Author: Admin

Giving them wings to fly

THE Flying Birds Group established in early 2005 at AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, has been trying to empower the youth of economically, socially and educationally backward areas of Delhi by teaching and promoting innovative use of new media tools and technologies.

Young women members of the group have been producing short documentary films on real life issues affecting them, such as girl child discrimination, need for adequate health care and education, eve-teasing, domestic violence, and changing gender roles. Most recently, they made films highlighting the need to conserve art and cultural heritage at various levels of society. Continue reading “Giving them wings to fly”

Seminar highlights challenges facing Indian muslims empowerment

AAGHAZ Foundation, a community-driven organisation working to eradicate illiteracy among Indian Muslim, organised a seminar on ‘Education and Empowerment Challenges Facing Indian Muslims and the Way Forward’ at Lucknow on September 16th. Academicians, muslim clerics, scientists, professionals, and businessmen turned up for the event at Umanath Bali’s J.S. Prasad auditorium. Maulana Saed-Ur-Rahman Azmi, Principal of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema, was the chief guest.

The President of the foundation and Dubai-based journalist, Mazhar Farooqui, made a power point presentation on the educational and economic status of Muslims in India.  He gave an overview of Aaghaz Foundation’s zero-expense model and its efforts in rooting out illiteracy from the community. Continue reading “Seminar highlights challenges facing Indian muslims empowerment”

Gujarat verdict and the Communal Violence Bill

THE recent verdict by the Gujarat court on the case of Naroda Patia is, to say the least, revolutionary, in its content. This verdict has brought a new confidence in the minds of victims and activists about judiciary in secular India. The Judge Jyotsna Yagnik has enhanced the prestige of judiciary, especially through her observation that communal riots are like poison in secular India. One rarely hears such a remark in written judgements these days.

It must be admitted that it is after a long time, and almost for the first time in independent India, such severe punishments have been meted out to the perpetrators of the communal violence. Both, Dr. Kodnani who subsequently went on to become minister of women and child development, ironically after killing 35 women and 30 children brutally, and Babu Bajrangi, were confident that they would be fully protected by their bosses.  Babu Bajrangi had boasted of this in a sting operation carried out by Tehelka on the eve of last Assembly elections. Continue reading “Gujarat verdict and the Communal Violence Bill”

A human chain for peace in the North-East

ON the call of Mission Bhartiyam, a social outfit, people formed a human chain today at India Gate in solidarity with people of North-East and victims of riots and violence.

Program coordinator Shekhar Jain said, “We are really hurt by the recent ongoing violence and we have come forward to show that we are against all such violence and riots.” He added, “This human chain is a way to show that our unity and solidarity will rise come what may.” \

Pankaj Pathak from Mission Bhartiyam said, “Although some organisations and individuals went to Assam to help with relief efforts, we thought it will be good if we can all gather to show our unity.”

Ansaar Ahmed from NCHRO (National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations), who joined the human chain, thought it as a time of national emergency. “Our society is in danger and people must know that they are humans first, not Bodos, Hindus or Muslims.”

Large number of students joined the initiative to convey their feeling of brotherhood.  Common people present, also joined hands to show their solidarity for the cause.

Members carried many posters, pinned up on their chest, condemning the violence. One such poster read, “Na Bodo na Muslamaan, sabse pehle hai insaan.” (Neither Bodo nor Muslim, first comes the human being)

Mission Bhartiyam condemned the violence in Assam and also the difficulties North-Eastern people faced in other states because of some rumours.

Muslims and the Indian state since 1947

I COULD not resist the desire to write on this subject after the violence at Azad maidan on August 11, 2012, in Mumbai, and the competitive politics this event led to among rightist and identity seeking political parties in Maharashtra.

Now is the most appropriate time to analyse why certain sections of Muslims indulged in violence. What motivated them and why they directed their anger against state institutions and media?

First and foremost, I condemn the violence in the most strongest terms. Now comes the question, as to why it happened. On the surface it appears that certain sections of Muslims are unhappy with state institutions in the way they handled Bodo-Muslim clashes in Assam. Thousands of Muslim homes were burned by Bodo militants in order to drive them away. Many innocent people died in the clashes and government of Assam was lax in taking action against culprits.

In Burma, too, there was a massacre of Muslims and the government of India stood silent. Continue reading “Muslims and the Indian state since 1947”

Nasim Zaidi is the new Election Commissioner

FORMER Civil Aviation Secretary, Dr Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi, has been appointed as an Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India. He fills the vacancy caused by the promotion of V. S. Sampath as Chief Election Commissioner. Sampath succeeded Dr S. Y. Quraishi.

Zaidi, a 1976 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, retired as Civil Aviation Secretary on July 31. He had earlier worked as Director General of Civil Aviation, represented India in the International Civil Aviation Organisation, and also served earlier as Commissioner of Bareilly Development Authority.

A Masters in Public Administration from Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Zaidi has been a Mason Fellow for Public Policy at Harvard Institute for International Development. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Finance from Indian Institute of Finance.

Literacy initiative bearing fruits

THE Lucknow Guidance and Counselling Centre (LGCC) set up by the Aaghaz Foundation, a community-driven organisation working to eradicate illiteracy among Indian Muslim, in 2011 is showing encouraging results.

After the success of seven students who cleared a key banking exam, underprivileged Muslim students counselled/coached at LGCC are finding their footings in other fields too. These are some latest success stories –

1) Aiunul Hasan has been selected for a lucrative job at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)  in Gurgaon.

2) Kalbe Ali has ranked 448 in UPSEE (competitive exam for management and technical course), and has got a seat at Galgotia College of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida. The college is among top 10 colleges of UP and has an exceptional placement record.

3) Farwa Naqvi has been selected for B.Sc. Agriculture at Aligarh Muslim University. Initially, her parents wanted her to join a relatively lesser known college in Rae Bareilly. But after a counselling session with the centre changed their mind.

4) Bhupendra Kumar has been selected in JNU All India competitive exam for M.Sc. Biotechnology. He was allotted a seat at Allahabad University but has instead chosen Banaras Hindu University to pursue M.Sc. Biochemistry.

Besides, around 35 second batch students preparing for various competitive exams, dozens of poor Muslim students visit LGCC daily for counselling.

Aaghaz Foundation is likely to announce a course for armed and defence forces too, starting next month.

Lord Hameed makes Lucknow proud

LORD Khalid Hameed who hails from Lucknow, India, has been felicitated with ‘Freedom of the city of London’ honour. He was rewarded for his contributions to medicine and inter-faith activities. He is currently Chairman of Alfa Hospital Group and London International Hospital.

Lord Hameed chairs the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council. He is a board member of both the British Muslim Research Centre, and the Ethnic Minorities Foundation. Dr Hameed supports various charities and was awarded the Sternberg Award for 2005 for his contribution to further Christian – Muslim – Jewish relations. He is involved with interreligious matters and lectures on this subject.

He was appointed by the Queen as the first Asian High Sheriff of Greater London for the year 2006-2007. This office is 1000 years old and is the second oldest office in the country after the monarchy. He was also named British Asian of the year 2007.

Acknowledging his efforts the Government of India conferred Lord Hameed with the Padma Bhushan in 2009.

“I’ve been wronged”, says the man who could have stopped the Godhra carnage

FOR somebody beginning his political career in 1997 and in a space of 15 years changed four parties, (joining one twice, before being expelled again earlier this month) is surely a seasoned politician. To top it all Shahid Siddiqui is also the chief editor of an Urdu weekly. A potent combination indeed!

So Siddiqui’s sudden journalistic urge to hear Narendra Modi’s point of view (a decade after the Gujarat riots) should not come as a surprise. He dedicated full six pages to the man who more than welcomed the interview. Inspite of this Siddiqui claimed that Modi didn’t answer many questions. The interview looked more like a story to halt the plunging fortunes of Siddiqui, and for Modi another opportunity to project himself as the right man for the top job of the country. Continue reading ““I’ve been wronged”, says the man who could have stopped the Godhra carnage”

Haj subsidy continues despite Muslim opposition

THE Union Cabinet has gone ahead with the Haj subsidy for 2012. It has approved the following-

(i) 125,000 haj pilgrims would be covered by the Haj subsidy scheme.

(ii) Apart from statutory taxes like PSF, UDF,  ADF and Saudi airport fees, each pilgrims would pay Rs. 20,000 as air fare. The balance cost of air travel arrangements would be borne by the government.

(iii) The pilgrims would depart from 21 embarkation points in India. Gaya as an embarkation point has been introduced in place of Patna due to technical difficulties presently in operating direct flights from Patna.

This year the Haj flights would start on 17.9.2012.

The element of cost of air travel arrangements in excess of the fare paid by the pilgrims is the Haj subsidy borne by the Government, which is called Haj subsidy. Untill 2009, the pilgrims were carried by Saudi Arabian Airlines on negotiated fares and by Air India on cost basis. From 2010, the government decided to select the airlines through a tendering process. Sealed bids are invited from all eligible airlines and the airline offering the lowest fare from an embarkation point is engaged to carry the haj pilgrims.

It’s noteworthy that the practice has received considerable criticism in the past from Muslim leaders, both on grounds of inflated air fares and being un-Islamic.