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Indian in Saudi Arabia seeks father's release from Pakistan jail

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By IANS,

Dubai : An expatriate Indian man in Saudi Arabia has asked the newly-elected Pakistan government to release his father who is reportedly languishing in a jail in Pakistan for the last 36 years.

V.K. Abdul Latheef, 38, told the Arab News that he was just 18-months-old when his father Vellakkattu Veettil Hamza left their home at Thennala, Tirungadi taluk in the Malappuram district in the south Indian state of Kerala to seek work in the Gulf.

Hamza was one of 35 people on board a boat that had set sail from Wasayi port in Mumbai 36 years ago.

However, the Pakistan Coast Guard arrested all the 35 people from the boat in the Arabian Sea.

Latheef, who works in Dammam in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, said that his family does not have a photograph of Hamza and the one picture they had from a railway season pass was lost in a studio that was supposed to restore it.

Though Latheef had initially believed that his father must have been working in a shop in Mumbai, the media in Kerala later quoted a Malayali man living in Karachi as saying that he had seen a man named C.V. Mammootty, hailing from Kannur in Kerala, in a jail in Pakistan.

Mammotty was one of the 35 people on board the ill-fated boat, and according to the man in Karachi, Mammooty had said that all the others from the boat were in jail along with him.

Latheef has now appealed to new Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to help the distressed families get their relatives back home.

Latheef's family includes his mother and Hamza's wife, Nechiyil Pathumma, his elder brother, Abdul Salam, and younger sister, Rabiya, who was not even born when Hamza left home.


Guerrilla killed in Kashmir

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By IANS,

Srinagar: A "divisional commander" of the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) terror outfit was killed in a gunfight in Kashmir Wednesday evening, police said.

"After receiving specific information about the presence of militants in Ichgosa village (of Pulwama district) police, Rashtriya Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force laid a cordon around the village and started searches," a police officer told IANS.

"Militants hiding in the village started firing at the security forces, triggering an shootout which ended with the killing of Altaf Baba alias Gazi Baba, the divisional commander of JeM for south Kashmir," the officer said.

"Altaf Baba joined the JeM outfit in 2008. He was motivated by Sajad Afghani alias Ahsan Bhai of Pakistan to join militant ranks," police said.

Tennis: Mohammed puts out Kannan

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By IANS,

Chennai: Faiz Mohammed ended former National champion Vijay Kannan's run with a hard-fought 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-1, win to enter the singles quarterfinals of the BR Adityan-GNC ITF Men's Futures tennis tournament here Wednesday.

Also through to the round of eight were top four seeds Sriram Balaji, Jeevan Nedunchezian, Vijayant Malik and Japan's Toshide Matsui.

The results:

Singles (pre-quarterfinals): 1-N Sriram Balaji bt Jatin Dahiya 6-1, 6-1; Fariz Mohammed bt Vijay Kannan 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-1; 4-Toshihide Matsui (JPN) bt Suraj R Prabodh 6-2, 6-3; 7-Prajnesh Gunneswaran bt Chandril Sood 6-3, 6-4; 8-Karunuday Singh bt Jui-Chen Hung (TPE) 6-1, 6-3; 3-Vijayant Malik bt Vignesh Veerabadran 6-0, 6-1; 6-Vinayak Sharma Kaza bt Ajay Selvaraj 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(3); 2-Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan bt Garvit Batra 6-0, 6-2.

Doubles (quarterfinals): 1-N Sriram Balaji / Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan bt Sagar Ahuja / Jui-Chen Hung (TPE) 6-4, 6-4; Zach Itzstein (AUS) / Vignesh Veerabadran bt 3-Vijayant Malik / Amrit Narasimhan (USA) 6-3, 3-6, 10-8; Fariz Mohammed / Vignesh Peranamallur bt Anvit Bendre / Tushar Mandlekar 6-2, 6-7(4), 10-4; 2-Keith-Patrick Crowley (RSA) / Arun-Prakash Rajagopalan bt Kunal Anand / Sagar Manjanna 6-2, 6-3.

Bengal raises issue of ISI-backed groups

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By IANS,

New Delhi: Bringing the issue of Pakistan's ISI-backed fundamentalist organisations to the fore, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee Wednesday said militant groups operating in northeastern states were helping insurgents in her state.

"I would like to state that some ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence)-backed fundamentalist organisations operating in Bangladesh and Nepal pose threat to the security of the state," Banerjee said in her speech, which was read out by state Finance Minister Amit Mitra at the chief ministers' conference on internal security here.

In the speech, she said that militant and insurgent groups operating in the northeastern states remain on the lookout for safe shelters in her states in lieu of which they aid and support a few militant groups intending to operate in West Bengal.

"A few militant groups of West Bengal are again trying to forge some sort of alliance with the insurgent groups active in the northeastern states," she said.

The chief minister also opposed the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

"The views of the state government are well known to the central government. Like many other states, West Bengal too is of the opinion that the proposed version of NCTC upsets the federal structure of the country," she said.

358th annual Urs of Shah Jahan begins

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By IANS,

Agra: The 358th annual Urs of Shah Jahan has begun in the Taj Mahal, which the Mughal emperor built for his queen Mumtaz.

The qawwali programme continued till late Wednesday evening. District Magistrate Zuher Bin Sagir also joined the ritual of washing the graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz besides applying sandalwood and offering flowers.

The celebrations will continue for three days.

On Thursday, a huge procession will be taken out and a ceremonial "chadar" several hundred feet long will be carried from the inner gateway to the cenotaph chamber.

Entry to the Taj Mahal remains free during the Urs. The inner cenotaph, the original graves of the royal couple, will also remain open during this period.

