Evening NEWS
DIGEST
31 Dec.2017: 12 Rabial Aakhir 1439:Vol:9, No:86
INDIA
NRC draft to be published at midnight: Muslims
in Assam anxious over citizen lis
India is set to publish the first draft of a
list of citizens of the northeastern state of Assam after decades of debate,
sometimes violent, over immigration from neighbouring Bangladesh. Draft list,
to be published at midnight on Sunday, will ultimately be incorporated into
National Register of Citizens (NRC) after a census carried out for the first
time since 1951. The Govt claims this register will be used to identify and
deport illegal immigrants, but activists warn that hundreds of thousands of
Muslims in Assam could be rendered stateless in the process."Officials
[associated with NRC project] visited many homes in our village but skipped
ours. I am scared about my family being kept off the list. I am an Indian
citizen. My father teaches in a school here; my grandfather has a national
voter identity card too, [but I] am still petrified," 25-year-old Hussein
Ahmed Madani, who lives in the remote Baladmari Char village in lower Assam,
told Al Jazeera."I have seen many people in my village returning after
long fights in the High Court and Supreme Court, vindicated after long battles
to prove their citizenship. But there is an atmosphere of fear in the village,
in our community here. Who knows who will be thrown out as
Bangladeshi."Since the country's partition in 1947, Assam has been rocked
by protests over "illegal immigration" from across the porous
riverine border with Bangladesh, increasing sectarian tensions and riots
between the state's indigenous population and Bengali-speaking Muslim
migrants.In Feb.1983, over 2,000 Bengali-speaking Muslims, allegedly illegal
immigrants, were killed in Nellie in central Assam. In recent years, thousands
of Bengali-speaking Muslims have been thrown in detention camps in Assam as
"doubtful voters" and "immigrants".Comprising an estimated
40 % of the state's population, Muslims have continued to battle the tag of
"infiltrator" - and amid such strident rhetoric, many are anxious
about the citizen list."If it's a free and fair list, no genuine citizen's
name will be dropped. But the ones executing the list work directly or
indirectly under the right-wing BJP Govt, which is hostile towards
Muslims," Aman Wadud, rights lawyer in state capital of Guwahati, said."This
is the same Govt which rode to power spewing venom against Muslims, alleging
that 35 electoral constituencies are dominated by Bangladeshi Muslims. People
are apprehensive that this Govt might try to manipulate the list and drop legal
citizens from the updated list." To make the list, citizens in Assam must
provide documents proving that they or their family lived in the country before
March 24, 1971 - a date that accounts for the migration of people from across
Bangladesh who were fleeing persecution during 1965 India-Pak conflict, but
excludes those who arrived during and after 1971 war leading to Bangladesh's
independence from Pakistan. Upamanyu Hazarika, who founded Prabajan Virodhi
Manch anti-immigration group, said that "outsiders" were threatening
the state's culture and cornering resources, such as land and jobs. "By
virtue of being Muslims, they become part of the larger Muslim population and
their interests are legitimised, overlooking the fact that they are
foreigners," Hazarika said. India says it has implemented a border
management plan in conjunction with Bangladesh, but the Bangladeshi Govt has
denied discussing the deportation of migrants with Indian officials. 2
countries share a border of over 4,000 kms. BJP Govt says there are about 20
million Bangladeshi immigrants in India, although this figure is disputed. The
release of NRC comes after the first census in over half a century. BJP says it
is a "nationalist project" to identify immigrants and thwart
"designs of demographic change in the state". "Demographic
changes in Assam owing to illegal immigration of Bangladeshis is alarming to
the extent that many districts have become Muslim-majority areas,"BJP
spokesman Sudhanshu Mittal said.Wadud, however, said state was making it very
difficult for Muslims to prove their Indian citizenship."Indian citizens
are being branded as foreigners, harassed and targeted," Wadud said.
