitabh Thakur and social activist Nutan Thakur.

The students have titled their letter - Why wait for death, Enquire Tariq Qasmi arrest also. As per their letter - based on the recommendations of R D Nimesh Commission report, first year law student Tanaya Thakur and Class XII Aditya Thakur had written to the Chief Minister of UP seeking enquiry about the course of events before the arrest of Tariq Qasmi of Azamgarh and Khalid Mujahid of Jaunpur by the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) in serial court blasts enquired way back in December 2012.

They had said that the Nimesh commission report has presented many unanswered questions. It says that Qasmi got abducted on 12 December 2007 near his house in Rani Ka Sarai, Azamgarh while Mujahid was similarly lifted by unknown persons in a white Tata Sumo. No enquiry was made in either case and later the two were shown arrested in Barabanki on 22 December.

Now after Khalid’s death and registration of FIR against police persons, Aditya has asked not to wait for other person’s death and to enquire into Qasmi’s process of arrest as well. He has also sought enquiry into no action being taken in his complaint so far.

By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,

Bhopal: A study team of Afghanistan Rural Development & Rehabilitation Ministry evinced inquisitiveness and keen interest in successful implementation and encouraging results achieved under the District Poverty Initiatives Projects, (DPIP), in Madhya Pradesh.

The study team on two-day visit to the state, apprised itself of livelihood augmentation and socio-economic changes through women’s self-help groups and Gram Utthan Samitis at DPIP’s state unit here on Monday.

A study team of Afghanistan Rural Development & Rehabilitation Ministry on a visit to Bhopal getting acquainted itself about successful implementation and encouraging results achieved under DPIP projects in Madhya Pradesh.

It may be mentioned here that the District Poverty Initiatives Project (DPIP) is an ambitious project of the Government of Madhya Pradesh for the alleviation of poverty in the State.

Led by Ms Naila Ahmad of World Bank, the study team from Afghanistan Rural Development Project currently on Madhya Pradesh visit comprises of Rahmatullah Khan, Mohammad Asif, Ghulam Nabi, M. Malikzai, Ahmad Masood, Sulaiman Sarwari, Mohammad Ashraf, Ahmad Zaki, Zaki Ahmad Rashish etc.

Greeting team members, DPIP Project Coordinator L.M. Belwal apprised them about DPIP, National Rural Livelihoods Mission, other rural development and social sector programmes.

Ms Naila Ahmad of World Bank informed that Afghanistan Rural Development Project and National Solidarity Programme are being implemented in Afghanistan. The study team from Afghanistan has come to Madhya Pradesh and other places in connection with chalking out designs for next phases of these programmes. The study team will utilise experiences, learning, innovation and results of DPIP projects for chalking out these programmes. Ms Naila Ahmad informed that as a member or World Bank study team, she has already took stock of DPIP projects’ implementation by visiting villages and interacting people over there.

It was informed in the presentation of District Poverty Initiative Project that its target has been achieved by forming over 30,000 self-help groups linking 3 lakh 46 thousand women.

Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator Manoj Saxena informed in the presentation that 18 producer companies have been formed under a novel effort. Of these, 15 companies are agriculture-based, which are benefiting small farmers. These companies have over 46 thousand shareholders with turnover of over Rs.43 crore.

Afghanistan study team members evinced special interest in DPIP’s community development works through interaction with rural communities, constitution of producer companies, various innovations and job-oriented training programmes and their encouraging results. The team members sought information in detail about the work of mobilising rural communities, specially rural women.

Later, the team member left for visits to Raisen and Rajgarh districts. During the visits, they will interact with members of self-help groups and Gram Utthan Samitis and study functioning of producer companies. (pervezbari@eth.net)

By TCN News,

Aligarh: A record number of fifty companies visited the Aligarh Muslim University for the campus placement of the students from non-technical courses. A large number of students were selected ruing the campus placement drive making the total number of selection 550.

The Training and Placement Officer (General), Mr. Saad Hameed said that the students of BA, B. Com. and B. Sc. participated in the selection process and went through a hectic recruitment process. The students were also given training on how to face the job interviews in order to ensure maximum selection.

Mr. Hameed said that the companies included Viacom-18, GE Capital, Wipro, Genpact, ICICI and Asian Paints. They offered the students a package of 4 Lakhs to 5 lakhs per annum. He said that the Job Fair was also organized for the first time in AMU to ensure maximum placement opportunities at a time at a single place.

He said that the campus placement drives have sent a sense of confidence amongst the non-technical graduates of the university and they feel proud of their choice of course as they were successful in securing a job before even getting their results in hand.

Mr. Hameed said that it were the initiatives on the part of the AMU Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah who extended all help and support to organized the Job Fair. His emphasis on organizing campus placement drives for the students played a key role in putting such successful recruitment drives in action.

By IANS,

Lucknow : An FIR was Monday registered here against social networking site Facebook on a complaint that claimed a group on the site exhorts people to slaughter cows, police said.

The site was booked under penal provisions and under the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, on the complaint filed by senior police officer Amitabh Thakur.

In his complaint filed at Gomtinagar police station, Thakur alleged that a Facebook group 'Aao mil kar kaaten Gaay' (Let us come together and slaughter cow) openly exhorted and glorified cow slaughter.

The first information report (FIR) was registered under Indian Penal Code's sections dealing with provocation with intent to cause riot, public nuisance and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace and Section 66 A of the IT Act.

"It also has extremely abusive and dirty words by various users against Hindu and Islam religion and also against the Prophet Mohammad and Hindu Gods and Goddesses. These dirty words and abuses are of such nature that they are wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace," the complainant told IANS.

Thakur said that in past he had registered four more FIRs of similar nature but since no action was taken in these cases, such incidents were recurring.

The complaint said the Facebook Inc. was criminally liable because it had not taken due precaution as warranted under Section 79 of the IT Act, despite repeated directions.

By IANS,

Srinagar : A shutdown called by separatists affected life in Srinagar Tuesday, although the authorities did not impose any restrictions in the city.

While shops, educational institutions, business establishments and public transport remained suspended in the city, government offices, banks and post offices functioned normally. Few private vehicles were seen plying in several areas of the city.

Scores of public transport vehicles ferrying tourists to Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and other places of tourist attraction, however, plied normally in the Kashmir Valley.

Tuesday's shutdown has been called to commemorate the death anniversaries of two senior separatist leaders - Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone.

While Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq was killed this day in 1990 inside his uptown Nigeen residence by unidentified gunmen, Lone was killed during a separatist rally on May 21, 2002, at the Eidgah grounds of old Srinagar city.

The moderate Hurriyat group headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, son of Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq, has called for a march to the martyrs' graveyard in the city.

Authorities had Monday placed Mirwaiz Umer Farooq under house arrest. Monday evening, the Srinagar district magistrate and senior superintendent of police called on him to persuade him not to hold the rally as prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code have been imposed in the city.

Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed in full riot gear in various areas of Srinagar.

Reports from other major towns of the Valley indicated that normal life had been affected there as well owing to the separatist-sponsored shutdown.

By IANS,

New Delhi : Amar, Akbar and Anthony are the buzzwords in the latest United Progressive Alliance (UPA) television commercial Sadbhav (good faith), which seeks to showcase communal harmony and unity among people in various parts of the country.

The TV spot shows common people like students, housewives and office-goers going about their everyday activities with the overarching theme of amity between different communities forming part of their discussions.

The one-time hit Hindi film song "Amar, Akbar, Anthony" from the movie with the same name plays in the background.

The commercial was released by the information and broadcasting ministry as part of the first phase of the UPA government's advertising campaign - 'Glimpses of the India Story' - highlighting its achievements.

The TV commercial was released on the ministry's youtube channel Monday, a day before the death anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi Tuesday.

The commercial, which is part of the UPA's campaign worth Rs.180 crore, has been directed by Pradeep Sarkar. Of the total, Rs.60 crore has been earmarked for the first phase of the campaign.

The Congress-led UPA, which has been battling a series of corruption allegations, is seeking to define its nine years in power through the publicity campaign ahead of the general elections due next year.

The multi-media initiative was launched by Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari last week.

The campaign is in 11 regional languages and seeks to reach out to the poor and marginalized people across the country. It will be played in cinema halls and on TV channels.

Other digital initiatives by the ministry include the launch of internet and mobile-based services for All India Radio and other state-run radio channels in March.