MP CM criticizes centre for not taking states into confidence on internal security issues

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By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that often, the Union Government does not take states into confidence for policymaking regarding internal security issues. The Centre wants to deprive states of their rights.

At the same time, the Union Government is also interfering with federal structure, which is ultra-vires to the spirit to the Constitution. It is need of the hour that the Union Government think in the national interest rising above political considerations and work shoulder-to-shoulder with state governments in campaigns against terrorism and naxalism.

Chouhan was addressing Chief Ministers’ conference on internal security in New Delhi on Wednesday. The conference was chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Minister of State in PMO Narayan Sami, Chief Ministers of states, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Umashankar Gupta, Chief Secretary R. Parasuram, DGP Nandan Dube and senior officers of Union and State Governments were present on the occasion, an official spokesman said.

He opposed the idea of NCTC saying that States should get their due rights and Central Government should trust the State Governments. He said that with NIA in existence there is no need for NCTC. He was of the view that instead of NCTC, SCTC will be more affective in tackling issues like terrorism and naxalism. He also questioned the viability of scraping strict laws like TADA and POTA for political reasons. He questioned the seriousness of the Central Government in tackling these serious issues.

Chouhan said that the country is facing twin challenge of left wing extremism and terrorism, which is undermining democracy and Constitution continuously. The dastardly carnage committed by left wing extremists was a blow to democratic system of India. He said that situation of chaos and uncertainty is prevailing in Naxal-prone areas due to lack of strong will-power and differences between the Union Government and its party over line of action. He said that there is no place for violence in democracy and it needs to be dealt with sternly. Those indulging in violence should not be spared. Situation needs to be viewed with seriousness.

Speaking for tribals, Chouhan said that because of Forest Conservation Act and the Wildlife Protection Act tribals living in forests are not able to earn their livelihood plus lack of development activities in the tribal areas has led to unemployment. He said that providing employment to the unemployed tribal youths in tribal areas will help in dealing with naxalism. He also called for providing skill development programmes which will increase the employment opportunities among the youths. He said that there is need to develop infrastructure, road connectivity and educating youths to curb naxal activities.

He said that the Central Government has curtailed down the amount from Rs.100 crore to Rs.23 crore for modernisation of police force in the state. Also for 2012-13 under modernisation scheme Central and State share has been reduced to 60:40 ratio which was earlier 75:25 ratio. From internal security point of view for effective action against terrorist activities and organised crime, the Madhya Pradesh State Assembly has sent “Madhya Pradesh Terrorist and Disruptive Activities and Organised Crime Control Bill 2010” to the Centre for sanction which has not been approved till date. He said that special concerted efforts have been made for effective control of organised crime network and checking circulation of faking currency, wild life related offences and interstate drug trafficking by constituting special task force in the state. Providing security to women and preventing crimes against them is on our priority list.

Temple issue not a priority at BJP national executive: Naqvi

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By IANS,

Panaji: The contentious issue of building a Ram temple at Ayodhya will not be on the BJP's priority list when its leaders converge in Goa for the national executive meeting, party spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here Thursday.

Naqvi was speaking to reporters at the party's state headquarters in Panaji ahead of the three-day conclave which gets underway Friday.

"The priority before the party is price-rise, corruption and bad governance of this government," Naqvi said, when asked why party leaders had been silent on the Ayodhya temple issue.

The meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national executive will feature the creme de la creme of the leadership, who are expected to work out a strategy with an eye to the forthcoming general election, which Naqvi said could be held in 2013 instead of 2014 when they are scheduled.

Naqvi also said that the BJP was firm in its ideological commitment to the temple issue, which was one of the key factors through the 1980s-90s that led to the astronomical rise of the right-wing party into national political consciousness.

"We are honest about our ideological commitments. But political issues which are before the country are our priority," Naqvi said, adding that in face of malgovernance and corruption, only the BJP could provide a "strong and effective alternative to free the government from corrupt raj".

Afghan envoy meets diaspora from his country in Kashmir

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By IANS,

Srinagar: Afghanistan Ambassador to India Shaida Muhammad Abdali Thursday visited a north Kashmir hamlet to interact with residents whose ancestors migrated to the Kashmir Valley over 150 years back from Afghanistan.

The ambassador drove to north Kashmir Gotlibagh village in Ganderbal district, 30 km from here, to meet members of the Pakhtoon community.

Gotlibagh has the largest population of Pashtu-speaking Afghan diaspora in Jammu and Kashmir.

"He came to pay tributes to Ghulam Hyder Khan, chairman of the Pakhtoon Jirga who passed away last year. His Excellency Shaida Muhammad Abdali wanted to come here last year, but his pressing engagements kept him away," said Sonaullah Khan, a well-known Pashtu broadcaster, scholar and community leader who lives in Gotlibagh.

Sonaullah hosted a lunch for the Afghan ambassador, where Kashmiri dishes, in addition to some Afghan delicacies, were served.

State Forest Minister Mian Altaf Ahmad also interacted with the Afghan ambassador at the Gotlibagh village.

Mian Altaf, who is the sitting legislator from Kangan assembly constituency, took the ambassador around, showing him some of the eco-friendly developments in the area like the newly laid eco-parks and massive plantation drives to regenerate the local forest cover.

Speaking of the ambassador, Sonaullah told IANS: "He is a descendant of Ahmad Shah Abdali, the 18th-century Afghan emperor and founder of the Durrani dynasty. He was the chief negotiator of President Hamid Karzai during the exit treaty talks between the US and Afghanistan."

Farah Qayoom, assistant professor of Sociology at Kashmir University, who has been researching the Gotlibagh Afghans, said: "The Afghan diaspora in Gotlibagh has been maintaining all their diasporic traits. They show marked worry and concern about developments in Afghanistan."

"They maintain an exclusive culture and identity, even to the extent that their youth still have Pashtu ringtones on their mobile phones. Many local Pakhtoons, during today's informal meeting, asked the ambassador about the prospects of an early, permanent peace returning to the country of their ancestors".

The ambassador is scheduled to attend the valedictory function of a seminar on regional planning in Kashmir University Thursday.


Another body recovered from Kashmir gunfight site

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By IANS,

Srinagar: Security forces Thursday recovered another body from the site of the gunfight in south Kashmir Pulwama district, and army sources said the second slain guerrilla could be a foreign national.

Security forces Wednesday killed the self-styled divisional commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) guerrilla outfit in Ichgosa village of Pulwama district. While the gunfight ended Wednesday evening, searches by security forces at the site only started Thursday morning.

"We have recovered another body from the site. Our information indicated that two terrorists had been hiding in the village when the encounter started," a defence source said.

"The self-styled divisional commander was killed yesterday (Wednesday) and his body had been recovered. Today we recovered a second body, of another terrorist killed, who is most likely a foreigner. We are still to establish his identity," he added.

BJP meet unlikely to make Modi 2014 campaign chief: Sinha

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By IANS,

New Delhi: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to be appointed in charge of BJP's 2014 poll campaign at its upcoming national executive meeting in Goa as it would not discuss leadership issues, party leader Yashwant Sinha said Thursday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national executive will meet in Goa June 7-9.

"The national executive of the BJP is too large as a body to discuss leadership issues. The BJP has already made it very clear that these issues will be decided in the parliamentary board which is authorised to discuss and take a decision on these issues," Sinha told CNN-IBN TV channel in an interview.

The former union minister and Lok Sabha MP said the national executive would discuss the economic and political situations and some foreign policy issues.

On who was going to be the BJP's leader for the 2014 general election, he said: "I will not go into that question right now. As for the leadership issue, most certainly we should in good time decide who will lead us in the 2014 (parliamentary) elections."

Sinha said he left it to the parliamentary board to decide whether Modi was the most popular leader to lead the BJP.

He said it was very important that the party put up a united face.

"At any point of time, it is most essential that we put up a united front and if the impression has gone or gained ground that it is not a united front then we should try and correct that and move forward in a united fashion," Sinha said.

Expressing reservations on the ruling UPA's flagship national food security bill, he said: "It is a disaster waiting to happen. It will open floodgates of corruption. The BJP should take a firm view on that."

Gujarat results reflect ground reality: Naqvi

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By IANS,

Panaji: The BJP said Thursday that its sweeping victory in Gujarat, where it wrested all six Lok Sabha and state assembly seats from the Congress, reflected the ground reality.

Speaking to the media, BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi made fun of the "Bharat Nirman" advertising blitzkrieg as an imaginary bubble created by the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

Naqvi was speaking ahead of a three-day meeting of the party's national office bearers and national executive.

"If they do not know ground reality, they should take into account yesterday's results and understand for themselves," Naqvi said.

"This is not Bharat Nirman. This is Bhrashtachar Nirman. And its slogan 'meelon chalna hai, meelon chalenge' is actually 'we have looted millions and we will loot more millions'," Naqvi said.

The spokesperson refused to draw comparisons between 'Bharat Nirman' and 'India Shining', a good governance advertising campaign launched by BJP ahead of the 2004 polls which the party lost.

IAMC criticizes UP govt on delay in ATR on Nimesh Commission; applauds Rihai Manch for their struggle for justice

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By TCN News

Boston: Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) has criticized the UP State Government for merely accepting the Nimesh Commission Report and deferring the "Action Taken Report" until the monsoon session of the state assembly. There is mounting evidence that Mujahid's death was a case of custodial killing, including pictures and video footage of the dead body that show that the deceased was subjected to brutal violence before his death.

"Accepting the Commission's report without releasing an 'Action Taken Report,' is a case of too little too late. The government needs to take prompt action on the Commission's recommendations," said Mr. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC. "This case is representative of the growing menace of impunity with which law enforcement across multiple states illegally detain, torture and frame Muslim youth in some cases using planted evidence, destroying entire families in the process," added Mr. Khan.
IAMC had initiated a nationwide campaign to petition the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, as well as Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, calling for decisive action that would expose and punish those responsible for this wrongful death. IAMC has also launched an online petition to this effect.

Noting the efforts of Rihai Manch and the individuals struggling for justice in this case, Mr. Khan said, "They deserve our gratitude for their perseverance in forcing the state to acknowledge the misdeeds of its law enforcement machinery."

The Nimesh Commission Report was instituted to investigate the arrest of Tariq Qasmi and Khalid Mujahid on terror charges in 2007. The report had been submitted by Justice R. D. Nimesh on August 31, 2012 but accepted only now, while organizations struggling to secure justice for the late Khalid Mujahid are demanding action on the report's recommendations

As expected, the Commission's report has established claims by family members of Qasmi and Mujahid that both were arrested well before the date given by the police, and kept in illegal custody. Moreover, the report has recommended prosecution of police personnel involved in arresting the duo, a step that is yet to be taken by the state government [2].
IAMC calls on the state government to act on the recommendations of the Nimesh Commission and facilitate an independent probe by the National Investigative Agency (NIA) into the issue of illegal detentions and custodial torture.

Indian American Muslim Council is the largest advocacy organization of Indian Muslims in the United States with 13 chapters across the nation.

Link:

http://www.iamc.com

Rihai Manch reiterates demands for arrest of guilty cops as indefinite dharna completes 16 days

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By TCN News,

Lucknow: As the indefinite dharna of the Rihai Manch, Forum for the Release of Innocent Muslims imprisoned in the name of Terrorism, completes 16 days today its spokespersons reiterated the demand for arresting guilty police officials.

Rihai Manch is on indefinite dharna demanding arrest of police officers involved in Khalid Mujahid's murder, issuing the RD Nimesh commission report, and the immediate release of innocent Muslim youth imprisoned in the name of terrorism.
National President of Indian National League Mohammad Suleman said that whether it was the arbitrary detentions of Khalid Mujahid in UP or Fasih Mahmood in Delhi, such instances will disturb the communal harmony in the country. He pointed out that while the government arrest innocent Muslim youths, leaders like Varun Gandhi are set free in the hate speech case.



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

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

The state cabinet meeting chaired by CM Akhilesh Yadav accepted the Nimesh Commission report on Tuesday. The Nimesh commission report is related to the arresting of terror suspect Khalid Mujahid and Tariq Qasmi in 2007. Justice R D Nimesh had submitted its report to the state government on 31 August 2012. Both Khalid and Tariq were accused in serial blasts which occurred in 2007.

Though welcomed be several clerics, Chairman of the Rihai Manch, Mohamamd Shoaib has, however, regarded such a move as misleading. He said that it had already released the Nimesh Commission report on 18 March, earlier this year and so mere report is not sufficient and they expect from the government to also tell the public what actions they have taken on the report.

Lone survivor in Batla House 'encounter' case claims he is innocent

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By TCN News,

New Delhi: The alleged lone survivor in the Batla House encounter case, believed by civil rights activists to be fake, has refuted Delhi Police claims and denied all charges today.

Shahzad Ahmed, Special Cell of the Delhi Police, claims was one of the occupants in the L 18 house in the Batla House, where the alleged encounter took place on September 19, 2008. He today appeared in front of the Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri for recording of his statement.

News agency PTI, quoted Shazad as saying, “I am innocent and have been falsely implicated in this case.”

According to PTI, he has denied that he was in the flat at the time of the encounter or that he fired on police. He also told the Additional Sessions Judge that he was picked up by the ATS Lucknow from his house in Azamgarh and that his family had also lodged a complaint for kidnapping.

Shahzad has also alleged that the police forcibly obtained his signature and that he had made no disclosure statement in front of the police.

In 2008 on 19th September, on 4th floor of L-18, Batla House in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar area, two youths of Azamgarh were killed in a shootout, which was later claimed to be an encounter by special cell of Delhi police. In this shootout, one of the officers of Delhi police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma also lost his life. However, from the very first day Human and Civil Rights’ organistions and activists are demanding an independent judicial enquiry into the shootout. The post-mortem report of the deceased also pointed towards the encounter being a fake one.

Seminar in Mumbai discussed Imam Khomeini’s contribution and vision

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By TCN News,

Mumbai: On the occasion of the 24th commemoration anniversary of Imam Khomeini, a grand Seminar was held on Tuesday, the 4th June 2013 at Jabir Hall of Islam Gymkhana by Culture House of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mumbai in association with Ishterak Education Society.

Nearly 300 persons from Mumbai’s active political and social groups and admirers of Imam Khomeini irrespective of sect and religion attended the gathering and paid their tribute to him. The title of the Seminar was Challenges to Contemporary World and Imam Khomeini’s School of Thought.

Mr. Masood Ebrahimi Khaleghi, the Consul General of Iran in Mumbai was the chief guest of the occasion. Famous senior writer and journalist Mr. Syed Basharat Shikooh presided over the proceedings of the Seminar.

The Seminar began with the recitation of Holy Quran by Qari Saiyed Salman Naqvi. Mr. Aamir Idrisi, President of Association of Muslim Professionals conducted the program.

As a host Mr. Mehdi Hassankhani the Director of CHIRI gave the welcome address. He said that as per the opinion of the leader of Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatullah Khamenei, the School of Imam Khomeini’s Thoughts is like a complete package having various dimensions and spirituality and rationality are 2 most importance aspects. In the spiritual dimension Imam Khomeini believed in non-reliance to external and material elements. As per this belief he was among those who were connected to God and believed in Divine assistance. In the rational dimension also, Imam referred to using wisdom, planning, science and calculations in governance. Absence of spirituality in the contemporary world is making the societies to confront serious challenges and it is only the human tendency towards spirituality and religion that gives a way out of the current crisis and challenges more than ever before.

On Behalf of Ishterak Education Society, Mr. Aamir Idrisi gave the introduction about the organization and its activities. He further shared his thoughts on Imam Khomeini and focused on being organized and following the leader. He said that the leaders are born and not created. Muslim Ummah should identify our leaders and follow them faithfully. He further said that, it is the need of the hour to get organized at each and every level for the upliftment of the community in all aspects.

The first speaker of the seminar Maulana Zaheer Abbas Rizvi in his speech said that it was a good opportunity to sit together and analyze the present situations and conditions and then think and ponder about Imam Khomeini’s sayings, vision and the outlook with which he looked at the Ummah. The history of revolutions in not new to the world, many revolutions came and left its results and outcome. But there is a huge difference between those revolutions and the Islamic Revolution of Iran. Other revolutions were for the purpose of snatching power and government but Islamic Revolution was for changing the line of thinking. It was like an explosion of light and its light of results was not temporary but its effects can be seen in the whole world since last more then three decades. It was a global movement, it did not influence only the Muslim nations but even the non-Muslim nations came under its effects. In the movements of Egypt, Libya and North Africa we find the blood of Islamic Revolution running in its veins. He said that, Islamic Revolution has changed the very thought of these nations. Imam Khomeini’s life has many aspects, the more it is to be studied, the more paths and aspects gets revealed.

Advocate Yusuf Abrahani (Ex-MLA, Maharashtra) talked about the crisis of Muslim leadership and its revival. Giving example of Imam Khomeini’s revolution and his leadership qualities he emphasized that only unity among Muslims and considering Imam Khomeini as the ideal leader by following his pattern will make the Islamic world to be a secure place. He said that the Political Leaders are not actual leaders, they are social workers. Leader is someone who changes the thinking of the entire group which he is leading. The leader uplifts the followers in all aspects.

Mr. S. Balakrishnan, Senior Journalist, Former Bureau Chief of TOI, and presently Editor of Deshbhakti Andolan, an English weekly spoke on The Global Politics and Imam Khomeini. Mr. Balakrishnan told that he had the privilege to interview the first President after the Islamic Revolution Mr. Ali Khomeini when he came to Delhi. Mr. Balakrishnan said that more than ever before, Imam Khomeini’s thoughts are relevant not only for Iran but for the whole world. Imam Khomeini’s struggle and fight against the Shah became so massive that the might of America which was de facto ruling Iran, failed. Mr. Balakrishnan covered various issues of contemporary world like current crises of Syria, American policy about Iran and political crises in India in terms of American dictatorship in internal matters. He concluded by saying that Indians, including Muslims and Non-Muslims, has to take lessons from Iranian public and Imam Khomeini so that they can stand up against the oppressive powers of the time and regains their rights and dignity.

Chief Guest of the Seminar, H.E. Mr. Khaleghi started his address by saying that it is very difficult to understand the personality of Imam Khomeini. He had a multi-dimensional personality. Mr. Khaleghi gave a brief history right from the Pahlavi dynasty in Iran to the nationalization of oil industry in Iran and mentioned the events of 5th June 1961 when Imam Khomeini was arrested and sent to exile but remained in contact with the Iranian people upto the Revolution, The Revolution changed everything and all aspects of imperialism and westernization vanished. He had lots of great ideologies and thoughts for Islamic world but two most important were 1. women’s rights, he added nine new model principles to the two previous models of westernized women and the cultural-literate women and showed to the people that women beside observing Hijab can be educated and effective for the society and 2. the best ideology he taught was self-reliance and freedom from any domination and believed in Neither west nor eastern pattern of governing.

The President of the proceedings of the seminar Syed Basharat Shikooh in his presidential speech gave brief remarks that our honesty demands that if we are Islamic then we should not leave the principles taught by Imam Khomeini. Imam Khomeini said that Muslims have all the qualities but are lacking in unity. If we get united and search the right path, success will surely be attained.

The Program was concluded by the Vote of Thanks by Ms. Rubina Firoz, General Secretary of the Ishterak Education Society.


An attempt to unite Muslim votes in Andhra Pradesh

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By TCN News

Hyderabad: An attempt is being made to unite Muslim votes in Andhra Pradesh to push forward demands of backward Muslim community.

A group of about 30 Muslim intellectuals gathered in Hyderabad on June 4th at the invitation of prominent social worker Khalid Rasool Khan to brain-storm on how to use upcoming state and national elections to further the socio-economic agenda that will benefit the Muslims.



JIH Amir Jalaluddin Umari attended the meet.

The gathering according to the report liked the idea of uniting Muslim votes in support of one political party.

Khalid Rasool Khan informed the gathering that Muslim United Vote Committee (MUV) is a registered NGO that will work on the sole purpose to unite the Muslim vote in all 294 Constituencies of the State and will use the power of that “vote bank” to leverage badly needed facilities and rights for the Muslim community from any one mainstream political party that will be in a position to form the next government. The selection of such a party will be done by this Committee and its 30 Members after it extracts written guarantees and promises from the selected party to give the Muslims its rights and privileges that are guaranteed in the Constitution of India. The Committee will also insist on such a party to also announce the agreed guarantees as part of their Election Manifesto.

Once this is done to its satisfaction, the MUV Committee will announce to all Muslims in the State to not only give each of their votes for the selected party but would also appeal to them to also work only for such party’s candidates during the elections in their respective areas. Mr. Khan is the president of MUV.

Dr. Syed Mazhar Hussain Executive Director of Cova (Confederation of Voluntary Associations) gave statistics that in the State of A.P. there are almost 29 constituencies where Muslims constitute 30 to 80% of the population, plus there are another 30 constituencies where Muslims are 15 to 30%. In these 59 constituencies the Unified Muslim vote can guarantee victory for any candidate who can also garner some more votes from the other groups. In another 40 constituencies, the Muslim unified vote can play a major role in giving victory to candidates who run short of 100 to 5000 votes. The Muslim vote, if cast unitedly, can bring victory to over 100 candidates in the State – and if most of these 100 candidates belong to the selected mainline political party then that party will also be guaranteed to form the Government.

If this happens as planned then such a party will go out of its way to thank and support the Muslim community for its victory and will give Muslims all of their rightful shares of benefits and privileges without any hesitation. Such a party will recognize that this united Muslim vote is a Kingmaker and will not want to lose their support in the next elections by going back on promises made before elections.

Mr Abid Rasool Khan Chairman Minority Commission gave the gathering his blessings and said that his main task is to work for the betterment of Minorities and any effort towards this goal will be welcomed by him. He also gave some advice to the gathering on ways to properly handle this subject in the coming days.

In his presidential address the Maulana Syed Jalaaluddin Umari, Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind assured the gathering that the Jamaat e Islami Hind would have no hesitation in working with any sincere and non-political organisation that would take up this task of working to unite the Muslim vote and use the same to leverage and negotiate important concessions and facilities from the political party that is likely to form the next Government. Maulana promised help of his organization’s grass-root workers for this effort even though just a few days Andhra Pradesh unit of Welfare Party of India was launched in a massive show of strength. WPI is the political party launched by JIH.

Link:

http://www.muslimunitedvote.org/

A storm in the Turkish tea cup: Has Political Islam failed Turkey?

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By Asma Anjum Khan for TwoCircles.net

Cheers Tayyip!

The crowd was shouting as it opened the beer cans. They were celebrating the marching out of the police who had orders to beat a retreat.

The venue was Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey. Tayyip was the name of their Prime Minister of more than ten years ,who had very recently proposed curbs on the advertisement and sale of alcohol. But they said, the protest was directed against the bulldozing of trees at Taksim Square. The mob cheered and jeered with the beer cans. But the protests soon turned violent and there were reports of arson ,injuries and arrests with accusations of Turkish police being excessively harsh in the first few days of the protest. The gory images spread like wild fire on the internet and the western media jumped the gun asking Has political Islam failed Turkey? The issue was local or say municipal and the protesters didn’t seem to just protest what they claimed to. It was said they were protesting against the building of a shopping mall at Taksim Square which would reduce the size of the green space at Turkey’s largest square.



A barricade set up by protesters on Taksim Square on June 1, 2013. [Photo by Resim77]

You can’t deprive us of our oxygen, they said.

One can’t agree more. These protests which began in what seems in right earnest against a development project at Taksim Square , Istanbul , soon morphed into nationwide demonstrations against the AK Party government on the first of June. Tayyip Erdogan had emerged as world Muslim leader, bravely pronouncing things which we were itching to hear , since ages ,from our Arab friends. We knew he had arrived when his minister was seen among Myanmar Muslims and when his wife held the hands of a wailing Myanmari Muslimah.

A fact finder says that the decision for implementing the Taksim Gezi Park Project at Taksim was made by the municipality several months ago. AK Party had announced the project at the 2011 elections. This project consists of the expansion of the pedestrian roads and the rebuilding of an old military barrack called Topcu Kislasi. The Topcu Kislasi was constructed in 1780 and remained there for a long time , till 1940 when the mayor of the city ordered its demolition. PM Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said that there are no plans to build a shopping mall there. The interesting thing which exposes the demonstrations, is that this new project would not decrease but increase the green space at the Taksim Square. The plan is to reserve the whole area of this largest square in Turkey for pedestrians.[ How greener could one get than this ?] The automobile traffic is proposed to be taken underground and there would be really fresh air to breathe deep, for the cheerers who gulp down the beers and hold kissing competitions there, just to mock the conservative views of Team Tayyip. A decision made at the municipal level has turned into a national political issue overnight.

The amount of coverage Taksim Square protests have drawn , from the world media is astonishing . It was raining Turkeys everywhere which soon were discovered to be cold ones. But the true anti climax , were those red flags waving in the hands of the protesters. The communists had come calling!

This issue based opposition with a particularized interest group converting into a national issue is interesting. It was manipulated into making it an ideological opposition against the AK Party rule and P M Tayyip Erdogan , without a specific purpose and legitimate goal and demand. The protesters were neatly divided into two groups, the first one consisting of people from diverse backgrounds , who sincerely wanted to halt the project and the second one of leftists, Marxist-Leninist and neo nationalist groups whose one point agenda is to oppose Tayyip Erdogon, tooth and nail to see his conservative ideology turn to dust.

What concerns is the inclusion of ill famed radical groups as TKP [Turkey Communist Party] and the outlawed leftist organization DHKPC, among the demonstrators, which carried out the attack on the US Embassy on February I , 2013. The second group as such are not the forces of democracy , these people in the past have supported violence and military coups , have opposed the peaceful solution of the Kurdish problem, and more dangerously refused to acknowledge , the rights of non Muslim religious minorities , in Turkey, not only do they support a crude form of Turkish nationalism but also oppose freedom of speech and religion. PM Erdogan in his Sunday speech clearly discerned between these two groups and supported people’s right to protest in a peaceful way.

The first group is a disgruntled one, sulking after the successive wins of the AK Party at the elections and is miffed about a few of his policies like regulating the purchase of alcohol. The government officials are reaching out to this specific group for addressing their concerns. The second group is like that enfant terrible, who wants to have his way, any which way. It is this second group which is embroiled in violent clashes with the police and has attacked public buildings, police cars, private shops, media buses and other places . When conventional methods to deal with the violent mobs failed , the police resorted to tear gas. But PM Erdogan severely criticized the excessive use of it in Istanbul and Ankara and an investigation into it has been ordered by the interior ministry. On Saturday June I , the first day of the protest the police were asked to retreat from the Taksim square. But the violent mobs have been prevented from attacking the PM’s office and other ministerial buildings.

The Western media went haywire as usual perhaps as the issue was of the alleged failure of the political Islam in a European Muslim country. Amnesty International brought out the report of two protesters being killed . They however had to apologize soon after for their false report on June 2 , and said they should not have published it without verification, from the authorities. Turkish main media was late in capturing the protest and was busy telecasting a Penguin documentary, in the initial days but soon enough it got the story. A lot of misinformation and false propaganda against the Turkish government generally and PM Tayyip Erdogan especially, can be discerned since the beginning of this movement. Tayyip’s fast emerging front role as a World Muslim leader might have ruffled a few feathers. Whispers allege that the presence of some behind the scene players could be felt, like Syria, Iran and Hizbollah and some other Arab countries. They might have seen a good opportunity to malign Tayyip in this Storm in the Tea Cup Turkey Turmoil. While Tayyip ‘s rhetorics haven’t helped the smouldering situation, he has turned the once crisis ridden economy into a growing one with trade and foreign investment increasing. He is also known as a conservative who has spoken for control on alcohol sale and ads, adult content on TV, and public display of affection by the young couples.

Orhan Pamuk the world renowned novelist and the first Turkish person to receive a Nobel prize, in his column for The New Yorker comments that, Making such significant changes to a square and a park that cradle the memories of millions without consulting the people of Istanbul first was a grave mistake by the Erdogan administration. This insensitive attitude clearly reflects the government’s drift towards authoritarianism. He does not forget to add that Turkey’s human-rights record is now worse than it has been in a decade but happy that his people are fearless enough to put up a fight for the green cause. Alas, same can’t be said about the Indian youth. They won’t protest for an environmental cause like the Turkish youth even as, Shiv Sena who is ruling Brihan Mumbai Corporation since last some twenty years plans to,’ take over Historic Race Course Maidan , the only green lungs and open space of Mumbai today; and turn it into a garden[sans any greenery, if you can believe!] soon.

Since the Syrian conflict the nomenclature Arab Spring has turned a bit mordant .Turkey is a vibrant democracy , hence calling the protests a spring is preposterous. The AK Party of PM Erdogan Tayyip , so vehemently targeted today from some quarters , had won with one of the most enviable margins of 50 %, with 80% of population taking part in the elections. With fingers crossed ,the world too is divided into two groups nows, one who wants to see Tayyip fail in his political Islam and the other who is mumbling.

Cheers Tayyip!
--
Asma Anjum Khan is Assistant Professor of English in Maharashtra

Performances of Muslim students in WB in Madhyamik and HS examinations

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Muslim missionary schools like Al Ameen Mission that have special provision for underprivileged schools are gradually producing result.

By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,

Kolkata: Muslim students from West Bengal have produced shining results in the (Secondary), Higher Secondary and ICSE examination 2013.

Results of Madhaymik Examinations were announced on 27 May, 2013. Aminul Ahsan of Bangshihari High School of South Dinajpur district has come 6th in the state by securing 675 out of 700. Aminul’s father Md Taimur Rahman is school teacher of History of Dalimgaon High School of Kusmandi in the same district. In subjects, including Mathematics and Life Science he has got 99 marks. Aminul now wants to become a doctor.

In last 20 years several Muslim societies in West Bengal have established many residential schools, with inclusive policy for backward classes and under privilege section of the people to educate them. Such Muslim missionary zeal is gradually producing results.

Sk Shariatullah comes from a very poor family. His father works in a small cycle repairing shop as a mechanic at his village in Birbhum distrcit. However, Shariatullah could study in Al Ameen Mission’s Pathatchapuri Campus in Birbhum district and got 666 numbers in Madhaymik. He too wants to become a doctor in future.

Sheikh Arif is from a very remote Dadpur village in the Burdwan district and his father Sheikh Ayel is a quack homeopathy practitioner. With 661 marks, however, he has topped in his Mamoon National School at Memari, managed by a social organization Al Madina Market & Welfare Society.

Similarly Dilbas Khatun father and elder brother works in brick factory, but that has not stopped her from securing 659 marks in the Madhyamik examinations. She is the first one in the family to even appear for secondary examinations. They live in a hut, without electricity, but thanks to Al Ameen Mission’s secretary, Nurul Islam that gave her the chance to study in Patharchapuri Campus. She wants to become a doctor.

Same is the story of Munira Parvin of Jatadanga village from Malda distirct, who studied in Al Ameen Mission’s Khalatpur campus in Howrah, or Mohammad Boni Amin from Murshidabad who studied in Al Ameen Mission’s Dhuliyan Branch.

Secretary of Al Ameen Mission, Nurul Islam told TCN that Al Ameen Mission that they work with the motto to promote meritorious students from underprivileged section to show better performances. Mission offers scholarships to the poor meritorious Muslim students, he added.

Sihubikash Acdemy, run by Society of Islamic Education in Chakberia village of South 24 Parganas, has several similar stories to tell. Amina Khatun, daughter of a hawker, from same village has got 634 marks, with 100 in Mathematics. Secretary of Sishubikash Academy, Munshi Abul Kahsem told TCN that Society of Islamic education bore all the study cost of Amina, who now wants to become an engineer.

Al Falah Mission (English Medium) of Bhakuri, Baharampur in Murshidabad district is affiliated to ICSE board, but it too has produced spectacular result. Wasim Akram of Al Falah Mission has got 94.6%. Secretary of Al Falah Mission, Harun al Rashid claims that Al Falah Mission is one of the best English medium schools in West Bengal run by any Muslim organization. They promote education amongst poor through scholarships, he added. Tamanna Hoque (93.4%), Sk Muhammad Elahi (82%) have also done well.

Not everyone is as lucky, however. Amir Hossain, son of a rickshaw puller in Coochbehar, has secured 607 marks out of 700. Amir wants to become a Physicist and has taken admission in Science stream, but he is afraid that he may not continue with Science if soon he does not find any sponsor.

Headmaster of Amir’s school Shankar Bhattacharya informed that Amir has been a consistent good performer since class five.

The Higher secondary examination result was declared on 4 June, 2013. Of the total 6, 21,205 students 1, 35,624 were Muslims. This year West Bengal Council of Higher secondary Education board announced separately minority students merit list. No Muslim student, however, has come up in the top 20 achievers in the higher secondary Exams 2013.

According to announcement of WBCHE, among the top 10 minority students, joint first rank holders are Firoj Ahmed of Birbhum Zilla School and Mizanul Haque of Baharampur Academy of Murshidabad with the number 460 out of 500. Mizanul Haque was among top 20 students in Madhyamik Examinations in 2011, but he could not maintain his performance. He, however, wants to become a doctor.

Saheli Sultana, Narayanpur High School of North 24 Pargans, ranked first among the girls Muslim students in higher secondary exams with 454 marks.

According to announcement of West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education Board top 10 Muslim students are:

1. Firoz Ahmed, Mizanul Haque (460)

2. Shahrukh Hossain, Tousif Hossain (455)

3. Sehali Sultana (454)

4. Mursalin Islam (453)

5. Asif Azad, Shafique Sabah, Monirul Islam (451)

6. Farha Naz, Sabir Ahmed (450)

7. Sohel Haque (448)

8. Sayeed Anwar (447)

9. Sabir Ahmed Molla, Md Moniruzaman, Rusel Khan, sheikh Farhan Parwez (446)

10. Md Aslam, Sagar Shayer Yar, Abu Saleh Musa (445).

Among the top 10 Muslim students of Higher Secondary Examinations, two of them are from Al Ameen Mission - Monirul Islam (5th) and Abu Saleh Musa Patoari (10th). While Monirul wants to become and engineer, Abu Saleh wants to do research in quantum Mechanics.

Several other students from these Muslim run schools have also done well.

Court blocks Akhilesh move to free accused in terror cases

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By IANS,

Lucknow : In a major blow to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court Friday blocked the state government move to withdraw cases against people accused of terrorist strikes.

While suspending the Uttar Pradesh government order, the high court fixed the next hearing after six weeks. A larger bench would then hear the case.

Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) Wednesday, the court had given the state government two days to respond.

The state government did not submit any record Friday, and could not furnish any details to support its move.

Unsatisfied with the government response to queries raised by the petitioner on the need for a tearing hurry to withdraw the cases, without waiting for the courts to first decide on them, the high court stayed the move.

The Samajwadi Party had promised, in its poll manifesto last year, that it would release all those accused of acts of terrorism who were innocent and had been framed.

A Barabanki court had earlier turned down a move to withdraw the case against those accused of involvement in the 2007 serial blasts in Lucknow, Faizabad and Gorakhpur, and rapped the state government for attempting to withdraw cases against Tariq Qasmi and Khalid Mujahid.

Reacting to the decision of the Allahabad High Court, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that the court has vindicated its stand that the Samajwadi Party government in the state was indulging in vote bank politics and minority appeasement.

"This is a slap on the face of the Akhilesh Yadav government, and it is time they realise that national security cannot be compromised for narrow electoral gains," state BJP chief Laxmikant Bajpai said.

Rifts surface in Kashmir's separatist ranks

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By Sheikh Qayoom, IANS,

Srinagar : A storm of sorts has hit the separatist camp in Kashmir with a senior leader publicly accusing colleagues in the movement of building "palaces over the graves of martyrs", a statement seen as laying bare the rift in the ranks.

Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik walked out of a seminar in Kashmir University earlier this week after he was reportedly told by some separatist leaders not to speak about the separatist movement during the function.

Malik later issued a statement saying some separatist leaders had become rich because they had built "palaces over the graves of martyrs".

While Malik's statement has ruffled many a feather in the separatist camp, another senior leader, Shabir Ahmad Shah, is believed to be on the verge of leaving the moderate Hurriyat group headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq.

Though sympathisers and insiders are trying to bring the two groups of the separatist Hurriyat Conference together, the appearance of differences in one has seriously jolted the possibility of reconciliation between the so-called hardliners headed by Syed Ali Geelani and the moderates headed by the Mirwaiz.

The united Hurriyat, which was formed in 1993 in the aftermath of the separatist violence that began here in the early 1990s, split into two groups in 2003. Efforts since then to bridge the differences between them have met with little success.

The split came when Geelani accused another separatist leader, Abdul Gani Lone, of fielding proxy candidates during the state assembly elections held in 2002.

Lone's son Sajad Gani Lone of the People's Conference has also tried his luck at the hustings.

Sajad contested the 2008 Lok Sabha election from the Baramulla constituency, but lost to Abdul Rashid Shaheen of the regional National Conference (NC).

Reports suggest that Sajad has drawn an elaborate list of candidates for the forthcoming 2014 assembly elections in the state. Sajad's brother, Bilal Gani Lone, still represents the People Conference in the moderate Hurriyat group.

The surfacing of strong differences among Kashmiri separatists indicates that ideology, ego and personal interest have worked overtime against the unity of the separatist leadership.

Many recent local media reports suggest that the NC is trying to forge some kind of an alliance with the Mirwaiz.

While the Mirwaiz has categorically denied such media reports, there have been times in the past when the generally perceived anti-India Mirwaiz family has "helped" the NC.

In 1983, Farooq Abdullah of the NC and Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq addressed a huge public rally in Srinagar announcing the forging of what was then popularly known as the "double Farooq alliance".

The Mirwaiz family has a huge following in the old city areas of Srinagar, which is largely believed to be the family's political stronghold.

The mainstream opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) has blamed the NC for trying to woo the Mirwaiz, at least to the extent of asking the people in Srinagar to boycott the 2014 elections.

The PDP believes a boycott by the majority of the people in Srinagar would benefit the NC as its city-based leaders "specialise in bogus voting by ferrying supporters from one deserted polling station to the other during poll boycott".

The bad news for the local separatist leaders is that their differences have become public at a time when media reports suggest Pakistan's new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif "might not host them like general Pervez Musharaf".

Paradoxically, slogans once seen as part of the separatist campaign could be used by mainstream politicians to attract voters during the next assembly elections in 2014.

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

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