इत्तेहाद का नया दूत: प्रो. (डॉ.) तलत अहमद

Talat Ahmad (left), Tanweer Alam (right)
Talat Ahmad (left), Tanweer Alam (right)

नई दिल्ली. हाल ही में मुम्बई में सर सय्यद डे मनाया गया और इसके साथ ही अलिग बिरदारी का 5 साल पुराना बिखराव एकजुटता में बदल गया। ऐसा नहीं था की इन पांच सालों के दौरान मुम्बई के सभी ग्रुप को एकसाथ लाने की कोशिश नहीं हुई या हो रही थी लेकिन कामयाबी हर बार हाथ से फिसल जाया करती थी। मुम्बई में इसबार भी 2 सर सय्यद डे का आयोजन तय था लेकिन ऐन वक़्त पर ‘इत्तेहाद का सफ़ीर’ बन कर खड़े हो गए सीनियर अलिग, भारत के विख्यात भूगर्भ वैज्ञानिक, कश्मीर विश्वविदयालय के पूर्व और जामिया मिल्लिया इस्लामिया दिल्ली के वर्तमान कुलपति प्रो.(डॉ.) तलत अहमद साहेब। मुम्बई में मुख्य अतिथि के तौर पर तलत अहमद साहेब का प्रोग्राम तय होने के बाद मुझसे बातचीत के दौरान उन्होंने अपना मुम्बई का प्रोग्रम बताया। मेरे लिए ये बहुत दुविधा की बात थी क्योंकि दूसरी जगह प्रोग्राम का आयोजन करने वाले मेरे ही साथी थे। जब तलत साहेब ने मुझसे कहा की तुम आओगे न तो मैंने कहा मैं कैसे आ सकूँगा? मैंने कहा एक ही दिन, एक ही समय पर एक ही शहर में 2 स्थानों पर प्रोग्राम है, मैं दूसरे प्रोग्राम के आयोजको में से हूँ। मैंने अपनी विवशता बताई। तलत साहेब ने उस समय कहा ‘विश्व, देश, समाज और अलिग बिरादरी को इत्तेहाद की ज़रुरत है। क्या तुम इसके दूत नहीं बनोगे ? और अगर तुम नहीं बनोगे तो कौन बनेगा ? क्या हम किसी और के आने का इंतज़ार करते रहेंगे और नस्ल-दर-नस्ल बंटकर अपनी क्षमता को नकारात्मक कार्यों में छिन-भिन्न करते रहेंगे। मेरा एक बड़े भाई, सीनियर होने के नाते तुम पर अधिकार है की ये ज़िम्मेदारी दूँ, तुमको कहूँ की मुम्बई का इत्तेहाद करना, कराना तुम्हारा और तुम्हारे साथियों की ज़िम्मेदारी है। सर सय्यद डे मुम्बई में एक ही होना चाहिए तनवीर, कैसे, तुम जानो।’ Continue reading “इत्तेहाद का नया दूत: प्रो. (डॉ.) तलत अहमद”

अलिग सीनियर्स और शिक्षकों के नाम एक जूनियर का खुला ख़त:

आदाब (90 डिग्री), जनाब।

मुसलमानो में दोहरे मापदंड की ऐसी स्थिति बन चुकी है जिससे उच्च शिक्षा प्राप्त से लेकर अंगूठा छाप तक ग्रस्त और लोग उनसे त्रस्त हैं। ‘दलाल’ का सर्टिफिकेट तो हम पहले से छपा कर रखते हैं, बस उसपर नामVictoria Gate, AMU भर भरना रहता है। अब ये स्क्रीन शॉट ही देखिए, ज़फर सरेशवाला कोई है, उसपर हमारे सीनियर हज़रत की प्रतिक्रिया। इसके ठीक विपरीत अपने ही इदारे के जिम्मेदारों द्वारा हो रहे भरष्टाचार, धांधली पर कभी किसी ‘तथाकथित और सर्वमान्य सीनियर’ हज़रत की तरफ से कोई आपत्ति या प्रतिक्रिया आम तौर पर नहीं आती। जनाब, पूरी दुनिया सरेशवाला के कृत्य और विचार से अवगत है, आप दुनिया को उससे अवगत क्यों नहीं कराते जिसकी ज़िम्मेवारी सर सय्यद ने आपके हवाले की थी और क़ौम-ओ- मिल्लत की रहनुमाँ के तौर पर सींचने के लिए अपने जीवनकाल में ‘इख्वानुन्नफसा’ की स्थापना की थी। सय्यद ने ‘असबाब बग़ावत-ए-हिन्द’ लिख कर अंग्रेजों के मुंह पर वो तमाचा जड़ा की अँगरेज़ बिलबिला कर रह गए लेकिन सर सय्यद के किरदार और क़लम को नकार नहीं सके। वो आपका/हमारा किरदार दुनिया को क्यों नहीं परोसते। हमारी कमज़ोर आवाज़ दुनिया के खिलाफ उठती भी है तो अमुवि प्रशासन की धांधलियों के खिलाफ क्यों नहीं उठती। इसके विपरीत ‘दायें और बाएं महाज़’ पर हमारा प्रहार इतना ज़बरदस्त क्यों होता है। अमुवि आज एक ऐसे मोड़ पर खड़ा है जहाँ से शायद सबकुछ बदल जाये, इस बदलाव की ज़िम्मेदारी मेरी, आपकी और पुरे मिल्लत इस्लामिया पर जायेगी। अपने आपको भी ज़िम्मेवार मानते हुए मैं कुछ सवाल अपने सीनियर और अमुवि के शिक्षकों से करना चाहता हूँ और मैं चहुंगा की वो भी मुझसे पूछें: Continue reading “अलिग सीनियर्स और शिक्षकों के नाम एक जूनियर का खुला ख़त:”

In Focus – Noorul Uloom Education Society

Saiema Mansoor SchoolNoorul Uloom Education Society (NUES) has been working tirelessly yet surely to brighten up lives in rural UP. They tend to achieve this through a healthy mix of education and culture. The underprivileged rural population in neighbourhoods of Western UP, which constitutes mostly Muslims, has greatly benefitted from the society’s efforts.

Extreme poverty has been the single biggest factor contributing to low education in villages of India. In many cases, illiteracy often leads to such social evils as gambling, drinking, dowry and superstitions. This means they can be easily exploited too. The state of women’s education is even worse. An educated girl makes it harder to find a suitable match, one that comes at an affordable dowry too. This exactly was the premise for NUES when they established Saiema Mansoor Public School at Parsana in district Hathras. The institution, accredited by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) till standard 12th, caters to poor and illiterate rural families. Continue reading “In Focus – Noorul Uloom Education Society”

Young Ayesha has a dream

ayesha
Ayesha Sewing her Dreams

Rudauli is a town 40 kms away from district Faizabad. Amongst its inahabitans is Mohammad Salman who lives in a thatched house in Ghosiana. Salman was taking care of his family as a tailor until paralysis hit him. For three years now he has been confined to bed. To make matters worse the hospital bills at Lucknow’s KGMU hospital piled up. So much that the family has no more money for his medication.

Salman’s wife is working as a domestic help to make ends meet. His eldest daughter Kaneez Fatima got married three years ago. Kaneez’s seventeen years old brother Ali took up tailoring after his eighth standard. Fifteen years old Aasmaan Baano is the youngest in the family. She too stopped going to school after her eight standard due to lack of funds. Continue reading “Young Ayesha has a dream”

Government Welfare Schemes for whom?

Every government in India has either created new welfare schemes or continued with existing ones. That these schemes have failed to reach the masses can be gauged from the following four stories.

“I’ve only heard of schemes”darbhanga

Salauddin Qureshi’s family seems to be living a normal life. The truth is otherwise.

Living in the Urdu Bazar area of Darbhanga, Bihar, Qureshi, like many others, sleep every night on hope. His modest one room abode is home to eight members of the family. Salauddin finds it difficult to manage meals but makes sure that his children attend a barely functional government school.

Government schemes have not reached this family and neither is the government listening to Salauddin’s woes. The village head has nothing for him and the society shows no respect. “In such circumstances, I struggle to find a job,” says Salauddin. “If I miss one day of work, my kitchen stops. It’s not easy to earn two meals a day and at the same time send your kids to school!”

“Girls are not a burden but poverty has forced us to think differently! I wish God ends  this life and spare us from further misery. I’m not a pessimist but somebody has to come forward and see our plight. So far I’ve only heard of schemes – we’ve never benefited from them. I send my kids to school so that they learn a few wordly tricks and get out of this mess.”

Salauddin’s wife Shajra Khatoon shares her own struggles. “The day seems to last a eternity. Till the time he is not back from work, I keep thinking whether the kids will have anything to eat for the day. As adults we can control our urge but how does one handle hungry little souls in your arms. Sometimes it’s mere request and assurances that the kids have in place of a meal.” Continue reading “Government Welfare Schemes for whom?”

Minority Status for AMU – Why it is necessary?

Victoria Gate, AMU

The recent affidavit filed by the Centre to Supreme Court regarding Minority status to AMU will be quite damaging in the final outcome of the case pertaining to it. Representing Government of India, the Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told a bench of Justices (J S Khehar, M Y Eqbal and C Nagappan), “It is the stand of the Union of India that AMU is not a minority university. As the executive government at the Centre, we can’t be seen as setting up a minority institution in a secular state.”

It’s important first of all to understand the meaning of Minority status. Article 30 of the Indian Constitution states that:

(1) All minorities whether based on religion or language shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

(2)The state shall not, in granting aid to educational institutions, discriminate against any educational institution on the ground that it is under the management of a minority, whether based on religion or language.”  Continue reading “Minority Status for AMU – Why it is necessary?”

AMU Alumni Meet 2015

AMU alumni meet 2015Its quite difficult to sum up the recently concluded AMU Alumni meet in words. I have never witnessed such enthusiasm, dedication, hard work and professionalism in any meet. More than 600 delegates (AMU Alumni) across the globe gathered to pay tribute to the founder of AMU, the great Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, and also pledged to take his mission forward by investing time, talent and treasure. The three day event started with SS day celebrations on 17th October 2015. The chief guest of the event was PK Abdu Rabb, Minister for Education and Culture, Government of Kerala, who himself is a proud alumnus of AMU. In the evening each and every hall of AMU hosted its annual SS day dinner and eminent alumni of AMU presided those functions as chief guests.

On 18th October 2015 AMU Alumni meet commenced at Kennedy auditorium. The dais was full of eminent alumni consisting of Chief guest Javed Usmani (CIC, UP Govt.), Prof. Habib Zuberi (Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Michigan, USA), Dr. Ashok Seth (Padam Bhushan, Chairman , Fortis-Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi), Ameer Ahmad (Chairman & Group MD of Manappat Group of companies, Dubai, UAE), Nasiruddin Shah (Padam Bhushan awardee and renowned actor, Mumbai) , Vice Chancellor Lt. General Zamir Uddin Shah, Pro Vice Chancellor Brigadier Ahmad Ali and Dr. Suhail Sabir (Chairman of Alumni Affairs Committee, AMU ). These alumni made not only the alma mater but also the country proud through their work and talent. Continue reading “AMU Alumni Meet 2015”

Indian Muslims’ Growth Rate Drops Sharply

Muslims at Jama Masjid, New DelhiAmidst the usual interest and misrepresentation of facts related to Indian Muslims’ population, the following figures tell a different story altogether.

As per the latest Census of India (2011) the Growth Rate of Indian Muslims have gone down sharply from 29.52% (2001 Census) to 24.60%. The areas with the highest literacy in India are the state Kerala (93.91%) and the Union Territory (UT) Lakshadweep (91.85%). It’s interesting to note that Kerala’s Muslims account for 26.56% of the total population, in Lakshadweep they are in absolute majority at 96.58%. Incidentally Kerala also has the Best Sex Ratio (1084 females per 1000 males). Continue reading “Indian Muslims’ Growth Rate Drops Sharply”

Kalam – The Legacy Lives On

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam“If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher”- Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

WE all know Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam as a great scientist and visionary, but today I am going to touch upon his role as a teacher. It is in this role that he transformed many lives and became a role model of millions.

Years back when he visited Jamia Millia Islamia, he took questions from the students. The first question was, “Which role do you prefer – the president or the scientist?” He promptly replied, “A teacher.” Continue reading “Kalam – The Legacy Lives On”

A root problem needs a root answer

Girls outside a school in IndiaEducation comes in many forms when experience is your teacher. I recall the day when I was part of a delegation to some muscular regional satrap. There was only one point on our agenda: the extent, quality and depth of education among minorities, with a stress on how to do far more for the Muslim girl child. A worthy cause brought together a worthy lot: an assortment of editors, educationists, NGO heads, marginal do-gooders. We sat in the room adjacent to the satrap’s office with beatific smiles on our faces. After the compulsory wait, we entered his sanctum in a solemn file.
Continue reading “A root problem needs a root answer”