By Aziz A. Mubaraki,

It is difficult to envision that Kashmir, one of the most stunning places on earth, populated by peaceful inhabitants, can become the fillet of disputation between two countries, undoubtedly because of some snooty politicians on either side; who tried to divide the region on the basis of their expediency. But factually, the reason behind the unvarying friction between India & Pakistan is more political than anything that’s made to believe by either side.

Kashmir, as we know is a 222,236 sq km region in the northwestern Indian subcontinent, and is surrounded by China in the northeast, the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab in the south, by Pakistan in the west, and by Afghanistan in the northwest. The region has been dubbed “disputed territory” between two neighboring countries, India and Pakistan since the painful partition of India in 1947. The southern and southeastern parts of the region make up the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, while the northern and western parts are controlled by Pakistan. A border called the Line of Control (agreed to in 1972) divides the two parts.

But it is equally important to know that the eastern area of Kashmir comprising the northeastern part of the region (Aksai Chin) is under the control of China since 1962, and not much has been done to recover the lost ground. The predominant religion in the Jammu area is Hinduism in the east and Islam in the west. Islam is also the main religion in the Kashmir valley and the Pakistan-controlled (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir or PoK) area, which they prefer to call as ‘Azaad Kashmir”, but it’s a matter of a separate debate as to how “Azaad” (free) that part of Kashmir is?

The conflict in Kashmir started soon after the partition of India in 1947 almost immediately after the decision where the State of Jammu & Kashmir acceded to India. And as Pakistan was also a claimant to the ownership of Kashmir, soon a war (1947-48) for its control started, thus dividing “Picturesque Kashmir” between Pakistan and Indian administered territorial dominion. A ceasefire line was agreed too under UN supervision, which has since been renamed as ‘Line of Control’. According to which one third of the territory has since been administered by Pakistan, while the remainder is administered by India that includes the Kashmir Valley as well.

But hostility did not end despite the set-up of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNCIP), where the UN Security Council passed two resolutions for the same. But then again, India and Pakistan were at war for Kashmir in 1965 and 1999. To further complicate matters in the region, the border with China also remains disputed as India does not recognize the border established after war between India and China in 1962. And it is no secret that China has habitually and diplomatically been an ally and has favored Pakistan in the past. And with recent Intrusion of about 50 PLA troopers ten miles inside Daulat Baig Oldi is a clear and blatant act of violation of international border. This is not the first time that China has betrayed its lurking desire of coveting more and more territories contiguous to its borders. This is the old time habit of the authorities in Beijing to nibble at the borders and create unusual situation. Their patent methodology is to make swift intrusion, paint stones and boulders red and inscribe China on them, destroy Indian symbols if any close by and leave the site. But in the present incursion in Daulat Baig Oldi conducted on 15 of April, the Chinese pitched tents and established military posts ten miles inside the Indian Territory. They marked the boulders red with China inscribed on them. Some Chinese helicopters were also seen flying over the scene of intrusion apparently to provide cover to the intruding Chinese troops. On learning about the intrusion, Indian army dispatched troops to the spot and asked the adversary to send their representative for a flag meeting between the commanders. As usual, the Chinese side claimed the territory as their own and did not show willingness to have a look at the map and the documents related to the ground position.

But this is not the first incursion of its kind. It is the repetition of a well calculated policy of China to disturb normalcy on Sino-Indian border whether in Ladakh or in the Eastern sector of Sino-Indian border. We know that China has developed highly effective network of border roads and connectivity besides the rail link to Lhasa in Tibet. China has the ambitious plan of building railway line along the Karakorum Highway connecting her Xingjian province to Pakistan and finally through Pakistan to Gawadar sea port on the Makran coast in Arabian Gulf! Perception after the fact shows that the essential purpose of these intrusions is to test India’s military competence of defending the forward posts. The Chinese know that after every intrusion, Indians would call for flag meeting, debate the issue, promise restoration of normalcy and put a lid on the boiling pot till it is forgotten and the Chinese remain in occupation under the frequently repeated but seldom honored pretext of withdrawing from the intruded areas. India side, feeling shy of talking to Chinese in a language which they would identify with, have been found playing down the incidents and calling if faceoff with the Chinese. Even in this case as well, the Indian side has termed it faceoff and has expressed the hope that tension will die down and normalcy will return. Nobody has tried to assess how far the Chinese have kept such promises in the past and what inference we need to draw from our past experience. Will a day dawn when India’s apologetic stance will be reversed and practical politics takes its natural course in India’s foreign policy?

But then Chinese oft-intrusions and Indian military competence is the matter of a separate debate, and therefore coming back to the primary issue, the apparent irreconcilable territorial claims in Kashmir. There seems no immediate conclusion to this contravention! India and Pakistan both are nuclear powers now the stakes in this conflict are of grave prognosis with global significance. As it holds the potential for local violence to spark into larger conflicts is very high. It’s a realizable truth that Kashmir problem has consumed thousands of lives and has damaged every aspect of Kashmiri society; thousands have died while hundreds are missing. But irrespective of its disastrous results, there are distractions that urgently need sane advice to save Kashmir. Primarily, an intellectually mature response of Kashmiri masses and its leaders towards the Kashmir problem shall not be advantageous to Kashmir only, but it shall also save human lives, money and energy of India, Pakistan and other nations. The concern governments must take into account that imprudent mindset shall not bring any positive result. They must learn from their mistakes and highlight the counterproductive results of ill-advised practices and initiative ‘Confidence Building Measures” that certainly shall bring peace; harmony, development and may help in solving the ethical crisis of present Kashmiri society.

Although it is easier for political leaders to earn brownies over their opponent’s inaptness that may help them accumulate votes and remain in power. But it shall be good for both the countries to talk less on Kashmir and more for the well beings of the people of both the nations. There should not be any point of divergence between the two neighbor countries that were once a part of an undivided India. The people of both the nations are alike in appearance, language, culture, customs, mode of thinking, and even in ethics of religion, even though the religion of the majority community is different. But then both the religions believe in the welfare of the common people- to help the poor in distress, to help the victim in danger and to do prayer to Al-mighty almost every day for the good of mankind.

Perhaps, now the time has come to settle the dispute forever as the occupation of Kashmir by force is nothing but to welcome the animosity. A country big or small is impossible to acquire by force in the 21st century, whereas nothing stands impossible for the people provided the feelings of brotherhood, neighborhood, and zeal of oneness is intact!

Therefore it is important for the neighbours to realize the ground realities and work on creating political consensus in their respective countries that may pave the path for fruitful dialogue and resolution to many issues that may include Kashmir as well. It is very important to also involve Kashmiris in these talks and accept them as stakeholders. And the best way ahead shall be to have more pragmatic approach towards the crises and exchange mutual views to enhance good relations and be more accommodating keeping the point of dispute of Kashmir or Mumbai detached primarily.

Although it is imperative for Pakistan to realize that Indian government has no power to alter anything of Kashmir, an integral part of India without the consent of the people of India. Similarly India must acknowledge that Pakistan government cannot do anything against the leaders of terrorists without the support of “majority mass”, the people of Pakistan. Pakistan Government knows its deficiency when the world body says Pakistan is the epic-center of terrorism. But despite knowing the terrorist activities of Pakistan, United States of America are not going away from Pakistan or against Pakistan rather United State is interested in sharing the difficulties with Pakistan. India also should share the difficulties of Pakistan in the process of tackling the terrorists in Pakistan soil. A mutual understanding is bound to increase the neighborly relations- the ultimate of which will nullify the terrorist activity and bring a permanent peace in Kashmir and in the region as well.

The two neighbors must move forward for the sake of peace and stability in the region, work together as cohort to root out terrorism. There is now a dire and immediate need to change old mindsets of hollow rhetoric and give way to a new and progressive thought. Both Pakistan and India need to avoid shortsighted policies for short-term political gains, which have resulted in poisoning their relations in the past and the present. Now it is time to turn their attention towards the gigantic task of eradicating poverty and raising the standard of living of the vast mass of their peoples living below the poverty line.

While realizing this goal will not be easy, given the past history of mutual distrust between India, Pakistan and the Kashmiri’s however if the issue is to be earnestly resolved there is no substitute for political will on all sides. Attempts at building trust, would be the first foundational step on setting out on the path for resolving what has been possibly the longest and maybe the bloodiest running disputes in the world.

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Aziz A. Mubaraki is Member, Advisory Committee, Airport Authority of India (NSC), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India