"But this is not new. Massacres against Muslims branded as Bangladeshis in
Assam are cyclic.There is a new form of segregation growing."aljazeera
Women going for Haj without ‘mehram’ exempt
from lucky draw:Govt
New Delhi:Muslim women who have applied to go
for Haj without a ‘mehram’ (husband or a male first blood relation as guardian)
this year have been exempted from the lucky draw system that the Haj Committee
operates, the Govt said on Sunday.This means that all the 1,300-odd women who
have applied for Haj will be able to travel with no quota restrictions. The
announcement by the minority affairs ministry came after PM Narendra Modi in his monthly radio programme
‘Mann Ki Baat’ said that women should get equal opportunities as men.“Thanks to
PM Narendra Modiji for mentioning in
today’s (Sunday) Mann Ki Baat the decision of Minority Affairs Ministry to lift
ban on women going for Haj without mehram,”Union Minority Affairs Minister
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.“After the PM ’s suggestion, I assure that those about
1,300 women who have applied to go for Haj without mehram, will be exempted
from the lottery system and allowed to proceed on Haj,” Naqvi said. Normally, Haj
Committee of India (HCI) finalises the names of pilgrims who can go for Haj
from HCI quota through a lucky draw as it receives applications many times more
than India’s fixed quota of around 1,70,000 pilgrims.IANS
Women wanting to go for Haj without Mehram to
be exempt from lottery: Govt
Treat applications of women going alone on Haj
as special: PM
1300 Muslim women have applied to perform Haj
without ‘mehram’: Modi
New Delhi: In the wake of the new Haj policy,
a total of 1300 women from around the country have applied to perform Haj
without ‘mehram’ or male guardian, PM Narendra Modi said on Sunday. Addressing monthly
radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi said the discriminatory policy was in
practice even after 70 years of independence but the minority affairs minister
has finally put an end to it.“It had come to our notice that if a Muslim woman
wants to go on Haj, she must have a mehram or a male guardian, otherwise she
cannot travel. It was discriminatory and we have changed this rule,” said Modi.
“Today, Muslim women can perform Haj without mehram and I am happy to note that
this time about 1300 Muslim women have applied to perform Haj without mehram,”
he added.Modi further proposed that single women pilgrims should be excluded
from the lottery system for selection of Haj pilgrims. “Usually there is a
lottery system for selection of Haj pilgrims but I would like that single women
pilgrims should be excluded from this lottery system,” he said. However, recommendation
has drawn flak from prominent Muslim organisations who called it “un-Islamic”
and “against the Sharia”.thestatesman
Muslim women can now travel for Haj without
male guardian: PM Modi
TALAQ BILL
Muslim Women Finally Have Freedom, Says PM in
First Comment on Triple Talaq Bill
New Delhi: In his first remarks on the issue
of instant triple talaq after a bill banning it was cleared by Lok Sabha, PM Narendra Modi said after "years of
suffering", Muslim women have finally found a way out to "free"
themselves from the practice. He also said in 2018, people should work towards
the all-round development of the nation even as his Govt pushes for reforms
measures to tackle black money, corruption, benami properties and terrorism."Without
referring to the Muslim women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill passed by
Lok Sabha last week, Modi said Muslim women were facing hardships due to the
prevailing practice of instant triple talaq for years. "But now they have
found a way to free themselves (from the practice)," he said.PTI
Muslim bodies to move SC if triple talaq bill
passed by RS
Kochi: Alleging "illegality" in
provisions of the bill that criminalises instant triple talaq, an IUML leader
today said Muslim bodies would challenge it in the Supreme Court if the Rajya
Sabha also passes it.Lok Sabha had last week passed the bill that makes triple
talaq punishable by up to three years imprisonment for the husband.(IUML leader
in the Lok Sabha PK Kunjalikutty alleged there were many "lacunae"
and "contradictions" in the bill passed by the Lower House last
week.IUML national general secretary said various Muslim bodies in the country
would move the Supreme Court if the bill was also passed by the Rajya Sabha.
"We will challenge it in the Supreme Court. We will move the apex court if
the Rajya Sabha also passes the bill. IUML will be a party to it,"
Kunhalikutty told PTI.Hitting out at BJP Govt, he alleged the ruling partys
move to "criminalize a family problem is completely politically
motivated"."It is a bid (by the Centre) to interfere in the personal
law," the IUML leader said.PTI
Triple Talaq Bill: Will Muslim Members of
Rajya Sabha Follow Owaisi and Walk out?
New Delhi:Bill criminalizing Triple Talaq was passed
in the Lok Sabha where the ruling BJP has brute majority, and it will be moved
in the Rajya Sabha on coming Tuesday. Though BJP does not have majority in the
Upper House of Parliament, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage)
Bill, 2017 is almost certain to be passed there also with the support of
Congress –main Opposition party which had not opposed the bill in the Lok
Sabha. But the million-dollar question is: What will Muslim Members do?In the
Lok Sabha, except MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, no other Muslim MP could speak,
mostly toed to their party lines. Owaisi
strongly opposed the bill while pointing out various shortcomings in it. Before
the voting, he walked out of the House. On social media, several Muslim MPs of
Lok Sabha have been criticized for not speaking against the bill as they were
not allotted time by their parties.As the Business Schedule of Rajya Sabha has
listed the bill for coming Tuesday, Muslim community may expect a repeat of
Owaisi’s stand from Muslim Members of Rajya Sabha.In the Lok Sabha, along with
Owaisi’s AIMIM, some other parties like All India Muslim League, RJD, BJD,
AIADMK and DMK had also opposed the bill. But in Rajya Sabha unfortunately,
none of these parties except Muslim League has any Muslim Members.In 245-Member
House, there are currently 238 Members – BJP and Congress having 57 Members
each, followed by Samajwadi Party (18), TMC(13) and AIADMK (12). There are 19
Muslim MPs in the Upper House including 6 from Congress, 3 from SP and 2 each
from Trinamool Congress and PDP of J&K besides 2 from BJP – M.J. Akbar and Mukhtar
Abbas Naqvi. Even if 17 non-BJP Muslim MPs oppose the bill and walk out, it
will not affect the outcome when Congress supports the bill. However, their
united stand and show of tokenism will go a long way in the history. Caravandaily
Party didn’t allow me to speak against Triple
Talaq Bill in Lok Sabha: Congress MP Asrarul Haque
Just a day after Congress party supported the
hugely contentious Triple Talaq Bill in Lok Sabha, voices of dissent have
started emerging from the party. Its lone Muslim MP from Hindi heartland,
Maulana Asrarul Haque Qashmi, has accused the party of not allowing him to
speak against the Bill in the Parliament despite his insistence.Voicing his
strong opposition, Kishanganj MP said the Bill is against the Constitution, the
‘Shariat’ and women rights and said he wanted to vote against it but couldn’t
reach the Parliament on time due to traffic jam. Maulana added that he is
against party line on the issue and it should not be passed in Rajya Sabha.A
video of Qashmi’s statement shared on various social media platforms has drawn
huge criticism for Congress which is trying hard to move away from the policy
of minority appeasement. Twitter users questioned the party for silencing
Muslim voices, called it a ‘lame excuse’and party’s ‘damage control
mode’.TwoCircles
#StandUpForMuslimMen: Modi Govt’s Move To Criminalize
Triple Talaq Backfiring?
New Delhi: The move of the central Govt to
criminalize instant Triple Talaq,” is backfiring.In less than 48 hours of the
bill criminalizing Triple Talaq passed in the Lok Sabha, even staunch opponents
of Triple Talaq have come out against the bill and launched hashtag
#StandUpForMuslimMen. Women intellectuals and journalists, who were strongly
opposing the practice of Triple Talaq, seem to have been antagonized by the
bill. They say the bill only seeks to populate jails with Muslim men.Eminent
author and columnist Rana Safvi tweeted: “I am a Muslim woman and I am against
the triple talaq practice as well as Triple Talaq Bill, which seeks to only
populate Indian jails with Muslim men. #StandUpForMuslimMen.Day after the
passage of the bill, she wrote a strong article in DailyO.in. Like Rana, many
other eminent Muslim women including journalists Seema Mustafa and Irena Akbar
are using the hashtag #StandUpForMuslimMen. caravandaily
Triple talaq bill a trap, says Actor Ali Fazal:IANS
Actor Ali Fazal said the triple talaq bill
passed by the Lok Sabha is a trap.Ali tweeted:"What a trap this triple
talaq bill is. Wow... and nobody is consulted? I am not a lawmaker and even I
follow the Beebak Collective and other groups. At least discuss. You send the
husband into jail by criminalising it. You are back to square one. Family is
again abandoned! Not civil."
Deoband: Muslim women protest against triple
Talaq bill
Deoband: After passing the bill in Lok Sabha
the Central Govt is gearing up to pass bill in Rajya Sabha. However restiveness
prevailed among Muslim organizations and scholars because of the bill.
Religious and social organizations of women are marking their protests against
the bill. All India Majlis Tahaffuz Khawateen organized a press conference in
the premises of Public Girls Inter College. Addressing the press conference,
President Tahaffuz Khawateen, Saba Haseeb Siddiqui said Muslim women never
accepted a law against Islamic Shariah nor will accept it. She said AIMPLB,
scholars and other Muslim religious organizations have always been demanding
that the bill should not be finalized without showing it to scholars and
intellectuals but the central Govt passed the bill with all its flaws showing
that it wants to force its decision upon Muslim women, while the shariah laws
are complete and logical. Saba Haseeb said all Muslim women are with Muslim
Personal Law Board because laws of Muslim Personal Law Board are in the light
of Quran and Hadeeth. She termed the decision of central Govt as open
interference in religion and shariah. Saba appealed the members of Rajya Sabha
not to pass the bill without proper amendments.siasat
Patn : Women come out in opposition of Triple
Talaq bill
Patna: Just days after the Lok Sabha passed
the 'Triple Talaq' bill that criminalizes the age-old practice of divorcing the
wife by her husband in the Muslim community by an act of saying 'talaq', or
divorce, three times, the women cell of the AIMPLB, at a function in Patna on
Saturday, opposed the bill saying any interference in the Shariat Law would not
be tolerated by the Muslim women of India.Speaking on the occasion, the
Chairperson of the women cell of the AIMPLB Dr. Mahazabeen Naaz said that
Muslim women favored the Shariat Law overwhelmingly and would not tolerate any
change in it by any Govt, political, or judicial body."Our freedom is
dependent on our Shariat Law and we Muslim women condemn this new 'Triple
Talaq' Bill unequivocally and without any reservation," Dr. Naaz said
adding who would support the wives if their husbands are rounded up and sent to
jail.Nargis Jehan Barwi, an advocate, also slammed the new bill that now awaits
clearance from the Rajya Sabha saying the Muslim Personal Law was an integral
part of the Muslim life and therefore, could not be tampered with by any Govt
regardless of one's intention. The head of the Imarat-e-Sharia Maulana
Anisurrahaman Qasmi echoed the sentiment saying any interference in the Shariat
Law regarding 'Triple Talaq' would not be tolerated as this was a ploy by BJP Govt
to fill jails with Muslims.patnadaily
Muslims will only follow Islamic laws: Agra
Mufti Rumi
Agra:The triple talaq issue has become a thorn
for the Muslim clerics, on the other hand BJP is taking full political
advantage of the issue, reveling in the debate that has arisen from this. Agra
Mufti Abdul Khubaib Rumi was breathing fire against proposed law at the Royal
Jama Masjid in Agra. Commenting on the issue, Rumi said, the Centre is bringing
this law to mislead the Muslims and all of us will have to oppose it. He said
that the proposed law is against the Islamic laws and Muslims will agree to
it.Rumi stated, it is shameful that such a far-reaching step was taken by the Govt
without consulting the community members. He further added that the law has
many flaws but it was still being imposed on the Muslims. intoday
Triple Talaq bill a conspiracy to disrupt
Muslim family life: Muslim groups
New Delhi: Reacting to the proposed Triple
Talaq bill, Muslim groups alleged it is a “deep-rooted conspiracy” to disrupt
the family life of Muslims. Alleging the ‘secular’ Congress also part of the
conspiracy, they said the swift move to get the bill passed has ulterior
motives other than what is being claimed. Welfare Party of India described the
bill as “anti-Constitutional” and “anti-Shariah” which violets the fundamental
rights guaranteed under Articles 15, 16, and 25. WIP president Dr. SQR Ilyas
questioned the intent of the Govt saying it wants to create friction and family
discord in the society by this proposed law. Slamming opposition Congress for
supporting the bill, Dr. Ilyas said the Congress is also involved in this
“deep-rooted conspiracy” to make the matrimonial life of Muslims as “hell”. He
said the BJP is not a well-wisher of the Muslim women as it is trying to
present itself. BJP Govt did not do justice with rape-survivors and
sexual-assault victims of Gujarat,Muzaffarnagar and other communal violence
incidents. Noted social organization Popular Front of India also opposed the
bill saying it was drafted without any sort of discussions or consultations
with the affected parties, Muslim women’s organizations, bodies representing Muslim
community. Front chairman E Abubacker said the claim that the Bill is about
protecting the rights of marriage of Muslim women is devoid of any substance
since the opinion of Muslim women had hardly been ever taken into account. Even
the request by the President of AIMPLB to the PM was not taken into account, he
added. “Such a blatant rejection of an appeal from the largest body
representing all the different sections of the Muslim community in the country
is suggestive of the disdainful attitude of Narendra Modi towards
minorities”.He underlined that triple talaq is an issue affecting a tiny
percentage of Muslim women. Even then, sending the men involved such cases to
jail, instead of solving the problem, only intensifies the suffering of the
victims and their children. It is, therefore, safe to say that this is an
anti-women Bill. risingkashmir
Why say triple Talaq? Just leave her, become
PM: Lamba
New Delhi: AAP MLA Alka Lamba Writing from her
official Twitter account handle, says:“Why say “Talaq Talaq Talaq” and go to
jail , when you can just leave her without saying anything and become the PM of India.#Triple Talaq.”Alka Lamba’s tweet
opened doors to a new controversy with BJP leaders have been fuming at her and
accusing her of insulting the PM.Meanwhile, some netizens supported the
legislator’s tweet saying she just expressed opinion. siasat
OTHERS
Lucknow Girls Madrasa - A battle of control,
not case of sexual assault
Lucknow:Even as a section in the media is
going wild, circulating unsubstantiated and contradictory claims, new details
which emerged today morning showed that the Lucknow girls’ madrasa row is
actually a battle of control between two rival groups which has been turned
into a case of sexual assault. A resident of the area where the madrasa is
located while talking to ummid.com on phone said the battle to control the
madrasa management was on since last few months. Taking advantage of the
current atmosphere in UP , the rival group staged a drama against Taiyab Ziya, manager
of the madrasa, in order to snatch from him the control of the madrasa.“A
thorough investigation and medical examination of the girl students are needed
to expose the truth behind the entire incident”, the local resident said on the
condition of anonymity. Contradictions in the media reports also confirm what
the local resident said talking to ummid.com. Initially, it was claimed that
the police raided the madrasa in Yasinganj area under Saadatganj police station
after they received “letters” from the girl students saying they have been held
hostage and are being sexually harassed.A report in a Hindi daily of Jagran
group today morning however said that the police was actually called by Taiyab
Ziya, the manager and the accused on Thursday. The report said Syed Ashraf
Jeelani, who claimed to have donated the land for the Madrasa, was in the
campus to “probe the allegations of harassment against Taiyab Ziya”.But, Taiyab
Ziya called the police and in a written complaint accused that Jeelani was
threatening to kidnap him, the report said.The report also quoted Syed Ashraf
Jeelani that the land on which the madrasa was running was donated by him and
it was he who had appointed Taiyab Ziya as manager. But, Taiyab Ziya later
sidelined Jeelani and took total control of the madrasa in his hand.The report
also said that the police was able to broker peace between the two rivals. It
was when the police was leaving the madrasa premises with Syed Ashraf Jeelani
that a piece of paper was thrown at them in which the girls while alleging that
they were being sexually harassed by the manager sought their help.Following
this, the report said, Syed Jeelani met the ASP and registered a complaint
against Taiyab Ziya. Taking action on Jeelani's complaint the police went to
Madrasa once again and rescued as many as 51 girls from the madrasa.Meanwhile,
Zia was produced in a court which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. A
further investigation in the case is also underwaty, and the case has also been
reported to the Child Welfare Committee.ummid.com
J&K: 5 CRPF soldiers killed after suspected JeM militants
attack CRPF camp in Pulwama
5 soldiers of the CRPF were killed after
militants attacked a training centre in J&K’s Pulwama district early on
Sunday, ANI reported. 2 of the militants were also killed, while at least 2
soldiers were injured.The attackers are suspected to be from JeM group,
according to the HT.“The militants are holed up in a building block in the
camp, and an operation is under way to neutralise them,” an unidentified CRPF
official told PTI. The number of attackers is not clear.2 of the soldiers
injured were identified as Narender and Samadhan Malve, according to ANI. Militants
threw grenades at the centre, where troops were trained for counter-militancy
operations in J&K, and opened fire before entering the camp of the 185
Battalion in Lethapora around 2.10 am, NDTV reported.The attack comes days
after Indian troops killed top JeM commander Noor Mohammad Tantray in
Awantipora’s Samboora area. Meanwhile, a soldier died after Pakistan allegedly
violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control on Sunday in the Nowsehra
sector in J&K ’s Rajouri district. Pakistani troops began to fire around
3.50 am, Indian Express reported. scroll
Judge Hearing 2002 Naroda Gam Riots Case
Retires
Ahmedabad:
Special SIT court judge PB Desai, who was hearing the 2002 Naroda Gam
riots case, retired today.He had heard depositions of over 300 witnesses, and
for the last three months he was hearing final arguments by the SIT lawyer
which were about to end.The final arguments by the defence and victims' lawyers
are yet to start.His retirement won't necessitate fresh examination of
witnesses before a new judge, but the final arguments will have to be heard
afresh, a prosecution lawyer said.PTI
Adanis Lose Defamation Case against The Wire,
Senior Journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta
Ahmedabad: A Gujarat court has rejected the
6-month-old defamation case filed by industrialist Gautam Adani’s Adani Group
against Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, senior journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of
The Economic and Political Weekly, 3 other journalists and eminent news portal
The Wire. The court only ordered the defendants to remove a sentence and an
adverb from the 3500-word article. The article “Modi Govt’s Rs 500-Crore
Bonanza to the Adani Group” was published in EPW on June 17, 2017 and was
reproduced in The Wire on June 19. The Adani Group was so furious over the
article that EPW was forced to sack Thakurta.Moreover, on June 24 and then on
July 5, the Adani Group had sent the defamation notice to the publisher of EPW,
namely, Sameeksha Trust and the authors of the article – Paranjoy Guha
Thakurta, Abir Dasgupta, Advait Rao Palepu and Shinzani Jain. The Wire was also
dragged to the court as it had republished the article. caravandaily
ATS arrests ex-SIMI member from Mumbai airport
Mumbai:
ATS Maharashtra on Saturday apprehended a former SIMI member from the
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.ATS officials said that
Sarjeel Sheikh, 34, was nabbed Saturday morning based on a tip-off that some
absconding former members of the SIMI were visiting India regularly.Sheikh was
an absconding accused in a case registered at Kurla police station relating to
assault on a public servant as well as unlawful assembly, officials informed.HT
School headmaster suspended in Mirzapur
allegedly preventing students from singing Vande Mataram :TOI
Varanasi: The headmaster of a primary school
in Mirzapur district was suspended for allegedly preventing students from
folding hand and singing Vande Mataram during prayer. According to reports, district
basic shiksha adhikari of Mirzapur Pravin Kumar Tiwari on Friday suspended the
headmaster of the primary school at Jafarkhani village in Jamalpur block Shahid
Faisal after a preliminary investigation."We have been receiving
complaints from children's parents that the head master did not allow students
to sing Saraswati vandana with folded hands, or say Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata
ki Jai. He also allegedly beat students when they did not obey his
command," the BSA told TOI over phone adding that during investigation the
teacher also confessed that he used to stop the children one year back. timesofindia
After Amit Shah ‘assurance’, Nitin Patel takes
charge as Gujarat deputy CM, gets finance portfolio
Ahmedabad:After holding out for 2 days over
not getting “appropriate” portfolios, Gujarat deputy CM Nitin Patel assumed
charge of office on Sunday after a word with BJP president Amit Shah.He was
apparently placated after Shah assured him of a new portfolio fit for his
“stature as number two in the cabinet and as the deputy CM ”. Within hours of
this conversation with Shah, he was given the finance portfolio to go along
with a few others he was allotted earlier.Botad MLA Saurabh Patel was initially
allotted the finance and energy portfolios. There was no official word
immediately on whether Saurabh Patel would get another portfolio.HT
Kar Sevak Balbir Singh who helped demolish Babri
Masjid, now Mohammed Amir, determined to rebuild 100 mosques
Balbir Singh was a kar sevak who participated
in the razing of the Babri Masjid. Today, as Mohammed Amir, his goal is to
repair and rebuild 100 mosques. 25 years ago he was not Mohammad Amir but a
certain Balbir Singh, and the highlight of his life until then was that he was
among the handful of kar sevaks who had clambered up the dome of Babri masjid
to strike the first blows. The same kar sevaks who were lionised by Bal Thackeray
as his men.“I am a Rajput. I was born in a little village close to Panipat,” he
discloses. “My father, Daulatram, was a school teacher and a man of deep
Gandhian leaning. He had witnessed the horrors of Partition, and went out of
his way to make the Muslims in our area feel secure. He had wanted me and my 3
elder brothers to do the same.”When he was 10, Balbir’s family moved from the
village to Panipat so that the children could complete their secondary
education. Balbir continued his studies on the side, garnering the triple MA
degrees from Rohtak’s Maharishi University. “As my father never believed in
idol worship, we didn’t go to temples,” he says.“Ayodhya was abuzz on Dec. 5,”
he recalls. “Men from VHP ruled the town and Faizabad. We stayed with thousands
of other kar sevaks, heard the chatter going around. Advaniji was not important
because he worshipped Jhulelal, and hence was not considered to be a Hindu; Uma
Bharati was a drama queen. I was there with my close friend Yogender Pal. We
were all impatient, we wanted to get going.”“I was like an animal that day. Then,
the rallying cries from below reached my ears and I felt emboldened again and
plunged my pick-axe into the dome.”A heroes’ welcome awaited Balbir and his
friend Yogendra Pal when they returned to Panipat. Two bricks that they brought
back from the rubble in Ayodhya were kept at the local Shiv Sena office, he
says. At home, though, his father issued an ultimatum. “It was either him or
me. One of us had to leave the house, and I decided that it would be me. I
looked at my wife but she just stood there, so I left home alone.” As riots
erupted across the country, Amir sought places of refuge where “Muslims
wouldn’t be able to get him.” “I would be scared of anyone with a beard.” He only
returned home when he learnt that his father had passed away. But his other
family members no longer wanted him. His father had specifically instructed
that his second-born son shouldn’t be allowed to attend his funeral. “They said
I was the reason for his death.”But an even bigger shock awaited Balbir. His
close friend and collaborator at Ayodhya, Yogendra Pal, had become a Muslim.
The aftermath of the Dec. 6 frenzy and the riots had left Pal deranged. When
Balbir went to meet him, Pal told him that embracing Islam had helped soothe
his mad thoughts and fears. “While talking to him, it occurred to me, would I too
go mad because of the sin I had committed and what I had helped unleash? In
fact, was I already going mad?”It was at Pal’s instance that in the June of
1993, six months after the climax at Ayodhya, Balbir travelled to Sonepat to
meet Maulana Kalim Siddiqui who had converted his friend Yogendra Pal.Siddiqui
was in Sonepat for an event, and Amir went up to him and told him what he had
done. He asked the maulana if he could come and stay at the madrasa in Phulat
for some time. “I was still not sure if I wanted to convert, but he accepted my
request. He told me that I had contributed to the destruction of one mosque,
but I could always help build several others. They were such simple words. I
sat down and began to cry.” After spending a few months at the madrasa, Balbir
converted and was given the name Mohammed Amir.While at Phulat, Amir learnt
Arabic and read the Quran, and, since he had majored in English, he taught at
the madrasa. In August 1993, he reconciled with his family, and his wife joined
him at the madrasa the same year. She converted to Islam soon after (Amir
claims that she did it of her own accord). Their four children were all born in
Phulat.Between 1993 and 2017, he claims to have identified and restored several
decrepit mosques in north India, especially in Mewat, with the help of the
Waliullah Trust. Forty so far, he says, adding that he is especially proud of
the work that he has done at a mosque in Mendu, near Hathras, UP . “There are
several mosques in various stages of disrepair across north India that even the
Waqf Board is not aware of. I seek out such places, clear them of
encroachments, tidy them up and get people to start worshipping there again. At
some places, I also set up madrasas, and that is especially important for me,
since I believe the bane of the Muslim community is their total disregard for
education.” Sometimes, he says, he is helped by Muslims in and around the area;
at others, he does it alone. His goal is to repair and rebuild 100 mosques.
That would get him something close to atonement.Mumbai Mirror
WORLD
2 protesters killed in Iran anti-Govt rallies: aljazeera
At least two protesters have been killed in
rare anti-Govt protests in Iran, according to a semi-official Iranian news
agency. Mehr news agency said on Sunday that at least two people died on
Saturday night in Dorud, a city in western Iran. Habibollah Khojastepour,
security deputy of the governor of Lorestan province, said the presence of
"agitators" prevented a peaceful end to the protest, according to
Mehr.Khojastepour said neither police nor security forces fired at the protesters.
He did not provide a reason for their deaths.News of the fatalities came as
Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli warned demonstrators against
disruptive behavior."Those who damage public property, disrupt order and
break the law must be responsible for their behaviour and pay the price,"
Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said on state television early on Sunday.Iranians
began protesting on Thursday in the second city of Masshad, rallying against
high prices.The rallies have since gained momentum, spread to other cities, and
are described as the largest in nearly a decade.Saturday marked the third day
of anti-Govt protests across Iran, when students and police clashed in
Tehran.Videos posted on Twitter by the New-York based Center for Human Rights
in Iran appeared to show police in riot gear clashing with protesters outside
the gates to the Tehran University.A second video showed smoke-shrouded
streets, purportedly from tear gas, in the same area.Meanwhile, tens of
thousands of people across Iran attended preplanned pro-Govt rallies on
Saturday to mark the end of unrest following the country's 2009 election. State
TV aired footage showing people in several cities waving flags and carrying
banners bearing the image of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.The large
demonstrations, which were organised weeks ago, are held every year.Potkin
Azarmehr, a blogger who focuses on the secular pro-democracy struggle in Iran,
told Al Jazeera that several groups have been protesting for some time "and
now their slogans have become more radical". Mahan Abedin, an Iran analyst
at Middle East Eye, said the protests reflect the gap between ordinary Iranians
and the political elite.Reports said activists on social media have called for
a fourth day of protests on Sunday.Meanwhile, the US has been quick to respond
to developments, warning Tehran against arresting peaceful protesters.In
response to Trump, Bahram Qassemi, spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry,
called the US president's warnings "cheap, worthless and invalid",
according to the semi-state news agency Fars.
Russia: Court upholds ban on Navalny running
for prez
Russia's top court has upheld a decision
barring opposition leader Alexei Navalny from running for president in
March.41-year-old lawyer announced his candidacy last week, but Russia's
Central Election Commission later ruled that he could not take part in the
elections due to an earlier conviction of fraud. Navalny responded by filing an
appeal, which was, however, dismissed by the Supreme Court on Saturday.Shortly
after the upholding of the ban, Navalny used Twitter to call on his supporters
to boycott the March 18 vote.A staunch critic of President Vladimir Putin,
Navalny rose to prominence in Russian politics in 2008. aljazeera
Aina Gamzatova: The Muslim woman challenging
Putin
FLASH:
VIEWS & NEWS
As a Kashmiri Muslim reporting on gau
rakshaks, I was warned to leave town:Rayan Naqash
Why I think triple talaq bill absurd
legislation:Nizam Pasha
At least 81 journalists killed in 2017: report
Rajinikanth confirms entry into politics, to
new form party
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:22 PM)
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment