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Indian Muslims Leading English Newspaper, published since January 2000
www.milligazette.com
THE MILLI GAZETTE
www.milligazette.com
ISSN 0972-3366
Fort ni ght l y
Rs 10 Vol. 13 No. 21 Issue Serial # 307 1-15 November 2012 24 pages
Inside MG
AFSANA RASHID
Srinagar: Holding people as well Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah equal-
ly responsible for cementing New Delhis rule in Kashmir Hurriyat
(G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani here said that people got carried
away with the land-to-tiller reforms.
They thought Sheikh Abdullah has done them a great favour, but
actually he sold the land as well as the people to India, said the sen-
ior separatist leader during the release function of second part of his
686-page autobiography Wullar Key Kinarey (On the Banks of the
Wullar) at his residence here on October 10. Foreword of the autobi-
ography is written by Prof. Khurshid Ahmad, head of Pakistans
Institute of Policy Studies. The book was written mostly during his
constant house arrest since 2010.
Members of three families, whose 19, eight and four members
have been allegedly killed by the Army, released the autobiography.
The book also deals with the formation and division of Muslim
United Front and the causes of eruption of armed struggle in Kashmir
in 1988 after the vastly rigged assembly elections. Gilani has dealt
with the birth and evolution of Hurriyat Conference.
Gilani has claimed in his autobiography that when militancy start-
ed in J&K (around 1990), the central government offered to make him
the prime minister of the state and thereafter also on many occa-
sions other attractive offers were made to him but he was not pre-
pared to abandon his principles and stand. During his incarceration he
was frequently tortured which are also described in detail in this book.
Geelani stated that after the holy relic movement, Action
Committee should have
pressed for accomplish-
ment of the actual goal
instead of Sheikh Abdullahs
release. The result is before
us - Military, cultural aggres-
sion, women raped, one
lakh people killed and thou-
sands subjected to enforced
disappearance.
Warning the authorities
of the University of Kashmir
and Islamic University at
Awantipora, he asked them
to stay away from propa-
gating cultural aggression in
their universities.
Referring to the recent
visit of business tycoons of
India to Kashmir, Geelani
termed it as replicate designs of East India Company. Tatas and
Birlas are coming here with an agenda to facilitate New Delhis rule.
Condemning the attack on Malala Yusufzai in Peshawar
(Pakistan), Geelani said, Whatever Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is
doing in the name of Islam is condemnable. This is totally un-Islamic.
He, however, supported Afghan Taliban saying they are fighting a for-
eign occupation.
MG/Yusuf
KAZMI IS FREE...13
JTSA: Fasih - Dj vu, once more
In September, we brought out a report, Framed, Damned, Acquitted documenting 16 cases where
trials of terror accused had resulted in acquittals for not only lack of evidence but obviously con-
cocted evidence. Each of these cases was accompanied by a section on how media had publicly
tried and 'executed' these unfortunate men when they were first arrested-to abandon them or bury
their stories in the inside pages when they were later acquitted. The release of the report had gen-
erated a genuine interest in the media-and one may dare say, an introspection of the media's own
role as the handmaiden of the investigative agencies.
However, the reportage surrounding the deportation of Fasih Mahmood has belied the expecta-
tions of all those who were hoping for a more balanced reporting in arrests of those alleged to be ter-
rorists by agencies. While television channels led in competitive shrillness, the newspapers were not
far behind. Most mainstream papers published the statements of those accused and chargsheeted in
the Chinnaswami blasts or the Jama Masjid shootout to pin the culpability of Fasih Mehmood in ter-
rorist activities. These statements, the newspapers can hardly be unaware, have no value as evi-
dence in the courts, and yet they are used routinely to build a story of guilt. One newspaper has even
gone ahead and published Fasih's Interrogation report ("5 IM members still holed up in Saudi, says
Fasih", TNN, 23 October). Unnamed police sources have been rampantly quoted. On the whole, the
media has chosen not to question the version of the investigative agencies, which is getting more
colourful and convoluted with every passing day.
y
ASGHAR ALI ENGINEER...12
Engineer deported,
doc detained in Saudi
New Delhi: Engineer Fasih
Mahmood was suddenly deported
to Delhi on 22 October after
spending five months in Saudi
Arabia after his detention in
Riyadh at the request of Indian
authorities on 13 May this year.
The delay in his deportation was
due to Indias failure to provide evidence to the Saudi
authorities about the terror charges levelled against
Mahmood in India. He was finally deported as Saudi
could not keep him under detention for long and they
could not release him inside Saudi Arabia as well as the
charges made against him. Here in India the Police was
quick to fabricate a story that Mahmood was imprisoned
in Saudi Arabia for some offence he committed there
which is a plain fabrication as we are used to Polices
cock and bull stories here. Earlier too the Indian author-
ities had feigned ignorance about Mahmoods where-
abouts when Saudi sources were saying that he was
detained at Indias request. Later they admitted his
detention after one and half months when his wife filed
a habeas corpus case in the Supreme Court of India.
Now after his arrival in India, the usual drama has
started and all kinds of accusations are being levelled at
Fasih Mahmood. He is being charged with a hand in
many bomb blasts although he was normally living in
Saudi Arabia for the last six years and used to come
only on holidays to India. This is common now that once
someone is arrested on mere suspicion he gets charged
in as much as 30 cases so that he will spend the rest of
his life fighting cases in courts all over India. Mahmood
is alleged to have been involved in the Chinnaswamy
Stadium blast in Bangalore and the shooting near Jama
Masjid (Delhi), both in 2010, and is wanted by Delhi and
Karnataka police. He is being dubbed as no. three in the
so-called Indian Mujahidin hierarchy.
Saudi police on 8 October reportedly arrested
Usman Ghani, a physician working with the National
Guard Hospital in Riyadh. Early in October, Saudi
Arabia had, in similar manner, sent back A Rayees, a
suspected LeT operative to Mumbai where team offi-
cials from Kerala awaited him. Earlier, in June 2012,
Saudi Arabia had handed over Abu Jundal, a 26/11
mastermind to India. He is believed to be an informer
of Mumbai ATS.
Gilani autobiography released
500 encountered in
U.P. in five years
MG CORRESPONDENT
Lucknow: A reply to an RTI application has disclosed that 499 per-
sons were killed in encounters across U.P. during the last five years.
Saleem Beg, an RTI activist of Moradabad, had asked state
home secretary and DGP Police how many people were killed in var-
ious districts of the state in encounters during the last five years,
when the first and last FIRs were registered, when the history-sheet
of each case was opened, what was the place of the incident of each
encounter, and why the incidents took place.
The reply came that the state government does not keep such
information. Saleem Beg appealed to the state information commis-
sioner. His appeal was heard by the chief information commissioner
Ranjit Singh Pankaj, who expressed his astonishment at the states
reply, saying it is a serious matter. Said Saleem Beg, all departments
had to upload their datas within 120 days of the application of the RTI
act according to section 41/B of the said act. The state government
has violated the act in this matter.
The CIC ordered the government to act on section 41/B and to
provide the required information to Saleem Beg.
It took the state government one and a half years in collecting the
data which finally disclosed that 499 persons were killed in encoun-
ters in the state during the last five years.
It also came out that a number of petitions have been filed in the
high and supreme courts, that a number of encounter incidents were
probed and found fake.
After this reply, Saleem Beg wrote letters to the Akhilesh Singh
government enclosing the RTI reply and Human Rights Commission
reports. As a result, FIRs were registered against Police officers in a
number of cases including Budaun and Amroha police firings.
Continued on page 2
ISSUES / OPINION
2 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
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S.A.T.RIZVI, IAS (Retd.)
satrizvi25feb@gmail.com
Ghair mumkin hai kay haalaat kee guththi suljhay
Ahle daanish nay bahut soch kay uljhaya hai
Anews item published in MG (16-30 Sept.) brings to light the mis-
chief initiated in the office of the Visitor of the AMU who happens
to be the President of India. The pity is that the HRDM, without
application of mind, passed on the buck to the Ministry of Law
(MoL).
Clearly since two AMU centres have already been set up in
the past in accordance with the existing provisions of the relevant
law, the MHRD could and should have referred the matter back to
the Visitor without loss of time. This was not done ostensibly to
delay matters and in the hope that the MoL will take the hint and
invent some kind of excuse so as to ensure that the project does
not take off.
But who cares? More so because a secular government is
in place, and the matter relates to a minority-led institution. The
MoL, apparently without assigning any reason, advised that the
matter being sub-judice, further action be stayed. MHRD agreed
without demur as if the MoL advice received was so very wel-
come.
Quite obviously, the MoL has been allowed to usurp the role
of the court. It needs to be pointed out that the MoL is just like any
other ministry of the GoI, and its opinion by no means has the sta-
tus of an order of a competent court of law.
That being the case, the MHRD should have over-ruled the
MoL opinion and advised the Visitor accordingly. However, if, for
reasons of their own, the MHRD wished to play safe, the opinion
of the Attorney General should have been obtained to test the
soundness of the opinion given by the MoL. But our bureaucracy
is not in the habit of taking pains in examining issues before them,
and our ministers are Lords who are supposed to wake up only
when the government is about to fall.
In this case, in the absence of any knowledge about what
actually weighed with the Visitor when (s)he desired that the
MoLs views be obtained, I can only say that the entire exercise
undertaken by the government was misconceived ab-initio and
intended to thwart the setting up of the AMU centre in question.
Just because a petition is pending, action to implement a
project cannot be stopped. The aggrieved party (the petitioner)
can always approach the court for the grant of stay. No such thing
appears to have taken place in this case.
In this context, I am reminded of a case in which as the
Principal Secretary of a department in the U.P. government about
two decades ago, I had the Law Departments opinion over-ruled
by my minister. In that case, the Law Deptt. sought to scale down
the major penalty proposed by me to be imposed on an erring offi-
cer. I had then taken the same plea, namely, that there can be no
difficulty in over-ruling an opinion expressed by another deptt. of
the government.
II
In the light of the AMU Act, the powers of the Visitor have been
laid down in Section 13. The section in question has the words
THE VISITOR prominently displayed on its top in bold letters.
Under this section, for good reasons, his powers have been con-
fined to inspection and inquiry, and what is more, to annul, under
certain circumstances, any proceeding of the university. The last
mentioned power is, on the face of it, draconian in nature and
scope. However, without offering any comment on the need to
have such a provision, it is possible to argue that, with this provi-
sion in place, there was no need to empower the Visitor as in
Section 12(2) of the Act, for, in the event of things going wrong,
such as when a decision to open a new centre is taken by an
Authority other than the Visitor himself, he (the Visitor) could
effectively intervene by exercising the authority vested in him
under Section 13(6) of the Act which empowers him to annul any
proceeding of the university.
Again, it is implicit in the scheme of things that the opening of
a new centre, as in the present case, would necessitate some
modification in the relevant provisions of the university statutes.
That being so, the Visitor could as well intervene in the matter at
the stage of granting his approval to modifications proposed in
the existing statutes vide powers vested in him under Section
28(6). In view of this, I am unable to appreciate the wisdom in
empowering the Visitor specifically for the purpose in the manner
sought to be done under Section 12(2) of the Act. This is, accord-
ing to me, to use a charitable term, sheer cussedness on the part
of the bureaucrats in the MHRD working in league with the Law
Ministry who didnt want to miss any opportunity to create obsta-
cles in the way of the AMU moving forward.
Lastly, as per section 13(7), the Visitor could also be empow-
ered in respect of matters other than those provided in section
13(1) to 13(6), and this can be done through statute change, and
the power to effect changes in the statutes is vested in the univer-
sity court. Though changes in the statutes can be brought about
only with the Visitors approval as stated, considering the superi-
or status of the Visitor, being the President of India, it does look a
tad odd that the university court, a formation inferior to the
President, should be permitted to initiate steps, such as propos-
ing a statute change so as to empower the President himself as
thought appropriate.
I am inclined to hold the view that whatever powers are
required to be vested in the Visitor/President of India should nec-
essarily be made part of section 13 of the Act instead of saying
something about it in section 12(2) and thereafter leaving it to the
good sense of the AMU court to try to patronise the
Visitor/President of India by proposing grant of some additional
powers to him by way of statute change.
The opening of a new centre of a long established university
is, in any scheme of things, a small matter involving a nominal
expenditure compared to the usual scales of governmental
expenditures. It is, therefore, not worth wasting the valuable time
of the President merely for the sake of a formal approval. The
Government should - and they can always do so - modify, if it is
necessary so to do, the transaction of business rules concerning
the MHRD so that such small matters get decided at an appropri-
ate level within the confines of the MHRD.
The writer is a former Secretary to Govt. of India
AMU Kishanganj campus
The opening of a new centre of a long established uni-
versity is, in any scheme of things, a small matter involving
a nominal expenditure compared to the usual scales of
governmental expenditures. It is, therefore, not worth wast-
ing the valuable time of the President merely for the sake of
a formal approval. The Government should and they can
always do so - modify, if it is necessary to do so, the trans-
action of business rules concerning the MHRD so that such
small matters get decided at an appropriate level within the
confines of the MHRD.
Its one of the biggest mysteries
that Dr Muhammad Iqbal didnt get
Nobel despite his profound poetry
and the corpus of literary work of the
highest calibre. Iqbal and Tagore
were simultaneously writing poetry
in the sub-continent and if the level
of poetry of both the masters is
assessed dispassionately, Iqbal has
an edge over Tagore. Both were mystics and they were
heavily influenced by Persian mysticism of Fariduddin Attar,
Jami, Hafiz, Sanai, Khaqani and the most sublime of all, the
redoubtable Jalaluddin Rumi. Iqbal called Rumi, his ruhani
ustaad (spiritual master), whereas Tagore was influenced
by Hafiz Shirazi.
While Tagore almost plagiarised Hafiz in his 103 poems
in Gitanjali, that won him 1913s Nobel, Iqbals inspiration
was devoid of pilfering. A look at his oeuvre and his great
works like Baang-e Dara, Payaam-e Mashriq, Hayat-e
Javeed, Baal-e Jibreel (Wings of Gabriel), Ramz-e
Bekhudi, Shikwa and Jawab-e Shikwa, to name but a few,
will reveal that the depth of his poetry was greater than that
of Tagore.
Though comparisons are always odious, at times one
has to compare to bring out the difference and put things in
perspective. The first and foremost criterion for Nobel in lit-
erature has been the writers comprehensive work and its
transcendental universalism. The message has to be ger-
mane to all ages. On this count, the message of Iqbal has
more relevance and greater reach. If humanitarianism is the
core of Tagorean poetry, Iqbal also doesnt lack a universal
vision. Agreed, the great Iqbal became a bit Islamic in the
final phase of his life, it doesnt take away his greatness.
The reasons behind overlooking Iqbal were more polit-
ical than the perceived lack of profundity. Tagores family
hobnobbed with the high ranking English officials and he
(Tagore) had influential English friends. Though Tagore
belonged to Brahmo Samaj, a sub-division of Hinduism, he
was viewed by the Brits a Refined Upper Class Hindu
(Nirad C Chaudharys words) and they wanted to project a
Hindu above a Muslim.
One has to take into account the then social and politi-
cal state of India. Brits were still seething with anger over
the active role of Muslims during the Mutiny in 1857 and
the entire community became an eyesore to them (read
Collingwood and Arnold Toynbees India after Sepoy
Mutiny). So no Muslim should get international recognition.
The axe fell on Iqbal, who despite his exhilarating poetry
and philosophy, had to concede in favour of Tagore, a dis-
tinctly lesser poet than him. Moreover, Iqbal didnt compose
poetry to please the King and Queen of England. Tagore
wrote panegyrics for the Throne. Otherwise also, Nobel
goes to those who ingratiate with high and mighty.
This makes no difference to Iqbals genius. Marcel
Proust, William Somerset Maugham, Graham Greene, Leo
Tolstoy and John Updike never got the Nobel but theyre
universally read.
SUMIT S. PAUL
Why wasnt Iqbal awarded a Nobel?
Continued from page 1
The agencies till date have been unable to put together a credible
sequence of events regarding Fasih's arrest.
Hard pressed to explain how Fasih found himself in Saudi custody in the
first place, a story is being suddenly pushed now that Fasih was arrested and
serving time in Saudi for a 'minor visa related crime'. This is a new revelation
and was never ever placed before the SC which had directed the MHA and
various agencies to locate Fasih Mahmood.
While most papers have reported that a red corner notice was issued in
May 2012, they conveniently forget to add that it was issued after Fasih's
wife Nikhat moved a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court.
The MHA's affidavit filed before the apex court stated that a trial court in
Delhi had issued a arrest warrant against Fasih on 26 December 2011, for
his alleged involvement in the Jama Masjid bomb blast case (2010). If
indeed, this was the case, what took the agencies more than five months to
issue a red corner notice? Were they working the back channels with the
Saudi government, as hinted by some newspapers reports? In which case,
how did the MHA state under oath to the Supreme Court that Indian agen-
cies had no role in his arrest in Saudi.
Today, the Secretary, MHA is gloating over his 'prize catch', but in days
after Fasih's detention in Saudi, when Fasih's family members had
approached him, he had feigned total ignorance about his whereabouts.
When precisely did he learn that this 'much-wanted man' had been detained
in Saudi Arabia?
These are hard questions that we need to ask the MHA and the assort-
ed agencies tripping over each other to claim credit for Fasih's arrest.
Released by Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association (JTSA)
on 23 October 2012.
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 3
NATIONAL
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on 11 October dis-
missed a PIL seeking an inquiry into all bomb blast
cases to find out whether Muslim youth have been
falsely implicated in the light of similar findings relating
to Samjhauta train and Malegaon blast cases where
fresh enquiries had revealed an altogether new story
and unearthed the vast network of Hindutva terror.
A bench of Justices T S Thakur and Fakir
M I Kalifulla said it was not inclined to constitute a
panel headed by a retired SC Judge to probe all blast
cases since 2002 as it would result in making a roving
inquiry into the various criminal proceedings so far
lodged in connection with cases of bomb blasts all over
the country.
Ordering inquiry by a committee headed by a
retired SC Judge would amount to creating a parallel
body without any statutory sanction and to function
only under some direction of this court which would be
lacking in very many procedural details and will ulti-
mately result in utter chaos and confusion in dealing
with the criminal proceedings which have already been
lodged and progressing before various criminal courts,
it said.
The PIL filed by Jamiat Ulama-e Hinds Gulzar
Ahmed Kazmi had requested the court to take discipli-
nary proceedings against investigating officers who
framed innocent Muslim youths in blast cases and to
direct the Union government to take action against
communal organizations like RSS, VHP and their allied
forums for their alleged involvement in bomb blasts and
other terror-related activities.
It had also sought release on bail of all Muslim
youths arrested in connection with blast cases, against
whom there was no clinching or conclusive evidence.
Justice Kalifulla, writing the judgment for the
bench, said there were enough safeguards in all crimi-
nal laws for a person, who had been falsely roped in a
case, to demonstrate his innocence. Therefore, it will
be for the concerned individual against whom any crim-
inal proceeding is lodged to work out his remedy, he
said.
The court also noted that at present there was no
dearth of free legal aid to those who could not afford a
lawyer. In fact, it is now well known that on mere ask-
ing of the concerned presiding officer, those involved in
such criminal proceedings are being offered free legal
aid of high calibre in order to ensure that no innocent
person is being punished for want of proper legal assis-
tance.
Law cant be abused to
harass any community: SC
New Delhi: Empathising with the My name is Khan but
I am not a terrorist lament, the Supreme Court on
26 September 26 said law cannot be abused to harass
any person owing to his religion and acquitted 11 peo-
ple, held guilty of terrorism in Gujarat.
District Superintendent of Police and Inspector
General of Police and all others entrusted with the task
of operating the law must not do anything which allows
its misuse and abuse and ensure that no innocent per-
son has the feeling of sufferance only because My
name is Khan, but I am not a terrorist, said the apex
court in a judgement.
A bench of justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad
made the observation while acquitting 11 persons con-
victed for allegedly planning to create communal vio-
lence during the Lord Jaganath Puri Yatra at
Ahmedabad in Gujarat in 1994.
The bench acquitted the 11 allowing their appeals
against an anti-terror court judgement, which had con-
victed them on terror charges and had sentenced them
to five years in jail each under the now-repealed
Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act and
various other provisions of the IPC.
The bench while allowing their appeals, also
extended the benefit of its judgements to other convicts
who had not been able to come in appeal before it.
It also dismissed the cross appeals filed by the
state seeking enhancement of the punishment to the
convicts.
The apex court quashed their conviction on the
ground that the state did not follow the mandatory
requirement of Section 20-A(1) of TADAwhich stipulat-
ed prior permission from the District Superintendent of
Police before registration of the FIR.
Invocation of TADA without following the safe-
guards resulting into acquittal gives an opportunity to
many and also to the enemies of the country to propa-
gate that it has been misused and abused, Justice
Prasad writing the judgement said.
1,528 victims of fake encounters in Manipur: PIL
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on 1 October took seri-
ous note of a PIL alleging that there had been apathy
on the Centre and Manipur governments part to bring
to book the guilty among armed forces and state
police, which allegedly were responsible for 1,528
extra-judicial killings in last 30 years.
The impact of the magnitude of extra-judicial
killings of innocent citizens in Manipur was visible on a
bench of Justice Aftab Alam and Ranajana P Desai,
which had been instrumental in getting the CBI to go
full throttle and unearth larger conspiracy behind two
such fake encounters in Gujarat, where alleged crimi-
nals Sohrabuddin and Tulsiram Prajapati were killed by
police officers.
The bench took judicial note of the PIL by NGOs -
Extra-judicial Execution Victims families Association of
Manipur through Neena N and Human Rights Alert
through Babloo Loitongbam - and issued notices to the
Centre and the Ibobi Singh government. It asked the
Centre and state to file their responses by November 5.
Asking petitioners counsel senior advocate Colin
Gonsalves to make other required officials party to the
PIL, the court requested the National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) to respond to the macabre inci-
dents and appointed advocate Menaka Guruswami as
amicus curiae to assist the court in the case.
The petition gave details of each of the 1,528 peo-
ple killed in fake encounter since 1979. It said though
the SC upheld the constitutional validity of Armed
Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 15 years ago, it
had issued certain dos and donts to the security
forces. But, these guidelines were seldom followed, it
alleged.
By way of example, petitioner cites details of 10
cases where eyewitnesses exist, but the killings had
been justified as encounters with militants, the peti-
tioner alleged. Even though the PIL detailed the killings
by the security forces and police, it did not reflect on
the killings resorted to by militants in the state, which
could have resulted in eliminating an equal number of
persons in the state.
In almost all cases, young boys attending to their
daily chores were picked up randomly by security
forces and killed in cold blood. In several of these
cases eye-witnesses, parents and neighbours were
present when the victims were gunned down, the peti-
tioner said.
What are even more frightening are the break-
down of the criminal justice system and a complete
denial of the protection of right to life guaranteed under
Article 21 of the Constitution. There is not a single
instance where the perpetrators of the heinous crimes
- torturing and killing of young in cold blood - have been
brought to justice, the petitioner said.
Out of the 1,528 killings, petitions relating to 20
murders were taken to the Guwahati High Court where
these are still pending. The cries of anguish had fallen
on deaf ears, it said and alleged that not a single
investigation or departmental inquiry against the
alleged perpetrator had been taken to logical end.
The petitioner said in a functioning democracy eye-
witness accounts would be immediately acted upon
leading to registration of murder cases, but in Manipur
such FIRs are not accepted at the police station, no
investigation is done and no disciplinary action is
taken.
SC refuses roving inquiry into
all blasts since 2002
Quote, Unquote
The larger community of non-Muslims seem to have ganged up against the Muslims who are seen as
the ubiquitous Bangladeshi and the cause for all problems. It is a simplistic notion of a problem that
is exceedingly complex.
PATRICIA MUKHIM, Editor Shillong Times The Statesman
Beyond some anecdotal evidence there is nothing to suggest that Kerala shelters terrorist groups. To
call it a hub of terrorists is a mischievous hyperbole.
RAVINDRA NARAYAN RAVI, former Intelligence Bureau special director Rediff.com
Respond now if you care about your community
White Paper on Terrorism:
calling out readers & researchers
The most important and burning issue facing Indian Muslims at present is the
continuing arrests and widespread fake implication of our youth in trumped up ter-
ror cases masterminded by saffron elements in the government, IB and Police.
Now almost all Muslim organisations are up in arms against this state terror.
People are organising dharnas, meetings, conference etc all over the country.
As a long-term solution and serious response to this problem thrust upon us,
All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat (AIMMM) has decided to bring out a white
paper on the Muslim-related terrorism in the country. This was discussed and
passed during the Working Committee meeting on 7 July. But since AIMMM does
not have the required funds and staff, I have undertaken the responsibility of
preparing this white paper which will be comprehensive in around 600+ large for-
mat pages covering the whole history and genesis, communalism, vested inter-
ests in various fields, analysis of various laws like TADA, POTA and UAPA, fake
encounters, acquittals, IB & Police role, media attitude, case studies, statewise
studies, SIMI and so-called Indian Mujahidin, Hindutva terror, individual
tragedies of victims, Azamgarh, Bhatkal, Malegaon, Darbhanga modules, some
basic documents, etc.
The target is to bring it out during the next six months and release it in a big
convention at Delhi as a combined effort of all Muslim organisations, and there-
after present the white paper to politicians, media, human rights orgs, especially
those abroad, in order to enlighten public opinion as well as to build pressure on
our blind and deaf government.
The estimated cost of this white paper is Rs 25 lakh divided as follows: Rs 10
lakh cost of preparation and payments to contributors plus six months salaries to
three persons including an expert; Rs 10 lakh for designing and printing the doc-
ument in a world-class format; and Rs 5 lakh convention costs. The first two con-
cern the undersigned while the last (convention) concerns AIMMM.
To finance this effort which will be a watershed in this struggle against state
terrorism in India, I need and solicit your full support. This may be either by direct
contribution for the effort or by buying copies in advance which could later be sent
to you or to others at your behalf. The estimated price of the white paper is
Rs 2000 at least. Our well-wishers can pay Rs 1000 only per copy as advance
purchase (plus any actual postal or courier charges which will be indicated and
payable later). Payments for the copies may be made to our publishing company
(Pharos Media & Publishing Pvt Ltd, D-84 Abul Fazal Enclave-I, Jamia Nagar,
New Delhi 110 025 - Email: books@pharosmedia.com). Individuals and organi-
sations ordering a minimum of 100 copies will be included as sponsors of the
White Paper. Contribution towards the organisation of the convention may be
sent to the All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat, D-250 Abul Fazal Enclave, part
1, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110 025.
Experts who can contribute to this white paper may kindly write to me
with some detail about their past experience and work.
ZAFARUL-ISLAM KHAN, Editor, The Milli Gazette - edit@milligazette.com
IB responsible for
Abdur Razzaq
Massouds suicide
Lucknow: Aatankwaad kay Naam pe
Qayd Nirdoshiyon ka Rihaai Manch has
demanded a court case against the
Hyderabad Intelligence agents responsi-
ble for the suicide of Adbur Razzaq
Massoud. The agents pressurized him to
because an informer pushing him to
commit suicide.
At the meeting held in the Latouche
Road office here, SR Darapuri, IG Police
(retd) said that it appears that to tackle
terrorism, the Congress government
has allowed Intelligence agencies to do
anything they wished. He said this was
not the first instance of custodial torture
leading to death; Faiz Usmani and
Qateel Siddiqui had shared this fate ear-
lier.
Darapuri said its these events that
steal the essence of political democracy
and where Mossad and CIA plans get
unfolded. He added that the recent arrest
of Fasih Mahmood was carried out with-
out even keeping the Indian Home or
External Affairs ministries kept in the
loop.
Rihaai Manch coordinator
Mohammad Shoaib spoke about the
general persecution of Muslims by the
agencies and the careless regard the
U.P. state government has for the lives
lost which is proven by its suppression of
the Nimesh report.
PUCL UP secretaries Rajiv Yadav
and Shahnawaz Alam demanded a
probe into custodial deaths which should
include the role of IB officials in these
cases. The IB conspiracy of recruiting
Muslim informers, taking advantage of
their helplessness and then framing them
as seen in the cases of Irshad Ali, Moarif
Qamar and Afzal Guru. They said that
the state of affairs could be taken as an
indication that the Indian Mujahideen is
operated by the IB to carry out terror acts
in the country. The speakers also
opposed the training of Indian intelli-
gence officials in Israel and America and
demanded that this practice is injurious
to the country and should be stopped
forthwith.
13 starvation
deaths in West
Bengal
There have been 13 starvation deaths in
West Bengal since May 2011 after the
Trinamool Congress government came
to power, said a network of non-govern-
ment organisations (NGOs) and trade
unions here on 29 September alleging
that the public distribution system in the
State is fraught with irregularities.
Since May 2011, 13 starvation
deaths have been reported which indi-
cates that there is no food security and
the rationing system here is in a mess,
said Anuradha Talwar, civil rights activist
and adviser to the Supreme Court on
public distribution system.
The deaths have been reported in
closed tea gardens of Jalpiaguri district
and in certain backward regions of
Purulia and Paschim Medinipur district
affected by Maoist activities, she said.
The deaths have occurred in areas
which have a history of chronic hunger
and where such instances have been
reported earlier in past. Along with poor
public distribution system, the people
also did not get jobs under the 100 days
employment scheme, she said.
She said there is enough evidence
that the deaths have occurred because
of starvation and in certain cases the
death certificates of the victims also
establish the fact. Some of the deceased
were elderly persons who did not get the
benefit of old age pension scheme, Ms
Talwar said.
NATIONAL
4 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
India loses 3 million
girls in infanticide
During 2001- 2011, the
share of children to
total population has
declined and the
decline was sharper for
female children. In an
alarming trend, girl
child numbers in India
have shown a sharper
decline than the male
children in the decade
beginning 2001, lead-
ing to a skewed child sex ratio. On the eve of the
International Day of the Girl Child, government on Tuesday
said that while the decade saw an overall drop in share of
children to total population, nearly three million girls, one
million more than boys, are missing in 2011 compared to
2001 and there are now 48 fewer girls per 1,000 boys than
there were in 1981.
During 2001- 2011, the share of children to total pop-
ulation has declined and the decline was sharper for
female children than male children in the age group 0-6
years, said the study Children in India 2012- A Statistical
Appraisal conducted by the Central Statistical
Organisation.
Though, the overall sex ratio of the country is show-
ing a trend of improvement, the child sex ratio is showing
a declining trend, which is a matter of concern, the study
said According to the report, female child population in the
age group of 0-6 years was 78.83 million in 2001 which
declined to 75.84 million in 2011.
The population of girl child was 15.88 per cent of the
total female population of 496.5 million in 2001, which
declined to 12.9 per cent of total number of 586.47 million
women in 2011. Similarly the male children population has
also declined from 85.01 million in 2001 to 82.95 per cent
in 2011. During the period, 1991-2011, the child sex ratio
declined from 945 to 914, whereas the overall sex ratio
showed an improvement from 927 to 940. Though the
child sex ratio in rural India is 919 which is 17 points high-
er than that of urban India, the decline in Child Sex Ratio
(0-6 years) during 2001-2011 in rural areas is more than
three times as compared to the drop in urban India which
is a matter of grave concern, it added.
Gujarat biased against
minorities: Centre
The Centre has blamed the Gujarat government for adopt-
ing dual standards in implementing a policy that benefits
the minorities. The allegations were made during hearing
on a PIL demanding that the state government should
implement a scholarship scheme for minority students
offered by the Centre. On basis of a report by TOI, advo-
cate Hashim Qureshi filed the PIL seeking the Gujarat high
courts direction to the state government to implement the
scheme. The petition claimed that the Centre had allotted
Rs 9.82 crore for award of 52,260 pre-matriculation schol-
arships to students in Gujarat. But the central government
noticed that no scholarships had been availed.
The Centre has been offering the scholarships since
2008. Under the scheme, the Centre contributes 75% of
funds and the state government has to bear 25% of the
total amount. The state government has not implemented
the scheme on the ground that it is discriminatory because
it is based on religious basis and meant to help only one
community. Advocate general Kamal Trivedi cited a couple
of judgments stating that giving benefits on religious basis
is in violation of Article 15 of the Constitution.
During the hearing, the Centres counsel Hriday Buch
submitted that while many states implement this scheme,
the Gujarat government refused to do it without any justifi-
cation. Only ground the state government has taken is that
it would implement the scheme only on socio-economic cri-
teria, and not religion.
Buch also contended that the state government had
been implementing a similar scheme since 1979. He also
highlighted that two other scholarships of this nature
meant for minority students have been implemented by the
state government, but it refuses to implement this very
scheme only because larger number of students are tar-
geted. He alleged that the state government cannot deny
benefits to five communities including Muslims, Sikhs and
Parsis.
The Centre also submitted that the scheme was
offered on basis of recommendations made by a high-level
committee. Its counsel also made it clear that there is dis-
tinction between reservation and scholarship. While stu-
dents belonging from the SCs, STs and OBCs get various
benefits, students from minority communities do not get
any such benefits.
COMPILED BY AALIYA KHAN
V.K. TRIPATHI
Prof., IIT, Delhi
My second visit during October 7-10, 2012
to violence-affected areas of Bodoland
Territory Administration Districts (BTAD,
comprising Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baxa and
Udalguri) of Assam has also been a painful
eye-opener. The first one during August 3-5
[see MG 302 (16-31 Aug. 2012] had
revealed the agony of the victims, genesis of
the conflict and evil designs of BJP and
VHP, led by L.K. Advani, Tarun Vijay and
Pravin Togadia, to brand the native Muslim
victims as Bangladeshis that could only
embolden the miscreants and poison the
countrywide middle class mindset. This visit
exposed the faade of identification of vic-
tims that is forcing refugees to languish in
relief camps.
I visited one Bodo relief camp in Khargaon
(Kokrajhar) and five Muslim relief camps -
Bhotgaon and Paroura camps in Kokrajhar
district and three camps in Bilasipara
(Dhubri district). I also visited the evacuated
village Paroura (that had 96 Bodo families
and 145 Muslim families), met school/col-
lege teachers and principals, Inspector of
Schools, Deputy Commissioner of
Kokrajhar, SDM of Dhubri, executive engi-
neer MNREGA, BTC (Bodoland Territorial
Council) secretaries of Education and Rural
Development, the team of Gandhian peace
mission led by Shri Chandan Pal. I also
interacted with villagers in Kashipara and
Bhodyaguri and took a group of students
from Paroura relief camp to Kokrajhar High
School to get their XII Board exam forms
filled.
In Guwahati, I met Shri Javed Islam, inde-
pendent MLA from Dhubri, prominent
Gandhian Hem Bhai and talked to corre-
spondents at the press conference organ-
ized by Educational Research and
Development Foundation. My worrisome
observations are:
1) A majority of the displaced people (that
were initially estimated at four lakh, but later
government records showed 2.3 lakh) have
not returned to their homes, some due to
continued apprehension of attacks from
aggressive miscreants of rival community
and others due to the burning of homes.
2) The government has not yet paid com-
pensation for burnt homes nor made any
make-shift shelters in the evacuated vil-
lages. The reason being the faulty and
unjustified process of identification of vic-
tims. The right thing for identification would
have been, as followed everywhere in the
country, to get the list of people displaced
from village panchayats and that must suf-
fice. But here the district administrations
under the Deputy Commissioners were
asked to prepare the lists of the victims who
own land. After they submitted the lists, the
BTC is reviewing them at snails pace. This
body lacks trust. Further, there are many
landless people who only have huts with
hardly any revenue record. For them voter
card/ration card or entry into birth/death reg-
ister of the village must be recognized as
the proof of identity. In case of suspicion,
any further enquiry could be held after the
people have returned to their homes and
passions and prejudices have subsided.
3) Those who have returned have hardly
any work in their villages. Many of them
used to go to Kokrajhar for work but now
they are scared. There is also some talk of
hardliners warning their community not to
hire Muslim workers otherwise they would
be fined ten thousand rupees. MNREGA
(Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act), the Central
Government scheme that guarantees 100
days work per year for one member of each
family in the village, could have helped them
but it is hardly functioning in the disturbed
areas. Unlike the rest of India, where it is
operated through the gram panchayat, here
it is operated through VCDC (Village
Council Development Committee) - a body
nominated by BTC.
* BTC comprises 40 elected members and
6 members nominated by the state gov-
ernment. Of the 40 seats to BTC, 30 seats
are reserved for Bodos who comprise only
29% of the population of BTAD, five seats
are reserved for non-Bodo general and
five seats are general. With strong sectar-
ian biases prevalent in the area, BTC does
not enjoy the trust of the majority of the
people in the area. Its recent handling of
the situation has further reinforced that
impression.
Unjustified policy delays compensation, forces
Bodoland violence victims to languish in camps
The right thing for identification would have been, as followed
everywhere in the country, to get the list of people displaced from
village panchayats and that must suffice. But here the district
administrations under the Deputy Commissioners were asked to
prepare the lists of the victims who own land. After they submitted
the lists, the BTC is reviewing them at snails pace. This body
lacks trust.
HARINDER SINGH
New Delhi: The New York-based Human
Rights Watch has issued a statement
regarding mistreatment and custodial torture
of Sikh leader Bhai Kulvir Singh Barapind,
President of Akali Dal Panch Pardhani, by
Punjab police. The statement said,
The alleged mistreatment of a suspect-
ed Sikh separatist in Punjab highlights the
widespread use of torture by Indian security
forces, which may prevent foreign extradi-
tions to India, Human Rights Watch said
today. The Indian parliament should prompt-
ly enact the Prevention of Torture bill and the
government should take immediate steps to
implement its provisions, including ending all
torture and ill-treatment by security forces
and prosecuting those responsible.
Human Rights Watch called for an
investigation into allegations that the Punjab
police tortured Kulvir Singh Barapind after
his September 20, 2012, arrest on charges
of waging war on the state, possession of
explosives, and sedition. His lawyer told
Human Rights Watch that Barapind had
complained to the magistrate that the police
applied electric shocks to his ears, beat
him, and humiliated him. The United States
had extradited Barapind to India on June 17,
2006, on murder charges after obtaining
assurances from India that he would not be
tortured. A court in India subsequently
acquitted Barapind of all charges and
released him in April 2008.
Indian authorities seldom deny that tor-
ture is a problem, but their failure to ensure
the safety of someone in a high-profile inter-
national case shows how extensive it is,
said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia direc-
tor at Human Rights Watch. This case spot-
lights the urgency for India to enact the
Prevention of Torture bill and put its provi-
sions into immediate effect
Foreign governments need to take into
account Indias poor record on torture in
assessing whether to extradite individuals to
the country, Human Rights Watch said.
International law prevents governments from
returning any person, including criminal sus-
pects, to a country where they are likely to
face torture or other ill-treatment. The
Convention against Torture states that coun-
tries making such a determination shall take
into account all relevant considerations,
includingthe existence in the State con-
cerned of a consistent pattern of gross, fla-
grant or mass violations of human rights.
In June 2012 a court in Denmark
stopped the extradition of Danish national
Niels Holck, known as Kim Davy in India,
who was sought by India for smuggling
weapons to a militant group in West Bengal
in 1995. The Danish government had
accepted Indias request for extradition in
2010, but Danish courts eventually ruled that
Holck said that he was at risk of torture and
mistreatment in India.
During Indias Universal Periodic
Review at the United Nations Human Rights
Council in May 2012, several countries rec-
ommended that India enact legislation
specifically prohibiting torture and ratify the
Convention against Torture.
Human rights groups have long docu-
mented the widespread use of torture to
extract confessions, identify criminals, and
often to simply punish suspects in custody
by assuming their guilt, Ganguly said. But
the recent UN review of Indias rights record
made clear that governments are also
deeply concerned about pervasive torture.
In two reports, Broken System, docu-
menting the urgent need for police reforms,
and The Anti-Nationals, on violations during
Indias counterterrorism operations, Human
Rights Watch found evidence of widespread
use of torture throughout India. Police admit-
ted that without proper training and equip-
ment to gather evidence, and under pres-
sure to solve crimes, an overworked force
frequently uses torture as the tool most
readily available to them. Many admitted
that coerced confessions and information
also misled inquiries, allowing criminals to
escape and innocent individuals to be
arrested.
Human Rights Watch has also exten-
sively documented allegations of torture in
Punjab, Manipur and Jammu & Kashmir, by
both the army and police. Border residents
in the Indo-Bangladesh border are also sub-
jected to torture by the Border Security
Force. In operations against Maoist insur-
gents, government forces, including the
police and central government paramilitary,
have engaged in arbitrary arrests and torture
of ordinary villagers in an effort to extract
information about insurgents hiding in the
jungles. Security forces often use electric
shock, crushing of limbs, pulling of finger-
nails, severe beatings, and threats of vio-
lence against family members to punish sus-
pects and extract information.
Human Rights Watch called on the
Indian government to ratify the Convention
against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and to
enact the Prevention of Torture bill, which is
currently awaiting cabinet approval before it
is voted on by the Rajya Sabha, the upper
house of parliament. The law should over-
ride all provisions of Indian law that allow
government officials immunity from prosecu-
tion for human rights violations. It should
also ensure that adequate time is given for
victims to be able to file complaints, and that
all forms of inhuman and degrading treat-
ment are brought under the purview of the
law.
Torture is routine in Indias police sta-
tions, but that practice is exacerbated in sit-
uations of conflict, Ganguly said.
Barapinds case gives the Indian govern-
ment a high-profile reminder to take action
against the chronic problem of torture in cus-
tody.
For full statement, published 29 September 2012,
visit: http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/09/27/india-pun-
jab-case-shows-need-anti-torture-law
Barapinds case: a reminder to Indian govt to
take action against torture in custody: HRW
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 5
NATIONAL
Aligarh: I am interacting with the
members of my team as a Captain in order
to inculcate in them a team spirit and seek
their cooperation in bringing excellence in
research and academics of the University
and make it the number one University of
the country, said the Vice Chancellor of
Aligarh Muslim University, Lt. Gen. (retd)
Zameeruddin Shah on 11 October while
addressing the University academic com-
munity in an interactive session held at the
Kennedy Auditorium.
Shah said that special focus will be
given to quality research. He urged the
teachers to give at least two hours daily to
the students for personal consultation for
better understanding of their subjects.
The VC discouraged the habit of alle-
gations and counter-allegations in some
sections of teachers and exhorted them to
honour the dignity of their status, especial-
ly those who held the positions of their
departments chairmen. He said that all of
us should respect the decisions of the
Boards of Studies and the same should
not be made public before the approval of
the Vice Chancellor.
Shah said that RTI was a great tool for
bringing information into public domain.
However, some people were using it for
vested interests with malicious intentions.
He said that the spirit of the RTI Act should
be respected.
He said that a transparency in the
appointment of guest faculties should be
maintained as it was the only measure to
avoid the allegations of favouritism and
partiality. He said that from now the hostel
accommodation to M.Phil and PhD schol-
ars will be provided only for two and three
years respectively.
The Vice Chancellor reiterated that
there was no room for anti-social elements
on the University campus and people
found providing such elements any kind of
protection or patronization will be dealt
with sternly. He said that anti-discipline
activities would not be tolerated on the
campus at any cost.
He said that consumption of ciga-
rettes, bidi, gutka, pan and tobacco should
be avoided and everyone of us should
work for keeping the campus clean and
healthy.
Shah urged the teachers to submit
detailed information regarding their prop-
erties by October 15 failing which the
names of concerned teachers will be for-
warded to the Vigilance Department of the
Ministry of Human Resource
Development.
He said that teachers are the core
organ of the University system. He will
facilitate foreign visits to the interested
teachers and the laborious and hardwork-
ing teachers will be encouraged. He had
asked the Pro-Vice Chancellor to formu-
late a policy in this regard, Shah added.
He said that measures will be taken to
address the grievances of teachers and
selection committee meetings will be
organized from November next to fill the
vacant positions.
The Vice Chancellor said that he had
trust in the working of provosts of various
residential halls. However, there was a
need for improvement in the canteen sys-
tem of every hall and efforts should be
made to provide clean and hygienic food
to the students. This will only help in end-
ing the Dhaba culture.
AMU VC meets teachers as team captain
Release Nimesh
Report: Sachar
L
ucknow: Speaking on 12 September at a press confer-
ence organized by the Socialist Party here at the Press
Club on Innocent Muslims imprisoned in the name of
Terrorism, former chief justice of Delhi High Court Justice
Rajender Sachar said that the RD Nimesh Investigation
Commission report should be immediately released by the UP
Government. The commission was set up to investigate ques-
tions raised on the arrest of two youths from Azamgarh and
Jaunpur, Khalid Mujahid and Tariq Qasmi respectively, in the
case of the 2007 U.P. courts blasts. The report of the commission
is lying with the UP Government since 31 August 2012.
Justice Sachar said that not only are the lives of the two boys
at stake but also at stake is justice for those who died during
those blasts. The public ought to know who the real culprits were.
A list of 68 people framed in terror incidents was made public at
the conference and investigation of charges demanded for each
of them.
Justice Sachar, who had headed the Committee set up by
the Prime Minister for enquiring into the status of minorities
across the country, said that at a time when Muslim youths are
spending almost ten years in jail before they are released with-
out any charge, it is very important that the government set up a
separate committee for investigating cases related to terrorism.
He said that because of such incidents, Muslims are being
forced to believe that the government is trying to frame them as
part of its policy plan. This is a dangerous signal towards col-
lapse of democracy itself.
Raising doubts over the secular character of various political
parties, Sachar said that even though governments at the Centre
and in the state of Delhi do not belong to Modis party, but still
Muslims are being falsely framed in terrorism-related cases on a
large scale. This reveals the communal character of parties other
than the BJP.
Demanding investigation in the custodial death of Qateel
Siddiqi in Punes Yerwada Jail, Sachar said, We would not let
Nazism prevail in India. He demanded that Fasih Mahmood be
brought back to India immediately. Fasih is an engineer from
Darbhanga who was
working in Saudi
Arabia and was
arrested in Saudi
Arabia at the instance
of the Indian intelli-
gence agencies.
He demanded
that the Sedition law,
which has its origins in
the British period, be
abolished as it has no
place in a democracy.
That the Congress
government isnt abol-
ishing this law is
shameful, he said, as
it was Jawaharlal
Nehru himself who
found this law anti-
democratic. Sachar
said that the PUCL is
doing a country-wide signature campaign against Sedition law
which prevents people from exercising their democratic right to
protest. A million signatures are being collected which will be
submitted to the government.
On the issue of FDI, Sachar said that just like the East India
Company, which came to trade but ruled the country for years,
through the FDI a path is being opened for a new kind of slavery
worse than before.
Coordinator of the Forum for the Release of Innocents
Imprisoned in the Name of Terrorism, advocate Mohammad
Shoaib said that on the one hand the state government is not
making public the RD Nimesh commission report, and on the
other the two youths, Tariq and Khalid, are being harassed every
single night in Lucknow district jail by the jailor and deputy jailor
who, under the influence of alcohol, abuse and beat up the two
youths. He said that Tariq Quasmi had written a letter from jail
exposing the psychological pressure that the Muslim prisoners
are undergoing in the jail. In this letter, Qasmi revealed how pris-
oners, tortured by the authorities and intelligence agencies, were
contemplating suicide. This exposes the reality behind the self-
declared secular party headed by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav. In
such torturous circumstances, if anything uncalled for takes
place inside the jail, the SP government will be responsible for it.
A
llahbad High Court advocate Ravi Kiran Jain raised ques-
tions about the role of Police and ministers during the riots at
Asthan village of Pratapgarh district which took place during the
tenure of the SP. He released the PUCL fact-finding report about
these riots. He said that in Asthan village, due to the fear and hor-
ror induced by the rioters, people havent returned home yet.
Omkar Singh, the National Secretary of the Socialist Party,
said that the SP government has betrayed the people of Uttar
Pradesh on the issue of releasing innocents imprisoned in the
name of terrorism. The SP had promised before the elections
that if it came to power, it will ensure the release of innocent
youths. Instead of releasing the innocents jailed earlier, four
more Muslim youths have been incarcerated. Also in the seven
month-period of their power, eight major riots have taken place
augmenting the communal polarization in the state.
The coordinator of the press conference Sandeep Pandey
said that Socialist Party will organize a movement against sectar-
ianism, human rights violations and FDI in Uttar Pradesh.
JIH Chief Meets Home Minister
over illegal arrests of Muslim
youths, Assam, Riots and
Anti-Violence Bill
New Delhi: A high-level delegation of Jamaat-e Islami Hind (JIH)
led by its President Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari called on
Union Minister for Home Affairs Shushil Kumar Shinde here on
9 October. The JIH delegation discussed with Shinde some vital
issues confronting the nation and the Muslim community in
India. The delegation included JIH Secretaries Muhammad
Saleem, Muhammad Ahmad and Muhammad Shafi Madni.
Drawing the Home Ministers attention towards the chain of
undue and illegal arrests of innocent Muslim youths, the JIH
chief said that some Supreme Court verdicts have underlined
the fact that Muslim youths are being targeted only because of
their religion. He said that these illegal arrests have created a
sense of fear and insecurity among the Muslims and strong
resentment is developing against the Government, police and
secret agencies. The Jamaat chief made it clear to the minister
that due to this resentment the ruling party will have to pay a
heavy price in times to come.
Other issues that came up for discussion included the
recent Assam violence, communal riots in Uttar Pradesh and the
pending Anti-Communal Violence Bill. The JIH leader put before
the Union Government certain demands like directing the police
and other government agencies to keep in view the Apex Court
guidelines before and during detention of a citizen, to desist
from issuing irresponsible statements to the media on arrests,
and to contain communal violence instead of remaing mere
spectators. He demanded strict legal action against the police
officers who are proved to have implicated innocents; grant of
proper compensation to those who have been acquitted by
courts and also to those who have suffered loss of life and prop-
erties during communal riots; making proper arrangements to
rehabilitate the displaced Assamese in their own places; reis-
suance of necessary documents to those whose houses and ID
cards as well as documents related to properties were burnt dur-
ing the Assam violence; taking measures to ensure that commu-
nal violence does not recur in the country; and pass the
Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Reparations
Bill.
The JIH delegation also submitted a Memorandum to the
Home Minister, detailing all these demands on the vital issues.
The Home Minister read the Memorandum and listened to all
these concerns with rapt attention and ensured the delegation to
ask the concerned authorities to take action and change the sit-
uation for the better.
NATIONAL
6 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
RAM PUNIYANI
ram.puniyani@gmail.com
Putting on new masks with
changing times are the
compulsions of electoral
politics for many parties,
more so with a party like
BJP. So far, BJP has been
doing this with great lan
and ease, but lately its
dilemmas are increasing in intensity due to its
track record in the political arena during the last
two decades. One such attempt to change
gears or put on a new mask was attempted by
LK Advani in the recently held BJP executive in
Delhi during September. Mr. Advani in the
speech in the valedictory function, which was
circulated, called for re-projecting the partys
commitment to secularism. While speaking, he
stumbled as he was face to face with something
which he and his party do not like in the real
sense - secularism and so he skipped this S
word in his spoken speech.
To begin with recent events, it is since the
last few months that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has
been saying that NDAshould have a leader with
a secular image. His hint was to oppose the
claims of Mr. Narendra Modi who is a strong
prime ministerial candidate of the BJP and
thereby of NDA. Nitish Kumar with his own elec-
toral compulsions has been avoiding Mr. Modi,
not touching him even with a barge pole. Since
Kumar and other allies are very crucial for BJP
to return to power at the Centre, BJP has been
in two minds about projecting Modi as the PM
candidate. As such also, BJP had a complex
calculation to make while dealing with the issue
of secularism and Indian state.
BJP is at one level the political wing of the
RSS, in which RSS-trained swyamsevaks are in
the lead alongwith some non-RSS background
leaders scattered here and there. Still, the pri-
mary control of BJP is in the hands of the RSS-
trained swayamsevaks. In turn, BJPs political
directions are controlled by the patriarch, RSS,
which takes most of the crucial decisions about
BJP policies and choices. It is not too far back
that Nitin Gadkari was imposed on BJP as the
party president, and then making exception to
the rule he was re-elected as the president for
a second term mainly due to the dictates of the
RSS. Earlier also, there are examples galore
about the RSS determining the directions of
BJP. Its also true that within the given parame-
ters, BJP does have some autonomy, but that
relates to mundane affairs not in major policy
making.
The major campaigning for BJP is also
done by the RSS volunteers who are the bul-
wark of BJP political electoral machine. All the
top leaders of BJP, from Vajpayee, Advani, Murli
Manohar Joshi, Narendra Modi, Arun Jaitly and
Nitin Gadkari are swayamsevaks trained in the
RSS shakhas. For them, RSS has the primacy
over any other consideration and this gets
reflected time and again. Once Vajpayee, when
he was Prime Minister, was speaking in the
gathering of NRIs in Staten Island in the US. He
exhibited his primary loyalty to RSS by saying
that he may be the Prime Minister, but more
than that he is a swayamsevak of RSS, a right
which nobody can snatch from him. When
Advani, in an effort to make an image
changeover from the Babri mosque demolisher
to the potential PM candidate, went on to praise
Jinnah and his 11th August 1947 Speech in
Pakistan, RSS immediately put the reins of con-
trol in action and Advani was immediately mar-
ginalized from BJP leadership, a ground he has
been trying to regain by various means, to no
avail. Similarly, when the previous avatar of
BJP, Bhartiya Jansangh, had dissolved itself to
merge into the Janata Party in the aftermath of
the dreaded Emergency, its leadership broke
the Janata Party and re-emerged as Bhartiya
Janata Party. The issue was that the socialists
in Janata Party were demanding that the Jana
Sangh faction cannot have duel membership of
Janata Party as well as the RSS. This faction
preferred the RSS and promptly broke the
Janata Party and formed the BJP.
RSS is primarily committed to the agenda
of Hindu Rashtra, Hindu nation, a concept par-
allel to the concept of Islamic nation, which had
become the basis of Pakistan.
Now the paradox for BJP is that it has to
come to power through an electoral process, in
a country with diversity in religion and culture. It
does want to impose Hindu nation but that is not
possible without capturing power at the Centre.
For capturing power, they have to adopt the
norms of electoral politics and play the vote-
bank politics as other parties do. The aim is first
to polarise the Hindu votes and then to appeal
to the votes of other sections of society.
Polarization of a section of Hindu votes has
been achieved by the BJP through Babri demo-
lition, post-demolition riots and Gujarat carnage.
Having achieved this, for winning over dalits
and other weaker sections the strategy is to co-
opt them through mechanisms of social engi-
neering through programmes like Samajik
Samrasta (collaboration between castes) and
Hindutvisation of Adivasis through programmes
like Ghar vapasi (returning home) for Adivasis,
telling them they are Hindus who had to flee to
the forests due to the intimidation of Muslim
kings, so they must return to the Hindu fold. In
the same effort for winning over Adivasis, the
tribal areas witnessed anti-Christian violence.
As far as Muslims, the biggest religious
minority, are concerned, they have given mixed
signals. Having given the signal to a section of
Hindus, the challenge has been to win over the
Muslim votes as well, as all Hindus will not vote
for BJP at any time. So the first effort was to
project Vajpayee as the leader, as he was a
most suitable mask. It was very part of his per-
sona, to the extent of people saying that he is
the right man in the wrong party.
To oppose Congress, Advani coined the
word pseudo-secularism for the policies of
Congress. Surely, Congress is no secular
angel, as it has compromised with communal
forces and in the game of votebank politics, has
played the role of an opportunist communal
party. This is in contrast to BJP which is a party
programmed for communalism. After Vajpayee
period, BJP has been trying to put on a secular
mask. But this job is not easy for the saffron
party and it has to play the role close to that of
a trapeze artist. Not to lose polarised votebank
of Hindus and at the same time to win over
Muslims votes.
It is in this direction that Bangaru Laxaman
once said that Muslims are the blood of our
blood and flesh of our flesh. Advani tried this by
offering secular Jinnah comments. Same
Advani in part of his speech, which he did not
read, said, We should, with full conviction,
reassure our brethren belonging to the minority
communities that we brook no discrimination or
injustice in dealing with different sections of our
diverse society. Who will believe that except
the novice!
Whether such a new mask will cut any ice
with the Muslim community, which by now has
realized that irrespective of its utterances BJP is
anti-minority to the core and makes secular
noises just for the purpose of causing a partic-
ualr effect. Even their formulation of secularism
justice to all and appeasement of none
gives a clear message that Muslims cannot
expect any affirmative action, which this bat-
tered community badly needs for its uplift.
T
oday while the communal parties have
polarized the communities along religious
lines, what is needed is principled politics along
secular lines. Those tied to the apron strings of
the organization with the ideology which wants
to establish a Hindu Nation cannot be secular.
Their masks are a mechanism to put wool in
peoples eyes. We need to recall the Hindu val-
ues of the father of the nation, Gandhi. Despite
holding Hinduism as his religion, he never
indulged in the politics of Hindu religious identi-
ty. BJP indulges in issues like Babri mosque,
holy cow, Ram Setu, Amarnath Yatra, etc.
something which is the basic hallmark of Advani
and company. It is the use of religious identity
for political goals. Gandhi followed religion as
morality and BJP is using religious identity for
political goals. This is communalism, and this is
what the hallmark of BJP is. (Issues in Secular
Politics)
Secularism and BJPs dilemmas
A fact-finding team led by journalist Saeed Naqvi says the police
firing was not only excessive but also uncalled for. Following
this, post-mortem reports of the dead reveal that two minors were
shot at from a close range, Arif, 18 (6 feet), Luqman, 18 (4 feet)
Hayat, 35 (8 to 10 feet) and Wahid, 20 (4 feet). This not only rais-
es questions about the polices tactics but also their motives
when they reached Ghaziabad to disperse the rioting crowd. The
police said the crowd had firearms and so they had to resort to
using their guns. However, theres not much to prove this claim
with as no police officer died during the exchange while four
locals were shot at in their skulls.
Like all incidents in this sprawling democracy, this one too
cannot be taken at face value. A few days following this event,
Jagbir Singh Malik, an investigating officer and key CBI witness
in Arushi-Hemraj case, was killed in a road accident while he was
posted in the Masuri area, leaving a lot to be read between the
lines.
Lynched Brits forgotten, UK woos Modi
After the 2002 Gujarat riots, British officials were banned from
dealing directly with Modi and his government but the UK govern-
ment has now changed its policy and UK high commissioner
James Bevan met Narender Modi on 22 October and said the
visit was in UKs national interest.
The ban was enforced after over two thousand Muslims were
massacred including three British Muslims who were lynched and
burnt to death in Sabarkantha district in Gujarat during the 2002
pogroms. Junior Foreign Minister, Hugo Swire said the British
envoy discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interests. We
want to support human rights and good governance in the state,
Swire added, in striking contrast to the message the deed
relayed.
M for Modi, M for Muslims, its election time
Gearing up for the December elections in Gujarat, Narendra Modi
has attracted quite a few agents of change to appease Muslims
in the state following his sadbhavna fasts. Reportedly, among the
Muslims to get tickets are a former DGP and two retired IPS offi-
cers among the 182 Muslims to be chosen by BJP Central
Election Committee. Mukhtar Naqvi of BJP said Modis campaign
will draw a parallel between the Congress and the BJPs rules.
Sadly, BJP and Modi cannot rely on their own credentials. The
progressive and well-governed state apparently has 55.30%
women suffering from anemia, 23.50% children suffer from mal-
nutrition and 45% children are under-weight for their age. As for
the Maternal Mortality Ratio for 2009, it is 4.9 for Kerala, and 14.8
for Gujarat. Maybe the progress lies in the generous strategic
grants of Rs. 33000 crores to the Tatas for the Nano project and
Rs. 9,100 crores in sales tax deferment to Essar. Mr. Modi is also
speculated to be one of the front-runners as the oppositions
prime ministerial candidate in the up-coming 2014 general elec-
tions.
Zee at receiving end of Jindal sting
Allegedly Zee news channel approached Jindal Steel for adver-
tising funds of Rs. 100 cr in exchange for suppressing reports of
investigations into coal block allocation scam. This has proved
costly to Zee news as Broadcast Editors Association (BEA) has
suspended its treasurer/news editor Sudhir Choudhary. News
Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) will investigate the
veracity of Naveen Jindals claims of the offer.
Waqf secretly sold land in Gurgaon
Adding to the list of organizations losing sight of why they were
formed in the first place are the Waqf Boards. Haryana Waqf
Board has clandestinely sold a graveyard land in Banskusla
Village, district Gurgaon, on similar lines as the Karnal land,
details of which were brought to public awareness earlier this
year. Advocate Mohammad Rafique Chauhan, President of the
Haryana Muslim Khidmat Sabha, gave the details of the land as
khewat number 350, khatauni number 431, khasra number 54,
the year according to the settlement is 2003-04, but the IMT,
Manesar, Gurgaon acquired it on 16-07-2005, according to report
number 813. Report number 1233 reveals that this was ordered
on 27 July 2004 but the matter has come to light only now. (based
on inputs by Mohd. Rafiq Chauhan Adv., Karnal)
Life is cheap in India
In Shaheed Nagar area of Ghaziabad, a customer, feeling he was
being fleeced of Rs 50, refused to pay it and was beaten badly by
the shopkeeper. Salim, 60, succumbed to his injuries the next
day. He was an electrician and is reported to be the sole bread-
winner of his family. He is survived by his wife and a son. An FIR
against the shopkeeper, Amir, has been lodged.
Israeli remembers Indian soldiers of
First World War
Haifa Historical Society has done extensive research on the role
of the Indian army in the region during the First World War and
the municipality of Haifa has gone ahead with its decision to
immortalise the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers, many of
whom are buried in a cemetery here, by including the stories of
their valiant efforts in liberating the coastal city in 1918 in school
history textbooks. It is a time when Israel did not exist and the
war was between the Ottoman state and Britain which was using
the Indian army for its imperialist goals.
It is ironical for a country to value its liberation and not care
for anothers even at the cost of not being recognized by many of
the countries in the world. It acknowledges sacrifices of another
people but denies sons of the land their basic rights in their own
homeland.
RSS-Congress:
Cat and mouse games continue
Ahead of a three-day RSS Chintan Camp, the Rajasthan govern-
ment ran a circular stopping government employees from attend-
ing the gathering of yoga and high politics about expanding the
organisations base in Rajasthan. The circular cited service rules
that barred state employees of attending functions of RSS-affiliat-
ed bodies, copies of which were sent to all Collectors and heads
of departments. The government, however, had to eat its words
quickly and ended up filing an FIR against the circular. RSS top
leaders didnt refrain from finger-pointing and commented that it
was an exercise in vote-bank politics and the Congress attempt
to appease Muslims in the state.
COMPILED BY AALIYA KHAN
Masuri Killings uncalled for: fact-finding report
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 7
NATIONAL
N
ew Delhi: A Muslim delegation of Muslim leaders called
upon Prime Minister of India here on October 15. Led by
Maulana Qari Mohammad Usman, President of Jamiat
Ulama-i-Hind (Mahmood Madni group), the delegation
submitted a memorandum of demands on various issues facing
the community. The delegation raised the issue of the recent
movie Innocence of Muslims that angered Muslims across the
world. The memorandum also raised the issues of the false impli-
cation of Muslim youth in terror cases, protection and rehabilita-
tion of the uprooted victims in the recent ethnic violence in
Assam, reservation in education and jobs for Muslims, communal
violence bill and reservation for Muslims.
According to Maulana Mahmood Madani, general secretary
of JUH, the Prime Minister gave a patient hearing to the delega-
tions demands. While acknowledging the marginalization of
some sections of Indian society especially Muslims, the PM
assured the delegation that necessary steps will be taken in this
regard.
The delegation consisted of the following leaders of JUH:
Maulana Qari Mohammad Usman (President), Maulana
Mahmood Madani (Gen. Secretary) Maulana Hasib Siddiqui and
Niaz Ahmed Farooqui (both members of the Working Committee)
and Maulana Hakimuddin Qasmi (Secretary) in addition to
Maulana Mohammad Rafiq Qasmi (Secretary, Jamat-e-Islami
Hind), Kamal Faruqui (Member, Muslim Personal Law Board),
and Mr. Safder H. Khan (Chairman, Delhi Minority Commission).
Following are salient points of the delegations memorandum
to the PM:
1. Telecast of Blasphemous film on youtube
1.1- Before we bring up the long pending demands, we would like to
invite your attention to the great ire and disturbance brewing among
Muslims and all-justice loving people in this country due to unabated
telecast of the most blasphemous, sacrilegious and derogatory film
Innocence of Muslims on YouTube. It has resulted into several inci-
dents of breach of peace and loss of life in our country as well as all
over the world. While it is a matter of some consolation that almost
all parties and leaders in India including honourable President of
India have condemned the said movie but in terms of action much is
lacking.
1.2- The govt. of India should take adequate steps to ban the telecast
in India and impose heavy penalties on YouTube and its owners,
Google, and ban them if they fail to prevent the use of their platform
for activities which are causing breach of peace in our country.
1.3- It is also our demand that Govt. of India should take the lead to
legislate a suitable law at the international level against anti-religious,
derogatory and provocative publications with due regard to freedom
of expression.
2. False Implication of Muslim youth in Terror cases
2.1. Targeting of Muslim youth and their false implication in terror
cases concocted by security agencies and hyper-active police offi-
cials has resulted in a credibility deficit which is counter-productive
for our anti-terrorism drive. In cases after cases, several High Courts
and Supreme Court have
not only acquitted the false-
ly accused persons
because of lack of evidence
but they have indicted the
police and prosecuting
security agencies for willful-
ly and maliciously implicat-
ing innocent persons.
2.2. In this situation, it
becomes imperative to
immediately introduce a
mechanism and special-
ized agency to curb and
control illegal detention and
trial in the name of anti-ter-
rorism measures.
2.3 It is also to be noted
that despite severe indict-
ment of earring officials by
the courts, nothing has
been done to prosecute
them for their willful misuse
of power. Therefore, to curb
the trend of false implica-
tion of accused persons, immediate penal action must be taken
against them. However, it is an ignominy that instead of penalizing
them, they continue to be promoted and rewarded. Such incidents
and cases are well-documented and can be presented on demand.
d. There is also justifiable pressing demand for adequate compen-
sation and rehabilitation for falsely implicated persons acquitted after
years of incarceration.
3. Protection and rehabilitation of uprooted victims in the recent
ethnic violence in Assam
Despite the warning that if adequate action is not taken within spec-
ified time, Jail Bharo Andolan will be launched. Assurances were
given to us by the Hon. Home Minister that remedial action will be
taken before Oct. 2 2012, but we are still waiting to know:
3.1. What action has been taken so far to ensure the return of the
uprooted riot victims especially in the areas dominated by Bodos
(BTAD)? It is our first and foremost demand that all the people must
be resettled on the same land from where they had been uprooted. It
is the duty of the Government of India to ensure their protection and
their safety.
3.2. The affected victims must be justly compensated in terms of
Delhi High Court judgment in 1984 riot cases and Supreme Court
Judgment in regard to camp inmates relief and rehabilitation in
Gujarat in the aftermath of the 2002 riots. The budget of relief and
rehabilitation announced by the Government amounting to INR 300
crore is nothing but a drop in the ocean. It must be increased in pro-
portion to the losses suffered and the needs at hand.
3. People are yet to know what action has been taken to arrest and
bring the culprits to book, who have killed and arsoned such a large
number of our citizen and who are a source of unabated terror.
4. Reservation in Education and Jobs for Muslims:
It is our long pending demand which remains unresolved. The salient
points of the demand are as under:
* Muslims should be given representation in all spheres in accor-
dance with their proportion in population. To ensure this, the consti-
tutional and the legal hurdles, if any, should immediately be removed.
Muslims should be declared the most backward community.
However, they should be classified in order to exclude the creamy
layer.
* Aseparate quota should be earmarked for the Muslims OBCs which
are listed in the Mandal Commission since owing to prevalent preju-
dice, clubbing them with other minorities will result in taking away
their right share. If needed, make a law for this purpose.
* Labourer castes of the Muslim community and the backward class-
es should be treated at par with other Dalits by amending Article 341
of the constitution. The religious connotation of the Article should be
removed forthwith.
* Forthwith table the Ranganath Mishra commission before the
Parliament and implement its recommendation of giving reservation
to the Muslims.
* the quota of the OBCs given their rising population in the country.
5. Communal Violence Bill:
Our demand for legislation on communal violence to ensure account-
ability on the part of administration and police and just and equitable
compensation still remains unresolved.
6. Wakf Properties:
Despite the implementation of the Waqf Act 1995, illegal tampering
with and unlawful encroachment on waqf properties is still going on.
Neglecting the intentions and the will of the donor, the income of the
waqf properties is being exploited for personal benefits.
Jamiat delegation meets Prime Minister
JOHN DAYAL
B
arring a Jesuit here or a Religious
Sister there, all individuals, the Church
in India seems rapidly withdrawing from
social action in the country, specially
action which smacks of anything political. As
seen in the aftermath of the Koodamkulam anti-
nuclear plant movement, the Government of
India has beaten the church into submission by
unleashing the full horror of its power to sus-
pend the foreign contribution permit of the dio-
cese and several non-government organisa-
tions in the district and the state.
Such action not only silences the voice of
the people and restricts constitutional guaran-
tees of freedom of speech and of association, it
also allows the government to get away with
murder -- the murder of civil liberties in the coun-
try - knowing there will be little or no protest.
This gives a pungent edge to the governments
refusal to acknowledge that there is something
seriously wrong with the implementation of
human rights and civil liberties, including the
freedom of faith, in the Indian landmass, cutting
across the political divide.
This perhaps was the reason that the
Church, including the Catholic Church, was not
active during the process of Indias Universal
Periodic Review at Geneva under the aegis of
the United Nations Human Rights Council from
March to September end this year. Indias living
in a state of denial was the most evident in this
UPR. Every member country of the United
Nations undergoes this process once every four
years, opening itself up to scrutiny of the world
on its human rights record, specially with
respect to rights it has pledged to implement by
signing the international treaties and protocols,
such as Freedom of Religion and Faith, gender
rights and the like.
Away from the glare of India Shining and the
so-called high growth - now more honestly at
less than 7 per cent annually, far away from the
fabled 9 per cent it had been speaking of for the
last five years -- India fares abysmally on the
rights of women and children, even on freedom
of speech. Its worst records are on racism, as
the Dalit issue is seen internationally, on issues
of freedom of religion, and on torture. India,
indeed, has still not signed the international pro-
tocols on torture.
These were pointed out to India by ambas-
sadors of various countries that cross-examined
it in Geneva. The Indian government delegation,
led by no less than Attorney General Vahanvati,
accepted a few suggestions, but out of hand
rejected or remained silent on most others.
As some international agencies pointed out
after the UPR process was over, India deliber-
ately ignored urgent international entreaties for
an early enactment of laws against communal
and targeted violence, an abrogation of the so-
called Freedom of Religion legislation by sever-
al states, and accepting the long-pending
demand of Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims for
their constitutional rights.
The Government of Indias response to the
169 recommendations of the UNHRC reflected
a pattern of only accepting recommendations
that were generalized and broadly worded, lack-
ing a targeted course of action directed to tack-
le discrimination and specific human rights chal-
lenges. Recommendations pertaining to specific
as well as serious human rights issues were
rejected, despite the Councils expressed con-
cern.
India has not accepted recommendations
asking to create a comprehensive framework to
deal effectively with the particular circum-
stances of communal or targeted violence. The
government says communal violence is only a
sporadic problem. The religious minorities con-
test this argument as they continue to be vio-
lently attacked in a number of states. As we
have seen in Kandhamal and Karnataka spe-
cially, victims are also not able to access justice.
And this situation, the Christian community spe-
cially fears, will continue to be repeated in future
unless some immediate steps are taken by the
government to prevent and pre-empt acts of
communal violence.
Church groups in India have urged the gov-
ernment to bring forth the Bill on prevention of
Communal and Targeted Violence, including
issues of compensation, rehabilitation and repa-
ration, at the earliest. Such a Bill was drafted by
the National Advisory Council in 2011 and given
to the government. This Bill has been put in cold
storage specially after Hindu groups and politi-
cal groups such as Bharatiya Janata Party
mounted a well-orchestrated campaign, reviling
the proposed law as specifically targeting the
Hindu community in the country, despite expla-
nations that it would protect Hindus in states
such as Jammu and Kashmir and Mizoram
where they too were a demographic minority.
Christian and Muslim groups are pressing the
draft legislation should be taken out, refined in
consonance with principles of federalism, and
enacted as law to effectively bring an end to
communal strife which has ravaged this country
in the last six decades. Arguably, the situation
in Kandhamal, both the violence, the shoddy
rehabilitation programme and the lack of justice,
could have been avoided if such a law was in
place.
The Christian community, cutting across
denominational lines, has also been pressing for
a long time that the federal government take
necessary legislative and legal steps to recall
the so-called Freedom of Religion Acts promul-
gated in several states. These Acts are being
used to harass and intimidate religious minori-
ties, and in particular the Christian community,
their pastors, house churches and community
gatherings. The law is strongly backed by the
BJP and what is called the Sangh Parivar, the
motley group consisting of the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sanghs right wing ultra national-
ist organisations. But it also has the backing of
a section of the Congress - specially in the Indo-
Gangetic plains of northern and Central India
which are politically important.
It does seem an uphill task on these two,
but Christian activists remain hopeful that a
well-thought out national and international advo-
cacy programme can get them the support of a
very large segment of Indias secular population
which has been repelled by the many acts of
violence targetting the Sikhs, in 1984, and the
Muslims and Christians over many decades.
India must honour its obligations on real freedom of Religion
The Government of Indias response to the 169 recommendations of the
UNHRC reflected a pattern of only accepting recommendations that were gen-
eralized and broadly worded, lacking a targeted course of action directed to
tackle discrimination and specific human rights challenges.
Recommendations pertaining to specific as well as serious human rights
issues were rejected, despite the Councils expressed concern.
NATIONAL
8 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
MUSTAFA KHAN
As terrorists like Sunil Joshi entered Maharashtra so did many
others who played crucial roles in bomb blasts in the state. One
such was Rajwardhan who came to Malegaon as senior super-
intendant of police. Nobody, and neither the present writer, says
that he is a terrorist. But there are two affidavits - one in the arms
seizure of May 2006 and the other in the subsequent or a logical
sequence of it, the bomb blasts of September 8, 2006. If proved
true in a court of law, the allegations of the two would naturally
put Rajwardhan in the dock. Much would depend on the fair and
secular approach to probe crimes on the basis of objectivity and
professionalism as shown in the work of Hemant Karkare. But
that will come a little later, first the land they claimed theirs before
they were on it.
The murder of Qateel Siddiqui on June 8, 2012 in the top
security Yerwada jail, the brutal attack in Arthur Jail on the
accused in the Mumbai train blasts and the murder of Shahid
Azmi, have taken place in Maharashtra alongwith many other
such instances. All these are related to terrorism. There is an
attempt to destroy important witnesses who could expose the
kind of investigation which the so-called investigation agencies
were/are carrying on; or, lawyers who had defended the inno-
cents whom the agencies had framed. Some of these agencies
have played foul. Siddiqui was an important source for exposing
the reality behind the bogey of the so-called Indian Mujahideen.
Shahid Azmi had successfully got Fahim Ansari, accused in
26/11, acquitted in the case. He was also confident that he would
prove Fahmida innocent. She was accused in the attack at the
Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar. The accused in the train
blasts were an embarrassment to the agencies which could not
prove anything against them. The Kashmiris and the imam of the
Haj House were arrested on the basis of the false accusations of
a Malegaon resident and a police informer called Sajid Shaikh.
He told the court that he was sitting on one platform of
Secudnrabad railway junction and the Kashmiris were sitting on
the other platform and yet he could overhear them plotting the
7/11 attack! He also accused the imam of Haj House of having
links with the Kashmiris. The police and their informers played
havoc with innocent Muslims in the state of Maharashtra. That
was repeated in the Malegaon 2006 blasts as well as the
Aurangabad Arms Haul case of May 2006. Even Zabiuddin
Ansari was a police informer before the police morphed him into
a dreaded Lashkar-e Toiba operative.
Naturally, there is suspicion that hardcore Hindutva groups
have spread their tentacles into the police force and could be
behind several more attacks. The reason is that their ideology
against Muslims is like deep stagnant water. Bal Thackeray Shiv
Sena, Shrikant Prasad Purohit, and extremist organizations like
Abhinav Bharat, Sanatan Sanstha and others hail from
Maharashtra. All these also lead to other disturbing apprehen-
sions like the fact that some of those who attacked Cama hospi-
tal during 26/11 spoke Marathi fluently. That some of the calls
made on the phones of the attackers of 26/11 were traced to
Sholapur but these leads were not followed up by ATS.
The bloody attack on the train blasts accused within the
prison walls was due to the instructions of the jail superintendent
Swati Sathe. On the day the nine accused were given bail in
Malegaon blasts of 2006, a prison officer had told Shahid Azmis
brother lawyer that he would have his son also framed in a case
and have him imprisoned.
Not to speak of the conspiracy behind the assassination of
Hemant Karkare but coming fast forward to the present scenario
in Maharashtra, what is happening now is even more a matter of
reflection. There is a tussle taking place wherein the state and
the investigation agencies (some of them at least) work at vari-
ance with what they are supposed to do. They are in stark terms
not taking the line of investigation that the case and available
leads demand. One such is the August 1, 2012 Pune blast. The
central government has taken a serious note of it. The newly
appointed home minister Sushilkumar Shinde has bluntly said:
We have taken Pune incident very seriously and will announce
all the details once the investigation is completed. There is a hint
here that the home department would take the matter to its logi-
cal end. In other words, he means to be professional and unbi-
ased. He would also want the agencies to be non-partisan in
their work. Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar even voiced
poignant criticism of the very casual view of the state police. He
said: It appears our intelligence gathering network is poor. This
situation is unacceptable. There appears to be negligence at cer-
tain levels. If the officers are not performing, the state must take
stringent action.
One Dyanand Patil was carrying the bomb according to the
earliest reports from Pune shortly after the blast. Thereafter, new
and attenuating facts and implications are given to his arrest.
First, that he picked up the box thinking it to contain cake. It is
ridiculous that anyone would pick up such a box from the road
unless he is a hungry beggar. Then another angle that he had
visited Arab countries like Jordan. Then Sakal on 3 August
revealed that he had converted to Islam! And that he had a
Gujarat connection. This would mean that this convert was a
radical Muslim like Javid aka Pranesh Pillai aka Javed Ghulam
Sheikh who was killed along with Ishrat Jehan in a fake
encounter. Pillai was from Pune and most certainly was killed for
the common agenda of blaming Muslims for seeking revenge for
2002 genocide in Gujarat. Not only this, the investigation has got
a new dynamic by this claim about his alleged conversion and
the Gujarat connection. The conversion of Patil has given a
tremendous boost to investigation!(patilani dharmaanter keleya
che ughadkees aale aahe. Yamude sphotancheya tapasala
gatee midali aahe), said a report. Next to come was: Why did he
have frequent talk on phone with his friend Ramzan Sheikh?
Maharashtra is the breeding ground of terrorism of the Hindu
right. Excepting 1993 blasts, blasts in the state have the distinct
signature of the extremist Hindu organizations. They either
explode bombs to put the blame on Muslims or explode bombs
to take revenge but blame Muslims nevertheless. Furthermore,
the Hindutva ideology includes burning the grounds under the
Muslims so that they either accept Hinduism or leave the coun-
try.
This ideology was and is associated with both Savarkar and
Golwalkar. Both were Maharashtrians. Their descendants have
inherited the same ideology of hate for Muslims and espousal of
an exclusionary nationalism. Their sympathizers are galore in the
state and outside. But Maharashtra being the birthplace of this
ideology, it is but natural that its influence would be felt here even
today. For example, Pius Agarwal, the son of the owner of a bicy-
cle shop that sold one of the bicycles to explode bombs in the
graveyard and Mushawarat chowk of Malegaon in 2006, said on
his mobile what his customer Shakeel Ahmad Muhammad Yusuf
overheard: Jo samaan aapan log ankai ki pahadi key pas baudy
men rakhe the wah sub samaan raj wardhan saheb kee mau-
joodgi me uth gaya aur jo sub naam ki list aapan diye the uskay
mutabik sey raj wardhan saheb sey meri ru ba ru baat cheet ho
gaye hai. Sab naam ki mukammal setting baith gayee hai. Sab
kaam perfect hai aur aage ki jo karwai hai who aapan log beyth
kar wahaan programme banayen ge (Whatever material we had
put in the well near Ankai hill has been lifted away in the pres-
ence of Rajwardhan saheb. And according to the list of names
that we had supplied, regarding that I had talked with
Rajwardhan face to face. The setting has been done exactly in
accordance with the list of names. Everything is perfectly (match-
ing). We will chalk out the future action when we meet there).
This clearly implies that some material was deposited in a
(dry) well near Ankai hill off Manmad town on the highway to
Yeola. There is every possibility that this could be the RDX and
arms and ammunition which was recovered from the site as the
ATS had claimed. In fact, two wooden boxes filled with ammuni-
tion and explosives and a CPU frame containing one AK 47 was
found at Ankai. But this was part of the much larger arms haul at
Aurangabad and Malegaon. If proved true, it would lead to the
conclusion that people were framed and made accused in the
arms seizure (the 21 accused of which 16 were arrested by the
police then while others were arrested later). This perfectly fits
into the design of the conspiracy.
When carried to its logical conclusion, the so-called Abu
Jundal or Zabiuddin Ansari as a police informer was also
involved as he according to the reports led the police to this haul.
But the heart of the matter is that Pius Agarwal and the SP of
Malegaon Rajwardhan were allegedly a part of this high treason
that is in other words the conspiracy for which Muslims of
Malegaon were made to wear the cross.
There is another affidavit of Abrar Ahmed, one of the
accused in bomb blasts of 2006. He was a police informer who
was made approver. He later turned hostile. At the instance of
Rajwardhan, he got a friend of his namely Hamid Husain Iqbal
Ahmed utter a tutored sentence from a phone to Abrars mobile
number 9823436809. The sentence was recorded. Even
Rajwadhan had recorded this sentence on his mobile number
9422250775. Both the accused and the police officer made the
recording, heard it and confirmed it. The substance of the record-
ed conversation is that whatever material the speaker on the
phone and his associates wanted to bring into the town they had
brought it in. If this sentence refers to RDX as the material, it
would mean that the material was used to make bombs that
exploded on September 8, 2006. This sentence the police want-
ed to ascribe to Muhammad Zahid Majid Ahmed. They made two
CD recording and sealed it and presented it in the court as proof
of Zahids involvement in the blasts though on the day of the
blasts he was hundreds of miles away in Phoolsanghvi village in
Yawatmal district. His brother Mohmmad Javid was arrested in
the Aurangabad Arms Haul Case in May 2006. In this way the
ATS yoked the two cases together.
The two cases of Malegaon blasts 2006 and the arms haul
2006 would collapse in a court of law like a pack of cards if the
two affidavits are thoroughly vetted and investigated profession-
ally and objectively. Then it will be clear whether the agents
provocateur came from Pakistan or Bihar and Madhya Pardesh
and who were their local supports.
Why Maharashtra is embroiled in terrorism?
Government babus (officials) use different tactics to extract bribe.
You may take the following action to counter those tactics. These
are very simple and useful steps. I have tried them with very suc-
cessful results.
(1) Indefinite delay: They keep on delaying your work until you
go to them and offer bribe.
Solution: Dont visit government offices. Follow up your pending
work through letters. You may send letters by courier, registered
post or speed post. Local speed post costs only Rs 12. Local
couriers are available at Rs 5. You may also use RTI Act to know
the status of your work. In this case you need to spend another
Rs 10.
(2) Demanding unnecessary papers: Sometimes they demand
unnecessary papers and give hints that work can be done with-
out those papers if you bribe.
Solution: If they can offer to do your work without additional
papers with bribe, it means that those papers were definitely
unnecessary. (i) Ask babus to demand those papers in writing
and record the conversation. (ii) Write a letter stating that you
demanded these papers. Are they really mandatory as per law?
You can also use RTI Act here. (ii) Use RTI Act to find out whether
he demanded those papers from other applicants. (iv) Whatever
paper he demands, send by post. Never deliver anything without
receipt.
Remember: no officer will complete your work without mandatory
papers. He will keep his file perfectly clean.
(3) They advise you to pay bribe so that you pay less
tax/penalties. Many times they demand higher amount for penal-
ties than what is prescribed under law.
Solution: (1) Check laws if you can, (2) Record conversation and
tell them that you are going to report to the Anti-Corruption
Bureau, (3) Use RTI Act to find out how much was paid by others
under similar circumstances.
(4) When the babu is not available in office.
Solution: Write a letter that I came to your office on say, 1st
August at 11 AM, but you were not available. Your assistant Mr.
. told me to come again on 5th August. This letter will make him
take special care of your work.
(5) If nothing works, try this. When you dont have any option,
record the conversation, pay money and get your work done.
After your work is completed, meet that babu and demand your
moneyback. Tell him that you are going to complain if he does not
return your money.
(6) Develop the habit of complaining. Whenever you see crime
and corruption, send written complaints to the head of that
department, ACB / CBI and local newspapers.
(7) Dont be submissive. Call babus by their names. Dont call
them Sir. Be polite but dont show unnecessary respect. Be firm
and confident. Talk about RTI Act. Babus are always afraid of
knowledgeable people.
These methods may sound unbelievable but try it at least once to
discover their power.
Remember: Smallest action is much better than the noblest of
intentions.
DEEPAK MITTAL, Jago Party, www.jago.in
How to get your work done without paying bribe
...the so-called Abu Jundal or Zabiuddin Ansari as a police
informer was also involved as he according to the reports led the
police to this haul. But the heart of the matter is that Pius
Agarwal and the SP of Malegaon Rajwardhan were allegedly a
part of this high treason that is in other words the conspiracy for
which Muslims of Malegaon were made to wear the cross.
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 9
NATIONAL
ATIQUR RAHMAN SAMBHLI
Ishq hai pyare khail nahiN hai
Ishq hai kar-e-sheesha-o-aahan
Abeliever is not free to act at will. His beloved Prophet (pbuh) has
left behind examples of an ideal social behaviour to be followed.
In his lifetime, the Prophet (pbuh) encountered many blasphe-
mous attacks on him, not only at Makka but even in Medina but
the Almighty had provided him and his companions with a basic
guidance:
You shall most certainly be tried in your possessions and in
your persons; and indeed you shall hear many hurtful things from
those to whom revelation was granted before your time, as well
as from those who have come to ascribe divinity to other beings
beside God. But if you remain patient in adversity and conscious
of Him - this, behold, is something to set ones heart upon. (Al-
Imran 3:186)
Permission to take revenge and punish the blasphemer,
should the situation so demand, may be inferred from this verse.
However, ignoring such provocations has been strongly recom-
mended.
Nothing could be dearer to the Prophet (pbuh) than the pleas-
ure of Allah (SWT) and the good of Islam and Muslims. He saw
it in the interest of Islam and Muslims to treat everyone in the best
possible manner. So sublime were his morals that after the death
of the chief of hypocrites, Abdullah ibn Ubai, who did not spare
the Prophet (pbuh) during his life in Medina, that the Prophet
gave his blessed shirt to be put inside his coffin and led his funer-
al prayer notwithstanding the fact that the revelation relating to
hypocrites had come, [And] whether you do pray [to God] that
they be forgiven or do not pray for them - [it will all be the same:
for even] if you were to pray seventy times that they be forgiven,
God will not forgive them... (Tauba, 9:80). When reminded by
Umar (RA), known for his temper, about this Quranic verse, the
Prophet (pbuh) replied that he had not been forbidden from doing
so and whether or not to pray for the deceased had been left on
his discretion. He then emphasised that if he was sure that the
dead person would be forgiven after being prayed for, for more
than 70 times, he would have prayed even more.
Such was the practice of the Prophet (pbuh) for whom our
love is being discussed here. On several occasions Abdullah ibn
Ubai committed acts that made him deserve execution so much
so that at times it appeared to the companions that order to end
his life would surely be issued. But in the interest of the Ummah,
the Prophet (pbuh) thought it more appropriate to ignore his
provocations. How magnificent and how great were the manners
and practices of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)!
Our anger against the blasphemy against the Prophet (pbuh),
as is being repeatedly committed for the last few years by the
enemies of humanity, is a sign of our strong faith. But in our reac-
tion to such incitements we need to bear in mind the interest of
the Ummah and Islam and should follow the example set by our
beloved Prophet (pbuh), if we are true followers and true lovers
of the Prophet. Otherwise, we will merely be satisfying our per-
sonal egos and will be defaming the true spirit of love for Rasool
Allah (pbuh).
We have seen how a young Muslim man risked his life and
killed the Dutch film maker of the blasphemous film. But it has
done no good and has had no effect upon the soldiers of Satan
not to mention our slogans and daily demonstrations. Each day
some cursed person in the west appears and tries to supersede
the previous blasphemer in his incivility, rowdiness, blatant dis-
honesty and mischie.
Is there any sense then in continuing to use these methods,
witnessing their ineffectiveness and interpreting our outbursts as
the display and requirement of the love for the Prophet? This is
nothing but a show of our helplessness. Through such demon-
strations we are encouraging and telling the devils that they can
get away with any crime and that, as far as we are concerned, we
cannot do anything more than beating our chests.
Why do we like to display, again and again, our shameful
weakness? Regardless of the ineffectiveness of our methods,
one wonders if we have come to believe that our protests are vir-
tuous deeds. God forbid, if this is the case then neither we have
been able to understand the stature of the Last Prophet (pbuh)
nor are we realising the dignity that we, as the slaves of Allahs
Prophet, have been blessed with by the Almighty. How sad and
how shameful is this display of our weakness, coupled with our
fallacy that this is a virtue, through these ineffective demonstra-
tions, organised in the Prophets name!
What do we do then? This is a difficult question. This scribe
tries to answer, from experience, according to his best ability and
understanding. I invite others to ponder over it.
There would be very few in Britain who would not remember
the active role of Islamic Defence Council (IDC) in the campaign
against Salman Rushdies Satanic Verses.
As the convenor of IDC, this scribe felt honoured in actively
participating, with his best abilities, in that campaign. As part of its
campaign, the IDC organised, on 28 January 1989, in front of the
publisher, Penguin, a demonstration in which at least 25,000
Muslims from all over the country participated. In view of the fruit-
lessness of our conventional protests and bearing in mind the cul-
ture of the new world in the west in which we had settled, a
method was suggested that was different from the protests in the
Indian subcontinent: instead of angry and provocative slogans,
communitys emotional and spiritual anguish was expressed
through placards. This was a moral appeal to win support from
the British public. We were under the impression that some noble
souls would come to our support and would pressurise the pub-
lisher and the government to take steps regarding this issue.
No doubt our protest was appreciated (especially because, in
contrast, two weeks earlier at Bradford, demonstrators had burnt
a copy of Satanic Verses) but we failed to achieve what we had
aimed for. Two weeks later, Ayatullah Khomeini issued the fatwa
to kill the author and the publishers. The Government, that was
unwilling to hear our moral and civilised appeal, displayed such
eagerness in providing protection to the author that it seemed
that the cursed author was its agent. This experience convinced
us that western world had a different temperament and different
mindset and that only when we have the power we could make
them feel our feelings.
After America-Taliban episode, an unending series of mis-
chiefvous acts has started. And each mischief is far more outra-
geous than the previous one. The degradation and contempt in
the latest film has reportedly crossed all the limits of decency and
no government wants to take notice of our woes. Efforts are being
made at the UN since 1999 by the Muslim World umbrella body
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to limit the scope of
the shameful western culture of Free speech but western gov-
ernments are not listening. (Pakistans former ambassador to the
US Ms Maleeha Lodhi has detailed these painful failures in The
News of 25 September 2012).
Are the senseless methods adopted by the blasphemers part
of a strategy to create hatred in the West against Holy Prophet
(pbuh) and his deen? The answer is NO. There is a method in this
madness. Behind these acts is the fear created by the signs of
the Islamic worlds renaissance. United States launched this
campaign, now in its twelfth year after 9/11, through what it calls
War on Terror. This crusade has been waged to destroy, using
most powerful weapons, all those forces that, in USs view, are
working for this renaissance. The production of the series of sac-
rilegious films and cartoons is part of this American crusade.
Unfortunately in the demonstrations against this latest west-
ern crusade we are witnessing as tragic and as painful incidents
as took place in Pakistani cities on 20th September 2012:
destruction of our own properties, worth billion of rupees, at our
own hands and, as a result, our own brothers being killed by our
own police. Such incidents widen even further the gulf and
increase lack of confidence between our governments and the
public. Who can think of an Islamic renaissance in such a situa-
tion? Further, this intensifies the anti-west, specially anti-US, feel-
ings in Muslim youths who then do not hesitate in resorting to any
available method through which, they think, they can take the
revenge of this indignation. And the US looks upon them as new
terrorists.
Does this situation not demand that, in spite of our deep emo-
tional pain, we ignore western provocations in the same manner
as we see in the life of the Prophet (pbuh)? When we are unable
to do anything to stop these devils then is it not more dignified to
follow the guidance shown in the aforementioned verse of chap-
ter Aal Imran? If we think seriously, this Quranic guidance is par-
ticularly for a situation presently confronting us. In the given cir-
cumstances, the only solution to solve the problem is to ignore
their mischief mongering, fail their plans and thus put an end to
their ongoing devilish campaign.
What justification is there in expecting western nations to
understand your pain and anguish? What makes you think that
they will support OICs efforts to introduce in international law a
provision to bridle these hooligans? They are even against
Pakistans Blasphemy Law. What sense is there in expecting the
nations, which oppose laws providing for the sanctity of holy per-
sonalities and places in your own countries, that they will take
such measures on their own lands?
Wait for the day when we shape our lives according to the
wishes of Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) and, thus, become able
to bring Muslim Worlds renaissance. This will not happen by car-
rying banners in demonstrations with proclamations of Ishq-e-
Rasool. This will come by surrendering to the dictates and desires
of Allah and His apostle. Without doubt, at present we are not in
this state, a fact that we may be unaware of or may be deluding
ourselves into believing that we love the Prophet. In order to
explain this point further, listen to the following story:
In the last century among the great ulama was Maulana Syed
Munazir Ahsan Geelani (1892-1975) who had been blessed by
Allah (SWT) with the wealth of Ilm as well as love of the Prophet
(pbuh). Writing about his student days in Darul Uloom Deoband
and his teacher Shaikhul Hind Maulana Mahmood Hasan, (1851-
1920) he narrates, Bukhari was being taught. The well-known
hadith came: None of you can be a momin until I become dear-
er to you than your wealth, children, and every human being.
This faqeer submitted: Alhmdulillah, even a common Muslim is
blessed with the wealth of love for the Prophet (pbuh) the proof of
which is that to an extent he can tolerate the insult of his par-
ents... but slightest disrespect for the Prophet (pbuh) enrages him
and he loses self-control. We have seen it many times that on this
issue they have put their lives in danger. Upon this, Hazrat
Shaikhul Hind said: No doubt what you have said is true. But why
does it happen? You have not reached to its depth. Love
demands that each and everything is sacrificed to please the
beloved. But the general behaviour of Muslims regarding the
wishes of the Prophet (pbuh) is before you and me to see. What
did the Prophet desire and what is that we are doing? Who is
there who does not know this fact? Then surely love cannot be
the reason of Muslims not tolerating disrespect for the Prophet.
This humble self then submitted: Please tell us what the exact
reason is? Hazrat Shaikhul Hind, a great expert of human psychol-
ogy, explained: If you think about it, hidden in this reaction against
disrespect of the Prophet is the feeling of our own contempt. This
hurts the ego of Muslims, i.e., how dare you show disrespect to the
personality we regard our Prophet! It is this ego that gets injured
and we mix up this egotism with our selfish reactions that we
wrongly assume to be the result of our love for the Prophet. This is
delusion ... the one who does not care about the wishes of the
beloved, keeps himself busy in meaningless gossips and does not
respond to the call of the muazzin, should be honest with himself
and think if his claim to be a lover of the Prophet really suits him.
(Ihata-e-Darul Uloom mein beete huwai din, pp 15f).
The writer is London-based Islamic scholar of Indian origin.
For feedback, please email at atiquesambhli@talktalk.net
obaidur.rahman@gmail.com
...hidden in this reaction against disrespect of the Prophet is the feeling of our own contempt.
This hurts the ego of Muslims, i.e., how dare you show disrespect to the personality we regard
our Prophet! It is this ego that gets injured and we mix up this egotism with our selfish reactions
that we wrongly assume to be the result of our love for the Prophet. This is delusion ... the one
who does not care about the wishes of the beloved, keeps himself busy in meaningless gossips
and does not respond to the call of the muazzin, should be honest with himself and think if his
claim to be a lover of the Prophet really suits him.
Shaikhul Hind MAULANA MAHMOOD HASAN
Blasphemy and our anger
British High Commissioners
interference in Indian politics
It is with a great sense of outrage that Indian TV audiences
viewed British High Commissioner to India, in his press confer-
ence, declaring with a straight face, that Britain is not endorsing
or rehabilitating Gujarats Chief Minister Narendra Modi by the
fact that it is now initiating a re-engaging of Gujarat by calling on
the Chief Minister, who is widely believed to be the mastermind
behind the genocidal pogroms of 2002 in the state of Gujarat.
Nine out of ten questions from the press addressed to the
High Commissioner were to find out what made the sudden deci-
sion to make a call on Modi in the wake of the coming state
assembly elections.
Does this not amount to a gross political interference in the
democratic processes of the sovereign Indian Republic?
The High Commissioner was, however, very truthful and per-
sistent that any such move is to serve the best interests of his
country. However, how does UKs best interests coincide with
the Indian States own best interests in letting a foreign ambas-
sador make such a drastic move that, for all practical purposes,
will amount to an international conspiracy for regime change in
India.
It is true that if it is in the best interests of UK, it can haul
African leaders to the International Court of Justice for any sim-
ilar wholesale slaughter of people in their respective countries.
How does the crimes committed in Gujarat by the state authori-
ties through acts of commission and omission of its duties
towards its citizens, do not appear to UK, the paragon of world-
wide standard-bearer of human rights, to be a fit case for inter-
national persecution of the criminals?
Instead of issuing an international warrant against the crimi-
nals to be hauled in British courts, especially when three British
citizens were lynched during those very same pogroms, UKs
conservative government of David Cameron deems it fit to
ignore crimes committed against Muslims everywhere in the
world and stick to its new interpretation of the best interests of
Great Britain.
After all, what can be expected from those themselves
alleged to have committed war crimes in Libya, Iraq and
Afghanistan very recently.
It is a great dereliction of duty by the UPA government to
have allowed the old colonials to come back and meddle in our
internal affairs, so directly, so blatantly, so audaciously.
Imagine, a similar indiscretion by a US Ambassador visiting
say West Bengal, would have unleashed a storm of protests all
over the country. Why David Camerons British government is
being treated by UPA with kid gloves.
Indian Government must lodge a strong protest with the UK
government, fully adhering to the sentiments of its own people,
requiring UK to stop all such interference in the internal affairs of
the Indian Republic.
GHULAM MUHAMMED
ghulammuhammed3@gmail.com
NATIONAL
10 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
AFSANA RASHID, SRINAGAR
Human rights watchdog, Amnesty International (AI), has said that
authorities in Jammu and Kashmir still use Public Safety Act
(PSA) to facilitate a range of rights-violating behaviour. Despite
seemingly positive political and legal developments in recent
months, PSA and its implementation in state continues to violate
Indias obligations under international human rights law, says
Amnestys second report PSA still a lawless law released,
October 13.
Authorities continue to use PSA to circumvent rule of law
and criminal justice system. They resort to PSA detentions
instead of charging and trying persons suspected of offences in
court, said Ananth Guruswamy, Director of Amnesty International
India in a press statement, adding authorities often keep persons
in detention even after detentions have been quashed by High
Court. Guruswamy added that the Act violates international
human rights law and must be repealed.
AI report, while quoting police, puts the number of PSA
detentions at 15,600 during the last two decades. Detainees
include political leaders and activists, suspected members or
supporters of armed opposition groups, lawyers, journalists and
protesters including children, the report said adding that rights
violations committed by the applicability of PSA include unlawful
deprivations of liberty through practice of revolving door deten-
tions, detention of children, torture and other ill-treatment, denial
of medicare to detainees and lack of reparations for victims.
The report, based on research conducted by Amnesty during
its two visits to the state in April and July this year, mentioned
PSA detention orders are still being used against children despite
it now being prohibited.
The three-member AI team headed by the director for Indian
programmes, Shishi Kumar Villath, that was on a eight-day visit
to Kashmir, met senior separatists including Hurriyat (G) chair-
man Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar
Farooq, JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and others on
October 18. Geelani told the team that for the last 22 years,
AFSPA and Disturbed Areas Act are in force in Kashmir and the
history of PSA is older. He alleged that there is no end to human
rights violations. Mirwaiz apprised the team about increasing
rights violation in Kashmir. JKLF chairman, Mohammad Yasin
Malik said Jammu and Kashmir is the only place in world that has
the highest number of security forces posted.
Army rejects SHRC jurisdiction
The Army, October 15, said State Human Rights Commission
isnt empowered to investigate its soldiers for alleged human
rights violations in the state. The Commission, in return, said that
it can act against any offender, irrespective of rank and status.
The Commission has sought a report from the Secretary of
the Ministry of Defence on a complaint against the Army for
allegedly using civilians for forced labour in Kupwara district from
1990 to 2003. A complaint was filed by independent legislator
Langate, Er Rasheed, in 2009 alleging that 30 RR used people of
39 villages of Mawar-Kupwara for forced labour to construct
bunkers, extract timber and undertake night patrolling. The Army
hasnt only refuted allegations but challenged the jurisdiction of
the Commission. The Commission on October 15 asked Er
Rasheed to file a rejoinder, if any, to the Armys statement.
In another case, former IGP Kashmir P S Gill, October 16,
termed the allegations against him over his alleged role in manip-
ulation of DNA samples and hushing up the abduction of foreign-
ers in 1995 as frivolous.
For the past five months, Gill had been evading the
Commissions show cause notices. Last month, the Commission
summoned Gill through the district magistrate of Moga (Punjab)
and maintained that if he failed to appear or file his response,
legal proceedings will be initiated against him.
In his reply, Gill stated that he wasnt the supervising DIG
when the incident took place. However, the book Meadows
released earlier this year claimed that in November 1997, Bob
Wells, father of Paul Wells, one of the kidnapped foreigners met
with the then IGP, Gill. Apart from Wells, Keith Mangan (Britain),
Dirk Hassert (Germany), John Childs and Donald Hutching (US)
and Hans Christan Ostro (Norway) were allegedly kidnapped by
Al-Faran militant group from the forests of Pahalgam in 1995.
Childs managed to escape, Wells was killed and other four for-
eigners still remain untraced. The case is further listed for
November 12.
Wholesale application of TADA, POTA
About 323 and 31 persons have been charged under Terrorist
and Disruptive Activities (TADA) Act and Prevention of Terrorism
Act (POTA), respectively in the state. This information was provid-
ed by the government in response to a supplementary question
of Congress legislator, Ravinder Kumar Sharma, in the
Legislative Council here on October 10 during the 10-day autumn
session. The state reply said, 323 persons were booked under
TADA in 63 cases within the state and 31 persons were charged
under POTA. Moreover, the government on October 15 admit-
ted that 2,200 prisoners, including 16 foreign nationals, were cur-
rently behind bars within and outside the state. It has been report-
ed that about 2179 persons are lodged in various jails. 2169 per-
sons are lodged in prisons within the state whereas 10 are lan-
guishing in jails outside state, said the report, adding 16 under-
trial foreign nationals are languishing in Kotbalwal jail, Jammu. 11
foreign nationals belong to Bangladesh, five to Pakistan and one
to Muzaffarabad (POK).
About 154 people are lodged in the central jail of Jammu and
401 are lodged in the central jail of Srinagar, it added. 79 prison-
ers are lodged in Kathua jail including five foreign nationals and
300 prisoners are lodged in district jail Udhampur; 138 prisoners
are lodged in Poonch jail; 115 in Rajouri; 80 in Kishtwar; 150 in
Baramulla and 87 in Anantnag jail. Dozens of prisoners facing
criminal offences and theft charges are lodged in Leh jail.
AFPSA to say: Shinde
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has said that the
Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) would be revoked
slowly and gradually from the state but he didnt specify any
deadline. We dont want to take any risk by judging the present
peace in Kashmir as a base for AFSPA revocation. But the situa-
tion would soon reach a stage where security forces can be with-
drawn from the state, said Shinde while speaking to the media
on the sidelines of a function here at the Congress headquarters
on October 14.
Shinde had, October 16, said at Manesar (Har) that the
Centre will wait for some more time before taking any decision on
the demand for the revocation of AFSPA. It isnt advisable to
deploy paramilitary or Army personnel always for law and order
duties, he said.
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THE MILLI GAZETTE
First English Newspaper of Indian Muslims. Telling the Muslim side of the story fortnight after fortnight since January 2000
Amnesty condemns application of PSA in J&K
Amarnath road opposed
Terming the plan of the government to construct a road to the
Amarnath cave as a design to change the demography of the
state Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani has threat-
ened that an agitation to counter the same would be announced
after Eid-ul-Azha which is to be observed on October 27.
Theyve a design to cut-off the entire area from Kashmir
and set up Amarnath city, Geelani told media here on October
18, adding well talk to other separatist groups and announce
an agitation programme. Geelani said, the finance minister in
August told media that no road is being constructed in the area,
which was a lie. Shri Amarnath Shrine Board is emerging as a
state within the state. He added, for the past three months
construction material is being dumped in Seeshnag and
adjoining areas of the cave.
Pertinently, Apex Court has directed the state government
and Shrine Board to immediately start implementing safety
measures to minimize deaths and ensure smooth pilgrimage.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on October 20 offered
Hurriyat (G) chairman to conduct an aerial survey of Amarnath
cave in his chopper. State helicopter will be kept at his dispos-
al. Let him show us where macadam is being laid. Geelani
however, turned down the offer.
Incompetence of J&Ks
Waqf Board and
progress of Hindu trusts
SARIR KHALID
Srinagar: A series of mysterious fires in Kashmirs mosques, dar-
gahs and other religious places has, on the one hand, made the
people of Kashmir Valley worried and, on the other hand,
exposed the irregularities, mismanagement and incompetence of
Muslim Waqf Board and its authorities. Against this, Hindu trusts
and welfare organisations, old as well as new, have made great
progress, have become very rich and have set up colleges, uni-
versities, hospitals and other welfare institutions.
Muslim Auqaf Trust was set up by late Sheikh Muhammad
Abdullah before Independence, i.e. in 1930 to look after Waqf
properties and for spending incomes from these properties,
donations, gifts and offerings at dargahs etc. for the welfare of
poor Muslims, madrasas, orphanages etc. But in the course of
time, MAT degenerated into an institution more for the benefit of
the National Conference than a community organisation. Mufti
Muhammad Sayeed during his chief ministership clipped its
wings by converting MAT into a Board but when National
Conference returned to power, it restored it to its previous posi-
tion.
One of the reasons for the poor performance of MAT is that
Muslims themselves did not take any interest in its working nor
questioned the authorities about its income and expenditure.
There was no accountability. MAT continued to get offerings,
gifts, donations etc. from Muslims but no one took the trouble of
checking its incomes and expenditures nor this Trust or Board
itself ever tried to present any statement of income and expendi-
ture or its achievements for the welfare of Muslims.
Though Hindus in Kashmir are a minority and are also con-
fined to certain regions and localities, they have set up many insti-
tutions for the upkeep of their temples and other properties
because of which they have developed and also have become
very rich. For example, Dharmarth Trust set up with the sponsor-
ship of Dr. Karan Singh (former Sadr-e Riyasat of J&K) is the old-
est such institution of Kashmir and also very rich. Other such
trusts/boards and institutions are Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine
Board, Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, Pratap Sabha, Chinar Trust,
to name a few. Because of the efficient management of these insti-
tutions, many good colleges, universities, hospitals and welfare
institutions have been set up for the benefit of Hindus. Vaishno
Devi Trust, for example, was created in 1986 and subsequently
converted into a Board, was set up for providing facilities for pil-
grims coming to Vaishno Devi Mandir. During its brief existence of
about two decades, its annual income is around Rs. 600 crores
and is probably the richest religious institution of J&K. Its target is
to make all arrangements and facilities for about 8.4 million pilgrims
by 2015. It has also set up a Hindu Technical University with its own
resources. Another plan of this Board is to set up a cancer hospital
at a cost of about Rs. 250 crores. Work on this hospital is going on
and it is hoped that when completed, it will become one of the best
hospitals of India for the treatment of cancer. In this hospital,
spread over an area of 10 lakh sq. ft., a guest house or dharam
shala with 140 rooms for the stay of attendants of patients is under
construction. Another achievement of this Board is that it bears the
entire expenses of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University situated in
Trikota Hills. The first batch of graduate and post-graduate stu-
dents of this university has completed its education. Amarnath
Shrine Board created in 2000 for the managment of the affairs of
Amarnath Cave shrine and to provide facilities for devotees is also
providing good service to pilgrims by building rest houses in hilly
and inhospitable terrain with facilities of meals, refreshment and
rest after a strenuous journey. In addition to these big trusts, there
are many smal boards which are rendering good services.
In comparison with these trusts, the working and achieve-
ments of MAT and other Muslim institutions are disappointing.
MAT properties are worth Rs. 2000 crores but it cannot take pride
in its achievements. After the devastating fire in Dastagir Dargah,
the preliminary enquiry revealed that a lions share of this Trusts
income is spent on the salaries of its army of employees whose
number is about 1100! According to reliable sources, this army of
employees is not only unnecessary but many employees are
working as domestic servants of the big bosses of the Trust. The
enquiry into the fire revealed that most of the large and important
dargahs and religious places have neither any fire safety meas-
ures nor safe electric arrangements.
During the last four years, MATs total income was only
about 75 crores! What is even worse is that its income is static
and no increase is taking place. It was also found that last year
out of the total amount of Rs. 14 crores spent by this Trust, as
much as Rs. 7 crores were spent on its army of employees
salaries and administrative affairs and much less for the real pur-
pose for which it was created. Unlike Hindu Trusts, MAT cannot
boast of any appreciable public utility service like colleges, uni-
versities, hospitals, technical educational institution etc. Mufti
Sayeed during his chief ministership had no doubt set up an
Islamic University at Awantipura with the Trusts income about a
decade ago but because of non-availability of further funds, its
progress is only barely functioningpushing which makes its stu-
dents feel ashamed. The bitter truth is that compared to trusts
and boards of the small Hindu minority of Kashmir, MAT has vir-
tually nothing to show as its achievements. (Translated from
Urdu)
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 11
ANALYSIS
Clearly, activist Arvind Kejriwals primary agenda is
securing an entry into politics. This was revealed earlier
this month when he promised a Lokpal bill within 10 days
of being elected. Kejriwal said that he will announce the
name of his party on November 26.
Interestingly, his partys vision document also refers
to the uplift of Muslims. But so far, Kejriwal has not clar-
ified his stand on whether he favours reservation for
Muslims, politically, socially and in other sectors.
Accepting that his primary agenda is corruption, Kejriwal
needs to elaborate on what does he really define corrup-
tion as? Shouldnt the biased approach held against
Muslims at most levels be understood as a corrupt atti-
tude? What does Kejriwal say on this? If he prefers keep-
ing silent on this aspect, why so?
Kejriwal has definitely succeeded in capturing
medias attention by targeting political bigwigs on cor-
ruption-issues. He has gone a little further by challenging
Congress High Command, Sonia Gandhi and Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, to a public debate on corrup-
tion. Though the Congress has dismissed Kejriwals
demand for debate, the party members have begun
aggressively reacting against this activists charges.
The Congress is trying to turn tables against Kejriwal
by questioning the source of funds he receives for his
activities, particularly the NGOs run by him. Taking
offence to Kejriwals attempts to maliciously defame
her by using derogatory remarks against her, Delhi Chief
Minister Sheila Dikshit has sent him a legal notice of civil
and criminal defamation.
The message is clear. However appealing Kejriwals
anti-corruption drive may be, the political ride ahead for
him is a bumpy one. When Anna Hazare was in the fore-
front in this anti-corruption campaign, the reaction of
Congress was totally different. Even when Hazare asked
the Prime Minister to step down, the Congress did not
lash out at him.
The political scene has changed dramatically since
Hazare has stepped into the background. Though reports
have circulated of there being major differences between
Hazare and Kejriwal, the former has tried playing these
down by saying that their aim is the same, which is their
drive against corruption. The same isnt true of other
members of the anti-corruption drive. This was reflected
at a press conference held earlier this month by Kejriwal.
He was accused by Annie Kohlie and several others of
using India Against Corruption (IAC) forum for his per-
sonal gains. She also posed the questions as to whether
he was acting as a revolutionary or as a politician and
why was he not answering questions asked by others.
Dazed at her outburst, Kejriwal left the press conference
without answering her questions.
Ironically, though Kejriwal was awarded Ramon
Magsaysay Award for Eminent Leadership in 2006, at this
stage, it isnt clear whether his anti-corruption drive is
headed in the right direction or not. Kejriwal certainly has
the right to clear his doubts and raise questions on cor-
ruption allegedly indulged in by Robert Vadra (Sonia
Gandhis son-in-law), Union Minister Salman Khurshids
family trust and BJP leader Nitish Gadkari. This step has
proved fairly costly for Kejriwal with Congress leader
Digvijay Singh charging him with irregularities while he
served as an Indian Revenue officer. Kejriwal has also
been cornered for being fairly selective in levying corrup-
tion charges against only a few and not targeting several
politicians who have a tarnished image.
Despite these limitations, Kejriwal has succeeded
politically to a degree. He has moved out of Annas polit-
ical-shadow, from where he began his political career.
Allegations against political bigwigs, raking one major
controversy after another, have helped Kejriwal gain sub-
stantial publicity. But before he could move further,
Kejriwal is facing strong opposition from several mem-
bers of anti-corruption drive and from Congress leaders.
So far, Kejriwal has succeeded only in attracting
attention to his anti-corruption political agenda.
Considering that Hazares anti-Congress campaign failed
to hold peoples attention for very long, one is bound to
speculate on whether Kejriwal will meet the same fate.
While Hazares drive attracted the support of a few million
Indians at the ground level, that of Kejriwal barely
exceeds a few thousands. Hazare had a certain mass-
base, while Kejriwals support is limited to an urban, mid-
dle-class crowd.
Without doubt, Kejriwal has succeeded in attracting
medias attention. But so have those who have reacted
strongly against him, including Congress leaders.
Kejriwals success may not have reached this stage, if he
did not enjoy the support of certain major rivals of
Congress party, particularly the BJP.
This raises the question, whether the underlying fear
of losing support of his key patrons has restrained
Kejriwal from being vocal about his plans regarding
Muslims development? As of now, his political agenda is
totally different. His political task is to prepare the stage
for his politics, which he is engaged in at present.
Kejriwal is playing the role of a political pawn. Thus,
however high and lofty Kejriwals personal political ambi-
tions may be, he is not likely to be supported for too long
by his present political patrons.
Speaki ng Out
Kejriwal: A
Political Pawn
NI LOFAR SUHRAWARDY
TAHIR MAHMOOD
Former Chief Justice of India and first
Chairman of the National Human Rights
Commission Ranganath Misra died at
Bhubaneshwar in Orissa on 13 September
2012. Though I had known him earlier too,
on 21 March 2005 both he and I had joined
the National Commission for Religious and
Linguistic Minorities [NCRLM] - he as the
Chair and I as the Law Member. We
worked together until 21 May 2007 when
we submitted our report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. We
used to regularly meet in the Commissions office at Jawaharlal
Nehru Stadium, at his official residence in New Delhi, and at my
home in South Delhi. He had great affection for and absolute trust
in me. Towards the end of our work he and the other two mem-
bers of the Commission, Dr Mohinder Singh and the late Dr Anil
Wilson, had entrusted to me the unenviable job of writing the
Commissions recommendations. I did my job, answering the call
of my conscience, and after a series of deep deliberations all
three of them unanimously endorsed my draft without any
change.
The idea that the Constitution of India prevents the State from
introducing any special measures for the religious minorities has
no legs to stand. It does prohibit discrimination between citizens
on three grounds - caste, gender and religion - but none of these
prohibitions is absolute. Protective discrimination in favour of
backward castes and weaker sex is permissible by express dic-
tates of the Constitution. On the same analogy affirmative action
in favour of religious minorities aiming at effecting equality among
unequals would only amount to what is known as constitutionally
permissible protective discrimination. The mandate of no reli-
gion-based discrimination under the Constitution was meant to
protect the minorities against hegemonic domination of the major-
ity on national resources, but it is being gravely misunderstood
and used in the opposite direction through double standards of
constitutional validity. Though the caste system is a universal
phenomenon in the Indian society, no one fumes on the
Scheduled Caste net being restricted to three chosen religious
communities - Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs. No eyebrows were
raised when in a case decided in 1990 the Supreme Court of
India thought it fit to severely curtail minorities educational rights
unconditionally guaranteed under the Constitution by directing
minority educational institutions to keep half of their intake virtu-
ally reserved for the majority community. Any proposal for a recip-
rocal measure for minorities by way of earmarking some space
for them in non-minority institutions is, on the other hand, invari-
ably dubbed as un-Constitutional. All this is indeed unfortunate.
Fully conscious of these trends widely prevailing in the coun-
try, the NCRLM - which in the media abbreviation later became
Ranganath Misra Commission - spoke in its report of three alter-
native courses of action. Its first preference was that religion or
caste must not have any place whatsoever in determining educa-
tional and economic backwardness and a totally secular criterion
should be uniformly adopted for this purpose for all communities
and groups. This measure, if to be adopted, would require dras-
tic changes in the present law relating to Scheduled Castes.
Knowing well that this upsetting of the applecart would not be
acceptable to politicians of the day, the Commission recommend-
ed a second alternative to ensure equality and justice - reserving
15% space for minorities in State-aided educational institutions,
government employment and welfare schemes. This alternative
too, the Commission very well knew, would not be easily
digestible. It, therefore. suggested a third alternative measure -
provision for an 8.4% quota for minorities within the already in-
force 27% reservation for the OBCs.
Regarding the issue of the so-called Dalit Christians and Dalit
Muslims, the Commission expressed a well-considered view that
since caste-based stratification is shared by the entire society in
India, excluding Christians and Muslims from the Scheduled
Castes net by expressly restricting it to three chosen faiths
amounts to religion-based discrimination totally repugnant to the
Constitutions ideal of State-neutrality to religion.
The Commission did recommend a lot more beyond the issue
of reservation which inexplicably nobody talks about - reserving
all resources of the Central Wakf Council for the educational uplift
of the Muslims, giving AMU and Jamia Millia special responsibili-
ties to ensure their educational advancement throughout the
country, providing enhanced aid and better facilities to all Muslim
schools and colleges in India, promoting simultaneous modern
education for madrasa students, and so on. The un-called for
inhibition to any reservation for the minorities should have put no
roadblock in implementing at least these recommendations of the
Commission.
The Misra Commission report was a product of deep thinking
and strenuous work of a small group of extremely conscientious
white-haired citizens whose patriotism and knowledge of
Constitution and law was beyond reproach. Two of its members -
Anil Wilson and now Ranganath Misra - have breathed their last
waiting for action on its report. God alone knows if the other two
surviving members [I and Mohinder Singh] will live long enough
to see the fruit of the Commissions gigantic work.
Kejriwal is playing the role of a political
pawn. Thus, however high and lofty
Kejriwals personal political ambitions may
be, he is not likely to be supported for too
long by his present political patrons.
The idea that the Constitution of India prevents
the State from introducing any special measures
for the religious minorities has no legs to stand. It
does prohibit discrimination between citizens on
three grounds - caste, gender and religion - but
none of these prohibitions is absolute. Protective
discrimination in favour of backward castes and
weaker sex is permissible by express dictates of
the Constitution.
FRANKLY SPEAKING
The Lamented Justice Ranganath Misra
Decoding Talibani Psyche
The news that Taliban beheaded 17 Afghan civilians, including
two women, at a late night party in Helmand province in South
Afghanistan for mingling and dancing together, calls for the
harshest words to condemn this religious massacre.
At times I wonder: is this the same Afghanistan which gave
Jalaluddin Rumi to the world? He was born in Afghanistans Balkh
region on September 30, 1207.
Taliban are hardcore Sunnis. And Sunni Islam is the strictest
of all Islamic sects. Yet, Ive many Sunni Muslim friends who
arent that monomaniac and are genuinely critical of the ways of
Sunni Taliban. Its worthwhile to state that the entire Sub-conti-
nent has the majority of Sunnis. At the crossroads of human civ-
ilization, were more apprehensive of theological adamancy than
the religious stubbornness. A deep understanding of Talibani
mindset will reveal that its more of a misinterpreted theological
adamancy of their sect than an attempt to prove Islams great-
ness. Taliban are tribal people with very little understanding of
Quran and Islams vastness.
Theres no denying the fact that tribalism has been a core
element in the consciousness of Islam. Prior to the advent of
Islam in the Arab peninsula, there were innumerable tribes in the
desert. Muhammad integrated those warring tribes into a cohe-
sive unit and brought them together under the all-encompassing
umbrella of Islam.
These people (Taliban) recite Quranic verses without under-
standing their import and take only those things that attract them.
The idea of Nizam-e-Mustafa (Islamic Order) appears to them
mutatis mutandis (without a deletion) and worldwide.
The Quranic injunction that therell be just one true sect and
only the followers of this sect will be able to enter Paradise on the
Day of Judgment has been taken too seriously by the Taliban.
To quote VS Naipaul, Taliban think that they have the divine
right to reestablish the hegemony of the Sunni sect and no other
sect in Islam has the right to survive. Like the rabid white
supremacists and skin-heads racist groups in the US, Taliban are
sectarian racists who want to make it clear that only through their
version of Sunni Islam can one go to heaven and be dear to Allah.
In the early days of Judaism and again in the 13th century,
there were different sects vying for the ultimate truth. Midrashim
(plural of Midrash=Commentaries on a Hebrew biblical text)
reveal that Judaism also passed through phases when one of its
sects threatened to have its unquestioning Talmudic supremacy
over other sects within the purview of Judaism.
Taliban are under the impression that theirs is the sect that is
even greater than the existing Sunni Islam, much like the way
many Christians still believe that only by following Old
Testaments Jehovahs Witness sect, can they be gods chosen
people. Taliban also think that by slitting the throats of their
brethren and decapitating them, they can be Allahs chosen peo-
ple.
SUMIT S. PAUL
The Awards Committee of United Muslim of
India (UMI) and Urdu Development
Organisation (U.D.O.) in its meeting chaired by
Prof. Abdul Haq, former Head of Delhi
Universitys Department of Urdu who is also
considered an authority on Allama Iqbal, and
held in Delhi on 18 October selected the follow-
ing persons for World Urdu Day Award 2012 in
recognition of their valuable services and contri-
butions to Urdu language and literature
MUHAMMAD HAMID ALI (of Gorakhhpur) for
being honoured with Qazi Adeel Abbasi Aalami
Yaum-e Urdu Award 2012 for national and milli
services (2) Prof. HAKEEM AFZAAL AHMAD
(Aligarh) with Masihul Mulk Hakeem Ajmal
Khan Alami Yaum-e Urdu Award 2012 for social
and Tibbi (medical) services (3) Dr. ADIL
AMEER (Delhi) with Hakeem Abdul Hameed
Alami Yaume Urdu Award 2012 for promotion of
Tibb (4) Dr. ANWAR SAYEED (Deoband) with
Hakeem Abdul Aziz Alami Yaum-e Urdu 2012
Award for stability of Tibb, (5) A. R. CHAUD-
HARY (Aligarh) with Dr. A. N. Azmi Alami Yaum-
e Urdu Award 2012 for promotion of Tibb (6) Dr.
SAYEED AHMAD of Sandila (Lucknow) with
Hafeez Meeruthi Alami Yaum-e Urdu Award
2012 for literature (7) ABDUL MAJEED
ANSARI (Sant Kabir Nagar) with Mahfoozur
Rahman Alami Yaum-e Urdu Award 2012 for
journalism. The Awards will be given to these
persons on 9 November which is observed as
Alami Urdu Day at a function to be held in
Gandhi Bhawan, Lucknow.
Dr. FAROOQ ABDULLAH, union minister for
new and renewable energy sources was hon-
oured by Spanish government with its presti-
gious Award Great Cross of Civil Merit in
recognition of his efforts for durable and long
term economic progress through harnessing of
sources of energy for greater production of new
and renewable energy. The Award was present-
ed to him at the Spanish embassy at New Delhi
by the Spanish Ambassador on 13 October.
The annual All India Sir Sayyad Essay Writing
competition 2012 jointly sponsored by the mag-
azine The Aligarh Movement and Millat Bedaari
Muhim, (Millat Awakening Campaign) was held
on Sir Sayyad And Globalisation on 7 October
in Aligarh Public School on the occasion of
195th birthday of AMUs founder Sir Sayyad
Ahmad Khan. The candidates taking part in this
competition were divided into two categories
i.e. senior (B.A. to Ph.D) and junior (8th to 12th
classes) categories. According to the maga-
zines chief Editor Jaseem Muhammad, in the
senior category. M. A. (Psychology) student of
AMU, (Ms.) SADAF ANJUM (who wrote in
English) was declared first, M.A. (Urdu student
of AMU (Ms.) ZULFI HASEEB (wrote in Urdu)
was second, B.A., LLB student in AMU Ms.
MINOO SINGER (wrote in Hindi) was declared
third. In the junior category (8th to 12th classes)
8th class student (Ms.) NAQEEBA of Lady
Fatema School, NAVED KHAN of 10th class
student of Aligarh Public School and (Ms.)
HERA TARIQ 10th class student of AMU Girls
High School who wrote the essays in English,
Hindi and Urdu were declared first, second and
third respectively in this competition.
A total of about 600 students of different
schools, colleges and university level had taken
part in this competition. The awards consisting
of cash prizes, shield and certificates were
given to the winners on 11 October at a function
held at AMU Arts Faculty Lounge.
MUNAWWAR RANA, well-known poet has
been honoured with Kala Dharmi Bagh Award
2012 in recognition of his services to poetry by
Begum Akhtar Academy of Ghazals. The Award
was given to him at a function held at India
Habitat Centre, New Delhi by film producer-
director Sudhir Mishra. On this occasion
Pakistans noted Singer Mrs. ABIDA
PARVEEN was also honoured with Lifetime
Achievement Award. Also, two anthologies of
poems of Munawwar Rana were released on
this occasion.
AMJAD ALI KHAN, Sarod maestro is among
the 11 artistes who have been honoured with
Sangeet Natak Academy Fellowship Awards for
the year 2011. Each Fellowship Awardee is
given a cheque of Rs. 3 lakh, angwastra (prized
dress) and a bronze medal. The Fellowship and
other awards were given to the awardees by
President Pranab Mukherjee at a function held
in Delhi on 9 October.
Bollywood film actor and producer AAMIR
KHAN along with Star T. V. channels C.E.O.
UDAY SHANKAR SINHA were honoured by
National Commission for Scheduled Castes
and Valmiki Samaj for highlighting social evils
like untouchability etc. through his film
Satyamev Jayate and the T. V. shows. The
function to honour them was held at Talkatora
Indoor Stadium on 18 October on
International Valmiki Day. Union home minis-
ter Sushil Kumar Shinde, who blongs to S.C.
category was also felicitated on this occa-
sion.
AWARDS
SYED MUNEER NIAZI, senior Urdu journalist
and deputy chief sub editor of Urdu daily of
Kolkata Azad Hind along with 9 other senior jour-
nalists has been honoured with award by
Trinamool Congresss mouthpiece Jago Bangla in
recognition of his 52 years of services to journal-
ism. The awards, consisting of Rs. 10,000 in cash
to each and other items were given to the
awardees at a function held at Nazrul Manch in
the presence of chief minister Mamta Baneerjee
on 16 October.
JAVED HABIB, milli
leader, journalist,
former President of
AMU Students
Union and founder
of Babri Masjid
Action Committee,
died in Delhi on 11
October at the age
of 62 years. He was
buried next day in
the Jamia Millia qabristan in the presence of hun-
dreds of his friends and fans. Born in Tonk city of
Rajasthan, he was educated at AMU. By setting
up Babri Masjid Action Committee, Bharti Majlis
and National Harmony Council, and publishing
Hujoom weekly, he rendered great sacrifices for
the milli and national cause. Dr. Zafarul-Islam
Khan, president of AIMM Mushawarat while pay-
ing tributes to him said that he was a man of
action and principles who never bartered his con-
science. Many milli leaders like Jama Masjids
Imam Maulana Bukhari, Maulana Asrarul Haque
Qasmi (M.P.), Dr. Tasleem Ahmad Rahmani, head
of Muslim Political Council and many others con-
doled his death and paid rich tributes to him. He
leaves behind his wife and three sons.
ISRAR HUSAIN AKBARABADI, noted poet and
litterateur died in Agra on 16 October at the age of
74 years. Born in Kairana, his family shifted and
settled down in Agra. A man of letters who, during
his 50 years of literary journey, contributed virtual-
ly in all genres of literature such as poetry, prose,
drama, novel, fiction, researched articles, journal-
ism and criticism. In poetry also he composed
poems, ghazals, mercia (dirge), rubaiyyat and so
forth. He wrote more than 80 short stories, more
than 200 researched articles, more than 300 arti-
cles on religious, academic, reformative and edu-
cational topics, two novels and six other books
and about a dozen unpublished books. He is sur-
vived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.
MAULANA ABDUL HASAN MAZAHIRI, deputy
rector and Sheikhul Hadees of Jamia Islamia
Tajpura died at Saharanpur on 15 October at the
age of 74 years in a nursing home. He leaves
behind five sons and four daughters.
SAJJAD NIZAMI, a naatia poet of Bareilly was
found murdered in his car on 17 October while
coming back from Rampur. He had been dealing
in land business. It could not be known who mur-
dered him but it is believed that he was murdered
because of money as he had lot of money with
him which he had received after selling a piece of
land.
HAJI SHAKEEL SAIFI, president of Muslim
Youth Anti-terrorist Committee (aatank virod-
hi samiti) was unanimously elected President
of World Peace Harmony at the
Committees meeting held at its Head office
in Delhi and chaired by Sardar Boota Singh,
former union home minister. The meeting
was attended by members of all communi-
ties.
Prof. ARIF ALI of Jamia Millia Islamias
Department of Biosciences is one of Indias
12 scientists who have been given a grant of
Rs. 7 lakh this year in recognition of their sci-
entific researches. After his visits to Berlin,
Frankfurt and some cities in England, during
his post-doctorate studies in the University of
Wisconsin (U.S.A.) he had done research
work on adriamycine, the medicine that is
used for treatment of cancer which now is
being produced the Italian pharmaceutical
company Pharma Italia. Prof. Ali had started
his teaching and research work at Delhis
Zakir Husain College.
M. NAFEES, local Congress leader, in recog-
nition of his active social service and help to
poor and needy people has been appointed
a Member of Mahanagar Telephone (East
District) Advisory Committee by union minis-
ter Kapil Sibal.
GULZAR AHMAD AZMI, secretary of legal
cell of Jamiatul Ulama, Maharashtra Branch
whose organisation is rendering milli and
social services by providing free legal assis-
tance to innocent Muslims falsely accused
and arrested by countrys I.B. and anti-terror-
ist agencies without any proof and has suc-
ceeded in getting many such persons acquit-
ted by courts, has been specially invited by
Saudi Arabs royal government for perform-
ing Haj as royal guest along with other digni-
taries. He left for Haj on 22 October.
Prof. Z. S. JAFERY of Delhi University has
been elected new President U. P. History
Congress and Prof. N.R. FAROOQI of
Allahabad University has been elected
General Secretary of this History Congress in
addition to other office bearers. Elections for
the new office bearers of the Congress were
held in the 23rd annual conference of the
Congress held in M.J.P. Roohailkhand
University on Sunday 7th October.
MAULANA MUFTI YASSIR NADEEM
DEOBANDI who is presently imparting reli-
gious education in Chicago has been con-
ferred Doctorate Degree by Malayasias
International Islamic University on his
research topic on the science of Hadith
which he wrote in Arabic under the supervi-
sion of the learned religious scholar Maulana
(Dr.) Abdul Lais Khariabadi. The Degree was
given to him by the King of Malayasia on the
occasion of 28th Convocation of this
University held on 6 October.
MUHAMMAD TAIYYAB, social worker has
been appointed secretary of Delhi Pradesh
Congress Committee.
NEWSMAKERS
12 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
MEN & WOMEN IN NEWS
OBITUARIES
Asghar Ali Engineer was born in a Bohra priestly family (amils
family) on 10th March, 1939 in Salumbar, Rajasthan (near
Udaipur) where Sheikh Qurban Husain, his father, was an amil
at that time.
Asghar Ali was given training in Quranic tafsir (commen-
try), Tawil (hidden meaning of Quran), fiqh (jurisprudence) and
hadith (Prophets sayings).
He learnt Arabic language from his father and further devel-
oped it himself. He has studied all the major works of the Fatimi
Dawah by Sayedna Hatim, Sayedna Qadi Numan, Sayedna
Muayyad Shirazi, Sayedna Hamiduddin Kirmani, Sayedna
Hatim al-Razi, Sayedna Jafar Mansur al-Yaman and several
others.
Dr. Engineer also acquired secular education besides the
religious one. He graduated in civil engineering from Indore (M.
P.) with distinction and served for 20 years as an engineer in
Bombay Municipal Corporation and then took voluntary retire-
ment to plunge himself into the Bohra reform movement.
He began to play a leading role in the reform movement
since 1972 when the revolt took place in Udiapur. He wrote sev-
eral articles on the reform movement in the seventies in leading
Indian newspapers such as The Times of India, Indian Express,
Statesman, Telegraph and The Hindu.
He was unanimously elected as General Secretary of The
Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community in its first confer-
ence in Udiapur in 1977 and has continued in the post ever
since. He devotes a great deal of his time for the Bohra reform
movement and has internationalised the reform movement
through his writings and speeches.
Dr. Engineer has also done a great deal of work on commu-
nalism and communal violence in India since the first major riot
in India in Jabalpur in 1961. His work in this field is considered
pioneering and in recognition of his work Calcutta University
conferred an honorary degree of D.Lit. on him in February,
1983.
Dr. Engineer, as he is known since then, is also recognised
as a distinguished scholar of Islam and is invited for internation-
al conferences on Islam by various governments and universi-
ties. Dr. Engineer has lectured in several universities in USA.,
Canada, U.K., Indonesia, Malaysia, Germany, France,
Thailand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Mexico, Lebanon,
Switzerland, Egypt, Tokyo, Uzbekistan, Moscow, Leningrad etc.
He has also lectured in many universities across India.
Dr. Engineer has received several awards for his work on
inter-religious understanding. He believes in showing equal
respect to all religions and he considers faith in religion as most
vital for a meaningful life. However, he does not believe in blind-
ly accepting dogmas inherited from the past. He believes in re-
thinking issues and re-interpreting Islam in keeping with the
changed times. He is of the opinion that it is our individual obli-
gation to acquire Islamic learning and reflect deeply rather than
following any one blindly.
Dr. Engineer was given the National Communal Harmony
Award for 1997 by the Government of India in recognition of his
work for promoting communal harmony throughout the country.
The award carries a citation and Rs. one lakh in cash.
Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer can be reached by e-mail at
csss2work@gmail.com
ASGHAR ALI ENGINEER
MG CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi: Noted Urdu journalist Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi was finally a free man when
Supreme Court of India granted him bail on 20 October with conditions that he will sur-
render his passport to the court and will not leave the country during his trial. This brought
his 8-month-long ordeal to an end for now.
Special Cell of Delhi Police had picked him up on 6 March on charges of somehow
helping the conspirators who bombed the car of an Israeli diplomat on 13 February in
Delhi this year.
Immediately after his arrest, the Police started making wild claims about his role,
monies received and visits made to foreign countries, etc. This all was demolished dur-
ing these eight months. Delhi police failed to lay its hands on any solid proof of his
involvement in the so-called plot apart from vague charges of remaining in telephonic
contact with one of the alleged conspirators. His family forcefully demolished the finan-
cial motive by proving to the concerned authorities that the remittances came from the
savings of Mr. Kazmis sons in UAE over a number of years.
Mr. Kazmis able lawyer (Adv. Mahmood Paracha) was able to demonstrate to the
courts that the very trial of the case in magisterial courts was a violation of UAPA under
which Mr. Kazmi was arrested as the Act stipulates that only specially constituted courts
can look into cases filed under this Act, that too with central government permission in
each case. It is hoped that the relief secured by Mr. Kazmi will benefit hundreds of other
detainees who are tried by lower courts in utter disregard of the Act. Moreover, the chief
metropolitan judge was not authorised to send Mr. Kazmi to jail beyond the first 190 days.
In the ensuing trial, Mr. Kazmis lawyer intends to put the whole police force and
lower judiciary on trial for exceeding their legal limits. He will especially concentrate on
the tall claims made by Delhi police, especially by the Police Commissioner, about Mr.
Kazmi in the wake of his arrest but those claims were finally not mentioned in the
chargesheet although it had succeeded in vitiating the atmosphere and had seriously
defamed Mr. Kazmis reputation and had even harmed Indias relations with a friendly
country (Iran) which in itself is an offence under Indian laws.
Just as Mr. Kazmis case was fought by the civil society all these months through
press conferences, protests, candle march, statements and meeting officials, his release
too was warmly welcomed by a vast spectrum of media, politicians, ordinary people,
especially the Muslim community and its organisations. These forces had fought for him
since his arrest on the obviously fake charges. Around a thousand people, including
mediamen, academics milli and political leaders and Muslim community people gathered
at Tihar Jail on 21 to welcome Mr. Kazmis release. It was a scene perhaps never seen
in free India. A large caravan of buses and cars took him to Shah-e Mardan dargah near
his house in Jorbagh where a function was organised to welcome and felicitate him.
People who gathered at the Tihar gate and Shah-e Mardan noted Shia scholar Maulana
Kalb-e Jawad, AIMMM President, Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, Welfare Party President
Mujtaba Farooq, Jamaat-e Islami Hind Secretary Muhammad Ahmad, noted Journalist
Jawed Naqwi, JTSAs Manisha Sethi, General Secretary of Delhi Union of Journalists
S.K. Pande, Chairman of Shia Point Zaheer Zaidi, educationist Firoz Bakht, Shia schol-
ars Muhsin Taqwi, Jalal Haidar and Hasn Kumaili and many others. Of course, his own
family was there. His wife and two sons tirelessly supported him during his ordeal.
Kazmi said at the Shah-e Mardan reception that he was implicated in a fake case.
His crime was only that as a journalist he spoke against Israel and the US. He said, if he
wanted money he could have worked for the US, not Iran. But I know to differentiate
between truth and falsehood, he said. He was thrilled by the unity shown by the Muslim
community in his defence and said that his incarceration was a small price to achieve this
unity. Receptions and meetings are being held continuously to welcome Mr. Kazmi, share
his grief and show support to him.
SPECIAL REPORT
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 13
Apex Court bails out Kazmi
M
G
/
Y
u
s
u
f
Neither it is going down nor
throwing up
What to do? Cant even
refer it to someone.
Zafarul-Islam Khan & Mujtaba Farooq welcoming Kazmi at Shah-e Mardan
Kazmi being welcomed at Tihar gate on 21 Oct
This is how Delhi Police
exposed its bias
Kazmi with his sons during trial
Kazmis son Shauzab consoling his mother during a demo outside
Delhis India Gate
Journalists Seema Mustafa and Saeed Naqvi during a press
conference on Kazmi arrest at the Delhi Press Club
Candle light vigil for Kazmi at India Gate
COMMUNITY NEWS
14 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
Apex Court seeks better facilities for Haj
New Delhi: A Supreme Court bench led by Justice Aftab Alam, in
response to a statement by amicus curiae, advocate Huzefa
Ahmadi and in response to various petitions filed by pilgrims and
tour operators saying that in the absence of permanent and prop-
er residential facilities for Haj pilgrims in Mecca and Madina, they
face great difficulties there, directed external affairs ministry to file
an affidavit stating if it can hire some properties in Saudi Arabia
on a long term basis of at least ten years or more or on lease in
those cities so that better accommodation facilities could be pro-
vided to them next year onwards.
Another point emphasised by the amicus pertained to the
increasing cost of Haj travel because of hefty air fare. The amicus
suggested that because of high travel charges, central govern-
ment should find a cheaper means of travel. Agreeing to this sug-
gestion the SC Bench said that since more than a lakh pilgrims go
for Haj, any airline would be willing to offer travels at a subsidised
rate and asked the civil aviation ministry to file an affidavit and let
it (Bench) know about the steps that it could take to reduce this
cost, either through the national carrier or private airlines to
reduce travel cost of Haj pilgrims.
Proposal to set up a cell in JMI to study riots
New Delhi: A discussion on Communal riots and Women - in the
background of democratic movement was held in Jamia Millia
Islamias Mir Anees Hall on 8 October regarding sensitive topics
like communal riots and loss of life and property, large scale
arrest of Muslims, particularly of youths, and excesses being
heaped on women and so on. Jamias Vice Chancellor Najeeb
Jung speaking on this occasion said in his inaugural address that
communal riots one after the other are taking place in the country
and even on flimsy grounds and mere suspicion police arrests or
kidnaps people of a particular community. He suggested that a
cell should be opened in Jamia Millia Islamia for highlighting the
excesses heaped on innocent people in these communal riots in
the country. He clarified that this cell should highlight the excess-
es and brutalities committed not only on Muslims but on people of
all religions.
Mrs. Subhashini Ali, former M. P. said while speaking on this
occasion that whenever communal riots take place any where,
excesses are committed on women. She said that after anti-Sikh
riots in 1984 countless number of riots took place in the country
and in all these riots maximum excesses were committed on
women, they were raped and humiliated in other ways too. She
said that in Gujarat riots even pregnant women were killed or their
stomachs cut open and the children who had not even breathed
in the world were also brutally killed. She said that in such atmos-
phere of brutality, fear and terror the way riot-affected women
gave their statements boldly in courts is really laudable, particu-
larly when they were warned and threatened, promised huge
amounts to change their statements or did not give witness but
undaunted, they boldly deposed in the court because of which the
culprits, particularly Maya Kodnani and Bajrangi were given
exemplary punishments. She said that these courageous women
should be praised. She said that the judge who sentenced these
criminals, Justice (Jyotsana) Yagnik too was a woman. She fur-
ther said that Safia Bi, Mallika Sarabhai and Teesta Setalwad also
played an important role in getting these criminals punished and
deserve praise and congratulations.
Sohrabuddin case transfer: for many
Ahmedabad: Granting of bail to Amit Shah created panic in many
people. Because of transfer of hearing all the police officers com-
fortably lodged in Sabarmati jail feel the discomfort of loss of priv-
ileges which they might lose in Maharashtra jail. In its last hear-
ing at Ahmedabad Amit Shah along with accused cops attended
court while Shah was allowed to leave soon other officers had to
stay longer. Only those who are involved in Sohrab case would be
transferred to Maharashtra whereas those who are wanted in
Tulsi encounter case shall continue to stay in the state for the
C.B.I. probe. People do not rule out the possibility of some con-
fession by police officers turning into crown witness
Arrival of Shah in Gujarat was not accompanied with fanfare.
For many his arrival was an embarrassment if not a curse in dis-
guise. BJP wants to maintain a distance because of poll
prospects which his arrival is likely to shadow. Though he is keen
on contesting elections, others who have been nursing the con-
stituency feel disheartened. Prominent among these is Anandiben
Patel, the minister for education, who might stake her claim to
Shahs seat. On the whole BJP feels relaxed following his partic-
ipation in the executive meeting at Suraj Kund (Haryana).
Sources feel that at some places his presence might tilt the votes
in the partys favour. Yet there are many who feel that he might be
dumped by the party as it did Maya Kodnani and Purushottam
Solanki.
Sohrabs brothers advocate threatened
Indore / Ujjain: Advocate Ashutosh Surana who has been repre-
senting Rababuddin Shaikh brother of slain Sohrabuddin, was
threatened and abused by V.H.P. activists. When he went to
Khachrod police station for lodging complaint police not only
refused to lodge an F.I.R. but also registered a case against him
and his father, advocate Mukesh Surana on the basis of com-
plaint lodged by the V.H.P. leader Ritual Sonargada who had
barged in his office while he was discussing the case with Rabab.
He abused and threatened him asking him to desist from repre-
senting Rabab.
The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh high court bar associ-
ation condemned the V.H.P. activists and demanded action
against them by urging the administration to withdraw action
against Suranas. Lawyers of Ujjain courts observed a one day
bandh in support of the threatened lawyer.
Rumours about Babu Bajrangi give police sleepless nights
Ahmedabad: Police administration in Gujarat has been suffering
from a trauma of different kind. With false SMSes about Babu
Bajrangis murder or suspected hanging in Sabarmati jail doing
the rounds the state administration had to issue contradictions to
the rumours. Jail superintendent R. J. Pargi stated that he was
not attacked and Bajrangi is safe in his barrack. (AG Khan)
S.C. acquits 11 accused in arms landing case
New Delhi / Ahmedabad: S. C. Justice Chandra Mauli Prasad
acquitted 11 persons in an arms landing case. Accepting the peti-
tion of 11 persons against a decision passed by Ahmedabad ses-
sions court which had acquitted 49 out of 60 persons arrested the
learned judge found the remaining not guilty. The case dates back
to 1994. It may be recalled that in the wake of rumours that a
huge supply was dumped at the sea coast for distribution among
Muslims for avenging Babri mosque demolition police arrested 60
persons. D.C.P. Siroliya and Tarun Barot had arrested 60 persons
on the basis of rumours. It is an irony of fate that while the eleven
persons are acquitted the over enthusiastic Tarun Barot is on
remand in connection with Sadiq Jamal encounter case. Among
the acquitted persons are Ghazfar Khan alias Gajju Khan, Siraj
Miyan Akbar Miyan Thakore, Ashraf Khan Golden, Iqbal Bapu,
Yusuf Laplap, Sattar Battery etc.
Alleged SIMI activist acquitted
Khandwa: Aqeel Khilji, behind bars for the last ten years for his
alleged SIMI links, has been acquitted by the district court. He
was accused of being a SIMI activist and possessing objection-
able matter which could incite communal passions.
The Judicial magistrate, first class, while acquitting him did
not find the literature objectionable nor charged with communal
frenzy. At the time of his arrest in 2001 he was accused of pos-
session of literature in Hindi and Urdu (including four calendars of
SIMI). Inspite of his acquittal, Aqeel Khilji (41) is lodged still in jail
on two other similar charges.
Muslim adv. discriminated: denied appointment as judge
Madurai: Advocate Ajmal Khans name for appointment as a High
Court judge was proposed and permission was sought for his
posting. However, intelligence report sought by the law depart-
ment pointed towards his links with terror outfits and his posting
proposal was dropped.
Though no official reason is disclosed in all such cases Ajmal
Khan feels hurt at such allegations. Clarifying his position he
points out that the Zakat donations to various madrasa and
mosque committees was considered to be the reason for his
being denied the chance.
Topper among the 140 candidates who passed out from
Government Law College. Madurai in his very fist attempt in 1983
Ajmal Khan in not very keen on his appointment to the post.
However, he feels that he has been discriminated against. He
feels hurt when someone asks him why was he denied the
chance. The 47 year old advocate drew the attention of the
supreme court.
100-bed government hospital to be opened in Okhla area
New Delhi: Delhi Hospital Services OSD, Dr. P. Rajoo in a letter
to All India Muslim Masjlis-e Mushawarats general secretary Ilyas
Malik informed him that the Delhi governments health depart-
ment had approved the setting up of a 100-bed hospital in Sarita
Vihar locality of South Delhi near Okhla Jamia Nagar. This follows
a meeting of All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarats delegation and
chief of Delhi Minorities Commission, Safdar Husain Khans
meeting with the Delhi governments health minister A. K. Walia
regarding the opening of a government hospital in this area. The
delegation members told the minister that though there are hos-
pitals like Holy Family Hospital and Escorts Heart and Research
Hospital in this area, but being private and very costly these are
beyond the reach of common people of this area. Hence a gov-
ernment hospital is very badly needed here so that common peo-
ple of this area could have easy access to health care. Dr. Walia
had assured the delegation members that necessary steps in this
connection will be taken soon.
On health minister Dr. Walias instructions, officers of the
health department carried out a survey and identified a place in
Sarita Vihar area where the 100-bed government hospital will be
opened soon.
Maharashtra Banks no to Muslim student accounts
Balrampur: Manager of Maharashtra Bank here clearly refused to
open bank accounts of Muslim children, after which the students
made a written complaint to district authorities and the Basic
Education Officer was also informed about it. According to avail-
able information, bank accounts of students of local Montessori
School had to be opened, as ordered by the government. When
the school authorities spoke to the Manager of Maharashtra
Bank, he first told them to purchase bank account opening form
from a PCO outside the Bank. When 140 forms were purchased,
school teachers were asked to come to the Bank at 7.00 p.m. for
getting the forms filled up. After 3/4 days when all the forms were
filled up and submitted to the bank for opening of their accounts,
the same Manager said that no account could be opened unless
at least 100 rupees were first deposited and only then accounts
could be opened. When the school authorities informed the par-
ents of students about this condition, they were again asked to
come to the Bank along with 100 rupees each at 7.00 p.m. but
even then the Manager refused to open the accounts of these
children.
When the Head Mistress of this Muslim Montessori School
complained about the Bank Managers attitude to the District
Basic Education Officer through the City Education Officer, he
(Mr. Baig) told the school authorities that this matter has been for-
warded to the District Basic Education Officer and now the District
Minorities Welfare Officer will take action, if any, on the instruc-
tions of the District Magistrate.
It may be stated in this connection that the government has
clearly stated that scholarships or educational assistance to stu-
dents will be deposited in the bank accounts of students. Hence
banks should open student accounts with zero balance; but this
manager has arbitrarily added the condition of first depositing Rs.
100. Such complaints of not opening the bank accounts of Muslim
children or madrasa students are common in almost all states and
cities and bank employees are harassing Muslim children on
some pretext or the other, with the result that very few Muslim stu-
dents have succeeded in getting their bank accounts opened.
Complaints against the attitude of banks and their staff have been
made to authorities who simply pass orders for completing the
formalities but paper formalities will simply not bring practical
results. If the same conditions continue Muslim children will be
facing great difficulties.
Bail denied to Malegaon accused
New Delhi: The Supreme Court denied bail to the accused per-
sons in Malegaon blast case - Shree Kant Prasad Purohit, Sadhvi
Pragya Singh and others.
A bench comprising Justices H. L. Dutta and C. K. Prasad
rejected the bail plea on the ground that the case was at a stage
where bail could not be granted. Senior advocate U. R. Lalit had
asked for interim bail on the ground that the case had been pend-
ing for the last four years and there was no hearing of petitions.
The S. C. held that the court was not responsible for the delay.
New Delhi: According to Delhi government sources and also the
secretary of Delhi Urdu Academy, Anees Azmi, Urdu will be
taught in 55 more schools of Delhi in addition to those where it is
already being taught and for this purpose i.e. teaching of Urdu
one hundred T.G.T. teachers will be appointed with whom the
government has entered into a contract under Department of
Educations sarva shiksha abhiyan. According to government
sources, the process of appointment of 100 Urdu teachers on
contract basis is in the final stage and their names will be
announced very soon. For the selection / appointment of these
100 Urdu teacher about 7 thousand applications were
received of which there were applications from 127 candidates
who, after acquiring preliminary education from recognised
madrasas got their B.A., B.Ed or M.A. degrees from universities
and colleges. This is probably for the first time that such a large
number of madrasa students have been found by Education
Directorate to be eligible for appointment as teachers in govern-
ment schools. This has become possible because of Delhi Urdu
Academys long and protracted efforts and also because of
favourable attitude of Delhi governments present education min-
ister (Mrs. Kiran Walia) and also of the union HRD minister in
favour of Urdu.
Delhi Urdu Academys Vice Chairman Prof. Akhtarul Wasey
speaking in this connection said that the Academy and other well
wishers of Urdu had been trying for this since 1995 and their
efforts have brought results now. He said that the Academy is still
working on a plan that instead of appointing these teachers tem-
porarily or on part-time basis, they should be appointed on full
time and permanent basis under Education Directorate so that
they also may get all benefits and allowances etc. which are
available to Hindi teachers. Urdu Academys secretary Anees
Azmi, while agreeing to Prof. Akhtarul Waseys views said that
with this decision Urdu will now be taught in those 55 schools
also where previously it was not being taught. This is a positive
step for the promotion and development of Urdu and moreover,
this will pave the way for the appointment of madrasa educated
teachers also in government schools and they will get new
avenues of employment and progress.
About the imminent appointment of 100 Urdu teachers he
said that for the time being these appointments will be tempo-
rary, and on the basis of contracts but in future these teach-
ers will benefit and they will get opportunities of employment
in Delhi Municipal Corporation and New Delhi Municipal
Councils schools also. About the receipt of 7 thousand
applications for the posts of 100 Urdu teachers, he said that
this exposes the lies and falsehood of those people (particu-
larly the former education minister Lovely) who used to say
that Urdu teachers are not available. He further said that for
candidates who have read Urdu upto 10th or 12th classes and
thereafter have acquired higher education in colleges and uni-
versities with Hindi or English medium, permission has been
obtained for them to be appointed also, as teachers for teach-
ing Urdu in schools and soon this also will be put into practice.
(NAAnsari)
Urdu to be taught in 55 new schools of Delhi
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 15
COMMUNITY NEWS
RBI favours Islamic banking in India
New Delhi: Reserve Bank of India Governor B. Subba Rao while
speaking in a conference at Puduchery on 4 October disclosed
that R.B.I. has written a letter to central government regarding an
amendment in the relevant act i.e. Banking Regulation Act so that
Islamic Banking i.e. interest free banking system could be intro-
duced in India also. He said that Islamic banking system is preva-
lent in different countries of the world but in India it has not been
enforced because Banking Regulation Act does not permit this
and that in this country banking system and in fact all banking,
financial and business systems and transactions are based on
interest.
Chairman of Institute of Objective Studies (IOS),
Dr. Muhammad Manzoor Alam, while praising RBIs initiative in
the field of Islamic banking said that it is encouraging to find that
RBI governor is seriously trying for the introduction of Islamic
banking in India and also admits its importance and necessity. He
said that at a time when complications and difficulties are being
faced because of interest-based economic and financial system
and there is economic crisis all over the world, worlds attention
towards Islamic banking system will be beneficial for the people.
He said that favourable atmosphere towards Islamic banking that
is found in the country today is because of the efforts and role of
many other organisations, groups and institutions including I.O.S.
He expressed the hope that government, on the recommenda-
tions of RBI governor will amend the relevant acts and laws at the
earliest and pave the way for the introduction of Islamic banking
in India.
Bajrangis nuisance continues in jail
Ahmedahad: Key accused Babu Bajrangi lodged in Sabarmati
central jail continued to be nuisance while enjoying several facil-
ities provided by the administration. He meets everyone he wants
to irrespective of the jail manual. Even the 18 September clash
between him and the bomb blast accused persons published in
several newspapers has been grossly exaggerated. Jail authori-
ties deny any clash.
Apetition filed by bomb blast accused persons accuse him of
creating communal tension within the jail. The special judge
issued notice to special public prosecutor for hearing the petition
on 29 September Muhammad Shafi and 51 others submitted to
the court that three persons were taken to hospital for treatment
where Babu Bajrangi was present along with two of his accom-
plices. As soon as he saw the three blast accuded persons he
began his tirade against Islam threatening that they too would
meet the fate of 2002 violence victims. This led to heated argu-
ments. Jail officer Vankar also sided with Babu during this
exchange of words.
Naroda Patia accused sentenced for 31 years
Ahmedabad: Special judge Jyotsana Yagnik awarded 31 year jail
sentence to Suresh alias Shehzad Netalkar for being one of the
main conspirators. He had jumped his bail and hence was pro-
duced before the court. He will serve a term of 21 years after
completing 10 years under section 326 of I.P.C.
Kishore Award for Salim Khan
Bhopal: M. P. government awarded Salim Khan with the presti-
gious national award for arts in the name of actor / singer Kishore
Kumar. He will be conferred this award on 13 October at
Khandwa, the hometown of the actor, for his four decades long
career, said the state minister for culture Laxmikant Sharma.
Arrest countdown begins after chargesheet
Ahmedabad: The chargesheet filed in the Danta court holds Amit
Shah as the chief conspirator. It also holds Geeta Johri and
O. P. Mathur guilty of serious crimes. This is going to trigger the
count down leading to arrests of several police officers There
seems to be a continuous chain of events beginning with Haren
Pandyas murder followed by Sohrabuddin, Kauserbi and
Tulsirams fake encounters culminating in Sadiq Jamals and
Ishrats encounter. CBI intends to expose the role of the Gujarat
police
Eye witness of Sohrabuddin and Kausarbi murders,
Tulsiram, was considered to be a possible source of danger by
Amit Shah, Vanzara, Pandian and others. There were 1042 tele-
phone contacts between Shah and police officers out of which
381 were between Shah and Vanzara / Pandian. Whenever
Tulsiram was brought to the court for hearings, the possibility of
exterminating him during such visits was also explored time and
again. Conspiracy to eliminate him was finally chalked out after
13 December 2006. Prior to the encounter he was also threat-
ened of dire consequences while he was lodged in Udaipur jail.
Since he declined to oblige, it was decided to eliminate him.
Geeta Johri is charged with the offence of destroying crucial
evidence collected by V. L. Solanki. She also rejected Solankis
request asking for interrogating Prajapati and Sylvester. After
Tulsirams encounter 28 December 2006, she surprisingly grant-
ed permission to interrogate the two. A file prepared by inspector
H. K. Barat was shown pending with Addl. D.G.A. Raighar
between 20 Dec. 2006 and Barat in 2007. This fact was divulged
by Barat in his statement under C.R.P.C. 164. Without any evi-
dence she concluded that it was Kalimuddin who accompanied
Sohrabuddin and Kausarbi.
Two police officers V. L. Solanki and Satish Verma played a
very crucial role in exposing the police fabrications. (AG Khan)
Urdu may be taught as compulsory subject in U.P. schools
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav is
said to have accepted Maulana Kalbe Jawads demand that Urdu
be taught as a compulsory subject in U. P. government schools.
It may be stated that well-known religious scholar and leader
Maulana Kalbe Jawad had demanded that just as Sanskrit is
taught as a compulsory subject in U.P. government schools in the
same way Urdu also should be taught as a compulsory subject in
all government schools. According to the same source Mulayam
Singh has forwarded Maulana Kalbe Jawads demand with a rec-
ommendation that Akhilesh government should consider this
demand seriously. Partys spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary
has confirmed that Mulayam Singhs recommendation has been
received and that Maulana Jawads demand has been accepted
in principle and that his demand has been sent to the concerned
department / ministry for consideration. Chaudhary said that the
final announcement will be made only after U. P. government
takes a decision in this matter.
In addition to this, the possibility of a software being made a
part of laptops and small computers to be given to students is
being considered so that Urdu knowing students could use and
operate it. Mulayam Singh recommended that the state govern-
ment should prepare such a model of Urdu education through
which maximum number of students could get opportunities of
employment. It may be stated incidentally in this connection that
Justice Markandey Katju had also, in one of his historic verdicts,
suggested that the status of a compulsory subject be given to
Urdu in U. P. schools.
Hindi translation of Hayat-e Javed released
Aligarh: AMUs Vice Chancellor Lt. Gen. Zamiruddin Shah said
while releasing the Hindi translation of Hayat-e Javed, a book
written by Khwaja Altaf Husain Hali that this book would be very
useful for those people who dont know Urdu, adding that the
necessity of a Hindi translation of the book had been felt since
long. Lauding the efforts of the translator of this book he said that
other works regarding Sir Sayyads travels should also be trans-
lated into Hindi. Former Vice Chancellor of AMU Naseem Ahmad
was the special guest on this occasion.
The Hindi translator of Hayat-e Javed, Dr. Rajiv Lochan Nath
Shukl said while speaking on this occasion that it took him five
years to translate into Hindi this book running into about 500
pages. He said that this book was not only Sir Syeds biography
but also an authoritative history of the nineteenth century. He said
that Sir Sayyad did not make any discrimination between religion
and science. He wanted to create scientific awareness and tem-
per also alongwith religious reform, adding that this translation
was a tribute to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and that it was Prof.
Akhtarul Wasey who first of all motivated him to translate this
book into Hindi.
Mrs. Tasneem Suhail while speaking on this occasion said
that Sir Sayyad was a leader of the nation and Hali was a nation-
al poet and the mission of both was the same. She said that Sir
Syed made Hali to write his musaddas.
Anti-Dargah, Monastery conspiracy fuel Muslim anger
New Delhi: Muslims of U. P. are already getting disenchanted
with the Samajwadi Party government headed by Akhilesh Yadav
because of a spate of anti-Muslim communal riots. Now anti dar-
gah and monastery steps being taken by U. P. Sunni Central
Waqf Board through the Boards C.E.O. appointed by the state
government have added to their anger and dissatisfaction.
Muslims, particularly people of dargahs and monasteries have
been complaining that the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Sunni Central Waqf Board, Akmal Husain, secretary of union
ministry of environment, who took over charge of his new post on
27 August, has no knowledge and experience about dargah etc.
affairs and more importantly he is anti-dargah and monastery
people and issues orders and directions from time to time which
are against their interest and amount to intetrference in dargah
and monastery affairs which was now becoming intolerable. They
complain that his orders are against the traditions and interests
of dargahs and monasteries.
Sajjada Nashin of Khwaja Gharib Nawaz and Chairman of All
India Sufi Mission Society, Zulfiqar Chishti while expressing his
resentment said that his (CEOs) actions amount to interference
in monasteries and dargahs internal administration which is a
conspiracy to destroy Indias traditional national harmony. He
said that monasteries are preserving and promoting Indias sec-
ularism but the present CEO wants to destroy this system. He
warned that if the government does not take serious notice of
this, a movement against it (government) will be started at a
national scale. Sajjada Nashin of Bakhtiar Kaki Dargah, Dr.
Habibur Rahman Qutbi Niazi questioning the appointment of the
CEO said that the Sachar Committee had recommended that
persons having information and knowledge about auqaf should
be appointment CEO but against this the government had
appointed a scientist and made him responsible for all Waqf
affairs who is ignorant about affairs of monasteries, adding that
CEOs duty is to implement the Boards orders and not issuing
orders of his own. He said that such people are deliberately
imposed on Muslims so that sentiments and aspirations of
Muslims could be hurt. He demanded that government interfer-
ence in the affairs of dargahs and monasteries should be stopped
otherwise joint front from a common platform against the govern-
ment will be opened.
Questions against U. P. Sunni Central Waqf Board also are
being raised, that sale and purchase of Waqf properties was
going on on a large scale and that even after furnishing informa-
tion about the sale and purchase of Waqf properties, the Board
was not taking any action. In this respect an example of the sale
of 150 bighas of land in Shahjahan Pur was given. In addition to
this a demand was being raised for a C.B.I. inquiry into all the
sale and purchase of Waqf lands made so far.
After Brar, Israr Rahim also to be provided security
New Delhi: After providing security to Lt. Gen. (Retd.) K. S. Brar
who had led Army personnel in Operation Blue Star into the
Golden Temple, Amritsar in 1984 to flush out Khalsa militants
from the Golden Temple and who was attacked in London on 30
September, Brigadier (Retd.) Israr Rahim Khan, who had led the
first armed battalion which had entered the Golden Temple in this
Operation will also be provided security.
S.P. and Congress want to build mosque at Babri site:VHP
New Delhi: VHPs former president Ashok Singhal, who lay dor-
mant for more than a year has now suddenly limped back into
temple politics. In a press release issued by V.H.P. in Delhi on 15
October he is said to have made a statement saying that S. P.
chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Congress chairperson Sonia
Gandhi have joined hands to build a mosque and an Islamic
Centre near the Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya but the VHP will
never allow this to happen. He said that Mulayam Singh wants to
acquire the land next to the 70 acres land near Ram
Janmabhoomi site and added that he (Mulayam) and Sonia have
ganged up for this purpose and a retired judge of the Allahabad
High Court has been engaged for about two years for this pur-
pose, to evolve a so-called consensus.
He further said that Mulayam Singh has taken this initiative
under pressure of Islamic forces and warned of grave conse-
quences against this move. He said that it appears that with the
efforts of this judge Mulayam Singh wants to build a mosque and
Islamic cultural centre on this plot of land adjoining the 70 acres
land of the central government. He further said that Islamic forces
are compelling him to do this and warned that if such a reckless
decision is taken, it would lead to grave consequences.
New Delhi: The central government, in response to numerous
requests by National Minorities Commission and also in view of
Sachar Committees recommendations that representation of
minorities (Muslims) in police service was very low, and that their
appointment in the police service and para military services
should be increased and that Muslim police staff and officers
should be appointed in Muslim populated areas, has now decid-
ed, though belatedly, to launch a special drive to recruit and
appoint minorities (Muslims) in the police and para military
forces. In the meeting of Directors and Director Generals of para
military forces held by the union home ministry recently, it was
decided that under PMs 15-point programme for minorities
development and empowerment a drive should be launched to
increase the representations of minorities as well as of women
in these services. It was felt that by so doing their confidence in
the police and government will increase. It was also found that
vacancies reserved for youth in remote and border areas as well
as in Maoist-affected areas could not be filled. Keeping all this in
mind, it was decided that letters would soon be sent to heads of
para military forces and police chiefs of states to ensure that an
increase of minorities (Muslims) and women in these services is
given practical shape.
It was found that in seven paramilitary forces of the country
about one lakh vacancies are to be filled up. The seven paramilitary
forces are: BSF (25000 vacancies), Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF 17,000), Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF), Indo-
Tibetan Border Police, Armed Border Force, National Security
Guard and Assam Rifles. In addition to BSF and CRPF (42000
vacancies), 40,000 vacancies are in other such forces because the
jawans in these forces have either taken voluntary retirement or
resigned during the past five years. It was also decided in the meet-
ing of DGs of paramilitary forces that in the next process of recruit-
ment in December existing deficiencies i.e. lack of proper represen-
tation of Muslims and women and youth of remote and border areas
and also Maoist-affected areas will be removed and a larger num-
ber of these categories of people will be recruited and appointed. It
is now to be seen how much of this decision is actually implement-
ed. It would not be out of place to mention here that in accordance
with Sachar Committees recommendation that due to large scale
economic, social and educational backwardness of Muslims and
their very small representation in police forces, Muslim police staff
and officers should be appointed in Muslim areas, union home min-
istry had, four years ago, specially directed police departments of
states to appoint more Muslims in their respective departments.
When it was found that virtually no action was taken by them on
these recommendations, a reminder was sent to them after four
years i.e. in June 2012 to strictly follow their earlier instructions. This
shows how much promptness, or lethargy, is shown by the police
(and other) departments in following the central governments
instructions. (NAAnsari)
Special drive to increase Muslim and womens
representation in paramilitary forces
INTERNATIONAL
16 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
Who attacked Malala Yusufzai?
ABDUS SATTAR GHAZALI
On October 7, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader, Imran Khan, led
an anti-drone march to Waziristan to draw the world's attention to
the destruction and sufferings caused by the US drone attacks in
Pakistan's tribal regions. Imran Khan, who is sometimes dubbed
as "Taliban Khan" by his opponents, was perhaps right to tell the
marchers in the town of Tank that he had succeeded in conveying
the message to the world community, the job the government and
other political parties failed to do.
Imran Khan's anti-drone march was joined by, among others,
American and British peace activists. The American delegation
was led by Media Benjamin of CODEPINK who apologized to the
people of Pakistan for their sufferings at the hands of the
American leaders while speaking to the marchers.
Two days later, on October 9, Malala Yusufzai, school girl who
was the main character of the US produced documentary Class
Dismissed (2009), was attacked while returning from her school.
She was critically injured with at least two other girls. Suddenly
Pakistan's print and electronic media unleashed an extensive and
inflated coverage of this tragic attack that was reportedly claimed
by the Pakistani Taliban.
As the US-client Zardari government focused all its attention
to mobilize the fiercely anti-American masses against the Taliban,
the spokesperson of the US State Department, Victoria Nuland,
said that the US is encouraged with popular opinion against
extremism in Pakistan after the attack on Malala Yusufzai.
However, she refused to answer a question about Imran Khan's
drive against drone attacks in Pakistan and his announcement to
take it to the next level in the US. "We respect the right of peace-
ful protests, but I am not going to comment at all on intelligence
matters," Nuland remarked.
Many people are wondering why media is so selective and
gave so much coverage to Malala while 100s of innocent Malalas
and women have been killed by drone attacks but we don't even
find their names anywhere.
Tellingly, Jamiat Ulama-e Islam-Fazal group chief Maulana
Fazlur Rehman said that he condemns the attack on young
Malala Yusufzai, but who will protest the deaths caused by drone
strikes? "Why the attack on Malala is being blown up so much?"
he remarked, adding that the attack on Malala Yousufzai was the
result of wrong policies of the government.
He said that blood of humanity is dripping from the hands of
those condemning this incident. Maulana said that people were
protesting against the attack on Malala just because it was a pro-
American stance. He urged the government to correct its policies
and stop supporting the US stance.
Leader of another leading political party, Jamaat-e-Islami,
Syed Munawar Hasan, said that the power behind the attack on
Malala Yuusufzai was the same as had been pressing Pakistan to
launch military operation in North Waziristan.
Addressing the Friday congregation at Mansoora mosque in
Lahore, he likened the Malala attack to the fake video on stripping
a Swat woman that became the basis for military operation in
Swat. He said the western media was projecting the Malala inci-
dent in the same manner and even the US Secretary of State
Hilary Clinton had issued a
statement on the matter.
Syed Munawar Hasan
said the attack on Malala was
most condemnable, but added
that hundreds of innocent peo-
ple were being killed in drone
attacks and bomb blasts but
the media generally ignored
them.
Syed Munawar Hasan
said that, in fact, the US and
several other powers were try-
ing to destabilize and annihi-
late this country achieved in
the name of Islam, and the mil-
itary operations were a means
to achieve this end by widen-
ing the gulf between the mass-
es and the armed forces of the
country.
He said that most of the
schools demolished in Swat
had been destroyed during
curfew time but Interior
Minister Rahman Malik placed
the responsibility on the
Taliban. Things in the country
could not be improved by fol-
lowing the US agenda, he
added.
Lahore Times said there is
a clear link between the Peace
March of Imran Khan to
Waziristan (in which many for-
eign journalists participated)
and the attack on Malala. The
Peace March to Waziristan
started a worldwide debates
on drone attacks.
Malala's US-connection
Malala Yusufzai came to lime-
light when she was profiled in
Adam B Ellick's 32-minute
documentary - Class
Dismissed - produced by the
New York Times in 2009.
Malala was only 11 years old
when this documentary was
made. In the documentary she
acts mature beyond her years.
The documentary, which can
be seen at the New York Times
website and YouTube, shows
her, along with her father and
mother meeting with the late
Richard Holbrooke, President Obama's special representative to
Afghanistan and Pakistan. The documentary indicates that Malala
played a role in anti-Taliban military operation in Swat.
In 2011, Malala was nominated for the International Children's
Peace Prize. Later, Yousaf Raza Gilani, the prime minister at the
time, awarded her Pakistan's first National Youth Peace Prize. In
recent months, she led a delegation of children's rights activists,
sponsored by Unicef, that made presentations to provincial politi-
cians in Peshawar.
Abdus Sattar Ghazali is the Chief Editor of the Journal of America
(www.journalofamerica.net) asghazali2011@ gmail.com
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In 2011, Malala was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize. Later,
Yousaf Raza Gilani, the prime minister at the time, awarded her Pakistan's first
National Youth Peace Prize. In recent months, she led a delegation of children's
rights activists, sponsored by Unicef, that made presentations to provincial politi-
cians in Peshawar.
U.S. Is A Slave
To Israel
MICHAEL SCHEUER
As Americans fixate on the presidential campaign, they also should note the status of President
Obama and Governor Romney. Yes, both are presidential candidates, but both are also men who -
with their predecessors and the Congress - have willingly surrendered American sovereignty and
independence to Israel and its U.S.-citizen advocates (Jewish and Evangelical), their organizations,
and much of the media.
In return for campaign contributions and positive media coverage, Obama and Romney have
enslaved themselves and their country to Israel and some few thousands of disloyal Jewish-
Americans and their equally disloyal Christian Evangelical allies. One has to wonder whether Obama
and Romney refer to Israel's prime minister as "Massa' Benyamin," or whether they shuffle and pull
their forelocks when groveling for money from Israel's Jewish-American and Evangelical operatives.
If independence and sovereignty mean anything for a national government, they mean that that
government alone decides whether or not the country it governs will go to war. In the United States,
more specifically, it means - constitutionally - that the Congress will decide via a formal vote whether
it will declare war on behalf of the American people, who once upon a time were its constitutional
masters. This is, at any rate, how the Founders meant the process to work.
Both houses of the craven U.S. Congress, however, have long since illegally delegated that deci-
sion to the President, and our current President regards the Congress with such contempt that he
looks first to the UN to see if it is okay for him to bomb hell out of a country like Libya or some other
offending party. If on the issue of war-making Israel has become America's master - and it has,
despite Obama's cowardly ducking of a face-to-face with Massa' Benyamin - the UN surely is becom-
ing its overseer. Congress, at day's end, simply and unquestioningly pays for the U.S. troops who go
off to die in wars that have nothing to do with protecting genuine U.S. national interests, but do please
Israel, the UN, or some figment of those militarist viragoes Mrs. Clinton and Ms. Rice, as well as of
the pro-war boys McCain and Graham, such as the "democratic and human-rights-loving Libyan and
Syrian freedom fighters."
So each of us can vote as we see fit in November, but we all should recognize that neither can-
didate intends to restore U.S. sovereignty and independence. As President, either man will take
America to war with Iran - Obama just wants it after 6 November - because that is what Israel and
its U.S.-citizen advocates want. Iran, of course, poses no direct military threat to the United States,
but it will exact a fierce and bloody revenge after we and Israel attack by using the intelligence/ter-
rorist surrogates it has long maintained in the United States for just such a response. Iran's response
likewise will wreck much of what remains of the U.S. economy by disrupting the oil-tanker traffic in
the Persian Gulf and perhaps elsewhere.
And all of this pain for what? Another unjustifiable and ahistorical reliance on air power to do what
it has never done and cannot do without nuclear weapons - win a war. And so we will have yet anoth-
er unfinished and lost war that will further stoke the fires of the aggressive cultural war both U.S. polit-
ical parties are waging on the Islamic world.
When America was part of Britain's Empire, Americans - as loyal British subjects - had no choice
but to be at war when the British Crown was at war. In the two-plus centuries since we won inde-
pendence from Britain, we have declined in manliness, commonsense, and allegiance to our
Constitution to the point where we will go to war at the behest of a foreign nation and in direct viola-
tion of U.S. national interests. In addition, our major mainstream and cable networks use the public's
airwaves to routinely act as agents of a foreign power by supporting Israel's prime minister against
the U.S. president, while disloyal American citizens enthusiastically corrupt the U.S. political system
in support of Israeli interests, Evangelical fanaticism, and the one-world fantasies of the super-nation-
al and super-corrupt UN. Who knows, perhaps we were better off with the Crown. It fought often,
but only for genuine British interests. (Information Clearing House)
Michael Scheuer is the author of 'Imperial Hubris' and former chief of the CIA's Bin Laden Issue Station -
www.non-intervention.com
When America was part of Britain's Empire, Americans - as loyal British
subjects - had no choice but to be at war when the British Crown was at war. In
the two-plus centuries since we won independence from Britain, we have
declined in manliness, commonsense, and allegiance to our Constitution to the
point where we will go to war at the behest of a foreign nation and in direct
violation of U.S. national interests. In addition, our major mainstream and cable
networks use the public's airwaves to routinely act as agents of a foreign
power by supporting Israel's prime minister against the U.S. president, while
disloyal American citizens enthusiastically corrupt the U.S. political system in
support of Israeli interests, Evangelical fanaticism, and the one-world fantasies
of the super-national and super-corrupt UN. Who knows, perhaps we were
better off with the Crown. It fought often, but only for genuine British interests.
World politics
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 17
INTERNATIONAL
CHARITY ALLIANCE, with the active support of MG and like-minded people, is helping the victims of starvation in
Murshidabad since April 2005. More tasks are being undertaken in some of the most deserving areas and most backward
sections of our community. This charitable trust is channelising this long-felt effort. Almost every paisa is reaching the
deserving people as MG is providing office and administrative facilities free of cost as well as free advertising space, and
the trustees are barred by the trust deed from receiving any remuneration for their work and time.
CHARITY ALLIANCE
D-84 Abul Fazl Enclave-I, Jamia Nagar,
New Delhi 110 025 India Tel.: (+91-11) 2694 7483, 2695 2825
How to make payments: We prefer cheques to bank drafts. Cheques/Drafts should be crossed / marked account payee
and payable to Charity Alliance. Individuals are welcome to pay cash in our office or send M.O. If you want to contribute
through credit card or internet-banking visit www.charityalliance.in for secure online payment. In some cases we may be
able to arrange to collect cash from your doorstep.
List of donors may be seen on Charilty Alliance website (www.charityalliance.in).
Zakat, Sadaqat and bank interest accepted
See www.charityalliance.in for detailed reports on our work.
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KEVIN BARRETT
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been vilified in the
Western media for daring to imagine "a world without Israel."
But according to news reports, Henry Kissinger and sixteen
American intelligence agencies agree that in the near future,
Israel will no longer exist.
The New York Post quotes Kissinger "word for word": In 10
years, there will be no more Israel.
Kissinger's statement is flat and unqualified. He is not saying
that Israel is in danger, but could be saved if we just gave it addi-
tional trillions of dollars and smashed enough of its enemies with
our military. He is not saying that if we elect Netanyahu's old
friend Mitt Romney, Israel could somehow be salvaged. He is not
saying that if we bomb Iran, Israel might survive. He is not offer-
ing a way out. He is simply stating a fact: In 2022, Israel will no
longer exist.
The US Intelligence Community agrees, though perhaps not
on the precise 2022 expiration date. Sixteen US intelligence
agencies with a combined budget over USD70 billion have
issued an 82-page analysis titled " Preparing for a Post-Israel
Middle East."
The US intelligence report observes that the 700,000 Israeli
settlers illegally squatting on land stolen in 1967 - land that the
entire world agrees belongs to Palestine, not Israel - are not
going to pack up and leave peacefully. Since the world will never
accept their ongoing presence on stolen land, Israel is like South
Africa in the late 1980s.
The extremist Likud coalition governing Israel, according to
the US intelligence report, is increasingly condoning and support-
ing rampant violence and lawlessness by illegal settlers. The
report states that the brutality and criminality of the settlers, and
the growing apartheid-style infrastructure including the apartheid
wall and the ever-more-draconian system of checkpoints, are
indefensible, unsustainable, and out of synch with American val-
ues.
The sixteen US intelligence agencies agree that Israel can-
not withstand the coming pro-Palestinian juggernaut consisting of
the Arab Spring, the Islamic Awakening, and the rise of the
Islamic Republic of Iran.
In the past, dictatorships in the region kept a lid on the pro-
Palestinian aspirations of their people. But those dictatorships
began to topple with the fall of the pro-Israel Shah of Iran in 1979
and the establishment of a democratic Islamic Republic, whose
government had little choice but to reflect its people's opposition
to Israel. The same process - the overthrow of dictators who
worked with, or at least tolerated, Israel - is now accelerating
throughout the region. The result will be governments that are
more democratic, more Islamic, and far less friendly to Israel.
The US intelligence community report says that in light of
these realities, the US government simply no longer has the mil-
itary and financial resources to continue propping up Israel
against the wishes of more than a billion of its neighbors. In order
to normalize relations with 57 Islamic countries, the report sug-
gests, the US will have to follow its own national interests and
pull the plug on Israel.
Interestingly, neither Henry Kissinger nor the authors of the
US Intelligence Report give any sign that they are going to mourn
the demise of Israel. This is remarkable, given that Kissinger is
Jewish and has always been viewed as a friend (if occasionally
a tough friend) of Israel, and that all Americans, including those
who work for intelligence agencies, have been influenced by the
strongly pro-Israel media.
What explains such complacency?
Americans who pay attention to international affairs - a catego-
ry that surely includes Kissinger and the authors of the
Intelligence Report - are growing fed up with Israeli intransi-
gence and fanaticism. Netanyahu's bizarre, widely-ridiculed
performance at the United Nations, where he brandished a car-
toonish caricature of a bomb in such a way that he himself
came across as a caricature of a "mad Zionist," was the latest
in a series of gaffes by Israeli leaders who seem prone to over-
playing their hand.
A second factor is the festering resentment many Americans
feel over the Israel Lobby's imperious domination of public dis-
course. Every time a well-known American journalist is fired for
going "off-script" about Israel, as happened to Helen Thomas and
Rick Sanchez, a mostly-invisible backlash, like a tidal wave rip-
pling beneath the surface of the ocean, grows in power. And
every time the Israel lobby slaps down someone like Maureen
Dowd, who recently observed that the same Israel-fanatics who
dragged the US into the Iraq war are now trying to do the same
thing with Iran, the more people begin to wake up and realize that
people like Dowd, Thomas, and Sanchez are speaking the truth.
Athird reason for complacency in the face of Israel's impend-
ing demise: The American Jewish community is no longer united
in support of Israel, much less its Likudnik leadership.
Sophisticated Jewish journalists and analysts like Philip Weiss
are recognizing the insanity of Israel's current leadership and the
hopelessness of its predicament. According to recent reports, it is
no longer fashionable among young American Jews to care
about Israel. And despite Netanyahu's frantic attempts to sway
Jewish voters toward the Mormon Likudnik Mitt Romney, polls
show that Obama, who is on record saying he "hates" the "liar"
Netanyahu, will easily win the majority of Jewish votes.
Finally, we come to the least obvious - but most powerful -
reason for Kissinger's and the CIA's complacency in the face of
Israel's implosion: The inexorable trickle-down of knowledge that
Israel and its supporters, not radical Muslims, carried out the 9/11
false-flag attacks.
Increasingly, it is not fringe anti-Semitic groups, but high-
level responsible observers, who are saying this. Alan Sabrosky,
the half-Jewish former Director of Strategic Studies at the US
Army War College, has come on my radio show to say that he
has discussed with his colleagues the "100% certainty" that
Israel and its supporters did 9/11. And Alan Hart, the former lead
BBC correspondent for the Middle East (and personal friend of
Golda Meir and Yasser Arafat) has also come on my radio show
to break the story that he, too, knows that Israel and company
orchestrated 9/11.
Today, we even have a presidential candidate, Merlin Miller,
who is on the record stating that Israel, not al-Qaeda, carried out
the 9/11 attacks.
The chief purpose of 9/11 was to "seal in blood" an intense,
unbreakable emotional bond between the US and Israel, in a
desperate bid to assure Israel's survival by launching a long-term
US war against Israel's enemies. As the "dancing Israelis" arrest-
ed for celebrating the 9/11 operation tried to convince the police:
"Our enemies are your enemies. The Palestinians are your ene-
mies."
But more and more Americans, including the US intelligence
community as a whole, now recognize that the enemies of Israel
(the entire Muslim world of over 1.5 billion people, along with
most of the non-European world) do not have to be the enemies
of the United States. In fact, the US is going broke and sacrific-
ing thousands of lives in wars for Israel - wars that damage,
rather than aid, US strategic interests. (One of those interests, of
course, is buying oil and gas from stable, cooperative govern-
ments.)
As the recognition grows that 9/11 was not a radical Islamic
attack, but an act of dastardly, bloody treason by supporters of
Israel, it will become ever-easier for American policy makers, fol-
lowing in the footsteps of Kissinger and the sixteen intelligence
agencies, to recognize the obvious: Israel has reached the end
of its shelf-life.
Dr. Kevin Barrett, a Ph.D. Arabist-Islamologist, is one of
America's best-known critics of the War on Terror. Dr. Barrett has
taught at colleges and universities in San Francisco, Paris, and
Wisconsin, where he ran for Congress in 2008. He currently
works as a nonprofit organizer, author, and talk radio host.
(presstv.ir)
Kissinger, US intelligence community
endorse "World Without Israel"
The chief purpose of 9/11 was to "seal in blood"
an intense, unbreakable emotional bond between
the US and Israel, in a desperate bid to assure
Israel's survival by launching a long-term US war
against Israel's enemies. As the "dancing Israelis"
arrested for celebrating the 9/11 operation tried to
convince the police: "Our enemies are your ene-
mies. The Palestinians are your enemies." But more
and more Americans, including the US intelligence
community as a whole, now recognize that the ene-
mies of Israel (the entire Muslim world of over 1.5
billion people, along with most of the non-European
world) do not have to be the enemies of the United
States... the US is going broke and sacrificing thou-
sands of lives in wars for Israel - wars that damage,
rather than aid, US strategic interests.
INTERNATIONAL
18 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
KARAMATULLAH K. GHORI
K_K_ghori@yahoo.com
Pakistan was founded in the name of reli-
gion but, ironically, is now being callously
destroyed and chipped away at in the
name of the same religion.
Nothing could have brought this agonis-
ing moral to the Pakistanis-wherever in
the world they might be-than the coward-
ly attempt on the life of a 14 year-old girl
by the fanatical terrorists belonging to
Tehrik Taliban-e-Pakistan (TTP), an off-shoot of the Taliban in
next-door Afghanistan.
The dastardly crime was heinous and barbaric, to say the very
least. Shooting an unarmed 14 year-old girl in the head, from
point-blank range-while she was on her way home from school in
a school bus-could only be the work of a predatory murderer. It
was cowardly and cold-blooded in the extreme. Little surprise,
therefore, that it traumatised Pakistan and its shock waves went
viral across the world in no time.
The shooting of MalalaYousufzai, a frail little girl from
Pakistan's picturesque Swat Valley, in the town of Mingora, last
October 9, by the murderous Taliban literally drove the daylight
out of the Pakistanis. It was hard for even the most stout-hearted
to understand what had the innocent girl done to deserve the
Taliban wrath and savagery.
However, in the eyes of the stone-aged Taliban aficionados
Malala was guilty of a major crime in their book: she preached for
the right of Pakistani girls to get an education.
Malala had shot to international fame and prominence three
years ago, at the tender age of just 11, when she publicly chal-
lenged the Taliban practice of closing down, or destroying girls'
schools and force them to stay within the four walls of their
homes.
The daughter of a father who ran a private school for girls,
Malala refused to be cowed down by the Taliban terror. In front of
television cameras she exposed the illogicality of the Taliban edict
to deny girls of Swat the right of education. She reminded them-
and the world-that what the Taliban were demanding flew in the
face of the tenets of Islam and the teachings of its Holy Prophet
Muhammad who intoned his followers that acquisition of knowl-
edge was incumbent upon all Muslim men and women.
2009, when Malala called the bluff of the murderous Taliban
of Pakistan was a time of great turbulence and tribulation for the
people of her idyllic Swat. The Taliban had been infesting the
once-peaceful and tranquil valley with their archaic practices and
trying to take it back to the Middle Ages. When they openly chal-
lenged the writ of the state, the Pakistan army-which had earlier
signed more than one peace deal with them, only to see the
intransigent Taliban abusing the truce-was left with no other alter-
native but undertake a bloody offensive to purge them from the
valley.
In the backdrop of that chaotic time Malala's bravado in
standing up to bestial bullies was seen as a very courageous act.
She became a poster-girl for Pakistan's silent majority fed up with
the Taliban's obscurantism. The government, although mired in
corruption and unable to work out a viable strategy to deal with
the Taliban scourge, was also moved to take notice of the coura-
geous little girl; she was showered with national recognition and
accolades. She became an overnight celebrity, with her fame
travelling outside of Pakistan; she became an icon to a world
aghast at the Taliban's archaic philosophy in which the female of
the human species was to be perennially shut out as something
less than human.
Malala's steely determination to fight back against the Taliban
'sport' of gutting girls schools was, in the eyes of the terrorists, an
affront and blatant challenge to their belief that Muslims girls must
not be educated. The Afghan Taliban, when they were in power in
Afghanistan, had closed down, or razed to ground, hundreds, if
not thousands of schools in their fiefdom. The TTP fanatics
sought to do the same in Swat and other tribal areas where their
presence had been becoming a menace to society. So they
torched girls schools, in particular, by hundreds. Their aim, obvi-
ously, was to scare girls and their parents from schools meant for
them.
According to the latest data compiled by UNESCO, as many
as 943 schools were shut down, or gutted, by the militants
belonging to TTP, between 2009 and 2011, in the tribal region and
parts of the province of PakhtoonKhwa-the new name of what
used to be the North-West Frontier Province. Malala had become
a marked target for the Taliban terrorists because she dared to
challenge the 'right' the Taliban had arrogated to themselves at
their will.
And the Taliban, unsurprisingly, remain unrepentant, to this
day, about their crime against Malala. In response to a query from
Reuters-in the wake of the abortive attempt on the little girl's life-
their spokesman acidly declared: "We have a clear-cut stance.
Anyone who takes the side of the government (of Pakistan)
against us will have to die at our hands." Chilling words, no doubt,
but fully betraying the Taliban's lust for blood.
It's not only that the blood-thirsty Taliban have no remorse
about aiming to kill a minor girl. Upon learning that she had sur-
vived their murder attempt, the Taliban let the world know-in a dia-
bolical communique sent to Pakistani news agencies and televi-
sion channels-that they will not give up targeting Malala in order
to silence her for good.
So brazen and die-hard criminals these Pakistani Talibans
are that, in a shameless pandering to the Pakistanis religious pro-
clivities, they are citing parallels from the Holy Qur'an ( the chap-
ter of the Holy Book on Ashab-e-Kehfor 'People of the Cave' that
includes a parable on a journey undertaken, together, by Prophet
Musa and Khizr, and in the course of which Khizrhad killed a boy
) to justify their crime against the innocent girl.
Ironically, Malala was not a partisan of the Pakistan govern-
ment, neither could she-a girl outspokenly in favour of unrestrict-
ed access to education for her gender-be suspected to be speak-
ing for a government which has shown little regard or enthusiasm
for girls' education.
A report released by UNESCO on October 19-at a time when
Malala is fighting for her life in Birmingham, UK's Queen
Elizabeth Hospital-about girls' education in Pakistan makes a dis-
mal read. According to it, Pakistan has the second largest num-
ber of out-of-school-girls in the world. Further, out of 5 million chil-
dren out of school in Pakistan, two-thirds are girls.
The criminal insouciance of Pakistan's corrupt ruling elite is
adding to the legions of children who aren't receiving any kind of
schooling. On the other hand, the government has been putting
less and less assets into education. Government spending on
education in Pakistan had declined to just 2.3 % of GNP in 2010,
compared to 2.6 % of GNP in 1999.
Pakistan's progress in getting poor girls into schools has
been dismal, to say the least, even in comparison to its South
Asian neighbours-India, Nepal and Bangladesh. In the first
decade of the 21st century, the percentage of girls-out-of-school
in Pakistan dropped from 78 % to just 62 %; in India the drop was
from 66 % to 30 %; in Nepal, from 52 % to 22 %; while in BD, it
dropped spectacularly from 91 % to 44 %. S Malala had an axe
to grind as much against the Taliban as against her own govern-
ment, in whose priorities education comes way down the list.
But the Taliban ultimately getting their marked quarry, and
shooting her in broad daylight in the heart of Mingora-the city sup-
posed to have been purged of their menace-shocked the
Pakistanis out of their wits, and exposed the vacuity of military
establishment's claim that the Taliban had been driven out of
Swat and the valley was beyond their murderous reach.
In Pakistan, however, the sense of national outrage and
revulsion that the barbaric attempt to silence her forever had trig-
gered seems to be simpering down, if not in the hearts and minds
of the people then certainly with the politicians and political lead-
ers claiming to be the torch-bearers of the people's mood.
Malala's suffering had touched the Pakistanis' raw and sensi-
tive nerves. The people's consternation was reminiscent of the
tragedy that had visited them when Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's
most charismatic politician and leader, had been murdered-in
almost identical circumstances-by the same blood-thirsty Taliban
five years ago.
In the wake of the latest tragedy, every Pakistani felt entitled
to ask the obvious question agitating their mind: are the Taliban
so powerful that they can zero in on anyone in their gun-sights, or
is the gargantuan state security apparatus so weak and ineffec-
tive as to give a free pass to predatory murderers to breach it at
their choosing?
The unprecedented outpouring of support for Malala, and the
outrage felt by the man-on-the-street and arm-chair intelligentsia,
alike, was massive and spontaneous. The people of Pakistan
grieved the suffering of an innocent girl as if she was their own
daughter. But more than that she became an icon of resistance to
those who wanted to deny the women of Pakistan the rights their
religion and the country's Constitution confer on them. The
Pakistanis shuddered to think that the Taliban were knocking at
their gates and wanted to turn Pakistan into another Afghanistan
of the pre-9/11 vintage when Afghan women were flogged in pub-
lic and oppressively confined to the four walls of their homes.
The people hoped that the tragedy visiting them would galva-
nize the government and the all-powerful 'establishment' to get
into stride against the Taliban, quickly.
The initial reaction to the outrage from the officialdom and
political parties of the country appeared to be in sync with the
popular mood. Political parties joined the chorus of condemna-
tion, though not all of them did so with equal enthusiasm or gusto.
The military brass chimed in, too, and military chief, General
Kayani, used harsh words to condemn the Taliban daring,
prompting observers to reason that the long-delayed military
offensive against the Taliban strong-hold in North Waziristan was
close to being unleashed.
Knowledgeable observers know how persistently the
Americans and ISAF, in neighbouring Afghanistan, have long
been demanding of Pakistan to crack the whip against the Taliban
havens in North Waziristan, whence terrorists have been mount-
ing murderous raids into Afghanistan. Pundits hoped that the
Malala episode had, after all, lit the fire under the feet of the
Pakistani military establishment and the crackdown against the
murderers was just around the corner.
Not so, the latest indications from GHQ suggest. Apparently,
the bells set off by the Malala episode are quickly losing reso-
nance and the generals, never divorced fromexpediency, are hav-
ing second thoughts about the need for calling the Taliban bluff.
Fazed political pundits are turning back to their crystal balls to see
what's holding back the military brass. The only explanation they
could come up with for the generals' dithering is GHQ's calcula-
tion that, in the not-too-distant-future, the Taliban could still be
more of an asset than a haunting liability.
The Pakistani politicians and political parties, too, are also,
apparently, afflicted with similar cynicism and have failed to fall in
step with the people's revulsion and outrage at the heinous
Taliban's temerity.
The religious parties have, more or less, been partisans of
the Taliban and their reluctance to demand punishment of the
Taliban fits into the pattern, though exposing their hypocrisy to the
full.
But the equivocation of non-religious parties-such as Muslim
League (Nawaz Group) and Tehrik-e-Insaf, of Imran Khan---on
the question of meting out punishment to the Taliban is deeply
disturbing, if not revolting and offensive.
Imran Khan, with all his charisma and the breath of fresh air
his entry into Pakistani politics has infused, has been particularly
disappointing. His call to the Pakistani youth to demolish the pet-
rifying status quo politics of 'traditional' parties has received a lot
of traction with the younger generation of Pakistanis because
they see in him a secularist ready to drag their country from the
morass of religion-based fanaticism of Pakistani politics.
That even Imran-who has otherwise been waging a massive
campaign to highlight Pakistan's suffering due to American drone
'visitations and his call has been getting a lot of traction, interna-
tionally---should also be playing politics, as against heeding the
call of morality, on the issue is at the heart of inertia crippling any
determined response to the Taliban's brazen provocation.
Inadvertently, Imran Khan is living up to his detractors' labelling of
him as Taliban Khan. The impending general elections, due over
the next few months, are having the better of the Pakistani politi-
cians' sense of morality and proportion.
Redemption for a bleeding and broken Pakistan is still dis-
tant; perhaps more distant than the hoped-for recovery of Malala.
She's as much a victim of the Pakistani establishment's perversi-
ty as of the Taliban's barbarity.
However, the continued insensitivity and apathy of Pakistan's
ruling elite on a development that could easily be likened to a
national calamity-at least in the eyes of the people of Pakistan-is
tragic and astounding. The Taliban are closing in on the state of
Pakistan and mounting a challenge that is reminiscent of Islamic
history's early period when similarly rabid bands of obscurantists-
remembered by history as the Khwarej-had challenged the writ of
the Guided Caliphate, or Khilafat-e-Rashda. However, that early
challenge had been blunted out with alacrity and firmness lacking
in the Pakistani response.
It's obvious that the Pakistanis neither learn from their own
mistakes nor draw any lessons from history. But the moral of his-
tory is immutable and also inexorable: nature deals ruthlessly
with an apathetic nation or people and consigns them to the dust-
bin of history.
Fanatics and Pakistanis: Testing
Each Other?
According to the latest data compiled by UNESCO, as many as 943 schools were shut down,
or gutted, by the militants belonging to TTP, between 2009 and 2011, in the tribal region and
parts of the province of PakhtoonKhwa-the new name of what used to be the North-West
Frontier Province. Malala had become a marked target for the Taliban terrorists because she
dared to challenge the 'right' the Taliban had arrogated to themselves at their will.
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The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 19
ASGHAR ALI ENGINEER
Do we see such possibility in the Islamic world today? The
Muslim world is supposedly poor and backward. If we want ren-
aissance we need great resources. First of all we have to achieve
total literacy in the Islamic world. However, figures are very dis-
appointing. In the entire Arab world put together, less books are
read than Greece, a small country in Europe. This shows the
extent of illiteracy in the Arab world. In such conditions it is not
easy to usher in renaissance in the Islamic world.
Also, in other African and Asian countries where Muslims
constitute either majority or substantial populations like in India,
illiteracy is still very high. India has a Muslim population of 180
million, but illiteracy and poverty are quite high as convincingly
shown by Justice Sachar Committee. Justice Sachar has shown
that Muslims are falling behind Dalits, the lowest and poorest
caste of India.
Yet another criterion could be the number of Noble Prizes
won by Muslim intellectuals especially in social and physical sci-
ences. Muslim laureates in subjects like physics, chemistry, eco-
nomics and biology are far less than among the Jews who are
just a few million in number. In physics, there was just one Noble
Laureate, i.e., Dr. Abdus Salam and because he happened to be
an Ahmadi, Muslims remained indifferent to his receiving this
honour.
Let us remember, we need a very different approach for ush-
ering in renaissance - a non-doctrinaire approach. A doctrinaire
approach is the very antidote to high achievements in the fields
of science.
I have just referred to the conflict between theologian
Ghazzali and philosopher Ibn Rushd. Fortunately, in this case the
philosopher stood his ground firmly. In many cases, they just wilt.
The Islamic world today is dominated by theologians who are
totally illiterate as far as science is concerned.
If any scientist does some leading research, our theologians
can issue a fatwa against him and force the scientist to recant.
Here I am reminded of a beautiful story written in early seventies
by a Pakistani writer called Ghulam Abbas. The storyline is as fol-
lows: Pakistan has decided to send a mission to moon and all
preparations are made, date and time for landing moon is fixed,
great celebrations are going on and the moment the mission
lands the whole nation bursts into joy.
However, while these celebrations are going on, a theologian
issues a fatwa that it is kufr to send such mission to moon as it
amounts to interfering in Divine matters. This fatwa is quickly fol-
lowed by more fatwas and many Muslims come out on the streets
to challenge the moon mission. Some even argued that moon is
sacred as with it the month of Ramadan and the month of Hajj
begin, so how a human mission can land on it? The progressive
Muslims challenged the orthodox and soon a civil war broke out
and within a few months the whole country is destroyed and only
a desert is left. The story ends with some tourists passing through
it on camel and the guide explains to them: here was Pakistan
which had sent a mission to moon and it was destroyed in civil
war between the orthodox and the progressives. Now only this
desert is left. Here are the ruins of a mosque from where the first
fatwa against the moon mission was issued.
Something of this did happen and the story came out literar-
ily true. Ziaul-Haque captured power, issued the Hudud
Ordinance followed by the Ordinance punishing a person with
death for insulting the Prophet and now Pakistan is virtually con-
trolled by Taliban who cannot tolerate any dissent or difference of
opinion.
For bringing in renaissance, deep knowledge, toleration of
differences of opinion and conflicting views is highly necessary.
Knowledge advances through contestations and not through con-
formity. But our theologians want perfect conformity with their
views and any dissent is strongly condemned and lands one in
Hell. Our mullas cannot tolerate any other interpretation of
Quranic verses.
Each sect of Islam claims monopoly of truth and paradise and
condemns all others to Hell. How can Muslims become harbin-
gers of renaissance in such despicable conditions?
In India, Syed Ahmad Khan, who founded MAO College in
Aligarh, was a great supporter of modern science. He described
science as work of God and the Quran as word of God and he
maintained, rightly so: how word of God can contradict work of
God, i.e., Quran and science cannot contradict each other.
Even then the mullas condemned Syed Ahmed Khan as a
nechari, one who worships nature and considers nechar (nature)
superior to religion. Today, our Ulama may not oppose science
openly and blatantly as in the 19th century but they have not been
able to reconcile with it either. They still feel religion as superior
to science and fundamentally contradictory to each other.
For them the mixture of religion, culture and primitive ideas
about nature represents the final truth and anyone who chal-
lenges this truth challenges Allahs authority. The problem is that
these ulama think their fallible human opinion is divine and any
deviation from it is deviation from the Divine opinion. Any rebel-
lion against them is rebellion against Allah. They do not allow any
change in the laws formulated by human beings in their own cir-
cumstances and on the basis of their own understanding of the
Quran.
Today, Shariah laws are causing a lot of problems, particu-
larly to women. These Shariah laws are biased against women,
particularly because of medieval cultural influence. There are
very few ulama who admit this and consider these laws as muta-
ble. Any attempt to remove gender bias is considered deviation
from divine. Because of their medieval cultural bias and bookish
knowledge of Shariah, they think what was written hundreds of
years ago was final and allows no change.
If changes have occurred in these laws in many Islamic coun-
tries, it is due to efforts of secular rulers and despite resistance
from theologians. There was hardly anyone who supported the
change. In some cases, after the change in regime the orthodox
laws were brought back into operations. Progressive theologians
like Muhammad Abduh were marginalized.
In order to launch a renaissance movement not only a future
vision is required but also our theologians need to be equipped
with contemporary knowledge. None of our ulama is a physicist
or a chemist or a mathematician. They do not allow us even to
prepare a lunar calendar in advance and insist on sighting a
moon with naked eye every single month.
All fatwas are issued on the basis of texts in medieval books
and no one bothers to reflect on new problems in new context.
Even today in our madrasa courses no change is thought neces-
sary. Let alone in matters of manqulat (inherited knowledge), no
change has been made in case of maqulat (sciences of mind)
also. Under maqulat, too, we still teach theories of Plato and
Aristotle which are of only historical importance to students of
rational sciences.
Our ulama in India (same is the case in other Muslim coun-
tries) still strongly resist any attempt for modernization of
madrasa education even if they are assured that as far as reli-
gious education is concerned, it will not be touched. Hundreds of
millions of rupees allocated for the purpose by the government
are lying untouched and go waste. Also, madrasas are run on
sectarian lines and each sect has its own empire of madrasas
and mosques.
It is common that if triple divorce is pronounced in one sitting,
they would rather advise the couple to go to Ahl-e-Hadith to solve
their problem rather than change their own fiqhi stand. How can
two sects have two opposite stands in the matter? Our efforts to
codify Islamic Personal Law so as to minimize gender discrimina-
tion and bring into practice the Islamic spirit of gender justice, is
being met with strong resistance and as some kind of conspiracy.
Is this the way of bringing in renaissance in Islam?
(Concluded)
ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES
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Is renaissance possible in the Islamic World today?-ii
20 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
In order to launch a renaissance move-
ment not only a future vision is required but
also our theologians need to be equipped
with contemporary knowledge. None of our
ulama is a physicist or a chemist or a mathe-
matician. They do not allow us even to pre-
pare a lunar calendar in advance and insist
on sighting a moon with naked eye every
single month.
All fatwas are issued on the basis of texts
in medieval books and no one bothers to
reflect on new problems in new context.
Even today in our madrasa courses no
change is thought necessary. Let alone in
matters of manqulat (inherited knowledge),
no change has been made in case of
maqulat (sciences of mind) also. Under
maqulat, too, we still teach theories of Plato
and Aristotle which are of only historical
importance to students of rational sciences.
Our ulama in India (same is the case in
other Muslim countries) still strongly resist
any attempt for modernization of madrasa
education even if they are assured that as far
as religious education is concerned, it will
not be touched. Hundreds of millions of
rupees allocated for the purpose by the gov-
ernment are lying untouched and go waste.
Also, madrasas are run on sectarian lines
and each sect has its own empire of
madrasas and mosques.
Book: Denial of Citizenship rights and marginalization: Linguistic
Bengalis and Muslim minorities in Assam
Author: Shahiuz Zaman Ahmed
ISBN:978-81-922087-0-1
Price: Rs. 150/-
For Copies Contact
Institute for Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
602 & 603, New Silver Star, 6th Floor,
Santacruz (E), Mumbai: - 400 055.
E-mail: ipscr1@gmail.com
Phone: 022-26149668, 26102089
This book explores the citizenship issue in Assam where Muslims
and Bengali-speaking Hindus are discriminated against by the
state by way of the 'D' voters list. 'D' stands for doubtful voters
and this is an insidious way of religious profiling resorted to by
the state to marginalize minorities.
The state of Assam arbitrarily puts names of these groups in
this dubious list in a register whereby these voters can't vote and
exercise their important political and civil right.
Perhaps what is interesting about the book is that it also
gives a brief history of the conflict between the Assamese and
the Muslims and Hindus from West Bengal who were encour-
aged by the British in the pre-Independence era to settle and cul-
tivate land in Assam for economic and political reasons. This was
followed by a number of negotiations and pacts.
Anew dimension was added to this issue during and after the
formation of Bangladesh when a large number of Bangladeshi
citizens migrated to India and especially to Assam. The Muslims
in Assam are 'deported' back to Bangladesh as the state alleges
that they are Bangladeshi migrants. This leads to a real and bru-
tal fear of rendering innocent citizens stateless - a grave human
rights violation.
The discontent against these Bengali-speaking Muslims and
Hindus still persists after so many decades and they are arbitrar-
ily denied their basic citizenship rights. This issue is raised by All
India Secular Forum, a national platform to consolidate secular-
ism along with other organizations. A fact-finding committee of
AISF went to the affected regions of Assam and spoke to a num-
ber of people and wrote an insightful report on the situation of the
victims. This report is also a part of this book whereby making it
a comprehensive reading on this topic.
The author, Shahiuz Zaman Ahmed, is a professor at the
Guwahati University and an active member of AISF Assam.
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 21
BOOKS
Book breaks down Muslim 'monolith'
Book Islam without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty
Author: Mustafa Akyol
Pages: 352
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0393070867
Price: US$ 25.95
MARK SCHEEL
T
o many non-Muslims, it might come as a surprise to learn
that Islam is not a monolithic religion. Practices and
observances can and do vary from region to region and
from group to group. Headlines in mainstream media,
particularly in Western countries, tend to emphasize the less flat-
tering, repressive aspects attributed to minority groups while
ignoring the many positive aspects of Islam's mainstream major-
ity.
A new book, "Islam without Extremes: A Muslim Case for
Liberty" authored by Turkish journalist Mustafa Akyol, however,
helps correct a great many of those misconceptions, focusing
especially on the misperception that Islam is an inherently author-
itarian religion with little room for individual freedom. The work is
a search for the roots of liberalism (in the classic sense) within
Islam and a critique of the oppressive laws and attitudes within
the religion - such as bans on apostasy or blasphemy - which the
writer argues are based on tradition rather than revelation.
Akyol begins with a historical and theological overview of the
development of Islam over the centuries and demonstrates that
Islam's core message - monotheism - saved the individual from
"the bond of the tribe." In other words, the Muslim
way was grounded in the powerful idea that the
individual is responsible to God and God alone.
Akyol then explains how this Islamic message
advanced freedom in the medieval Middle East,
as evidenced by the principles of Islamic law (it
becomes "rule of law, not of the ruler.")
Nevertheless, disputes over freedom led to a
serious conflict in medieval Islam, resulting in
internal doctrinal struggles - such as the
"Traditionalists" versus the "Rationalists." Akyol
relates how non-religious factors, such as the
geography of the Middle East, played a role in
this "medieval war of ideas" by favouring less
rational and more oppressive schools of theolo-
gy.
The book employs the examples of the oft-
forgotten late Ottoman reforms and the political
evolution in modern Turkey to shed light on the
practice of Islam today and how contemporary
Turkish society, and especially its "Islamic bourgeoisie," is devel-
oping a liberal view of politics and economics that can serve as a
beacon to the present-day Muslim world.
Finally, Akyol offers a vision for the future that suggests a
means of dispelling the more authoritarian interpretations of Islam
in favour of pluralist accommodation within and without that
includes such seemingly controversial headings as "Freedom
from the State," "Freedom to Sin" and "Freedom from Islam."
Throughout, Akyol's touchstone is the Qur'an, and although
he respects the "second source" of Islam, the hadiths (sayings
and actions of the Prophet Muhammad), he argues for a critical
revision of hadith literature, which he finds less reliable than what
the traditional view might claim. He shows that most controversial
aspects of Islamic law - from stoning to bans on apostasy or sin-
ful behavior - come from hadiths and not the Quran, and he
argues that these hadiths might reflect historical attitudes rather
than eternal injunctions of Islam.
Modern readers may find it surprising that during early
Islam's so-called "Golden Age," many Christians were drawn to
the intellectual freedom and progressive scholarly attributes of
the faith and became more or less Muslim "wannabes." Some for-
gotten but fascinating movements are introduced, such as the
"postponers" (Murjiites) who, by their willingness to "postpone"
the settling of religious disputes to the afterlife, created a base for
tolerance that the 17th century British liberal philosopher John
Locke would restate a millennium later. And some concepts that
hold grave connotations in the West at present, such as "sharia
law," are seen within their historical context as an advancement
and a force for fairness and liberation. One reason why most
Muslims respect Islamic law is that it has protected the rights of
the individual from the tyranny of despots.
Q
uite simply, Akyol's treatise offers non-Muslims
and Muslims alike a detailed examination of the
faith that readers are bound to find elucidating, edu-
cational and thought-provoking. And it's done in a
spirit of invitation and shared enthusiasm - not to
mention a pervading spirit of hope - rather than dry
didacticism.
Akyol's intent, it would seem, is not to be a
"Muslim Martin Luther" - the figure of religious refor-
mation some yearn for - but perhaps a "Muslim John
Locke," who articulates the importance of religious
tolerance and individual liberty.
Mark Scheel is a writer and former editor based in
Shawnee Mission, Kansas. He has spoken and writ-
ten about interfaith relations both in the United States
and abroad. His most recent book, ABackward View,
was the recipient of the J. Donald Coffin Memorial
Book Award. This article was written for the Common
Ground News Service (CGNews).
Book breaks down Muslim monolith
Modern readers may find it surprising that during early Islam's
so-called "Golden Age," many Christians were drawn to the intel-
lectual freedom and progressive scholarly attributes of the faith
and became more or less Muslim "wannabes." Some forgotten
but fascinating movements are introduced, such as the "post-
poners" (Murjiites) who, by their willingness to "postpone" the
settling of religious disputes to the afterlife, created a base for
tolerance that the 17th century British liberal philosopher John
Locke would restate a millennium later. And some concepts that
hold grave connotations in the West at present, such as "sharia
law," are seen within their historical context as an advancement
and a force for fairness and liberation. One reason why most
Muslims respect Islamic law is that it has protected the rights of
the individual from the tyranny of despots.
Sachar
Committee
Report
English Rs 1000
Hindi Rs 1000
Urdu Rs 1000
Ordering details on page 19
Book on Assams Bangladeshi issue
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Congratulation for revolutionary note
Your bold, open and revolutionary note at the Dr. Saleh M. Sbenaty
of USA ("The Saudi connection" published in MG / 1-15 October
2012) is a historical hidden fact. Kindly accept our congratulations
on your revolutionary revelation. S. Haque, Patna
Muslim representation in the Police
Recently Mr. N. A. Ansari wrote a brief note on the representation of
Muslim in Police force of various states .Either he should have
included only Muslim Minority States or left out J&K to avoid distor-
tion of the All India figure. Without J&K, the figure will be around 4%.
The Milli Gazette should urge the Government that proportion of
Muslims in Police force in any state should be in accordance with
the proportion of its Muslim population and in all sensitive Police
Stations, particularly those in Muslim majority areas should have
50% Muslim officers and men as the Late Siddharth Shankar Ray
introduced in West Bengal when he was Chief Minister. With com-
bined composite recruitment and composite posting in sensitive P.
Ss communal violence will be easily controlable and perhaps come
to an end. Syed Shahabuddin, ex-MP
syedshahabuddinexmp@gmail.com
Keep safe distance
Muslims should not look, even from a long distance, at non-Muslim
ladies dancing during the nine nights of navratri in Gujarati speak-
ing areas. Let us prevent quarrels and maintain peace.
Sultan A. Patel, Khanpur Deh - 392150
White Paper khaki menace against Muslims
Police killed four innocent Muslims in Bhajanpura when villagers
were protesting peacefully against the closure of an old rural road.
They killed innocent Muslims and brushed it under the carpet in the
name of investigation. In the name of investigation PAC dumped
Muslims of Hashimpura in a truck and took them to Hindon river and
killed 69 innocent persons. Many investigations submitted their
reports but those reports were dumped. Ishrat Jehan, Qateel
Siddiqui, Khwaja Yunus and thousands of such murddered youths
are now marhoom due to the police. Now 65-year-old Mukhti
Begum was beaten up by J&K police on 6 Oct; she couldnt bear the
beatings and died. Across the country, Muslims are at the receiving
end. That is why a "White Paper" has become essential to be pub-
lished as you have planned. S. Haque, Patna
Stupendous problems of Indian democracy and their solution
We are rightly proud of the fact that our country is not only the
largest parliamentary democracy of the world but is one Asian coun-
try where democracy has very deep roots and is very strong. Indian
democracy however, is facing most stupendous and gigantic prob-
lem of poverty as many of its people are extremely poor and millions
are living below poverty line. This problem can to a large extent be
solved if the following measures are undertaken by the government:
1. Government mobile vans containing essential commodities
should go round cities, towns and villages of the country and com-
modities should be sold at cheaper rates. 2. The unemployed
should be given an unemployment allowance of Rs. 5000 per
month. 3. There should be free medical treatment of the poor. 4.
Special arrangements should be made for the availability of pure
drinking water. 5. Electricity rates or tariffs should be reduced. 6.
Strong preventive measures should be taken against commercial-
ization of education and educational institutions should be prevent-
ed from charging thousands of rupees as fees. 7. Two room hous-
es with toilets should be constructed for the dwellers of jhuggis and
jhonpri. Dr. M. Hasim Kidwai, ex-M. P., New Delhi-91
Alas Mr Salman Khurshid
I can offer the spiritual aspect of the problem of Mr. Salman Khushid
Being a Muslim he annoyed Allah by saying that he can sacrifice his
life to safeguard the honour and dignity of Nehru family .Being a
Muslim he has sold his life to the hands of Allah in exchange of
Heaven .If he says that he will sacrifice his life for the honour of
Nehru family has committed a Shirk which is never forgive n by
Allah .Allah can forgive his marriage with a Christian lady and giv-
ing his daughter to a non Muslim youth .. and all other sins includ-
ing embezzlement of 7100000 Rupees The second great mistake
he committed in understanding the difference between Congress
party and Nehru family .Party is more important than Nehru Family
.The party can sacrifice Nehru family to strengthen the party .But it
cannot sacrifice the party to safeguard the dignity of the Nehru fam-
ily .His loyalty to the Nehru family is not more important than his loy-
alty to the party .This misunderstanding made him daredevil and
spoke like a Don . Any way he should understand That God is
greater than Nehru Family .He should go to Hajj and his illegal wife
should embrace Islam to Go to Mecca .There he should apologize
Almighty Allah .He should return the money which he misused. Dr
AH Maqdoomi Hyderabad
A voice of wisdom
As a benefit for all, a voice full of wisdom is heard from Haryana.
According to an agency report datelined Chandigarh, 6th October,
published in Ahmedbads Gujarati daily Gujarat Today on 7 October
2012, Kham Punchayat has announced that the age of marriage
must be lowered to check the calamity of rape cases which have
become daily. This suggestion supports the Islamic thought accord-
ing to which mensus, not any arbitrarily imposed fixed age is prop-
er for marriage. It can also eliminate the possibility of vindictive alle-
gations of rape. S. A. U. Patel, Khanpur Deh - 392150
Kejriwal and Anna Hazare
The handling of the present political situation in the country is a
Himalayan task .But some one has to do this .Young and energetic
man Mr. Arvind Kejriwal is dealing with full confidence and vigor
,The entire nation is supporting him .The political parties are oppos-
ing him as he has caught them red handed .His cause is sublime
and powers of virtue will polarize and strengthen the party of Mr.
Kejriwal .He need not get support of Anna Hazare .He is not well
educated and intelligent man .He is not ready to confront the evil
powers .Without sacrifice no one can become a celebrity. Let Mr
Keriwal go ahead with his mission Slowly it will gain momentum
.The message of Dasera is the same .
Dr AH Maqdoomi Hyderabad
Pakistani Taliban
It is very unfortunate that some fanatical groups like Taliban are
bringing ignominy to the beautiful religion of Islam by forcing girls
from going to schools. Islam treats both men and women equally in
many aspects including the pursuit of education. There is a saying
of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that "seeking knowl-
edge is obligatory for all Muslim men and women - (Ibn Maaja)".
The prophets wife Hazrat Ayesha was an eminent scholar of her
times. Malala Yousufzai who dared to stand up to the cruel diktat of
the Taliban is a source of inspiration to scores of Muslim girls like
us.
Ayesha, Amreen Khan, Tabassum & Firdose Begum Kadapa
ra_ayesha@yahoo.com
Defective public railway announcement system
At every railway junction arrival, and departure, of trains to
announced through computerized announcement. Unfortunately
this system is highly defective and needs improvement. In the first
place the information given is vague, The usual announcement that
train number so and so is arriving in a short while which actually
means more than half an hour or so Secondly after the arrival of a
particular train, its arrival is announced several times while no infor-
mation is given about other trains. In purely Babushahi English
which decidedly is incorrect English it is announced that train num-
ber so and so is standing on platform number so and so instead of
stating that the train has arrived on platform so and so. At New Delhi
Station the announcement about the trains which are running very
late expresses khed or regret but this is of no use for waiting pas-
sengers. At least compensation should be paid to the passengers
who have to wait for hours for their trains.
Dr. M. Hashim Kidwai, Ex-M. P., Delhi-110091
Congress net to trap Muslim vote
Central government has announced special drive to recruit to
increase the representation of minority in para military (1 October
12) In August news spread that central government had initiated an
scheme to open bank branches in minority area. As M. P. election
will be near government would circulate "paid news" that Muslims
representation increased in para military and as election momen-
tum would gain, congress would announce "Reservation for
Muslim" as earlier congress manifesto had written and promised
"reservation for Muslims". S. Haque, Patna
Shaheed Qateel Siddiquis relative put a mirror before nation
Qateel Siddiqui was arrested by Maharashtra police from
Darbhanga village Barh Samella on cooked charges of terrorism.
He was kept in high security Punes yerawada jail where he was
mysteriously killed. He was innocent until proven guilty and he was
eliminated to hush up the cooked cases. That is why he was inno-
cent and innocent killed in Shaheed. Qateel uncle Septuagenarian
Md. Akhtar says "do we have to pay just for being Muslims? four
youths from the village picked up by police Qateel had not past
criminal record. The entire village is perturbed as many youth from
here are studying or working out side. No body knows whose turn
is next, because the police first arrest and then try to develop evi-
dence by torturing innocent persons" Qateels mother asked a ques-
tion from nation, judiciary "if he (Qateel) was really an anti national
the police should give evidence. Had he been shot by the police in
an encounter or after proving his guilt we would have accepted it but
how could a person be murdered in the jail Borrack?" Shakeel
Qateel Siddiquis relatives put a mirror before nation, the image
would explain the true picture of democracy. S. Haque, Patna
Ban communal organizations involved in terrorist activities
As a result of investigations of anti terrorists squads and other
investigating agencies it has been proved that Hindu communal
organizations namely Bajrang Dal, VHP, Sanatan Sansthan, Ram
Sena and RSS were involved in highly deplorable terrorist actions
at Ajmer, Malegaon, Nand and Mecca Masjid Hyderabad and high-
ly explosive materials had been found both at the offices of these
organisations and residences of activists of these organizations.
Arrests of Col. Purohit and Sadhavi Pragya collaborates the exis-
tence of a conspiracy engineered by these organizations. Not only
this, V. H. P. and bajrang Dal had also tried to convert Orissa into
another Gujarat by killing Christians and damaging their churches
while Shiv Sena has launched an intense hate campaign against
north Indians in Mumbai. A prominent leaders of RSS has also been
accused of participating in these activities by anti terrorist squad.
AICC at its recent session severely condemned the involvement of
these organizations in terrorist activities. The union govt. should
immediately ban these organizations for their involvement in terror-
ist activities and this decidedly will be a fatal blow to terrorism.
Dr. M. Hashim Kidwai, Ex M. P., New Delhi - 91
What a coincidence - Aamir Khan not a terrorist
Samar Halarnkars article "Accepting Aamir" appeared on
27 September in H T. explained the ordeal of Md. Aamir in 14 yrs.
and after that experienced. The article mentioned the book.
"Framed, Damned Acquitted - Dossiers of a very special cell" but H.
T. insensitiveness are deep rooted that H. T. published picture of
Aamir taken by "The Hindu". Such big publishing house dont have
Md. Aamir photo whose ordeal is worst. What a coincidence, on the
same day (27 September) S. C. historical decision acquitting 11
innocent Muslims arrested in 1994 under TADA and Supreme Court
warned security agencies not to target particular community to force
then to say "I am Khan I am not terrorist" what a coincidence and
security agencies must be made accountable then only bias against
Muslim can be tackled. S. Haque, Patna
If Mallya is a killer, what about Modi and Advani?
N. D. A. convenor JD (U) M. P. from Madhepura Sharad Yadav
opined that kingfisher airline owner Vijay Mallya was killer and he
was responsible for airline company staffs wife suicide. He
demanded Mallyas arrest. This is dark side of our democracy that
for just one unfortunate suicide, so-called secular leaders openly
demand arrest of responsible person but for power sharing they sit
with Modis, Advanis and Kodnanis. They dont care thousands and
thousands Muslim killing in Gujarat 2002 riots and 1992 Advani rath
bloody yatra. S. Haque, Patna
Cyber crime
India is seen with a new kind of threat in the world of cyberspace by
being a poorly protected country in this domain. If you look at the
recent figures, around 42 Million Indians were scammed online in
2011. Hence the urge to train a number of officials to combat this
battle against cybercrime is critical for India. Luckily, as per the
reports, Indian Govt has plans to train 5, 00,000 trainees to fight the
crime effectively. The circumstances demand more number of ethi-
cal hackers, which the government considered a taboo in the past,
however, is now termed as vital. There is no doubt that India simply
lacks the required tools and supply to track and curb the ongoing
crime. With the increasing dependency on the web, it is vital for the
Indian government to invest in cyber education by including IT secu-
rity at college level. With such creditable knowledge it can be
assured that cyber crime can be brought under control. It is also an
added force to fight the battle as it can be expected that the youth
of the nation will also take active participation in the warfare along
with the police to constrain this hazard towards the society and
nation and curtail cyber crime.
Mohd Ziyaullah Khan, Jafar Nagar
writeziya@gmail.com
Social Media and Our Society
Indian society is undergoing rapid transformation and internal tur-
moil. With the advent and frequent use of social media viz. face-
book, twitter, etc., social issues are posted and discussed. It feels
good to see Indian youths engaged in discussing social issues. But
the communal forces and hate groups also seems to be very active.
They dont miss a single opportunity to communalise these issues
with their communal interpretation, hate speeches and spreading
rumours. Unfortunately we dont find "users of social media" under-
standing their motives. They are hijacked with their opinions and ful-
fill the purposes of communal forces. Thus, we see that inspite of
"they" solving the problem, end up with chaos all around.
Md. Maroof Azam, JNU, New Delhi-110067
evs.maroof@gmail.com
Haj
Although, Haj is an obligation upon every affluent Muslim, it is Allah
who endows the craving in ones mind. Two pilgrims from India who
proceeded to Haj this year must have seen quite a different world
when they had joined three million pilgrims at Mecca. The bolly-
wood actor Aamir Khan accompanied his mother Zeenat Husain
who is reported to have expressed her desire to perform Haj. The
other instance would certainly raise the eyebrows of one and
allbecause he chose to come out from the shackles of an ideolo-
gy which is wedded to atheism. Abdur Rezzack Mollah, a CPM stal-
wart who worked as land reforms minister in the erstwhile Left Front
government in West Bengal, chose to differ his partys stand on reli-
gion, saying "My faith in the almighty was always hundred per cent.
Thats the way it shall be."
Syed Sultan Mohiddin, Kadapa (A. P) sultan_awaz@yahoo.co.in
The Supreme Court in its order dated October 11, 2011 had asked
all the states in the country to provide basic toilet facilities to the girl
children in schools before December 31, 2011. The apex court had
reminded the ruling governments that: "Right to free and compulso-
ry education of children in the age group of six to 14 is part of the
fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21-A. This right cannot
be enjoyed unless basic infrastructure is provided by the state." The
court had also pointed out that the absence of toilets is the main
reason why parents are reluctant to send their daughters to
schools. It is a shame that the centre and the states have not heed-
ed to the Supreme Court direction even after about one year. On the
contrary, we have seen as how the State government of Haryana
and Maharashtra had acted with lightening speed to allocate lands
belonging to farmers and adivasis to the influential people like
Robert Vadra and Nitin Gadkari.
S. Mobina, S. Firdose & S. Tabassum, Kadapa
ra_ayesha@yahoo.com
Greatest threat to humanity and liberty
Americas illegal and in human bombing of Libya in 1986 was
described by U. N. as "classis case" of terrorism. America have
used all three types of weapons of mass destruction namely chem-
ical, biological and nuclear. America had dropped bombs on 23
countries including china, Libya, Vietnam, Cuba, Korea, Indonesia,
Piru, Cango, Sudan, Laos, combodia, Greneda, Nicaragoa,
Yogoslavia, Panama, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. In 1945
Japans cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the victims of atom
bombs of America. Its state terrorism, imperialism, and hegemony
is reaching alarming heights. Now oil and gas rich Iran is Americas
latest target. It wants to enslave the entire world in cluding India. Its
crimes against humanity and heinous state terrorism had forced the
desperate oppressed to pay in the same coin. In the past Iran
always stood with India. Recently Iran has held non Aligned
Movement (founded by Jawaharlal Nehru etc.) countries confer-
ence in Tehran. India and others, should, oppose the evil designs of
imperialist America and its NATO allies. U. N. O., Non Alligned
Movement Countries, Organisation of Islamic 57 countries and the
world community must stop gross violations of International charter
of human Rights by America and its devilish human carnage and
genocide. G. Hasnain Kaif,
Bhandara, M. S. - 441904
Kejrival Verses Rahul Gandhi
Now there are two gems before us Kejrival and Rahul Gandhi.
Kejrival is a natural diamond carved by God .Where as Rahul is a
diamond which is still is not cared yet .Kejrival if made as prime min-
ister can manage to rule the country but Rahul needs guidance .He
is not able to think by his own mind and can implement his own
ideas. Whereas Rahul is not ia position to think and implement his
thoughts The whole country can vote his party and reject all other
parties .The major parties have proved that they are all corrupt and
dishonest .Let Mr. Kejrival in selecting honorable persons to contest
the next parliament elections .Kejrival can follow the suit of
Mohammad Morsi of Egypt .The Indian Nation Has suffered more
than the Egyptians Kejrival has caught the buck and can move in
the right direction. Dr Maqdoomi Hyderabad
Media, Muslims and justice
Whenever any demand for justice to Muslims is raised or any agita-
tion for Muslims justice starts media across country start tom-tom-
ing the justice (job share according to population) anti constitutions.
Media never presented Muslim representation in different depart-
ments as on 5 September media placed record about dalits when
debating reservation in promotion for S. C. That out 249 joint secre-
tary 13 dalit and 66 add. sec. only 2 dalit, 471, director only 31 dal-
its are present etc. and many dalit leaders explained only on dalit
reservation agreeing, dalitstan a new country not created. MG / 1-
15 September 2012 news maker / P-12 mentioned S. P. Javed Siraj
of SBI is the lone Muslim officer among the total of 92 personnel is
awarded on Independence day 2012 kindly publish dept. wise or
post wise record.
S. Haque, Patna
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012 23
REJOINDERS/OPINION/LETTERS P.O. Box 9701, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025 Email: letters@milligazette.com
Read more letters on MG website
RNI No. DELENG/2000/930 REGISTERED DL(S)-01/3215/2012-14
LICENCED TO POST WITHOUT PREPAYMENT U (SE)-57/2012-14
PUBLISHED ON 25 OCTOBER 2012 POSTED ON 26,29 OCTOBER 2012
ADV. FORTNIGHTLY AT NDPSO-110002
The Milli Gazette
D-84 Abul Fazl Enclave-I, Jamia Nagar,
New Delhi 110025 India Tel.: 011-2694 7483 Email: edit@milligazette.com
24 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 November 2012
DNA Replication within wombs revealed in Quran
With best compliments from
Kaleem Kawaja , Washington DC
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Framed, Damned, Acquitted:
Dossiers of a Very Special Cell
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Framed, Damned and Acquitted:
Dossiers of a Very Special Cell
A report by Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Association
Framed, Damned and Acquitted:
Dossiers of a Very Special Cell
A report by Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Association
Please see page 3 inside for details
We wish our
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Quran Surat Al-Haj (The Pilgrimage)
[22:36-38]
[36] The sacrificial camels We have made
for you as among the symbols from Allah:
in them is (much) good for you: then pro-
nounce the name of Allah over them as
they line up (for sacrifice): when they are
down on their sides (after slaughter), eat ye
thereof, and feed such as (beg not but) live
in contentment, and such as beg with due
humility: thus have We made animals sub-
ject to you, that ye may be grateful.
[37] It is not their meat nor their blood,
that reaches Allah: it is your piety that
reaches Him: He has thus made them sub-
ject to you, that ye may glorify Allah for
His Guidance to you and proclaim the good
news to all who do right.
[38] Verily Allah will defend (from ill)
those who believe: verily, Allah loveth not
any that is a traitor to faith, or show
ingratitude.
(Translation Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
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