By TCN News,

New Delhi: In the background of Gujarat IPS officer D.G Vanzara’s explosive disclosure, Welfare Party of India general secretary Dr.S.Q.R. Ilyas, in a statement, asked the Central Bureau of investigation (CBI) to quiz Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and former minister of state for home affairs Amit Shah.

Vanzara, who is in jail since 2007 in Soharabuddin encounter, in his 10 page resignation letter dated September 1 had categorically stated in unequivocal words that the Police Officers including himself and his seniors acted and performed their duty in compliance of the policy of the BJP government led by Narendra Modi. Vanzara in his letter to the Gujarat Additional Chief Secretary (Home) had even stated that he used to adore Modi as God.

Party general secretary Dr.S.Q.R. Ilyas in his statement made it clear that what has been disclosed by Police Officer Vanzara has ratified the stand taken by human rights organizations, victims of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom and fake encounters, civil society and many political parties that all the atrocities in the name of ‘zero tolerance for terrorism’ were orchestrated with the knowledge and approval of top functionaries of Gujarat government including Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

He asked the Chief Minister to step down forthwith and face criminal charges. Dr. Ilyas also wanted to know what the BJP president Mr. Rajnath Singh who tried to praise Mr. Modi recently while addressing the national executive of BJP national minority morcha in Delhi, where he pointed out that Mr. Modi was saddened about the riots that killed more than 2000 people and that it was accidental and not at the behest of the chief minister. The BJP president had claimed, “I have read his facial expressions whenever I have interacted with Narendra Modi (on the issue of riots) and he looks so sad (about the riots).”

By TCN News,

New Delhi: Chairman of Rehab India Foundation, E. Aboobacker formally inaugurated the second batch of MSW Scholarship Programme sponsored by Rehab India Foundation on Tuesday, September 2.

During the ceremony, Aboobacker said, “It is a participatory approach of development by selecting students from villages where the rehab projects exists. As a social worker commitment and sacrifice are the important things which students have to keep throughout the study and their profession in future.”

Referring the verses of holy scripts he said, “It is a duty of every believer to give their own contribution and service to the society and giving services to the needy and poor people is same as to sacrifice one’s body in means of God.”

Discussing the importance of the course, Afsel Chandrankandy, General Secretery of Rehab India Foundation said, “The student’s internship in Rehab projects is an opportunity to them to contribute their own share to the community by aware them about different scholarship programs and schemes. The ignorance of government schemes and programmes makes laps of crores of rupees for the minorities and poor in the country. By the efforts of a group of committed students can ensure benefits of lacks of rupees by government schemes to poor and deprived people in the country.”

Encouraging the students, he added, “Every student will try to get maximum knowledge and will become masters in their interested areas and work with other NGOs and government departments for the total empowerment of the communities. Rehab will provide its full support to the students.”

Muhammed Jabir M M, Coordinator of MSW Programme at the Rehab India Foundation explained about features of MSW scholarship programme at length which will offer best practices of community intervention program at grass root level for the development of the needy people in the country. He reviewed the last year activities and programs of the students and the achievement of the course. He provided brief introduction on the academic subjects and field work.

Mr. Amanathulah Khan, Research scholar, Delhi University delivered a lecture on the practice and methods of social work. He said that research is one of the best tool for the community intervention and skills in research should be improved by every social work students.

By Tameemuddin Humble, TwoCircles.net,

Since the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India became an obligation to a company in 2011, it is gaining ground in the formal sector of the economy. Whereas the informal sector which contributes to almost the half of the GNP and where approximately 93% of the Indian workforce is employed, the application of CSR is rare. The impact of CSR of a corporate is being felt well in India also on its branding and productivity so a corporate may not like to escape from fulfilling its legal obligations in future besides getting its business benefits in disguise rather it would keep pace with its changing dynamics keeping its global eye on. Traditionally, CSR existed philanthropically and largely revolved around activities like donations, planting trees, community development, setting up schools and hospitals, adult literacy, adoption of village, and so on.

Though the above components of CSR are important but they are not self-sustainable. Their survival is dependent on the profitability of the corporate. Therefore the CSR activities should be integrated with the official works fixed at regular intervals in a company without affecting its budget and that could only be done, if we ensure the very involvement of its managers in the program. It needs social attitude of the managers and training in order to acquire the necessary skills and competence, if one is lacking.

Bihari Kanya Vidyalaya Mirjaam Haat Bhagalpur

The Bhagalpur Electricity Distribution Company Pvt. Limited (BEDCPL) wants to tap into skills, expertise and passion of its employees to make a difference not only to the service assigned by the Bihar Government but to the society as well.

The above thoughts expressed by the Director of BEDCPL and CEO of Delhi based infrastructure giant, SPML Infra, Mr Amanullah, while launching the unique CSR project of BEDCPL, “Power Lunch” at Saryu Devi School in Mirjanhat on 20th August’ 2013. The company established its head office for now in Mirjanhat from where it is monitoring its project designed to serve 1.5 lakh consumers of electricity spread over the 7 blocks of this historic city Bhagalpur.

Telling about Power Lunch to local people

The concept of “Power Lunch” as a CSR activity has been brought here in Bhagalpur from America where Mr Amanullah worked till 2006 and the idea that brings companies into schools to inspire the students to develop a love for reading and writing at lunch time by the corporate volunteers which does not necessarily consists of taking lunch together but certainly adds intellectual power to the children of that school. The engineers and managers of BEDCPL spend their lunch time with the school children taking motivational classes and inspiring them to do better in their lives. The motivated and encouraged children are then expected to go back to their regular classrooms.

This CSR idea of BEDCPL initiated a debate in the corporate sector of Bihar on how a corporate could deliver its legal obligation under “Corporate Social Responsibility”.

Saryu Devi School

The company has taken up three schools of its vicinity so far for its CSR project—Saryu Devi School and Bihari kanya Vidhayalay at Mirjanhat and the Urdu Prathmic Vidhayalay of Barari. The project is designed only for the government aided schools of Bhagalpur where most of the children belong to the underprivileged section of the society. Every officer of the company has to spend two hours per week in any one of the selected schools with prior information to that school. More such schools are to be taken on board for this CSR project.

While the CSR activities contribute a lot to the goodwill of a company, their contribution in the Society’s actual success is dependent on its sustainability. Hence, it is the need of the hour to adopt the sustainable practices, that in addition to bring the goodwill to the company, the society could benefit in its totality also. The CSR should not only be for the PAFs (Project Affected Families). It should cover the whole society. The company has decided to foster and integrate the whole system of the management not only into the process of customer service but the empowerment of the vicinity where it is working.

Urdu Prathmik Vidyalaya Barari Bhagalpur

Education is the basic tool to bring the real development to the society. That is why BEDCPL is committed to bridge the big gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ in educational sector by focusing exclusively the downtrodden children of the areas around the project through the “Power Lunch” program.

Mr Amanullah said, “BEDCPL’s sustainability initiatives focus on two broad categories: delivering transmission and distribution solutions of electricity in Bhagalpur with the consumer satisfaction and operating responsibly and ethically”.

By IANS,

New Delhi : The Rajya Sabha was Thursday adjourned for 15 minutes after JD-U and SP members vociferously raised the issue of jailed Gujarat police official D.G. Vanzara's letter against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

As soon as the house met at 11 a.m., Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Samajwadi Party (SP) members raised the issue.

Unable to take up the scheduled business in the face of opposition protests, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien announced that the house be adjourned for 15 minutes.

Indian Police Services (IPS) officer D.G. Vanzara, charged and incarcerated in three staged gun battle cases, tendered his resignation Tuesday accusing the Gujarat chief minister of betraying him.

Vanzara wrote a stinging letter accusing Modi and former Gujarat home minister Amit Shah of approving the killings of alleged terrorists in staged gun battles.

By TCN News,

London, UK: Council of Indian Muslims in UK (COIMUK) has responded to the British MP Barry Gardiner, who has invited Gujarat CM Narendra Modi for a programme in Great Britian. In the letter, COIMUK Chairman Mohamed Munaf Zeena alleges that Gardiner has been “misinformed” about Modi. He writes, “Please forgive us for saying that we have been vindicated in our assessment that you have been misinformed. ”

Terming the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 “among the worst human rights violations in recent history,” COIMUK responds to the reply of Gardiner on Modi pointedly and in details about the riot, several pending cases, reports by several bodies and specifically on the question that Muslims had also voted for him in the 2012 Assmebly elections, suggesting that if those affected have reposed faith in him and are willing to move ahead, leaving past behin, why others should not.

COIMUK had earlier written an open letter to all the British Parliamentarians urging them to review their decision.

Narendra Modi

Full text of the letter:

Dear Right Hon. Mr. Gardiner,

Thank you for promptly responding to our concerns about your invitation to Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. Please forgive us for saying that we have been vindicated in our assessment that you have been misinformed. Before we respond to the points raised in your letter, let us start by providing some background on the most serious charge against Mr. Modi, about his role in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002.

The viciousness and barbarism that marked the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 including the burning alive of hundreds of people, and brutal sexual violence against women, make the Gujarat riots among the worst human rights violations in recent history. Over 2000 people were killed, countless others wounded, and over 150,000 displaced from their homes.

After their investigation of the violence, Human Rights Watch stated that the “attacks against Muslims (and other religious minorities) in Gujarat have been actively supported by state BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government officials and by the police.” [13]

The "Concerned Citizens Tribunal", established by journalists, retired judges and intellectuals in India to investigate the massacres in Gujarat, noted in its report:

The scrutiny of the evidence, which came before us, also reveals that there was systematic preparation for unleashing the violence all over the State. The attackers had with them the lists of persons and properties of the victims. The lists could not have been prepared without an access to government records and agencies like the state intelligence, the sales tax department, the revenue department and the state electoral rolls. The Muslim localities were identified beforehand, as also the property and business houses belonging to the Muslim community.

[Crime Against Humanity, Volume 1 - An Inquiry into the Carnage in Gujarat]

Babu Bajrangi, a convicted mass-killer of the Gujarat pogrom, acknowledged on camera during a media sting operation, that the pogrom would not have been possible without the support of Chief Minister Narendra Modi [14].

There is much more evidence that we would be happy to provide, should you need us to corroborate our position against Mr. Modi.

We would now like to respond to your letter point by point.

1. Modi, “has been re-elected three times since first becoming Chief Minister in 2001”

This is not unusual in Indian electoral politics which is often driven by sectarian loyalty rather than principle. Nor does it mean that he is governing well. The Left Front government ruled the state of West Bengal for 32 years until 2009. Naveen Patnaik (Orissa), Sheila Dikshit (Delhi) also were re-elected three times in a row. You must be aware of the fact that electoral arithmetic does not entirely depend on the persona of any individual, especially in a Westminster model of democracy.

2. Muslims have voted for him in 2012

The Center for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), which collects electoral data collected using scientific survey methodology, reported that only 18% of Muslims voted for BJP.

The same data reports that BJP did not field any Muslim candidate in the last Gujarat election. There were areas where Muslims had no option but to vote for the other candidate. This has nothing to do with Modi. Muslims were forced to express, under threat or intimidation by BJP/RSS, their support for him but there is nothing to suggest that they have voted for him as a community. [3]

3. Since 2001 he has stamped out corruption in the State administration”

This is false – an example of Mr. Modi’s expensive propaganda machine at work. If corruption has been stamped out, why then did the Modi administration resist the appointment of state Lok Ayukta (anti-corruption ombudsman) since 2003? When the State Governor appointed one, the Modi administration contested it up to the Supreme Court where it lost.

4. Modi, “is widely recognized (even by his enemies) to be personally not corrupt and to live frugally.”

Our objections to Mr. Modi's politics concern his fascist traits in politics and government, not his personal lifestyle, which incidentally is also not above board.

5. “Many non-resident Indians who hold him in high regard have a keen interest in maintaining their family contacts in Gujarat and are therefore interested to hear his views.”

This is no reason to justify implicit support for his views by providing him with a platform. Emigrants all over the world maintain contact with their families and relatives back home. There may be many in the UK who support other leaders with fascist views and would be very interested to hear them.

6. “He has presided over what is often referred to as an economic miracle in Gujarat, encouraging foreign direct investment and improving roads, electricity and infrastructure whilst increasing education and healthcare....”

Gujarat has not been a leading state in foreign direct investment (FDI). The Gujarat government claims that it signed nearly $1 trillion worth of memoranda of understanding (MoU), putting the state ahead of China! The real numbers tell a different story. Most of the MoUs never come to fruition. Gujarat's actual FDI is only sixth in the country and slightly ahead of (until recently communist ruled) West Bengal. Mr. Modi’s formidable PR armada led by APCO has created the fiction of Modi’s magic in Gujarat’s prosperity. Even if it were true, how much does a pound of human flesh cost?

7. Britain now has more foreign direct investment in Gujarat than in the rest of India put together.

This is a rather unfortunate admission in that it implies that economic interests are more important than human rights. Please note that the massacres he gave free rein to in 2002 also took the lives of three British citizens. These facts, if underlined, would anger the general British population as well. Under these circumstances, it would be highly regrettable for a British politician to be associated with and seen as endorsing Mr. Modi.

8. He has been voted as the most successful Chief Minister in India by Today Magazine 6 years in a row.

India Today is an English language magazine. English is spoken by 2-3% people in India (per the national census of 2001) - the poll therefore does not carry much weight as representing a significant proportion of Indian citizens.

9. He has recently been made the Leader of the Official Opposition Party

The Leader of the Official Opposition Party is in fact Mr. Rajnath Singh; Mr. Modi is simply in charge of the election campaign for 2014 elections.

10. The BJP is a Hindu Nationalist Party. And those are certainly his uncompromising views (he would like India to be a Hindu State just as Pakistan is a Muslim State.)

Thank you for pointing this out. The issue is that the Hindu Nationalist charter goes above and beyond India as a Hindu state a la Pakistan as a Muslim state. The VHP and RSS who are the ideological sources of the Hindu Nationalist movement were strongly influenced by Nazis in their formative years. University of Chicago Professor Martha Nussbaum calls the movement the most successful proto-fascist movement of modern times [1]. To quote Prof. Nussbaum:

“Since long before the 2002 Gujarat riots--in which nearly two thousand Muslims were killed by Hindu extremists--the power of the Hindu right has been growing, threatening India's hard-won constitutional practices of democracy, tolerance, and religious pluralism. Led politically by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Hindu right has sought the subordination of other religious groups and has directed particular vitriol against Muslims, who are cast as devils in need of purging.”

The Hindu Nationalist movement not only threatens the Muslims in India, but Christians, Dalits, Sikhs, Buddhists, and other minorities as well. In the long run, they will threaten other regional powers (Because India, according to them, extends from Afghanistan to Burma and from Tibet to Sri Lanka.)

BJP is the political wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a fascist group whose leader M. S. Golwalkar in his book We; Our Nationhood Defined, laid down the aims and objectives of this group in these words, “...the foreign races [read non Hindus] in Hindusthan [India] must either adopt the Hindu culture and language, must learn to respect and hold in reverence Hindu religion, must entertain no idea but those of the glorification of the Hindu race and culture...must lose their separate existence to merge in the Hindu race, or may stay in the country, wholly subordinated to the Hindu Nation...We are an old nation; let us deal, as old nations ought to and do deal, with the foreign races...” Otherwise, “...To keep up the purity of the Race and its culture, Germany shocked the world by her purging the country of the Semitic Races—the Jews. Germany has also shown how well impossible it is for Races and cultures, having differences going to the root, to be assimilated into one united whole, a good lesson for us in Hindusthan to learn and profit by.”

India has a remarkably successful constitution. Modi’s uncompromising views are constitutionally inappropriate and legally unjustifiable.

11. I am of course aware of the allegations that he was implicated in – some say that he organised – the appalling rioting that took place in Gujarat in 2002… train that was set alight by Muslim extremists who objected to the Ram Sewaks’ demands to build a Hindu temple at Ayodhya

The official probe conducted by Indian Railways concluded that there was no attack from outside, that the fire started inside the coach; the claim that the fire was started by the Muslims’ as a retaliation to the temple at Ayodhya is a fiction and perhaps uttered here for the first time.

Muslims do not oppose the construction of a Ram Temple. What they are against is the occupation of Waqf (Muslim trust) land, where once stood a historic mosque and that was pulled down by extremist Hindus under the full gaze of the media.

12. “Hindu mobs... planned massacre”

As has been pointed out, all evidence points to a planned and systematic ethnic cleansing that could not have been possible without the overt support of the state machinery. A former minister in Modi cabinet Maya Kodnani was convicted by the High Court in Gujarat for her role in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002 [12]. This alone is a damning indictment and proof that the pogrom was planned and executed with direction from the highest levels of the state administration.

13. “Given that the Indian Courts... Modi was not implicated in any way”

The truth about Modi will be known only when he is out of office and unable to use government machinery to silence his critics– please see what he does to officers who expose his role like Sanjiv Bhat.

14. “This has of course not stopped people using the allegations against him for political reasons; and they continue to do so... That is no reason... there is not even a case for him to answer”

Even the Supreme court has made these allegations [2, 10]. Are you, sir, suggesting that the Indian Supreme court has political agenda?

Mr. Modi has refused to condemn the attack on Muslims; he has instead focused his efforts on denying relief and assistance to the victims [11]. He has polarized Gujarati and Indian society along religious lines, leading to social and commercial boycott of Muslims, walls separating Muslim and Hindu areas in cities and towns and “Muslim-free” villages. There are still tens of thousands of the displaced during 2002 living in shanty towns and temporary refugee camps too afraid to return to their homes and villages.

The amicus curiae appointed by the Supreme Court has asserted that Modi can be prosecuted [2]. There is enough evidence against him that the United States denies him entry [5,6]. It is difficult to file a case against a Chief Minister everywhere and especially in India.

15. My assessment in inviting Modi to speak in the UK is that he is a hugely important figure in Indian politics. He is already Leader of the Opposition and depending on the outcome of next year’s elections he could become the Prime Minister of India. At the very least he will continue to be a dominant influence on India’s future direction one way or another. Britain has good relations with India and our trade and education links are strong and growing. It is therefore in my view entirely appropriate that British politicians and leaders of the Indian community in the UK should have an interest in what he has to say about the future direction of his country.

As we have pointed out before, Modi is not the leader of the Opposition. He is not as popular as you have been told [9]. Humanity has nothing to gain from a fascist leader, however alluring his promises may seem.

We hope we have convinced you that the facts and arguments provided to you by Modi supporters are false and reprehensibly so. We would like to expand on why we oppose Mr. Modi and his propaganda of a Gujarat `miracle.’

He inherited a rich state which was richer than the rest of India even before independence - in comparison to other Indian states Gujarat has always been an economically better [4].

Even so, income disparity in Gujarat is one of the most extreme in India. Per data released by the planning commission of India, 31.8% are still below poverty line. Note that poverty means those who do not earn Rs. 20 (GBP 0.20) per day!

Responding to a question on malnutrition in Gujarat, Narendra Modi, on 29 August 2012, said: "The middle class is more beauty-conscious than health-conscious that is a challenge…If a mother tells her daughter to have milk, they'll have a fight-she'll tell her mother, 'I won't drink milk. I'll get fat."

We would like to emphasize that Mr. Modi refused to condemn the 2002 riots, let alone apologize to the victims. He walked out of an interview with Karan Thapar when pressed on this. On the contrary he continues to evoke the 2002 case to create his image as a nationalist!

We have tried our best to answer you point by point. We specially request you to watch and read the links and references provided in our responses. If that is difficult, please ask an unbiased and credible source about the facts presented here. At stake are values that are common to both the United Kingdom and India and indeed to all civilized nations [7, 8].

Regards,
Munaf Zeena

Notes and References

[1] “The Clash Within: Democracy, Religious Violence, and India's Future” Martha Nussbaum Belknap Press of Harvard University Press (2009)

[2] “Gujarat riots: Amicus curiae says Modi can be prosecuted”http://www.indianexpress.com/news/gujarat...amicus-curiae...modi.../946400/

[3] “Muslims solidly against Modi: Katju

”http://www.siasat.com/english/news/muslims-solidly-against-modi-katju

[4] Growth Rate: As per the Planning Commission data, this is true that in the period of 1995-2000 and 2001-10, Gujarat increased its annual rate of growth from 8.01% to 8.68%.

But look at other states Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. In fact, Gujarat was ranked second after Rajasthan (8.34%) in the first period and third after Uttarakhand (11.81%) and Haryana (8.95%) in the second period. Even Bihar and Orissa, the two most backward states of the country, have also shown growth pick up from 4.70% and 4.42% in the first period to 8.02% and 8.13% in the second period. Even smaller states like Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh have registered growth of 11.01% and 8.96%, respectively. In 2011, Gujarat ranked sixth among major states with PCI of Rs 63,996, after Haryana (Rs 92,327), Maharashtra (Rs 83,471), Punjab (Rs 67,473), Tamil Nadu (Rs 72,993) and Uttarakhand (Rs 68,292).

[5] Keep denying visa to Modi: US lawmakers (Dec 4, 2012)

25 US lawmakers have urged US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to continue with America's move.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/keep-denying-visa-to-modi--us-lawmakers-0524244...

[6] US official warns against giving India’s Narendra Modi a visa (Aug 16, 2013)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10250928/US-officia...

[7] India would not survive if Modi becomes PM: Press Council of India Chairman(Feb 25, 2013)

“India will not be able to survive because it has so much diversity, so many religions, castes, languages, ethnic groups, etc.

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/GUJ-AHD-india-would-not-survive-if-modi...

[8] Narendra Modi's re-election a black mark for Gujarat: Martha C Nussbaum (Dec 24, 2012)

Martha C Nussbaum is the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago.

"Modi has long been denied a visa to enter the US because of his complicity in the 2002 pogrom, as ascertained by the US State Department. But now, the Naroda Patiya verdicts make official the fact that responsibility for heinous crimes goes very high up in his government," she notes.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-12-24/news/35991670_1_...

[9] Printers protest Narendra Modi as chief guest, pullout from conference (Feb 25, 2013)

"We do not agree with the content of your seminar and invitation of Narendra Modi as a chief guest," he said. "As a magazine and as a publishing house in India with more than 12 years of standing, we stand by the principles of good taste, decency, progressive values, democratic principles and above all, the Constitution of India. As editor of PrintWeek India, I don't think Narendra Modi stands by these values; and hence the withdrawal of support," Ramnathan said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/printers-protest-narendra-modi-as-chie...

[10] Godhra Riots: Gujarat HC Raps Modi for 'Inaction'

Passing strictures against the state government, the court said, "Gujarat Government's inadequate response and inaction (to contain the riots) resulted in an anarchic situation which continued unabated for days on".

[11] HC asks Modi Govt. to implement minority scholarship scheme (Feb 8, 2012)

In a major blow to the Narendra Modi government, the Gujarat High Court today censured it for "inaction and negligence" during the 2002 post-Godhra riots, holding that this had resulted in an "anarchic" situation.

[12] Naroda Patiya case: Former BJP minister Maya Kodnani convicted along with 31 others http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-08-30/news/33499655_1_...

[13]"We have no orders to save you" - Report by Human Rights Watch

http://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports/2002/india/

[14] The Truth – Gujarat 2002: Babu Bajrangi

http://www.tehelka.com/video/the-truth-gujarat-2002-babu-bajrangi/.

Council of Indian Muslims (UK) : http://coimuk.org/

By IANS,

London : Indian-origin Muslims in the UK have come out in criticism of Labour leader Barry Gardiner, MP from Brent North, for inviting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to speak on "The Future of Modern India" in the British parliament.

However, Gardiner, who is the chairman of Labour Friends of India, said his assessment in inviting Modi to speak in Britain was that "he is a hugely important figure in Indian politics", the Asian Lite newspaper reported.

The Council of Indian Muslims (UK) has said that by extending this invitation, British politicians have committed a "blunder".

"This move will encourage extremism in India, will set a dangerous precedent in British politics and will go down in history as yet another shameful blunder by British politicians - and by the British government if a visa is issued to Modi," Munaf Zeena, chairman of the Council of Indian Muslims (UK), said.

Zeena said the "viciousness and barbarism" that marked the Gujarat riots of 2002 make the riots among the worst human rights violations in recent history.

Over 2,000 people were killed, countless others wounded, and over 150,000 displaced from their homes.

The Muslim forum, in a letter to Gardiner, stated its objections to Modi’s politics concern his “fascist traits in politics and government, not his personal lifestyle, which incidentally is also not above board”.

“Modi has refused to condemn the attack on Muslims; he has instead focused his efforts on denying relief and assistance to the victims," Zeena said.

"He has polarised Gujarati and Indian society along religious lines, leading to social and commercial boycott of Muslims, walls separating Muslim and Hindu areas in cities and towns and 'Muslim-free' villages," Zeena said.

"There are still tens of thousands of the displaced during 2002 living in shanty towns and temporary refugee camps too afraid to return to their homes and villages,” he added.

However, Gardiner said that Modi was already the main leader of the opposition in India.

“He (Modi) is already main 'leader of the opposition' and depending on the outcome of next year’s (Indian general) elections he could become the prime minister of India," Gardiner said justifying the move.

"At the very least, he will continue to be a dominant influence on India’s future direction one way or another. Britain has good relations with India and our trade and education links are strong and growing," he said.

"It is therefore in my view entirely appropriate that British politicians and leaders of the Indian community in the UK should have an interest in what he has to say about the future direction of his country.”

However, the Muslim forum doesn’t seem to buy this argument and has pointed out that Modi is "not the leader of the opposition".

According to the forum, Modi is "not as popular as you have been told".

By IANS,

New Delhi : The Congress Thursday renewed its demand for the resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, citing a CD related to the 2006 killing of a witness in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh staged killing case.

According to Congress spokesperson Bhakta Charan Das, the National Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission has written to the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the CD and submit a report before the Supreme Court.

The Congress had Sep 3 showed and distributed the CDs of the sting operation which caught Bharatiya Janata Party leader Prakash Javadekar allegedly trying to put hurdles in the path of the trial and other judicial proceedings in the case.

Das said the SC/ST panel has written to chief secretaries and directors general of police of Gujarat and Rajasthan to look into the CD and submit a report to it.

The witness, Tulsiram Prajapati was killed in another allegedly staged shootout Dec 28, 2006 in which then Gujarat minister of state for home Amit Shah is the main accused.

Prajapati was the only witness to the December 2005 police shootout in which Sohrabuddin Sheikh was killed.

Targeting Modi, Das said: "There are 32 police officers in jail in Gujarat, including six Indian Police Service officers for allegedly carrying out fake encounters (staged shoot-outs)."

"Why should the political leadership which gave the orders to the police officers not be in jail," he asked.

Earlier, Congress media department chief Ajay Maken had demanded a CBI probe into the CD.

"How can he (Modi) stay as chief minister when the investigation process is going on. The senior leader of Bharatiya Janata Party, Narendra Modi, used his chair and intervened with the justice system," he said at a press conference.

The issue came to light after a petition was filed by a journalist on the basis of a sting operation done by him.

He alleged that attempts were made by Javadekar and his fellow party MP Bhupendra Singh Yadav to impede the trial and other judicial proceedings by manipulating the complainant with the sole intent to protect Shah.

By TCN News,

New Delhi: Minister of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju visited Jamia Millia Islamia campus on Thursday 5th September, 2013. 5th September is also celebrated as Teachers’ day all over India.

During his visit to Jamia campus, MHRD Minister Dr. Pallam Raju inaugurated two new buildings on Jamia Millia Islamia campus. These are 1) The Srinivasa Ramanujan Block and 2) The New Building of the University Polytechnic.

The Srinivasa Ramanujan Block houses three departments of the university – 1) Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, 2) Department of Bio-Sciences and 3) Department of Bio-Technology, while the existing University Polytechnic is to be housed in its New Building which was also inaugurated by the Minister.

As per programme, MHRD Minister visited the Jamia Millia Islamia campus on 5th September, 2013 at 3 PM, where he first inaugurated the New Building of the University Polytechnic and then went on to inaugurate The Srinivasa Ramanujan Block at 3.15 PM.

Thereafter, HRD Minister Dr. Pallam Raju arrived at 3.30 PM in Dr. M.A. Ansari Auditorium

The programme started with the recitation from the Holy Quran. Thereafter, Jamia students presented the Jamia Tarana.

Prof. S.M. Sajid, offg. Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia presided over the programme and delivered his welcome remarks. In his welcome remarks he highlighted the important role that Jamia has been playing in providing education to those who come from underprivileged sections of society. Prof Sajid also recounted the achievements of the university and the recent strides made by the university in academics, research, and other co-curricular activities.

This was followed by HRD Minister Dr. Pallam Raju’s address to the university teachers, students and staff. In his address he said “I am especially pleased to be in Jamia today since today we celebrate Dr. Radhakrishnan’s birthday as teachers’ day across schools and universities, and I take this opportunity to especially felicitate our teachers who don’t just contribute in building academic institutions but also our communities and nation.”

The Programme ended with the National Anthem sung by the students of the university. Thereafter, the Vote of Thanks was delivered by Prof Shahid Ashraf, offg. Registrar, Jamia Millia Islamia. Later the minister interacted with the university community informally afterwards over a cup of tea.

The full text of MHRD speech:

Mr.Vice-Chancellor, Deans of Faculties, Head of the Departments, Teachers, friends from the Media and dear students.

It is a matter of great pride and happiness to be present here at this great and historical institution of higher learning. Born in the crucible of the freedom movement, the Jamia Millia Islamia would soon be completing 100 years of its existence. And as I stand here today, we witness how far this institution has developed in these past decades fulfilling the dreams of its founders to continue to provide modern and secular education amongst its students. It is a matter of great pride to see how the Jamia has responded to the educational needs of India’s minorities, particularly Muslims as indeed to so many underprivileged students. Today you all take pride in your 9 faculties, 40 departments, 22 centres of excellence that are carrying out critical cutting edge research. I take this opportunity to salute Dr.Zakir Husain who under Gandhiji’s influence evolved a concept of “Nai Taleem” that has flowered as we see these magnificent buildings surrounding us.

I am especially pleased to be in Jamia today since today we celebrate Dr. Radhakrishnan’s birthday as teachers’ day across schools and universities, and I take this opportunity to especially felicitate our teachers who don’t just contribute in building academic institutions but also our communities and nation.

Your excellent Centre for Mass Communication Research has a phenomenal reputation but you have not rested on your laurels and kept up the path to progress that is evident from the most recently established Centre for Nano Science and Nano Technology.

The Vice-Chancellor mentioned that a Professor in the Centre for Theoretical Physics has been cited as reference in the work of the 2011 Nobel prize in Physics. The Centre of Interdisciplinary Research whose new building I have inaugurated today and the Departments of Biosciences and Biotechnology are researching critical areas in many fields. Jamia continues to take pride in its social sciences and I congratulate all of you who have contributed through your hard work that has brought the University to this level.

I am especially happy to have inaugurated this new polytechnic building. The Jamia has one of the oldest Polytechnics in the country that actually started out of a Civil and Rural Institute way back in 1957. My best wishes now go out to all the students that will be housed in this comfortable building.

Your Vice-Chancellor mentioned to me the pressing need for a girls’ polytechnic. It is our government’s mission to empower girl students and enable them to find employment and play a truly constructive role in nation building. I will certainly discuss this matter further with Prof Sajid.

I am also aware of your other pending projects like 100 bedded hospital for Faculty of Dentistry, Research proposal on Public Health and requirements of additional allocations under the 12th plan. The government will certainly look into these proposals speedily.

Mr. Vice-Chancellor I wish you and your colleagues great success in your endeavours and it is my ardent hope that this institution achieves all that you wish for it. May the Almighty shower all your students with his blessings.

By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,

New Delhi : The New Delhi-based Institute of Objective Studies, (IOS), has decided to organize an international conference on “Revisiting Abul Qasim Al-Zahrawi's Legacy in Medicine and Surgery” on December 13-15, 2013 here, to mark the 1000th death anniversary of the pioneer physician and surgeon and highlight his wide-ranging contributions to medicine and surgery.

This was decided at the 27th annual meeting of Governing Council, (GC), of IOS held on August 31 last which was later endorsed by the General Assembly at its meeting on September 1 last. Eminent doctors, surgeons, medical scientists and experts of Tib from within and outside the country are expected to participate in the conference.

Sketch of Abu al-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas Al-Zahrawi – Father of Modern Surgery

The objectives of the international conference are: (i) To commemorate al-Zahrawi’s 1000th death anniversary and to highlight his highly original and enduring contributions to the advancement of modern medicine and surgery; (ii) To sensitize scientists, physicians and surgeons, especially those of the younger generation, to the grandeur of Islamic civilization and its role in the shaping of the modern world; (iii) To disseminate awareness and appreciation about al-Zahrawi’s outstanding contributions to medicine among physicians, surgeons and other medical and health-related professionals in India; (iv) To offer a contemporary assessment of al-Zahrawi’s contributions in the light of modern clinical researches and surgical procedures and (v) To offer a corrective to the Eurocentric bias in the Western discourse on the history of science and medicine.

The Sub-themes/Sessions of the conference would be: (a) The relevance of al-Zahrawi’s clinical methods and surgical procedures and instruments to modern medicine and surgery; (b) Al-Zahrawi’s holistic vision of health and disease and its relevance in the contemporary medical discourse; (c) Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to orthopaedics and its contemporary relevance; (d) Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to gynaecology and obstetrics and its enduring significance; (e) Al-Zahrawi’s enduring contribution to pharmacology; (f) Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to cauterization; (g) Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to dentistry; (h) Al-Zahrawi’s works and Tibb-e-Unani in South Asia and (i) The Prominence of Islamic Perspective in Al-Zahrawi’s contributions.

It may be mentioned here that for more than five centuries, from 750 to 1258 AD – which is often described as the Golden Age of Islamic science -- the teaching and practice of medicine in Europe was heavily influenced by the works of Al-Razi (d. 925), a l-Zahrawi (d. 1013) and Ibn Sina (d. 1037).

The Indian Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen has remarked that “as leaders of innovative thought in that period in history, Muslim intellectuals were among the most committed globalisers of science and mathematics.”

Abul Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al-Zahrawi (940-1013), known as Albucasis in the West, devoted his entire life, in Madinat al-Zahra, near Cordoba, in Muslim Spain, to medical research and practice. He made an outstanding and original contribution to medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology and obstetrics, pharmacology and dentistry. He has been described as the father of modern surgery. More than a thousand years ago, Al-Zahrawi diagnosed and treated many diseases, which came to be rediscovered and confirmed in later centuries. He described what later came to be known as “Kocher’s method” for treating a dislocated shoulder, and the “Walcher position” in obstetrics. He described the method of ligaturing blood vessels almost six centuries before the French surgeon Ambroise Pare (1510-1590). He described tuberculosis of the spine, which is now known as Pott’s disease (named after the English physician Percivall Pott, 1714-1788). He prescribed mastectomy for breast cancer.

Al-Zahrawi described, for the first time in medical history, a genetic disease transmitted by an unaffected woman to her male children, which is today known as haemophilia. The first description of haemophilia in the West was made by an American physician, Dr John Conrad Otto, in 1803. Al-Zahrawi advised the use of catgut, a thread made from the inner intestinal lining of animals that is capable of dissolving and is acceptable by the body, which is still used in modern surgical procedures. He was the first to use silk sutures to close wounds. He was also the first to use forceps in vaginal delivery, which greatly reduced the incidence of maternal and child mortality. He recommended the use of cotton in surgical dressings, in the control of haemorrhage, and as a padding in the splinting of fractures. Al-Zahrawi was the first to prescribe a surgical procedure for migraine.

A significant aspect of Al-Zahrawi’s multifaceted contributions to medicine and surgery relates to the diagnosis and treatment of women’s problems and diseases. He instructed and trained midwives and wrote a section on midwifery in his magnum opus, Al-Tasrif. Some of the clinical and surgical devices and instruments designed by him were meant to be used for women.

Al-Zahrawi's classic treatise Kitab al-Tasrif liman ajiza al al-talif is universally acknowledged as the first systematic, comprehensive and illustrated textbook of surgery. The book, which was the result of 50 years of clinical research and practice and runs into 30 volumes, is a veritable encyclopaedia of medicine and surgery. A major part of the book deals with materia medica and the remaining parts with wide-ranging subjects such as anatomy, clinical medicine, dentistry, midwifery and childbirth, bloodletting, the bearing of temperament on disease, the relationship between diet and disease, and the naming and compounding of drugs. Al-Zahrawi described more than 300 diseases and their treatment. The last part of the book --the 30th treatise--deals with surgery.

The 27th Annual Meeting of the Governing Council of the Institute of Objective Studies underway in New Delhi

Al-Zahrawi is credited with having invented a number of clinical and surgical instruments, including the finely pointed scalpel to cut up a swollen foreign body in the ear, eye speculum, fine conjectivital hooks, ophthalmic scissors, respiratory for lachrymal fistulae, fine couching needles, scrappers for teeth, forceps for the removal of broken roots of teeth and for the wiring of teeth, and the use of ox bone for artificial teeth. The operative removal of a ranula and the use of a tonsil guillotine and mouth gag in a tonsillectomy are among the original discoveries of Al-Zahrawi. Al-Tasrif contains more than 200 illustrations and drawings of clinical and surgical devices and instruments, and many of them were designed by him. These include scalpels, probe syringes, obstetric forceps, curettes, hooks, rods, specula, the surgical needle and forceps. These devices and instruments were meant to serve a wide variety of clinical and surgical purposes.

For nearly five centuries, from the 11th to the 16th, al-Zahrawi was the most cited medical authority in Europe and his work on surgery had a profound impact on European physicians and surgeons. Almost all European writers of surgery in the Middle Ages made extensive references to Al-Zahrawi’s work and drew upon his clinical insights and surgical innovations. The celebrated French surgeon Guy de Chauliac (d. 1368) made repeated references to Al-Zahrawi in his writings and even appended the Latin translation of his surgical treatise to his book Chirurgia magna. He ranked al-Zahrawi alongside Hippocrates and Galen. Al-Zahrawi was hailed by the eminent Italian surgeon Pietro Argellata (d. 1423) as “the chief of all surgeons”. The renowned French surgeon Jaques Delchamps (d. 1588) made frequent references to al-Zahrawi’s work in his writings. Al-Zahrawi’s surgical treatise remained a standard textbook on the subject in all leading European universities from the 15th to the 18th century. Many of the towering figures in modern science and medicines, including Fallopius, Vesalius, Cardan and Harvey, drew upon the works of al-Zahrawi, al-Razi and Ibn Sina. The renowned historian of science George Sarton, in his monumental An Introduction to the History of Science, has remarked that no single book, other than Al-Tasrif, influenced and revolutionised the art of surgery from the 11th to the 14th century.

W. S. Halsted (1852-1922), the doyen of modern American surgery, credited Al-Zahrawi for performing the first successful thyroidectomy, and remarked, "The extirpation of the thyroid gland for goitre typifies, perhaps better than any other operation, the supreme triumph of the surgeon's art -- which is indeed a very great attribute".

Four aspects of al-Zahrawi’s enduring legacy in medicine and surgery are particularly noteworthy. First, he anticipated and pioneered the diagnosis and treatment of several diseases, through highly innovative clinical and surgical methods, centuries before they were rediscovered by European physicians. Second, many of his clinical methods and surgical procedures and instruments continue to be followed, albeit in more sophisticated forms, in modern clinical and surgical practices. Third, there is a growing worldwide recognition of the holistic view of health and disease, which was espoused by al-Zahrawi, in modern medical discourse. Fourth, there is a revival of interest in modern times of some of the novel surgical procedures recommended by al-Zahrawi, such as the treatment of migraine through surgical procedures. (pervezbari@eth.net)

By IANS,

Margao (Goa) : Indian Mujahideen terrorist Yasin Bhatkal's revelations about possible attacks seem to be weighing heavy on the minds of officials in Goa who Thursday issued an advisory asking people to remain alert during the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.

For the the 11-day festival beginning Sep 9, the district administration in South Goa, has made it compulsory for public pandals to use electronic eyes for surveillance.

According to District Collector (South) N.D. Agarwal, the recent arrest of Bhatkal and his revelations in custody about IM's terror plans was one of the reasons why all public Ganesh Chaturthi pandals had been told to instal CCTV cameras this year.

"We had a meeting with all the organisers of public Ganesh pandals. In view of the arrest of the top terrorist and knowing that these people could commit untoward incidents, we have to take precaution," Agarwal told reporters at the district collectorate complex in Margao, a town 35 km from the capital where the South district headquarters is located.

Ganesh Chaturthi is considered the most important Hindu religious festival in Goa.

By IANS,

Panaji : Two months after Narendra Modi’s puppy remark in an interview to an international newswire sparked controversy, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s comments to The New York Times Wednesday have triggered an internal simmering within the BJP.

The Bharatiya Janata Party Thursday censured Parrikar over his 2002 Godhra riots comments in his interview published online Wednesday, with senior leader M. Venkaiah Naidu asking the Goa chief minister to not talk about 2002, but instead “focus on 2014”, when the country heads for the Lok Sabha polls.

Parrikar had in an interview to NYT’s India blog, ‘India Ink’ had said that he would have done a better job than Modi, in controlling the situation post-Godhra riots in 2002.

“It should not have happened, the administration should have clamped down on any violence, [If I were in his place] I would have ensured…but Modi was new to the job as chief minister,” Parrikar said in his interview.

Parrikar had further said that the communal riots which followed were a product of administrative failure and that everything need not be blamed on Modi alone.

“What happened then was unfortunate, but that does not require his apology, it requires his correction and he has done that. There were many reasons why people lost control in 2002 after the dead bodies [of Hindu pilgrims from an earlier attack] were shown on TV. It should not have happened, the administration should have clamped down on any violence,” Parrikar said.

Modi’s interview to Reuters in July had also sparked a controversy after he used the analogy of the sadness caused by a puppy coming under the wheels of a car, to explain how the pain he felt following the devastating riots.

However, reacting to Parrikar’s comments the Opposition here has claimed that Goa chief minister was slowly becoming self-obsessed and was ignoring the pursuit of good governance.

“Even the Supreme Court in its judgement last week, has hinted that the education ministry which Parrikar heads, behaves in an ‘ego-centric’ manner. What more do you want me to say,” Congress spokesperson Reginaldo Lourenco said.

When asked to react to the controversy at a media interaction earlier during the day, the Goa chief minister refused to comment on the issue claiming he had been “selectively quoted” on the Modi aspect in the interview.

By IANS,

New Delhi : Parliament Thursday approved the Waqf Amendment Bill that aims to make properties under the Waqf Board more commercially viable.

The bill, passed by the Rajya Sabha Aug 20, was passed by the Lok Sabha Thursday.

According to the bill, the government will maintain the record of Waqf properties and extend their lease period to a maximum of 30 years.

As per data, there are around four lakh registered Waqf properties across the country. If these are developed, more income can be generated, the government said.

Minority Affairs Minister K. Rahman Khan said the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2010, will ensure proper commercial utilisation of Waqf property and generate revenue for socio-economic development of the entire Muslim community.

The bill also aims to strengthen Waqf institutions and streamline their functioning.

The bill was referred to a select committee of Rajya Sabha on Aug 27, 2010.

By TCN News,

New Delhi: The All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat, the umbrella body of Indian Muslim organisations, rubbished the claims made by the Syrian envoy in India as carried by a Delhi-based newspaper today that Indian Muslims are fighting alongside rebels in Syria.

AIMMM President Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan said that the Syrian ambassador has failed to offer any proof or names of any “Indian Muslims” who he claims are fighting in his country. Dr Khan rejected the lame excuse put forward by the ambassador that proof could not be presented to the Indian government because no Indian high level official has visited Syria recently.
Dr Khan said the Indian mission in Damascus is functioning while the Syrian embassy too is working here in New Delhi and these are the normal channels for governments to deliver and receive any information or complaint. Dr Khan said the Syrian ambassador is in New Delhi precisely for this purpose in which he has clearly failed and has, instead, misused his diplomatic office to approach a newspaper to air his unfounded allegations which were earlier, again in vague terms, parroted by a visiting Syrian minister last March. The Mushawarat had taken notice of that statement at the time and had demanded the Syrian authorities to offer proof if they have any.

Dr Khan added that the Syrian ambassador in Ukraine made a similar allegation that citizens of that country are fighting alongside the Syrian rebels. The Ukrainian government at once took notice of that claim, rubbished it and demanded proof which the Syrian ambassador has failed to provide. Dr Khan said our government too should take a serious note of this insinuation and meddling in our internal affairs and should ask the ambassador to furnish proof of what he has claimed. Dr Khan asked the Minister of External Affairs to teach a lesson or two to this envoy about how a foreign ambassador should behave on foreign soil.

Dr Khan added that, according to his information, a British national of Indian origin, a certain Dr Abbas Khan who is an orthopaedic surgeon, has been caught by the Syrian authorities when it overran a rebel-held area a few months ago. This surgeon was offering humanitarian aid to the injured but he has been branded as a foreign fighter by the Syrian regime.

By Syed Hasan Zia Rizvi, TwoCircles.net,

Lucknow: To mark the celebrations of Teachers’ Day on Thursday, 5 September, Urdu Media Guild felicitated 70 teachers from different educational institutions for their excellence in the field of education. The function was organized at Rai Umanath Bali Auditorium, Lucknow.

A symposium was also organized on the occasion on the topic 'Imam Jafar Sadiq and Modern Education'.

Minister for Basic Education, Ram Govind Chaudhary was the chief guest on the occasion. In his address to the gathering, Minister said, “By distributing laptop amongst the students of the state, Chief Minister had given new directions to the modern education being imparted to the students and it’ll help minorities”.

Minister added, teachers have key role to play in the development of nation and the society along with it they have many priorities also. As education was also important part in development, teachers should pledge for making better educational system.

Vice President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Maulana Dr. Kalbe Sadiq said, “For every human it was necessary to acquire education. The Muslim community should acquire education as much as they can, if they will be educated, they can easily solve their problems either political or social”.

Dr Sadiq demanded from the Minister that the Samajwadi party government takes some more time for fulfilling the demands of Muslim community, it’s on their will but the government should make immediate arrangements for education of Muslims in the state. If Muslims will get educated, they will be able to solve many of their issues on their own.

Former Union Minister, Arif Mohammad Khan said Imam Jafar as-Sadiq revealed many scientific facts in his era which our scientists discovered in 18th-19th century. With such examples, we can understand how much educational aspects are available in Islam.

Secretary, Urdu Media Guild, Waqar Rizvi said, “The teachers are always known through their students like in history Dronacharya was known through Eklavya and Arjun through Karan. It was unfortunate that people do not know about father of science and founder of algebra, Jaber or Jabir ibne Haiyyan. He was taught by sixth holy Imam Jafar Sadiq”.

Chief Development Officer (CDO-Sitapur) and Administrator, UP Shia Central Wakf Board, Shahid Manzar Abbas Rizvi along with other dignitaries were also present.

On the occasion, Hisab Husain Zaidi (Shia Inter College), Rashmi Sinha (Unity College), Itrat Fatima (Rajkiya Balika Inter College), Khawahar Rabab Zaidi (Principal, Madarsa Jamattuz Zahara), and many other teachers were felicitated.

By TCN News,

New Delhi: Syrian Ambassador Riyad Kamel Abbas faced hostile participants at a seminar in Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi following his controversial statement which claimed Indian jihadists are fighting in Syria along with Al Qaida.

In his statement he even dared India government to decide “whether you are with terrorists or against terrorists... Now is the time to talk about fighting against terrorism.” The Syrian ambassador had come to JNU to attend a seminar on Syrian crisis along with Syrian journalist Wail Awwad who was one of the speakers in the talk.

Though ambassador’s name was not among speakers, he was asked to speak. After the talk, question-answer session started, when some students expressed their views on ambassador’s statement which according to them had hurt their sentiments as Indian Muslims.

But the seminar coordinators and some professors tried to prevent students from making anti Bashar Al Asad questions and called the speakers presentation as propaganda. But students insisted they be allowed to complete their questions and tense situation erupted between students and the speakers.

One student present in the seminar said that the ambassador politely sought to clarify his statement and he blamed the newspaper for highlighting something which was not meant. He clarified that he was not blaming Indian Muslims. Wail Awwad a veteran Syrian journalist said that India had second largest Muslim population and we were proud to say that their no single Al Qaida member.

Students siad that the clarification placated agitating students. News channel Times Now also broadcasted Syrian ambassador’s clarification after the seminar.

It is to be noted that this was third seminar on Syrian crisis in the Centre for West Asian Studies in which Syrian officials were invited to present Syrian government’s position but none from other side had been invited so far.

The Syrian envoy Riyad Kamel Abbas has said in his exclusive interview to the Indian Express on 5th September that “Indian fighters were waging Islamic jihad, along with fighters from Chechnya, Afghanistan and other countries. They are Islamic people, not Hindus, because Hindus don't wage Islamic jihad... Why are you surprised?. There are people in India who support Muslim brotherhood's ideology... They are very dangerous.”

The interview shocked Muslim leaders who rushed to condemn the statement and demanded Indian government to summon and take explanations on his statement.

AIMMM President Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan said that the Syrian ambassador has failed to offer any proof or names of any “Indian Muslims” who he claims are fighting in his country. Dr Khan rejected the lame excuse put forward by the ambassador that proof could not be presented to the Indian government because no Indian high level official has visited Syria recently.

Dr Khan said the Indian mission in Damascus is functioning while the Syrian embassy too is working here in New Delhi and these are the normal channels for governments to deliver and receive any information or complaint. Dr Khan said the Syrian ambassador is in New Delhi precisely for this purpose in which he has clearly failed and has, instead, misused his diplomatic office to approach a newspaper to air his unfounded allegations which were earlier, again in vague terms, parroted by a visiting Syrian minister last March.

By Mohammad Sajjad,

The district gazetteer of Muzaffarpur, written by LSS'O' Mally (1907), informs (rather reveals to) us that the college at Muzaffarpur, now named after Langat Singh (1850-1912), was founded by the Bihar Scientific Society, Muzaffarpur. The Bhumihar Brahman Sabha (founded by the Raja of Banaras, at Patna, in 1889) had its annual conference at Muzaffarpur in 1899, where it was decided to open a college for higher education. Therefore, the Sabha deposited an amount of Rs.50 thousand to the Trust of the Bihar Scientific Society, Muzaffarpur (p.134). This amount was provided by the Jaintpur Zamindar, Mahanth Raghunath Das, which was deposited at the Syndicate/Senate of the Calcutta University, to obtain permission/recognition/affiliation for the college. In July 1899, this college was founded and got the status of a "Second Grade College"(Pre-Graduate). In the subsequent year, i.e., in 1900 A.D; it got the status of "First Grade" college i.e., Degree college.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BIHAR SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY, MUZAFFARPUR?

On 24th May 1868, the Bihar Scientific Society was set up as the ‘British Indian Association’ with anobjective of ‘criticizing the proceedings of the government, and defending the people from oppression by conveying their true complaints to the government’, in Muzaffarpur by the then Sadar Amin (Subordinate Judge) of Muzaffarpur, Syed Imdad Ali, who was the founding Secretary as well. In 1872 it became known as Bihar Scientific Society. The aim of the ‘Scientific Society’ was to bring intellectual, social and moral well-being of the people, spreading knowledge of European sciences through the vernacular and establishment of schools, printing presses, newspaper etc. Arabic and Persian works were also to be collected, lectures had to be delivered. The President of the Society was Nawab Syed Mohd. Taqi, the Raja of Jogiara (Darbhanga), who was also the founder of Zilla School, Muzaffarpur in 1845.The Life Honorary Secretary of the Society was the founder of the college at Aligarh, [Sir] Syed Ahmad [Khan Bahadur, 1817-98].

Most of the details of the activities and achievements of the Society are provided by a French Professor, named Garcin de Tassy (1794-1878), who has published all these details in his annual lectures delivered in a French University. He was a great admirer of the Indian literature and culture.

The Society had its fortnightly newspaper in Urdu called, Akhbar ul Akhyar, launched in September 1868, edited by Ajodhya Prasad Bahaar, who was not only a scholar of Persian but also an author of a book of local history, Reyaz-e-Tirhut (1868)". Garcin de Tassy was the subscriber of the newspaper, Akhbar ul Akhyar. The editorship was succeeded by Munshi Qurban Ali.

Another famous Urdu writer and a freedom fighter, Qazi Abdul Wadood (1896-1984), had read some 31 issues of the newspaper, in 1960, at Patna.

Who Was Syed Imdad Ali?

Imdad Ali’s ancestors had distinguished themselves for political and religious wisdom and had rendered important services to the Mughal and British rulers of India. His eleventh forefather, Syed Wajihuddin, came to India in A. D. 1468 and later settled in Bihar complying with the request of Naseeb Shah, the ruler of Bengal. He had a spiritual standing and Imdad Ali also had many religious disciples, was considered ‘Pir’ over greater parts of Bengal, Bihar and what is now known as U. P. The family history of Imdad Ali claims that the paternal pedigree of him reached Prophet Mohammad by 33 steps through Syed Ahmad Wali of Turkistan who was universally acknowledged as a ruler and a spiritual leader of Turkistan. His maternal pedigree reached the Prophet by 31 steps through Syed Mohiuddin Abdul Qadir Jilani of Baghdad.

Syed Imdad Ali had started his career as an employee of the revenue department in 1829 and reached up to the post of the Deputy Collector. He subsequently, switched over to the judicial services and became ‘Munsif’ in 1848, reached up to the post of subordinate judge (Sadar Amin) and retired as such in 1875; went on Haj. He established a branch of the Society in Bhagalpur, where he settled down. Imdad Ali was buried at Bhagalpur, and his son Syed Amir Ali (1843-1910) became Deputy Collector in 1864; Amir Ali was personal assistant of the Bhagalpur Commissioner, Ali was nominated in the legislative assembly (1878), became trustee of the MAO College, Aligarh; was Calcutta’s Chief Presidency Magistrate (1883-85); was secretary, Central National Mohammedan Association, and he too was buried in his ancestral graveyard of Bhagalpur.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE SOCIETY:

To set up schools and colleges and make available Urdu translations of the books of the modern European sciences, history and philosophy.

Syed Imdad Ali expressed that, to have an access to the modern sciences of Europe, it is necessary to make available those books in vernaculars, ie, in Hindustani (Urdu/Hindi).This is what he explained in a letter to SW Fallon, the Inspector of Schools, Danapur, Patna. He further explained that European nations had made progress only because after, 1453 AD, they could get knowledge stored in Latin and Greek languages from Rome, translated into their own mother tongues. This movement came to be known in History as Renaissance. With the efforts of Syed Imdad Ali and many others, on 31 July 1870, the Govt. of India and the Calcutta University on 12th May 1871 agreed to conduct Middle class (Wastaniya) examinations in the Indian vernaculars. By that time, the Society had established about 5 schools in and around the 'city' of Muzaffarpur. The Narhan Zamindar, Parmeshwari Pd. Narain Singh donated Rs. 5 thousand; and the Jaintpur Zamindar, Mahanth Raja Ram Das donated Rs 2 thousand to the Society to set up schools in their respective villages. The Hardi zamindar, Shiv Prasanna Singh, was one of the three vice presidents of the Society, the other being Bhupati Roy. Other zamindars (Estates) also came forward to establish Anglo-vernacular residential schools in their villages.

In a letter written to the Vice Chancellor of the Calcutta University, Syed Imdad Ali demanded to establish a college/collegiate school for the pass-outs of the Zilla Schools. According to Garcin de Tassey, On 7th November 1871, the Society laid the foundation stone of "the Muzaffarpur Central College (also called Collegiate), in the centre of the city, amidst mango orchards. On the day right since the early morning, thousands of people gathered there. The Lt. Governor (1871-74), G. Campbell, laid the foundation of the building. Syed Imdad Ali delivered a stirring speech in Hindustani (Urdu) whereas Mr Campbell and Mr Fallon addressed in English. Campbell, however did emphasize that in order to pursue higher education, the Indians will have to learn English....".

The Society of Syed Imdad Ali also established a department of translation (a Team of translators was paid Rs. 200-300 a month in total).Trigonometry, Materia Medica, Optics, Physiology, Algebra, Mechanics, Philosophy, History, Agricultural Sciences, Masonry etc were the subjects being translated. Syed Imdad Alisent Rs 1000 to Sir Syed Ahmad, during his stay in London (1869-70), requesting him to hire a team of the scholars of the Oxford, Cambridge to prepare syllabi and recommended books to be sent to the Library of the Muzaffarpur's Scientific Society. Qazi Abdul Wadood informs us that the books were sent to Muzaffarpur (for details, see his essay, "Akhbar ul Akhyar, Muzaffarpur aur Sir Syed" published in the 'Fikr o Nazar', Aligarh, July 1960). Garcin de Tassy also authenticates about the library having brought over 200 books from abroad. The Society published several translations in collaboration with the Scientific Society of Aligarh. In 1869, the Society also established, "Anjuman-e-Tehzeeb", to conduct seminars, conferences, researches, debates and social welfare efforts like setting up an orphanage.

In 1872, Syed Imdad Ali was transferred to Gaya where he established a branch of the Society and also a school; he retired in 1875, and shifted to Bhagalpur where he settled down.In August 1886, Syed Imdad Ali died of a paralytic stroke.

Who was Syed Taqi?

In the efforts of Syed Imdad Ali, his closest companion was [Khan Bahadur] Syed Md. Taqi, who sustained the movement after Imdad Ali’s departure. It would, therefore, be in the fitness of the things, if we could give a brief introduction of him; as he was also the founding President of the Bihar Scientific Society. He was the son of Mir Yusuf Ali Khan and his grandfather was Mir Ghulam Hydar Khan, who was the amil and was killed by the ‘Phalsahi (?)’ zamindar of Baruraj talluqa, in western part of the district of Muzaffarpur. The dispute was probably around a temple. The killer zamindar (Phalsahi ?) was prosecuted and hanged, and his wife and son were auctioned as punishment and the entire talluqa of Baruraj (having 1356 villages, yielding revenue of Rs 1 lakh) was given to the two sons of Mir Ghulam Hydar, viz. Yusuf Ali Khan and Mehdi Ali Khan as khoon bahaa i.e. wergild (Yusuf Ali Khan was an orthodox shia, always anxious about converting Sunni Muslims toshia, quite a large number of shias in and around Muzaffarpur have converted from Sunni due to the efforts of Yusuf Ali Khan and Mir Jaafar Shah). As said earlier, in 1845, Taqi had donated land for the foundation of the Zilla School, Muzaffarpur, and in 1852 had also earmarked total revenue of a village, Jogiara (now in Darbhanga District), with annual income of Rs 2000, for its upkeep, so that teachers for Urdu, Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit could be hired. It was only due to this effort that the school could be prevented from being closed down.

THE BIGGEST IRONY:

It is probably an irony that while we do remember the Bhumihar-Brahman Sabha and its members like Langat Singh, Ganesh Dutt Singh (1868-1943) etc., who did a lot for the educational uplift of their caste- fellows, we forget the more significantly progressive, socially all-inclusive contributions of the Bihar Scientific Society and its moving spirits like Syed Imdad Ali, Syed Mohd. Taqi, etc.

The LS College got several names at different times. In 1899, it was called Bhumihar-Brahman College, in 1915, Grier BB College; and in 1951, LS college. In 1920, it constructed two hostels, one named after Duke and another after Langat Singh but the Bihar Scientific Society and its founding Secretary, Syed Imdad Ali and the founding President, Mohd Taqi as also the names of the Jaintpur zamindars (Mahanth Raja Ram Das and Mahanth Raghunath Das), and the Hardi zamindar (Bhupati Roy, the vice president of the Society) remains inexplicably un-acknowledged in the entire politics of the nomenclature of the college.

Does it not amount to historical injustice? Will this injustice be undone? If yes, how and when?

(Mohammad Sajjad is the Assistant Professor at the Centre of Advanced Study in History, Aligarh Muslim University.)

For more details the forthcoming book, Contesting Colonialism and Separatism: Muslims of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, since 1857.

By Mohd Mudassir Alam,

New Delhi: On request of Human Chain, a Delhi based NGO, Ali Anwar Ansari, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) raised the issue of AMU (Aligarh Muslim University) Kishanganj in Parliament during Zero hour on Thursday (September 5, 2013).

Addressing the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Mr. Ansari said that the UPA I government had announced to open five centres of AMU in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal and Maharashtra. The centres were started only in Mallapuram (Kerala) and Murshidabad (West Bengal), but still the establishment of centres of AMU is not done as per announcements in three other places.

The proposed land by Bihar Govt. for AMU campus in Kishanganj

If talked about Bihar, the state government had already handed over 224.02 acres contiguous land to AMU on December 30, 2011. Further the Bihar government had handed over two hostels to AMU administration for girls and boys. The government has also sanctioned Rs. 75 lakh for renovation of the hostels. In the meanwhile the Aligarh Muslim University has submitted Detailed Project Report to Ministry of HRD, said Mr. Ansari.

Continuing his speech, Mr. Ansari said, “Sir, more than one and half year has passed since the Bihar government has handed over the land to AMU. However, the central government has not issued the token grant for establishing the AMU centre in Kishanganj. I would like to mention that during an election campaign in 2010 the UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi had said that as soon Nitish Kumar allocates land to AMU, the Centre would release the required fund.”

Adding further he said, “Sir, the tenure of UPA II government is about to end in next few months, but still there is uncertainty about the release of fund for AMU Kishanganj. The district of Kishanganj and its adjoining areas namely Katihar, Purnia and Araria has dense population of Muslim minorities and the literacy rate very less. People and activists groups are running campaign to get the university established in Kishanganj. Human Chain – a frontrunner non-government organization has done many agitations in Bihar and Delhi, and also knocked the doors of concerned ministries, but the token grant is yet to be released. I demand the immediate release of funds from the Central government for AMU Kishanganj”.

Mohammad Aslam, President Human Chain had requested Mr. Ansari to raise the issue of AMU Kishanganj in the Parliament during a meeting a couple of days back. The statement of Ali Anwar Ansari has again given a fresh hope to the long delaying issue of AMU Kishanganj. Mr. Ansari has been thanked by governing body and executive members of Human Chain that include Tauquir Alam, Mujahid Akhtar, Minnat Rahmani, Salam Anwar, Naseem Haider, Tarique Sufyan and Tauqueer Alam.

(Mohd Mudassir Alam is a Delhi based journalist.)

Related:

Kishanganj centre of AMU to begin later this year

By TCN News,

New Delhi: A five-day workshop from August 21 to 25, 2013 was organized by the Department of Urdu, Jamia Millia Islamia under its Tagore Research and Training Scheme funded by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India to translate Tagore’s novel Gora, his selected letters, dramas and children’s literature into Urdu.

The workshop was attended by Bangla-Urdu scholars from Kolkata, Mr. Qaiser Shameem, Mr. M Ali (is the translator of Tagore’s Gora under this scheme), Mr. Fahim Anwer, Prof. Sulaiman Khurshid, Dr. Nusrat Jahan, Mr. Sayeed Azmi and Dr. Mushtaq Anjum including the teachers of the Department of Urdu.

Prof. S.M. Sajid, Offg. Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia graced the session as the Chief Guest while Prof. Wahajudding Alvi presided over it. Prof. Sajid welcomed the scholars from West Bengal and praised the fast work progress of the Tagore Research and Translation Scheme.

Prof Sajid said “for translation a translator has to dip down into the soul of the original writer. It is important for one to have a great experience and observation of society”.

The Valedictory Session of the workshop was held on Agusut 25, 2013 and it was presided over by Prof. Wahajuddin Alvi, Head, Department of Urdu, Jamia Millia Islamia.

During the course of the workshop a poetic meet was organized. Among poets who participated in the poetic meet were senior poets Qaisar Shameem, famous critic Shamim Hanfi, Khalid Mahmood, Sehpar Rasool, Farhat Ehsas, Ahmed Mahfooz, Suhail Ahmad Farooqi, Mushtaq Anjum, Fahim Anwar, Adil Hayat, Khalid Mubashshir, mashkoor Moini and Sajid Zaki Fahmi.

By TCN News,

Aligarh: Sana Khan, a PhD student, Department of Agricultural Microbiology at the Aligarh Muslim University has been selected by the prestigious Deutscher Akademischer Austriusch Dienst (DAAD) award of Germany to carry out advanced research at the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg, Germany.

Ms. Sana will work on “Molecular analysis of bacteria from textile industry effluents and contaminated soils” from October 1, 2013 to January 31, 2014 in the lab of Professor Elisabeth Grohmann. Ms. Sana Khan is doing her research work under the supervision of Dr. Abdul Malik, presently visiting Scientist at Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg, Germany.

She got an opportunity of learning advance techniques with the help of bet Scientists in the field of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, which will consequently help in her doctoral thesis.

The University of Freiburg is one of the Europe’s most prestigious universities. Nineteen Nobel laureates are associated with this distinguished seat of learning.

By TCN News,

Aligarh: AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Department of English and Centre for European and Latin American Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia organized a 2 part Lecture series by Dr. Alan O’Leary, University of Leeds (UK) on “Contemporary Italian Cinema and the ‘Cinepanettone’.

Dr. Alan O’Leary is Associate Professor of Italian at the University of Leeds (UK) where he teaches Italian cinema and cultural studies.

He edits the annual Film Issue for the Italianist, co-founded with Millicent Marcus (Yale), and is co-director of the Popular Cultures Research Network (with Stuart Green) and director of the Cultural Studies Research Grouping of the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at Leeds.

His monograph Tragedia All’italiana on the terrorism of the 1970s in Italian Cinema was published in Italian in 2007 (Angelica Editore) and in a revised English edition in 2011 (Peter Lang). He has also co-edited two volumes on the theme. His monograph on the Italian Christmas film, the ‘cinepanettone’, has been published by Rubbettino (2013). He has also written on the historiography of Italian cinema.

The programme was held on September 5, 2013 at 2 PM onwards in James Beveridge Media Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia.