History books never gave space for Muslim scholars

Kozhikode: The history of Muslim leaders, who sacrificed their life for the country's freedom were "tarnished by people with vested interests", Union Minister of Minority Affairs K Rahman Khan said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the "Kerala Muslim History Conference" here, he said, "Our history textbooks never gave space for the Muslim scholars, who chose martyrdom in the freedom struggle of 1857."

The minister also emphasised the need for the reviving and compilation of the glorious history of Muslims and their rich heritage.

T Arifali, Ameer, Jamat-e-Islami Kerala, presided the function.

The three-day Conference discussed various matters pertaining to Muslims including on topics like "Muslim Society: Culture and Arts", "Muslim Renaissance Movements and its Analysis" and "Muslim society and its critical engagements".
http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/history-books-never-gave-space-for-muslim-scholars_899192.html

Muslims want Cong to pass communal violence bill

 NEW DELHI: Muslim leaders urged Congress to pass the communal violence bill, putting a tough poser to the party that has failed to promulgate the legislation promised in its election manifesto.

The strong pitch for the legislation, with Muzaffarnagar riots as the reason, came at an interaction organized by Congress with civil society working among minorities to elicit their views on issues to be included in the 2014 manifesto. It was a bit of an irony since the bill was a key poll promise of Congress in 2009 though the UPA has failed to promulgate it.

 Rahul Gandhi, it is learnt, did not give his opinion on the vexed legislation though he cited AICC general secretary Mohan Prakash as saying that "there are two views on the bill".

The Union Cabinet cleared the bill recently at the fag end of UPA-2's tenure but failed to bring it in the winter session of Parliament. BJP and some regional parties are strongly opposed to the bill.

The community's urgency on the legislation which seeks to hold authorities accountable for communal riots is linked to Muzaffarnagar riots in western UP that left 50,000 Muslims in relief camps. The clashes between Jats and Muslims were raised at the manifesto meeting with participants pointing to the futility of making other promises if lives of people were under threat.

Along with it was raised the issue of arrest of "innocent" Muslim youth in terror cases and the need to fast-track their cases.

When a young participant mentioned "first security, then development", Rahul retorted, "no, both can go hand in hand".

It is not a happy situation for Congress that the legislation it has failed to pass in Parliament is the uppermost concern of the Muslim community, its core support base.

While security was mentioned repeatedly as a concern during the meeting, Rahul agreed that people were worried. Referring to his visit to relief camps in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday, he said when he took an 8-year-old boy aside and asked him what he felt, the boy replied, "I am very scared." Rahul said nobody in any state or belonging to any religion needs to be scared in India.

That Muzaffarnagar dominated the manifesto session may further nudge the Congress to raise the pitch on riots, sure to rile the ruling Samajwadi Party in UP since such focus puts its "secularism" under the scanner. A day after Rahul's visit, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said the Congress was misleading Muslims in relief camps.

Muslim leaders also demanded that dalit converts to Islam be recognized as SCs and the 4.5% minority quota be rescued from Supreme Court which has stayed it. The gathering demanded that 15-point programme for Muslims be made mandatory for states since they were reluctant to implement the Sachar panel schemes.

The gathering also sought a system to rein in the "communal attitude" of the administration which did not allow implementation of welfare schemes.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-24/india/45539097_1_muzaffarnagar-riots-relief-camps-communal-violence-bill

Disappointed Muslims Prepare for India Vote

Frustrated by politicians’ unfulfilled promises, Indian Muslim in Ajmer city, in the largest northwestern state of Rajasthan, are holding regular meetings to decide whom to vote for in the upcoming elections.

“The Muslim voters in the Dargah region are 35,000 and towns like Sarwar, Nasirabad, Khanpura, Salemabad and Roopangargh are densely populated with Muslims,” professor Manan Rahi, a leader of Muslim community, told the Times of India on Wednesday, November 20.

With more than 465,000 voters out of the 16 lakh population of the eight constituencies, Muslims have been the cornerstone of the Indian elections.

In the last assembly elections, there was a 10 to 12 % overall swing towards BJP from this community.

From Ajmer North, 5.5 % Muslims voted for the BJP candidate.

Preparing for the upcoming assembly elections, Muslims feel dissatisfied by both Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and National Congress party (NCP) polices.

Over the past weeks, the provinces of Taragarh, Dargah, Khanpura and Sarwar, which are heavily populated with Muslims, have been witnessing regular meetings ahead of assembly elections.

Adding to their confusion, a big part of the Muslim community feels jammed as they fear BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and on other hand is disappointed with Congress.

Modi, the 14th and current Chief Minister of Gujarat, is the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for the upcoming 2014 Indian general elections.

“Now the major problem is that Muslim voters are coming and asking that if they vote for their BJP candidate, it may bring Narendra Modi to power,” professor Rahi said.

“We are not against BJP but have decided to vote against Modi.”

Relations between Muslims and the BJP have been strained since the 2002 massacre of Muslims in the state.

More than 2,000 Muslims were hacked and burnt to death in Gujarat in 2002 by Hindu mobs after Hindu pilgrims died in a train fire first blamed on Muslims but which a later inquiry concluded was accidental.

Several investigations at the state and federal levels accused police of failing to protect Muslims under orders from Modi and his aides, fanning one of the worst instances of sectarian violence in India.

In August, an Indian court sentenced a former Indian state minister from the BJP to 28 years in jail party.

Congress Too

With most voters disappointed with BJP, the congress too has lost its glow in the city after failing to bring long awaited piece.

“Congress failed to bring peace to this town,” Mohammad Anis of Sarwar said.

“People are angry that neither senior Congress leader nor any minister of the government came to help at the time of riots,” he added.

In its bid to replace BJP, the congress is luring Muslim voters in Pushkar, who count for 32 percent of votes, by nominating a Muslim candidate Naseem Akhtar.

In Ajmer North, about 35,000 Muslim voters are against BJP after the party failed to achieve any development in the region.

“Thousands of devotees come daily to this place but the BJP did not attempt to take any measures for the development of the region,” said Mahmood Khan, leader of dargah bazaar.

“There was a budget of Rs 300 crore but it lapsed.”

High turnout in Dargah would be in favor of the congress “If a good number of people from these areas vote then most certainly that will indicate a loss to BJP but if they do not come out to vote, it will not be good for Congress,” Khan said.

There are some 140 million Muslims in Hindu-majority India and they have long complained of being discriminated against in all walks of life.

Muslims complain of decades of social and economic neglect and oppression.

Official figures reveal Muslims log lower educational levels and higher unemployment rates than the Hindu majority and other minorities like Christians and Sikhs.

They account for less than seven percent of public service employees, only five percent of railways workers, around four percent of banking employees and there are only 29,000 Muslims in India's 1.3 million-strong military.
http://www.onislam.net/english/news/asia-pacific/466207-disappointed-muslims-prepare-for-india-vote.html

Hindus flock to mosques for circumcision

Chennai: While his friends spent the summer enjoying the sights of various holiday locations, 13-year-old Surendar headed for a mosque – not for religious reasons, but for  undergoing ‘khatna’, otherwise known as ‘sunnath’ (circumcision), to overcome a medical problem.

“We were told it would take about three weeks for him to recover from the surgery and so we thought the summer vacation was the best time to get it done,” says Surendar’s father  K G Shanmugam, who lives in  Kolathur , North Chennai with his family.

He explains that his son, a class 8 student, suffered from severe pain when urinating and although admitted twice to hospital for treatment, found no relief. “My brother told me his son too had a similar problem and sunnath provided a permanent solution. We approached the mosque and they were kind enough to do the procedure for the boy last week. He is much better now,” he adds, sounding relieved.

Unani practitioner Syed Nawaz , who has been performing khatna for several years, says the number of Hindu boys coming for the procedure is steadily growing. “Almost 40 per cent of the boys I have attended to so far since  this summer vacation began were Hindus. When a Hindu family approaches me for help, I first explain the surgical process, the healing time and its health benefits,” the  hakeem adds.

S. Sulaiman, 62, of the Masjid-ur-Noor says his mosque on ECR Road in Thiruvanmiyur has been organizing free khatna camps during the summer vacations for the last five years. “We are happy that several Hindu families have understood the health benefits of khatna and are coming to us to have their sons undergo the procedure . We arrange for it with love and care, irrespective of religion”, he says.

Mosque vice-president, R Noorullah says the summer vacation is a busy time for hakeems specializing in khatna procedures. “Of course, they are busy during the other months too as several Hindu adults are opting for the procedure for health reasons. Many men from the film world too undergo khatna to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases”, he reveals.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130524/news-current-affairs/article/hindus-flock-mosques-circumcision

Muslim front to protest in Mumbai today

MALEGAON: The Muslim Reservation Federation (MRF) here has demanded the state government to announce a suitable quota for the Muslim community by October 31 or face agitation.

Accusing chief minister Prithviraj Chavan of not keeping his word, MRF volunteers will hold a 'dharna' in Mumbai's Azad Maidan to remind him of the promise he had made to them around three months ago.

When the MRF volunteers met Chavan on May 27, he had promised that the Dr Mehmud ur-Rehman committee's report would be made public within a month. He also promised that based on the committee's findings, the government would initiate action to provide the Muslim community reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for admissions, said Asif Shaikh, president of the MRF. "But nothing constructive happened at the state secretariat on the subject. This, despite the fact that Dr Mehmud ur-Rehman had submitted the final report to the government," Asif Shaikh said.

"We are giving the state government time till October 31. If it fails to release the report and initiate action on our demand, we will start a 'jail bharo andolan' from the first week of November," he said. The Mehmud ur-Rehman committee was set up in 2008, at the behest of then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, to look into the socio-economic and educational status of the Muslims in Maharashtra. The government had asked the committee to submit its recommendations for the empowerment of the community, which according to the Sachar committee, is lagging behind others in all fields.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/Muslim-front-to-protest-in-Mumbai-today/articleshow/23669152.cms

Alleged cause of Muzaffarnagar riots 'a girl'

 The main cause of Muzaffarnagar riots which all the Indian news papers and media is showing is - A Muslim boy was teasing/stalking a Jat Hindu girl and when his brother came to know about it, he along with his friend in a fight killed that Muslim boy and when they tried to run away from the crime scene they were caught by local Muslims who made these two boys pay for their crime.

The media used more harsher terms like molesting and harassing to show that Muslims are the main culprits without any proof. Why doesn't media ask that girl ? Where is that girl, where has she disappeared ? This means media is just saying this without any proof and showing rumor as a truth.

The truth is that the girl was with that Muslim boy with her consent which obviously Jats didn't like and wanted to break this alliance between a Jat Hindu girl and a Muslim boy, according to our sources one of our friend happens to be from that region.
The Jat community is very strict when it comes to inter-religious relationships or marriages. They don't tolerate their girls with boys of other religions and Jats don't shy away from killing as we just saw in this case with the killing of a Muslim boy.
So who started all this is clear one doesn't have to kill someone if someone stalks a girl.

Many Hindu girls in UP are marrying and even eloping with Muslim men if the girl's family is not ready to accept the alliance. By and large Hindus are not happy with it. Also we had earlier reported how Hindus are not happy with Hindu girls marrying Muslims in this post
http://indianmuslimpost.blogspot.in/2013/04/hindus-worried-over-hindu-girls.html

Here is the most recent incident for you. Reported by The Indian Express Lucknow,  Aug 22 2013.
A Jat Hindu Women eloped (ran away) with  Muslim man and obviously Jats not happy with it socially boycotted  nearly 800 Muslims of Palachand village in Aligarh district.
Angered by this the Jats don't speak to the Muslims, they are not allowed to make purchases at local shops and are barred from working in farms of Jats. The Jats have also stopped buying milk from dairies of Muslims.
The woman who eloped belonged to Nisuja hamlet of Palachand, and the man is from Khurja in Bulandshahr district. They studied together until high school in Khurja and stayed in touch after the woman moved to a college in Khair. They met at a wedding in Palachand on July 1 and eloped, sparking tension between their communities. That woman has said she doesn't want to live with her family.

This gives you an idea about the situation of UP. The love of Hindu girls for Muslim men is quite evident.

Once a Hindu girl marries a Muslim boy she is under the protection of Muslim community and no one can enter and try to hurt the couples not even the Jats.

One thing Hindus complain about is Hindu allow their girls marry Muslims but will a Muslim allow his girl to Marry a non-Muslim ?
The simple answer to this question is Why should a Muslim allow Muslim girls to go into false religion ?
If someone does something stupid that doesn't mean that others also have to copy it.

Non-Muslim may call themselves secular, liberal, atheist, theist, left-wing etc.. but Muslims will follow their great Islamic culture whether others like it not not. They have the right to choose their ideology.

No one is stopping a non-Muslim from marrying Muslim girl but first non-Muslim has to accept Islam ie; the truth.
Islam is the true religion, there are no double standards here as a Muslim boy cannot marry a non-Muslim without the girl accepting Islam in the same way a Muslim girl cannot marry a non-Muslim without the boy accepting the truth which is Islam. Nikah can only happen if both girl and boy are Muslims.

Now if we go by the Indian media than the main cause of the riots turns out to be a 'girl'. A Hindu girl and not only in this case but in the many riots that had happened in the past there have been rumors floating around that the riots occurred because someone teased a girl from a particular community.

Why this happens ? Because Hindus have let loose their girls they have no control over them. The problem of indescent dressing is something we discussed earlier http://indianmuslimpost.blogspot.in/2013/01/hindu-girls-indecent-dressing.html
 If they don't like their girls to mingle with boys of other religions than they should impose certain restraints instead they give them extra freedom which means a disaster is waiting to happen. Too much freedom is often misused.
This shows that they have to later suffer because of their liberal and pro-western mindset, if they are so liberal than they should not get unhappy over inter-religious marriages.

-By Kareem Khan

Akhilesh Yadav assures an end to Muzaffarnagar riots

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav speaking after a Haj event on Monday

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav held a cabinet meeting today as he battles the demand that central rule be imposed in the state for his government's alleged failure to check the communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar that killed 31 people in three days.

After the meeting Mr Yadav said forces were deployed to ensure there is no more violence and promised help for the "thousands of refugees who left their home." He also reiterated that those guilty of inciting communal violence would be severely punished.

The CM, however, offered no comment on Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's statement that he had warned Mr Yadav of the growing tension hours before the rioting began on Saturday last. "On Saturday I spoke to the Chief Minister at 12:30 pm and told him we have information that the meeting is on and the situation is tense," Mr Shinde said, referring to a large gathering of farmers where incendiary speeches were allegedly made.

The gathering, or mahapanchayat, was held to demand justice for two Jat brothers who were lynched after they shot a Muslim boy for harassing their sister in the village of Kawal. After the mahapanchayat, the farmers were attacked on their way home, triggering an angry backlash. Clashes then spiraled into rioting in several villages.

As his son Akhilesh attempts damage control, there has been speculation that SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav will postpone a two-day meeting of his party's national executive to discuss strategy for the 2014 general elections. Sources said for now, the meeting is on and will be held in Agra from tomorrow.

Parties like the BJP, BSP and RLD have demanded that the Samajwadi Party government be sacked, but sources say the Centre, which is propped up by the SP's 22 MPs, is not inclined to take any big step. Instead, the home ministry has asked the UP government to report every 12 hours on the situation in Muzaffarnagar.

Amid the raging political blame-game, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh phoned Akhilesh Yadav to ask what he was doing to restore calm. A report from state governor accusing the state government of failing to preserve communal harmony, has added pressure on Mr Yadav to act decisively.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/muzaffarnagar-violence-under-fire-akhilesh-yadav-assures-an-end-to-violence-severe-action-416592

Muzaffarnagar Hindu-Muslim riots 26 Killed

The death toll in communal clashes in western Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district rose to 26 amid fresh violence on Sunday.

Arun Kumar, additional director general of police in Muzaffarnagar has confirmed the death toll as 26 (13 deaths on Saturday and 13 on Sunday) in a press conference.
Earlier, state home secretary Kamal Saxena had put the death toll at 19.

The state's Minority Affairs Minister, Azam Khan, has alleged that at yesterday's meeting, provocative speeches were made that called for action against Muslims.

This was the cause of the riots, thousands of Hindu farmers held a meeting in Kawal, made speeches against Muslims and called for action against them.

Nearly 1,000 army troops have been rushed to the violence-hit areas. Officials said 10,000 Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel, 1,300 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and 1,200 Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel had also been deployed to quell the violence.

Saxena said fresh incidents of violence were reported from Sisauli, Shahpur, Fugna, Kalapar and Dhaurakala areas of Muzaffarnagar. In one place, the army had to resort to firing after someone opened fire at them, he said.

Muzaffarnagar district magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said 35 people had been arrested in connection with the violence.

On Saturday, Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said incidents of communal violence had increased in the country in 2013. “While 410 incidents occurred in the country last year, this year, till now, 451 incidents have taken place.”

Maharashtra govt to fund 200 madrasas all across the state

The decision was taken during the state cabinet meeting on Wednesday wherein it was decided that for the year 2013-14, the government will give Rs.10 crore to 200 madrasa all across the state. Rs.50,000 will be given separately to create a library.

The opposition Shiv Sena and MNS accused the Congress-NCP government of trying to appease Muslims and were not happy with this decision.

In Maharashtra, there are a total of 1,889 madrasa all across the state, in which 1,45,995 students are enrolled. 200 madrasas out of these will be selected by the state government.

Spekaing to media the Minster for Minority Affairs Nasim khan said "this is not poll sop this will help students from minorities to come to main stream ".

Khan said, the madrassa students, who study in ninth or tenth class in nearby schools, will get annual scholarship of Rs 4,000, adding that the amount will be Rs 5,000 for 11th and 12th class students.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130904/news-politics/article/maharashtra-modernise-madrasas-opposition-says-its-minority-appeasement
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/maharashtra-government-decision-to-modernise-madrasas-draws-shiv-sena-bjp-ire/1/305543.html

Prominent Muslim leaders join AAP

Former JDU leader Irfanullah Khan and heritage activist Firoz Ahmed Bakht joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday.

Welcoming the leaders, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, “Muslims have been treated as bonded and used as vote bank by the Congress. They should ask the Congress what they have given to them in the past 55 years of its rule since Independence. Except for Professor Gopal Singh report in 1981 and the Justice Sachar Committee report in 2007, they have given nothing to Muslims.”
Holding the Congress party responsible for the backwardness of the Muslim community,
Kejriwal said that Muslims are living in fear despite trusting the Congress for so long.

“They are jailed on terror charges, but when they are freed by the courts after being declared innocent then no one comes to give them job so that they could begin their lives,” he said.

Mr Kejriwal said that both BJP and Congress were treating Hindus and Muslims as their vote banks. Mr Khan, an alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University, is a social worker and is likely to be declared as AAP candidate from the Okhla constituency. Mr Bakht is a teacher and also works for heritage awareness.

Besides, Shakeel Malik, member of All India Minority Committee of Janata Dal (United), a number of other alumni from AMU and Jamia joined the AAP.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Muslim-scholars-and-activists-join-Kejriwal-s-party-praise-its-politics/Article1-1114608.aspx

False Terror Cases Rips Indian Muslims Lives

NEW DELHI – Left for years behind the bars, a growing number of Indian Muslim youth are falling victim to the government racial profiling after being falsely targeted in terror charges.

"Muslim youth are charged with terrorism and are later acquitted," said Mohd Shahid of Aligarh Muslim University told Parda Phash news portal on Sunday, September 1.

“This destroys them and their families.” their families.”

Shahid was speaking at a seminar on United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Muslim Expectations, organized by the Aligarh Movement magazine at the India Islamic Cultural Centre.

Attendants attributed police anti-Muslim discrimination in India to the bureaucratic and police system inherited from the British.

"No change has come in the mindset of police and administration, so nothing can be done till the mindset is changed," Mohammad Adeeb, MP, said

Congress leader Anees Durrani urged Muslim youth who are framed in false terror cases to seek compensation from the government.

Journalist Ashish Khetan shared a similar opinion.

“There are many instances where Muslim youths have been wrongly framed in terror cases," Khetan said.

"There should be no politics of victimhood. There should be justice for all, the innocents who are killed in terror incidents and those who are wrongly blamed for it.”

There are some 140 million Muslims in Hindu-majority India who have repeatedly complained of being selectively and unfairly targeted by anti-terror police.

In 2012, a wave of Muslim protests sparked across India to denounce the unfair targeting of Muslims in the name of fighting terrorism.

They also accuse authorities of feeding stereotypes about their religion.

According to information obtained under Right to Information (RTI) Act, out of 1,222 under trial in Alipur Central Jail as of December 2011, 530 were Muslims.

Similarly, out of 2,200 under trial in UP’s Ghazaibad jail, 530 were Muslims. Data received from other prisons of states are equally disquieting.

Broken Promises

Attendants accused the Congress-led UPA government of breaking promises made to the Muslim minority.

"A lot of promises were made when UPA-II came to power in 2009 but there is little implementation of them," said Jasim Mohammad, editor of the Aligarh Movement magazine.

"The government is making joke of Muslims as we have been continuously believing in the Congress," said Farhat Ali Khan, OSD (Officer on Special Duty) of Jamia Urdu.

Film director and social activist Mahesh Bhatt also urged the Congress-led government to fulfill its commitments.

"The core ideology of the Congress is secularism which is not its monopoly but a tradition of our forefathers," he said.

Along with Muslim legal rights, the seminar discussed other issues affecting the religious minority; including unemployment, demanding the implementation of a bill that curbs communal violence against minorities.

Indian Muslims complained decades of social and economic neglect and oppression as well as being discriminated against in all walks of life.

Official figures reveal Muslims log lower educational levels and higher unemployment rates than the Hindu majority and other minorities like Christians and Sikhs.

They account for less than seven percent of public service employees, only five percent of railways workers, around four percent of banking employees and there are only 29,000 Muslims in India's 1.3 million-strong military.

A 2006 report, known as the Sachar Committee report, looked into the socio-economic and educational backwardness of Muslims in the country and suggested various remedial measures.

The recommendations included setting up educational facilities, modernization of madrasahs, creation of job opportunities and steps to increase the community's representation in public services.
 http://www.onislam.net/english/news/asia-pacific/464286-false-terror-cases-rips-indian-muslims-lives.html

Aussie Muslim Fawad Ahmed leg-spinner won't wear beer logo

Cricket Australia agreed that Fawad Ahmed should not have to wear bear logos and said it was "respectful of his beliefs."

Spin bowler Fawad Ahmed will not have to wear sponsor's beer brand logo on his Australian uniform because of his Muslim faith, the sport's managing body in the country has confirmed.

Ahmed had requested to be excused from wearing the 'VB' logo as it conflicted with his religious beliefs, Fairfax Media said on Tuesday, and CA executive general manager of operations Mike McKenna said the governing body had approved it.

South Africa's Muslim batsman Hashim Amla has also been excused from wearing a beer brand logo on his shirts.

It is great to see that no matter what happens Muslims do not forget and will not forget their great Islamic culture Fawad Ahmed and Hashim Amla are great examples of this.
http://tvnz.co.nz/cricket-news/aussie-muslim-leg-spinner-won-t-wear-beer-logo-5559784 

Alcohol (bear) is haram and sponsoring alcohol by wearing a bear logo is like encouraging people to do haram.

Hashim Amla following the Sunnah

South African criketer Hashim Amla following Sunnah.

Ayodhya yatra fails police crackdown on VHP

 The UP government did a great job of not allowing VHP and other Hindu saffron organizations to carry out Ayodhya yatra. Security forces turned Ayodhya into fortress and Police arrested hundreds of VHP and other saffron Hindu activists.

As the VHP was adamant to complete its 84 Kosi Parikrama Yatra, the UP government on Sunday said security arrangements would continue to check those trying to attend the banned yatra even as 1,696 persons, including Ashok Singhal and Praveen Togadia, were arrested in a crackdown.

"The tight security arrangements will continue in the state to prevent those trying to attend VHP's yatra, which has not been recalled by it..In the state, 1,696 persons including Ashok Singhal and Praveen Togadia, have been arrested in the crackdown," IG, Law and Order, RK Vishwakarma, told reporters.

In reply to a question he said that all those arrested will be put in the judicial custody for next 14 days and not be released as of now. "As the programme of yatra is till September 13, those arrested cannot be released. Preventive detentions will continue and those trying to participate in the yatra will also be arrested..," Secretary (Home) Kamal Saxena said.

In addition to the state police force, 11 company of RAF and 12 company of CRPF has been deployed in the state to maintain law and order, he said. "As VHP has announced protests on Monday district police chiefs have been asked to remain alert and ensure that law and order is maintained", the official said.

Prominent among those arrested included former Union minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayanand, Nritya Gopal Das of Ram Janmbhoomi Trust, Ram Vilas Vedanti, BJP MLAs Ram Chandra Yadav and Savatribai Phule and VHP's provincial coordinator Acharya Kushmuni. In Amethi, peethdheshwar of Sagra Ashram Abhay Chaitanya Mauni Mahraj was put under house arrest.

Temporary jails have been set up in districts of Faizabad (10), Barabanki,(12), Bahraich (16), Basti (2), Gonda (3) and Ambedkarnagar (5), which are on the yatra route. The state government had banned the yatra, stating it would not allow to set any new tradition.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/vhp-yatra-1696-arrested-security-measures-to-continue-says-up-govt/417109-3-242.html
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/vhp-to-go-ahead-with-ayodhya-yatra-activists-arrested-uttar-pradesh/1/301185.html

Islamic finance courses create a buzz in Malabar

KOZHIKODE: Islamic finance is yet to take roots in the financial landscape of the country, but several Muslim management-run educational institutions in Malabar have gone a step ahead and have started offering specialized courses anticipating huge requirements for qualified personnel to man the future Sharia-compliant finance sector.

Courses on Islamic finance and banking have found many takers in the region ever since the state government set in motion its plan to start an Islamic financing institution two years ago. The growing student interest has been fuelled by hopes that the niche sector would offer job opportunities for those well versed in Riba-free Islamic financial and economic system.

 The Sullamussalam Science College at Areekode, affiliated to the Calicut University, has become the first college in the state to offer a three year degree course in BA Islamic Finance from this academic year onwards.

"With the state government itself leading the state's foray into Islamic finance, the sector is bound to throw open numerous employment opportunities for people who can manage Islamic financial institutions," said Prof N V Abdurahiman, manager of Sullamussalam Science College, adding that the proposal submitted by the college for starting the BA course in Islamic Finance was accepted for funding by the UGC under 'innovative programmes for teaching and research in interdisciplinary and emerging areas'.

The course, which is the first formal degree level programme in the state, has seen over 100 applicants for the 25 seats on offer this year. The formal inauguration of the programme is expected soon.

Dr A I Rahmathullah, chairman of the board of studies in Arabic said that the university, in another first, has also approved the proposal for starting an MA Course in Islamic Economics and Finance.

"Already several institutions had approached the varsity to start PG course in the field that prompted the board to consider the programme. We will draft the syllabus and curriculum as soon as we get the nod from the academic council," he said.

Institutions like Al Jamia Al Islamiya, a religious college, at Santhapuram have also been seeing growing interest for its postgraduate diploma in Islamic economics and finance (PGDIEF) course. It also offers IGNOU diploma courses in Islamic banking, Islamic finance and Islamic insurance.

"Already many graduates in the state have got lucrative job offers at MNCs in the Gulf offering sharia-compliant mutual funds and venture capital funds. Now with the sector taking roots in the state, the students can look forward to opportunities at home," said Mohammed Pallath, coordinator of the course at the institution.

The Elijah Institute of Management Studies in Thrissur is also offering a postgraduate diploma course in Islamic banking and management as an add-on course for their MBA students. There are many other institutions in Malappuram and Kozhikode which have recently started offering similar courses sensing the growing interest in the field.

Kozhikode: Islamic finance is yet to take roots in the financial landscape of the country, but several Muslim management run educational institutions in Malabar have gone a step ahead and have started offering specialized courses anticipating huge requirements for qualified personnel to man the future Sharia compliant finance sector.

Courses on Islamic finance and banking have been finding many takers in the region ever since the state government set in motion its plan to start an Islamic financing institution two years back. The growing student interest has been fuelled by hopes that the niche sector would offer job opportunities for those well versed in Riba-free Islamic financial and economic system.

The Sullamussalam Science College at Areacode, affiliated to the Calicut University, has become the first college in the state to offer a three year degree course in BA Islamic Finance from this academic year onwards.
"With the state government itself leading the state's foray into Islamic finance, the sector is bound to throw open numerous employment opportunities for people who can manage Islamic financial institutions," Prof. N V Abdurahiman, Manager of the Sullamussalam Science College.
He said that the proposal submitted by the college for starting BA in Islamic Finance was accepted for funding by the UGC under the 'innovative programmes for teaching and research in interdisciplinary and emerging areas'.
The course, which is the first formal degree level programme in the state, has seen over 100 applicants for the 25 seats which were on offer this year. The formal inauguration of the programme is expected soon.
Dr. A I Rahmathullah, Chairman of the Board of Studies in Arabic at the Calicut University, said that the university, in another first, has also approved the proposal for starting a MA Course in Islamic Economics and Finance
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-19/news/41424287_1_islamic-economics-postgraduate-diploma-course-malabar

Muslim share in govt jobs moving upwards

NEW DELHI: The intake of Muslims in central government bodies has increased by over 3% in six years, reflecting a visible improvement in the community's share of public sector jobs that the UPA marked out as priority after coming to power in 2004.

Government figures show that the recruitment of minorities in central government organizations stood at 10.18% in 2010-11, up from 6.93% in 2006-07.

 The 3% increase in employment across sectors in the last six years coincides with the directives that the Centre issued to ministries and departments that they should take special measures — publicity campaigns about recruitment drives and inclusion of minority members in interview panels — to boost minority presence in jobs.

Minority has been a thinly-disguised term for Muslims who form an overwhelming share of religious minorities.

Social activist and former National Advisory Council member Harsh Mander dubbed the increase as significant and credited the community for the success.

"It is the outcome of efforts on the part of community members to break out of restraints on social mobility they have been traditionally bound by," he said, adding the government contribution in the trend was smaller.

The percentage of minorities in total hiring across central government jobs was 6.93% in 2006-07. It went up to 8.23%, 9.90%, 7.28% and 10.18% in the following years. Sensing inconsistency, the ministry has called for review of the 2011-12 figures that stand at a dismal 6.24%.

The significance of increasing number of Muslims in central recruitment extends beyond mere job share. That they are joining paramilitary forces and railways, the largest public sector employers, in greater numbers could start a robust trend for future. The community's increasing share in the police force would also strengthen their confidence in security matters.

Minority affairs minister Rahman Khan said, "There is improvement in certain sectors while it is not satisfactory in others. We keep insisting to ministries that they should follow government circulars to beef up turnout and intake of minorities in recruitment drives."

The creation of minority affairs ministry, followed by the Sachar committee which gave a post-independence status report on the state of Muslims, swatted aside the reluctance that Congress had about playing a muscular Muslim card for fear of rival BJP launching its campaign of "appeasement".
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-19/india/41424784_1_minority-affairs-ministry-recruitment-drives-muslim-share

RBI allows non-bank Islamic finance firm

An estimated 177 million Muslims in India, the largest Muslim minority population in the world, are unable to use Islamic banks because laws covering the sector require banking to be based on interest, which is forbidden in Islam.

But some companies, especially in Kerala which has a large Muslim population and an overseas diaspora of workers who remit money back from the Gulf, are nevertheless trying to develop Islamic financial products outside the banking sector.

Cheraman Financial Services, based in Kochi, plans to offer leasing and equity-finance products under Islamic principles. It said it had obtained approval to operate from the RBI and would follow the Islamic ban on interest; it will not take deposits from customers.

"We propose to roll out the products by the end of August," a spokesman for Cheraman, formerly known as Al Barakah Financial Services, told Reuters.

He did not elaborate on the design of the products. Instead of interest, Islamic finance uses structures such as asset buy-backs and agency agreements to provide returns to investors.

The RBI did not respond to a request for comment on Cheraman's case. But its decision appears to open the door to the possibility of more NBFCs offering Islamic non-interest products in future, even though full-fledged Islamic banks are expected to remain banned.

RBI governor Duvvuri Subbarao, who will step down in September, has said Islamic banking is not possible in the country but sharia-compliant products could be delivered through alternative means.

LEGAL CHALLENGE

Last year, the RBI directed Kochi-based Alternative Investments and Credits Ltd (AICL) to stop its non-interest NBFC business almost a decade after the firm was launched. This prompted an ongoing legal challenge by AICL.

"The grant of an NBFC licence should have an impact on the AICL proceedings and there are good chances that the matter may get settled soon," said Suprio Bose, Mumbai-based lawyer at Juris Corp, a law firm which previously represented AICL.

"The event reflects a significant and welcome change in RBI's attitude towards sharia-based NBFCs and sets a precedent for others to follow suit."

However, many analysts think that unless and until full-fledged Islamic banks are permitted in India, an Islamic finance sector will find it hard to develop.

"I don't think there is going to be a rush for NBFC applications. RBI's attitude towards the sharia-compliance concept is yet to be tested," said Shariq Nisar, director of research and operations at Mumbai-based Taqwaa Advisory and Shariah Investment Solutions.

Running a sharia-compliant financial institution under Indian regulations is still difficult and other firms are likely to stay on the sidelines pending the success of existing schemes before deciding to join in, he added.

Islamic equity and venture capital products have attracted little demand in India and NBFCs could face the same fate, said Nisar. "NBFC business overall has been declining over the years."

The RBI issued guidelines for NBFCs in June, cracking down on debt issuance by an industry that relies heavily on capital markets to fund its business but has faced less regulatory oversight than banks.

According to central bank data, credit extended to NBFCs increased by 1.9 percent from a year earlier in June, compared with an increase of 43.9 percent in June last year. There are over 12,000 registered NBFCs in India.

A handful of politicians have been lobbying for years to start Islamic banking in India, but they have met strong opposition from bureaucrats in the finance ministry and banking circles. Some politicians, especially from the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, say they fear Islamic banking could be used by militants and might strengthen the hold of clergy over India's Muslim community. (Editing by Andrew Torchia)
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/08/20/islamic-finance-india-idINDEE97J07L20130820

Owaisi gives warnings: On Hyderabad, saffron activities, poll alliance

Hyderabad, Aug 18: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) threatened to begin a massive protest if the government decided to announce Hyderabad a Union Territory or permanent capital following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. 

 

MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, the MP from Hyderabad, said the government would commit a blunder if it decided to act on such suggestions by some leaders from the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

Owaisi, who was speaking at a public meeting organised at the Khilwath playground here on Saturday night, said Hyderabad belonged to all irrespective of their places of origin and every resident is secure here. He said the city is a part of India and nobody can ask one to leave the city.

 

Owaisi asked the secular parties to chalk out proper strategies to deal with the growing saffron activities in the country. He said it is urgently required or could make the nation pay huge price in the future. The MIM chief also warned the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) against making any electoral alliance with the BJP.

 

Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP's chief of the 2014 poll campaign committee Narendra Modi's holding late TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N T Rama Rao in high regards and meeting with TDP leaders during his recent Hyderabad visit has given rise to speculations that the TDP might inch closer to the BJP. Owaisi said the results of such deal were visible in 2009 and the TDP should have learnt from it.

 

Owaisi also took a dig at Modi while speaking, saying the MIM was ready for a debate with the latter on any issue. 

http://news.oneindia.in/2013/08/18/owaisi-gives-warnings-on-hyderabad-saffron-activities-poll-alliance-1285865.html

IT firm specialising in Islamic core banking opens in Kerala

Support and Development Centre at Infopark Cherthala in Alappuzha district.

Path Solutions India is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Path Solutions K.S.C.C, Kuwait, a recognised market leader specialising in providing Islamic and investment software solutions for banks and financial institutions

The company already has presence in the Middle East, GCC, Africa, South East Asia and Europe with over 90 financial institutions using its Islamic core banking system.

"We are determined to take advantage of local skilled resources to build on our heritage of delivering value-added software solutions and services to our esteemed clients," said Mohammed Kateeb, Path Solutions' group chairman and CEO.

Located in Pallipuram village, the Cherthala Infopark campus is housed in an area of 66 acres, of which 60 acres has been declared as special economic zone.
 http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2013/07/29/254--IT-firm-specialising-in-Islamic-core-banking-opens-in-Kerala-.html

Islamic Banking in India

For almost 20 years, Haris Koyisseri invested in his business only from his own earnings. The dry fish merchant in Kerala's Kozhikode never took any bank loan to expand his operations. Why? Bank loans are against the tenets of his faith - Islam - as they charge interest. Four years ago, however, he took on a Rs 10-lakh  loan (16,000 USD) from Alternative Investments and Credits Ltd (AICL). The Kochi-based finance company adhered to the Koran's ban on interest and instead took a share in the profit or loss of a venture it funded. Business has grown 60 per cent since for Koyisseri. "I do not have to worry about repaying the money when business is lean," he says. "Whenever I need additional capital I will take it from a Shariah-compliant fund."

Koyisseri is one of scores of Muslims in the country who rely on Shariah-compliant products from companies such as AICL to meet their funding needs. The development is significant given that India has the world's third-largest Muslim population - after Indonesia and Pakistan - but does not allow Islamic banking. The trend is most visible in Kerala, where Muslims comprise a fourth of the population, but is also catching up in some other states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Most Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan, as well as the US and the UK allow Islamic banking (see Simplifying Islamic Banking). In 2005, the Reserve Bank of India formed a panel to look into the issue. Three years later, a committee led by Raghuram Rajan - currently the top economic adviser in the finance ministry - recommended allowing interest-free banking products. But there has been no progress thus far. In May 2012, the RBI revoked AICL's licence as a non-banking finance company (NBFC) citing non-compliance with its rules on interest rates. AICL, which says it financed about 200 businesses with capital ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore before the ban, challenged the cancellation in the Bombay High Court. The case is pending.

The cancellation, industry observers say, was a fallout of another case. AICL had been offering Shariah-compliant products for nearly a decade. But it came into the limelight only after Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy in 2009 moved the Kerala High Court against Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation's investment in Al Barakah Financial Services Ltd, an NBFC floated to offer Islamic finance products. Swamy argued that a state-run company's involvement in a firm set up on religious lines was against India's constitution. The court threw out the plea in 2011.

AICL, meanwhile, has found an alternative - it plans to launch a Shariah-compliant venture capital (VC) fund. This fund, says Chief Operations Officer Thanveer Mohiyudheen, does not violate any law as capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) permits pooling of capital from investors. A VC fund is Shariah-compliant as it makes equity investments and shares the profit or loss in a venture, he adds.

AICL is not the only one which is setting up a so-called Alternative Investment Fund registered with SEBI. Cheraman Financial Services Ltd, the new avatar of Al Barakah, has received SEBI approval for a fund to raise up to Rs 300 crore. Kozhikode-based Secura Investment has a real estate VC fund that complies with the Shariah. Industry observers say the RBI's tough stand against NBFCs such as AICL is the main reason why Shariah-compliant VC funds are gaining importance. M. Thomas Isaac, former finance minister of Kerala, says many financial firms in the state work even without the RBI's permission. The idea behind Cheraman and other registered funds is to work under a legal framework, he says.

More such funds are in the offing. "Seven to eight Shariah-compliant funds are in the formalisation stage," says Shariq Nisar, Director of research and operations at Mumbai-based Taqwaa Advisory and Shariah Investment Solutions. The firm provides Shariah advisory and investment services. C.H. Abdul Raheem, AICL's founder MD, says four to five SEBI-registered VC funds that comply with the Shariah will likely come up in Kerala in the next few years.

Observers say Bangalore-based Bearys Properties and Developments, Mumbai's Pragmatic Wealth Management, and Chennai-based ETA Group are among those looking to launch Islamic finance products. Taurus Asset Management and Multigain Shariah Investments are also planning to join hands for a VC fund. Bearys Chairman and MD Syed Mohamed Beary confirmed the company's plans to launch a Shariah-compliant real estate fund in the first quarter of 2014. The company is looking at a corpus of Rs 100 crore to begin with and will target wealthy investors, he said. Email queries sent to Pragmatic and ETA went unanswered till the time of going to press.

These funds also provide an opportunity to investors. Muslims are generally averse to investing in stock markets as they perceive it as gambling. Shariah bans investment in companies that make alcohol, tobacco, pork products, and weapons. To attract Muslim investors, both the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange have launched indexes which comprise Shariah-compliant stocks. But the response to these indexes has been muted, says H. Abdur Raqeeb, General Secretary at advocacy body Indian Centre for Islamic Finance. Shariah-compliant VC funds are filling this gap. Raqeeb says these funds, including realty funds, can potentially raise about $1 billion in India.

Masoud Abdul Rahiman, a Kochi-based software engineer with Cognizant, is one such investor who prefers Shariah-compliant products. He invested Rs 6 lakh over two years in Secura's first fund. His first investment installment of Rs 1.2 lakh earned him a return of Rs 1.96 lakh in 2012. "While returns are not guaranteed, I can at least consume the earnings," says Rahiman, who gives the interest income he earns from his bank deposits to charity. Doctors are also investing in these funds, as Kerala develops into a hotspot for medical tourism.

In Kerala, these funds are targeting investors from overseas as well. Cheraman, for instance, is backed by NRIs including P. Mohamed Ali, Vice Chairman of Oman's Galfar Engineering and Contracting Company, and C.K. Menon, Chairman and MD of Doha-based Behzad Group. A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, MD at Cheraman, says the company plans to hold road shows to attract Kerala's diaspora and sovereign funds from the Gulf countries that want to invest in Shariah-compliant products.

Kerala has a large diaspora, mainly in West Asia. Muslims comprise up to two-thirds of this segment. These workers send a large amount of money back home. Data from the Kerala Migration Survey 2011 show remittances to the state rose 15 per cent to Rs 49,695 crore that year from Rs 43,288 crore in 2008. M.A. Majeed Zubair, Dean at Hyderabad's Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance, says India is an emerging market for capital from West Asia. India has an advantage over China, where language and cultural constraints as well as political reasons discourage investors from West Asia, he adds.

While several companies are looking to launch Shariah-compliant VC funds, some experts are wary. Kerala, they say, has seen several instances of financial companies duping investors. The latest case grabbing the headlines is that of Lee Capital, which reportedly duped investors of as much as Rs 100 crore (16 million USD).

A recent change in SEBI rules is prompting companies to tweak their strategies. SEBI has fixed minimum capital commitment by each investor in such funds at Rs 1 crore (160,000 USD). Some industry observers say small investors may pool capital and set up a limited liability partnership that will invest in a VC fund. In its first two funds, Secura routed investment from wealthy investors directly into real estate projects while accepting money from smaller investors. This is because the two sets of investors have different expectations from the VC fund. Managing Director M.A. Mehaboob says Secura will adhere to the SEBI rule in the future and rope in wealthy investors who put in Rs 1 crore in its funds. "We may also come up with multiple funds clubbing investors according to their appetite."

P.C. Anwar, MD at AICL, says the venture capital industry in India may find it difficult to find enough professional managers with experience in Islamic finance. Mahendra Swarup, President of the Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, says Shariah-compliant funds look promising considering they can also attract funding from charitable institutions such as the Wakf Boards. But he adds a note of caution. "We will have to gauge what kind of returns they can generate in the long run."

http://www.albawaba.com/business/growing-interest-state-islamic-banking-india-512088
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2013/Jul/30/islamic-banking-in-india-37.asp

http://www.icif.in/
http://halalinindia.com/kerala.php

Islamic banking proposal may get a push under Rajan

With appointment of government's Chief Economic Adviser Raghuram Rajan as the next RBI governor, Union Minority Affairs Minister K Rahman Khan today hoped that his ministry's plan to establish Islamic banking in India will get a boost.

Khan said Rajan was positive when he met him recently to push the proposal.

"The financial reforms commission headed by Rajan had even advocated Islamic banking. I am sure his appointment as RBI governor would be a big push for the proposal," the Minority Affairs minister told PTI.

He hinted that various stake-holders like finance ministry and RBI are apprehensive of the idea of Islamic banking because of its religious overtones.

"They believe they will be blamed that they are doing it for religious-based reasons. You can have regulator for chit funds companies, tree companies, this company, that company, companies collecting big money and vanishing but you do not want a sharia-compliance institution," Khan said.

The minister said all over the world, Islamic banking system is in practice and it would enable Muslims to save their money for their and country's development.

"They are not saving in bank because earning interest is against the fundamental of their religion," he said, adding that the present banking system based on interest excludes a large number of Muslims.

"We can save so much we can take care of our developmental, educational needs," he said.

In a letter to RBI governor in December, 12, Khan had said the Constitution allowed citizens to practice their faith and it was the state's duty to facilitate people to practice their religions, arguing in favour of Islamic baking.

Khan's predecessor Salman Khurshid, now the Exteranl Affairs minister, had first floated the idea and asked RBI to explore the possibility of establishing Islamic banking in India.
http://newindianexpress.com/business/news/Islamic-banking-proposal-may-get-a-push-under-Rajan/2013/08/07/article1722613.ece

Clean chit for ex-Aligarh Muslim University VC Aziz

NEW DELHI: The CBI has closed the probe against former vice-chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), P K Abdul Azis, in which he was accused of financial irregularities during his tenure in the varsity. The agency had registered a preliminary enquiry in July, 2011, against Azis (64) after it was alleged that he had flouted rules of the institution for his own benefits. Azis had also been questioned by CBI in the enquiry.

The probe has been closed as the agency couldn't find anything substantial against Azis.

CBI had started the investigation on the request of Union ministry of human resources and development, which had set two probe panels against Azis, but their findings remained inconclusive. Azis has been VC of AMU between June, 2007, and end-2012.

Azis was accused of allegedly committing misconduct under the AMU Act, 1920, violating the statues, directives, ordinances and regulations of the Aligarh Muslim University Grant Commission. It was alleged that VC made the AMU pay his income tax and also violated varsity rules by transferring Rs 8 crore of Provident Fund money from the State Bank of India to Shreyas Gramin Bank.

It was also alleged that varsity funds were misused for interior decoration of his residence. Azis had refuted these charges.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-07/india/41166542_1_varsity-funds-two-probe-panels-shreyas-gramin-bank

Eid to be celebrated on Friday 9th August across India

Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the culmination of the fasting month of Ramzan, will be celebrated across the country on Friday.

The announcement came after a meeting of Qadeem Royat Hilal Committee headed by Maulana Mufti Mohammed Mukkaram, Shahi Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid today.

"The Eid moon has been sighted today in various places across the country. Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated tomorrow," Maulana Mufti Mohammed Mukkaram, Shahi Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid, told PTI.

Ramzan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is observed as a fasting period by Muslims who abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset and it culminates in Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations.

A Documentary on AL Haaj Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi

https://www.facebook.com/mim.official/posts/660696783941833

Popular Front of India during ramzan

Popular Front of India (PFI) non-profit Muslim organization.

Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/PopularFrontOfIndiaOfficial

https://www.facebook.com/PopularFrontAndhra

Website
http://www.popularfrontindia.org/

Bhagyalakshmi illegal temple issue

This is Charrminar a historic Islamic monument in Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh.

 

This is an illegal Bhagyalakshmi temple beside Charminar.

There have been may tensions between Hindus and Muslim in that area because of this temple.

Hindus want to expand this temple. The case is in the court and the court has officially said that no construction activity should be done at the site but in the past in has been seen that Hindus secretly carry out construction of the illegal temple which creates tensions between Hindus and Muslims in that area. Thankfully that area is a Muslim majority area otherwise Hindus would have been more violent and who knows they would have demolished Charminar like the Babri Masjid. Muslims have been peaceful and tolerant so far in that area.

Hindus are trying to expand the temple which is against the court orders and any construction activity there causes tensions. This is one such incident from the past.
http://www.newswala.com/Hyderabad-News/Bhagyalaxmi-temple-expansion-at-Charminar-creates-Tension-in-old-city-of-Hyderabad-21051.html

Akbaruddin Owaisi speech on Bhagyalakshmi temple issue.

Akbaruddin Owaisi has been peacefully maintained that no construction should be done at the site.
http://www.newswala.com/Editorial-News/Bhagyalaxmi-Temple-itself-is-illegal-Akbaruddin-Owaisi-21941.html

The Archeological Survey of India (ASI), custodian of the Charminar monument, had denied any permission for construction around the temple. A show-cause notice was issued by the ASI to the temple management for some construction done in August 2012.
ASI plans to stall construction work at Bhagyalaxmi temple: 
http://www.siasat.com/english/news/asi-plans-stall-construction-work-bhagyalaxmi-temple

Activist S.Q. Masood speaks on the issue of Bhagya lakshmi temple

Some Hindus say that the temple existed before Charminar and it is legal but they don't have any evidence to support their claim. Also the high court doesn't support their claim and it have given the verdict that no construction activity to expand the temple should be carried out in that area.

Asaduddin Owaisi  on the temple issue

The root cause of this issue is the illegal temple. The court should order the demolition of the temple which has become a tool for Hindu organizations to create tensions. Root out the cause and the problem will be solved.

Slut Walk mocks Indian women real Issues

When women turn out dressed like sluts, slags, jezebels, floozies, hussies, tarts and tramps on the streets of Delhi on June 25 to assert women’s right to dress any way they like without inviting male sexual attention, I will support them. SlutWalking has been gathering strength since it began in January, provoked by a Toronto policeman’s remark that ‘women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised’.

Incensed, Canadian women put on bustiers, stockings, vampish makeup, heels and garters and went on the first SlutWalk in April to protest against being morally judged by the way they dress. Since then, SlutWalks have taken place in many cities. When Delhi’s turn comes, I’ll be cheering them on because everyone needs a bit of fun, a break from the normal routine, some diversion to liven up their lives.
But let the Indian SlutWalkers dare claim there is anything remotely serious about their caper. In a country where 10 million babies have been killed in the womb because they were girls, where women are burnt for dowry, murdered in honour killings, face domestic violence so frequent it’s as common as a power cut, where Dalit women fear sexual humiliation by upper caste men and where young girls are forced into prostitution, who needs the right to dress like a slut? And while we are listing women’s sorrows, a recent global survey by TrustLaw found India to be the fourth most dangerous place in the world for women.

Such a misguided protest only serves to mock Indian women and the real issues they face. I doubt if the women who roll beedis all day long for R30 are going to shout ‘hurrah’ when they hear about the SlutWalk. Indian women are still denied so many fundamental rights that this preposterous event, performed by women who are aping the antics of white, educated, middle-class females in the West (who appear to be short of genuine problems in their lives), can only be a bagatelle.

In the West, the SlutWalk might just have a modicum of meaning because the feminist movement has notched up victories in many fields. By force of their searing critiques of society, feminists have succeeded in improving women’s lives in great measure. If, at this stage they wish to take on relatively lightweight matters such as the use of ‘slut’, how such words are part of the madonna/whore categorisation of women and how there is no equivalent of ‘slut’ for a man (because he is a stud), there is nothing very discordant about it because of the substantial advances that have been made.

Transpose the same campaign to India, which has not been through the same feminist trajectory, and it jangles because of its irrelevance and discontinuity, a bit like a shipwrecked man, rescued naked and asking for cuff links instead of underpants.

SlutWalkers are wrong to link the way women dress with rape. A Bangalore group called White Noise had an exhibition some years ago of the clothes women had been wearing when they were groped or assaulted. They covered the entire gamut of female attire, including outfits that covered them from neck to feet.

When women are raped during times of war or ethnic cleansing, it is not because of what they were wearing. When a woman in rural India is raped, it’s definitely not because she was sporting a thong. What Indian women need is protection against violence, not a campaign to reclaim the meaning of ‘slut’ and give it a positive connotation. If SlutWalkers think that their effort to reclaim the word slut or slutitude is perhaps akin to the ‘negritude’ movement by intellectuals in French Africa that sought to reclaim the pejorative ‘negre’ as a positive word, they are pretentious in the extreme.

Their strange stance bemuses me. Earlier feminists had railed against popular culture’s reduction of women to body parts — breasts and buttocks. This belittlement of women as nothing more than sexual objects was regarded as one of the most degrading things that patriarchal societies had done to women.

Yet, this new generation of feminists want to dress in clothes that reveal their breasts and buttocks and demand this ‘self-objectification’ as a ‘right’? Again focusing attention onto their bodies? Is this false consciousness gone mad?

Even the basic argument of SlutWalkers that men should not ogle women who are dressed revealingly is ultimately unrealistic. Yes, a woman can control how she projects herself in the world but she needs to be aware that the way she dresses can trigger certain reactions around her which she cannot control.

My non-Indian friends in Delhi dress more conservatively than they would do in London or New York because they are aware of the cultural differences and wish to protect themselves against possible misinterpretation.

SlutWalkers inhabit a fantasy world if they think they can be invulnerable to the force of culture, history and social conditioning — and the fact that most of us take three seconds to form an opinion of someone based on their appearance or accent.

It’s odd that the women who will be participating in SlutWalk have not been out on the streets denouncing female foeticide or dowry deaths. No doubt they will get their regulation 15 minutes but if they believe that Indian women lie awake at night wishing they could dress like a strumpet without attracting a glance, they are delusional.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/editorial-views-on/ColumnsOthers/SlutWalk-mocks-Indian-women-real-issues/Article1-711363.aspx


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http://indianmuslimpost.blogspot.in/2013/06/rising-indecent-slut-walk-among-hindu.html
http://indianmuslimpost.blogspot.in/2013/07/rape-hypocrisy-and-blame-game-in-india.html

MIM appeals for peace

 Majlis party president Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday appealed to the people to maintain peace and tranquillity and pray for harmony in the State in view of ongoing political developments.

Addressing the gathering at ‘Youmul Quran’ programme organised at the Mecca Masjid after the Friday prayers, Mr. Owaisi said that the party still stands by its decision of not supporting the separate Telangana State.

However, he said now that the UPA alliance has endorsed the formation of Telangana, the Majlis would ensure that people, irrespective of their region or State, peacefully stay in Hyderabad.

“It’s a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution to every citizen of the country,” he said.

Referring to the remarks made by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of comparing Muslims with ‘puppies’, the leader wondered why no case was registered against Mr. Modi while the government was quick enough in registering criminal cases against his brother for alleged hate speech.

He said the country equally belongs to the Muslims and there is no question of doubting them as they had time and again proved their patriotism from the days of India’s independence struggle.

His Majlis party would fight democratically against the communal forces and ensure justice to the victims of Gujarat riots and fake encounters.

Meanwhile, about 40,000 people offered the Jummat-ul-Vida prayers at the Mecca Masjid. A pious atmosphere prevailed around the historic edifice with people dressed in their customary attire making a beeline from across the city since morning.

The police made elaborate security arrangements by deploying additional forces including APSP, RAF, Task Force and BSF units as a precautionary measure.

Muslims unhappy Gita to be taught in Madrasas and urdu schools in Madhya Pradesh

The state government of Madhya Pradesh wants to introduce chapters from a Hindu book Bhagavad Gita into the curriculum of Madrasas and Urdu schools. The government wants to make it compulsory for young students in Islamic schools of Madhya Pradesh to read chapters from Gita.
This decision triggers a storm in Muslim community and various Muslim organizations and prominent Muslims in India have protested against it.

This is not the first time this kind of thing is happening in India. Some years ago government's decision make Surya Namaskar and chants compulsory in government schools was toned down after Muslim bodies moved court against it.

In 2007 Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had announced holding a state-wide 'surya namaskar' and yoga program in all government run schools on January 25. It was compulsory for every student to take part in that program.
Various Muslim groups protested against it and moved to court. After that the High Court ordered that participation in it would not be compulsory, but voluntary.

The petitions claimed that 'surya namaskar'was part of worship system of a religion and that worship of sun was forbidden in certain religious communities. Therefore, it should be voluntary as students come from different religious backgrounds, it pleaded.

Giving the interim order, the HC said, no student shall be compelled to take part in the 'surya namaskar'and added no action including expulsion and de-recognition of schools would be done for not taking part in the program.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-01-25/india/27888634_1_surya-namaskar-surya-namaskar-and-mp-schools

Again the state government of MP doing something similar to 2007 but this time its bigger. It is making it compulsory for young Muslims in Urdu and Islamic schools to read chapters from Gita. Today they want to force Muslim students to read gita tomorrow they will ask them to worship their idols. All this needs to be stopped and Indian Muslims are rightfully protesting against it. Muslims have the freedom to decide what they want to do and no one can force their beliefs on them.

It must be very clear that a Muslim cannot bend in front of  or worship any other god expect Allah. Allah is the one he is the almighty. As far as surya namaskar is concerned Muslims cannot bend in front of a false god Sun or chant mantras. Hinduism is a pagan religion and pagans worship these kinds of things; sun, moon etc..
Islam is a Monotheistic religion, Muslims believe in one god that is Allah now do you want Muslims to become polytheistic idol worshipers.
Surely Hindus question this ideology and ask Muslims to change their beliefs but will a Hindu change his belief , will a Hindu eat cow or stop animal sacrifice carried out in various temples?  No.
In the surya namaskar case Muslim organizations rightly said  'surya namaskar'was performed with chanting Hindu 'mantras' which is not allowed in Islam. Even if mantras are not chanted bending in front of a false god is a major sin.
Surely there are various saffron Hindu forces that like the decision of MP government and want to create communal tensions.
If a Muslim wants to Study Gita willingly just as a study then its fine but no one can compel him to read it.

Most fundamental pillar of Islam "There is no deity worthy of worship except the One True Almighty God ie; Allah" (in Arabic: "La ilaha ill Allah").


From Hindustan Times:
The state government’s decision to include chapters on the Bhagavad Gita in Urdu medium schools, starting from Class 1 and 2, from this academic session has sparked a new controversy. The decision has earned the ire of Muslim organizations.

Several such organizations have come out against the government’s decision and have said if required they would seek court intervention in the matter.

“The decision to include chapters on Gita in government schools itself is wrong and unconstitutional. Now, by including Gita in the syllabus of Urdu medium schools and in Urdu books is like adding insult to injury,” said member of Muslim personal law board Arif Masood.

He termed the government’s decision as interference in religion.

Those who wish to study Gita can go ahead but others should be provided with an alternative.

Muslims would protest this decision tooth and nail and would knock on court’s door if the government does not reconsider its decision, said Masood.

MP unit of Coordination Committee for Indian Muslims has also opposed and condemned the decision. Secretary of the committee, Javed Akhtar asks why the government has chosen only the Bhagavad Gita to impart moral lessons.

India is a secular country and such decisions are against the spirit of communal harmony. “We would definitely take legal recourse,” said Akhtar.

“Such decisions go against the spirit of a secular state. I remember before 1970s, the state government had a book in schools where chapters on Guru Govind Singh, Bible and Islam were incorporated in some form or another. That book disappeared gradually,” said Mohammad Mahir, president of Muslim Vikas Parishad.

If government’s intention is really to teach moral lessons then teachings from all religions should be included, said Mahir.

Social activist Abdul Jabbar said it is really ironical that Urdu has now been associated with a religion.

Earlier, it was considered only as a language that everybody studied; now it has been confined to Muslims alone.

Moreover, the decision of teaching Gita in Urdu medium is another attempt to relate it exclusively to Muslims.

The government should try to teach Islamic preaching as well especially misconceptions spread about Islam.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Bhopal/Muslim-organisations-threaten-to-move-court/Article1-1103489.aspx

"It is unconstitutional," said Haleem Khan, member of the Centre's National Monitoring Committee for Minority Education. "If the government does not take back its decision, we will go to the court."

The true face of Hindu led government in Madhya Pradesh has been unveiled. Various Muslim organizations in India have protested against it and now this matter will go to court. Hopefully the verdict will be righteous and in favor of Muslim community.

- By Arslan Khan
( B.A in Islamic Studies, PG Diploma in Journalism, Delhi)