India-Pakistan and the futility of wars

Gurmehar KaurWhen Gurmehar Kaur said her father was killed not by Pakistanis but by war, she was implicating a bigger organised industry as responsible for the mayhem. To have such a perspective, demands quite a bit of understanding of world politics and arms manufacturing industry.

A friend of mine, who has knowledge on arms and ammunition, had once told me that each kalashnikov bullet costs four dollars. This he told me a decade before. The prices might have gone up now. Even if we ignore the cost of the guns, the cost of the bullets that are being used from training and drills to war and combing up operations alone cost thousands of dollars a day. Remember, bullets are the most cheapest ammunition available! Missiles, fighter jets, radars and other military hardware costs a lot more. There are several credible books available on how wars benefit companies. Continue reading “India-Pakistan and the futility of wars”

Muslim candidates facing each other in UP 2017

Women voters in queueFollowing are the constituencies where two or more Muslim candidates (from the three main political parties) are pitted against each other:

  1. Agra South
  2. Aligarh
  3. Allahabad South
  4. Amroha
  5. Baheri
  6. Bareilly Cantt
  7. Barhapur
  8. Bhojipura
  9. Bulandshaher
  10. Chail
  11. Chamrua
  12. Chandpur
  13. Deoband
  14. Firozabad
  15. Jaunpur
  16. Kanpur Cantt (2)
  17. Kanth
  18. Loni
  19. Lucknow West
  20. Matera
  21. Mau
  22. Meerapur
  23. Meerut South (3)*
  24. Mohammadi
  25. Moradabad Nagar
  26. Najibabad
  27. Nanpara
  28. Noorpur
  29. Pilibhit
  30. Rampur
  31. Rudauli (3)*
  32. Sambhal
  33. Shahabad
  34. Shahjanpur
  35. Siwalkhas
  36. Syana
  37. Utraula

In an election as tight as this, this could make a difference in the final outcome.

* Candidates from SP, BSP & Congress are all in fray here.

Muslims in fray for the UP 2017 Elections – Part III

Rahul Gandhi in a rally

Contesting candidates on Congress’ ticket

  1. Nazir Ahmed, Agra South
  2. Nawab Mujahid Hassan Khan, Bareilly Cantt
  3. Haji Ehsaan Ali Ansari, Barhapur
  4. Anis Ahmad Khan, Bisalpur
  5. Talat Azim, Chail
  6. Nadeem Javed, Jaunpur
  7. Sohail Ansari, Kanpur Cantt
  8. Ch. Sher Nabi Chaman, Loni
  9. Ali Akbar, Mahasi
  10. Mohd Azad Saifi, Meerut South
  11. lmran Masood, Nakur
  12. Waris Ali, Nanpara
  13. Saif Ali Naqvi, Palia
  14. Talat Aziz, Paniyara
  15. Sayeed Khan, Rudauli
  16. Mohd Aarif Sayed Khan, Syana
  17. Samad Ansari, Varanasi North

Note: Data sourced from Elections.in & other sources

Muslims in fray for the UP 2017 Elections – Part II

A Mayawati rally.

Contesting candidates on BSP’s ticket

  1. Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutto, Agra South
  2. Muhammad Arif, Aligarh
  3. Mashooq Khan, Allahabad South
  4. Naushad Ali, Amroha
  5. Mohd Abdul Haseeb, Arya Nagar
  6. Aqeelur Rehman, Asmauli
  7. Ilyas Chaudhary, Atrauli
  8. Bazmi Siddiqui, Ayodhya
  9. Fahad Yazdani, Badhapur
  10. Hamid Ahmed, Bagpat
  11. Naseem Ahmad, Baheri
  12. Irshad Khan, Bangarmau
  13. Anis Ahmed, Bareilly City
  14. Muhammad Iqbal, Behat
  15. Mohd Aslam Raini, Bhinga
  16. Suleman Beg, Bhojipura
  17. Rashid Ahmed, Bijnor
  18. Ali Musharrat Ali Bittan, Bilsi
  19. Saiyyeda Begum, Budhana
  20. Muhammed Alim Khan, Bulandshaher
  21. Muhammad Asif Jafri, Chail
  22. Ali Yusuf Ali, Chamrua
  23. Muhammad Iqbal, Chandpur
  24. Noor Salim Rana, Charthawal
  25. Muhammad Saghir, Charra
  26. Tahir Hussain Siddiqui, Chibramau
  27. Rizwan Ali, Dadraul
  28. Mohammad Mubashir Khan, Dariyabad
  29. Majid Ali, Deoband
  30. Muhammad Ghazi, Dhampur
  31. Aslam Ali, Dholna
  32. Saiyyeda Khatoon, Domariyaganj
  33. Mohd Umar Khan, Farrukhabad
  34. Khalid Nasir, Firozabad
  35. Allauddin Khan, Gainsari
  36. Abdul Kalam Malik, Gaura
  37. Basim Iqbal, Ghosi
  38. Mohmmad Jalil Khan, Gonda
  39. Mohd Islam Khan, Gunnaur
  40. Mohammad Asif Shaikh, Husainganj
  41. Arshad Khurshid, Itwa
  42. Khalid Ahmed Khan, Kaiserganj
  43. Dr. Naseem Ahmad, Kanpur Cantt
  44. Mohammed Nasir, Kanth
  45. Masud Ahmed Khan, Katra Bazar
  46. Mashhoor Aalam Chaudhary, Khalilabad
  47. Parvez Akhtar Ansari, Kunda
  48. Haji Akbar Hussain, Kundarki
  49. Jasmir Ansari, Laharpur
  50. Haji Zakir Ali, Loni
  51. Armaan Khan, Lucknow West
  52. Sibghatullah Ansari, Mahmoodabad
  53. Sultan Ahmed Khan, Matera
  54. Mukhtar Ansari, Mau
  55. Nawazish Alam Khan, Meerapur
  56. Haji Muhammad Yaqub, Meerut South
  57. Arshad Ali Khan, Mehnaun
  58. Sultan Beg, Mirganj
  59. Muhammad Parvez Khan, Mirzapur
  60. Wahab Chaudhry, Modi Nagar
  61. Daud Ahmad, Mohammadi
  62. Atique Ahmed Saifi, Moradabad Nagar
  63. Shah Alam (Guddu Jamali), Mubarakpur
  64. Jamil Ahmed Ansari, Najibabad
  65. Abdul Waheed, Nanpara
  66. Ejaz Ahmed Khan, Nautanwa
  67. Gauhar Iqbal, Noorpur
  68. Javed Iqbal, Padrauna
  69. Mohammad Masrur, Phoolpur
  70. Abul Qais, Phoolpur-Pawai
  71. Arshad Khan, Pilibhit
  72. Aftab Alam, Pipraich
  73. Mohd Mujtaba Siddiqui, Pratap Pur
  74. Shahbaz Khan, Rae Barelli
  75. Hafiz Bharti, Ramnagar
  76. Tanvir Ahmad Khan, Rampur
  77. Shakil Ahmad, Rani Ganj
  78. Firoz Khan, Rudauli
  79. Rafatullah, Sambhal
  80. Hafiz Muhammad Imran, Sardhana
  81. Arshad Ali, Sahaswan
  82. Mohd Naseem, Sewta
  83. Asif Khan, Shahabad
  84. Mohd. Aslam Khan, Shahjahanpur
  85. Mohd Islam, Shamli
  86. Mohmmad Rijwan, Shekhpur
  87. Mohd Jamil Siddiqui, Shohratgarh
  88. Haji Imran, Sikandrabad
  89. Saeedur Rab, Sirathu
  90. Ashfaq Khan, Sitapur
  91. Nadeem Ahmed Khan, Siwalkhas
  92. Nawab Kazim Ali Khan, Suar
  93. Mujib Ahmed, Sultanpur
  94. Dilnawaz Khan, Syana
  95. Abdul Waris Khan, Thana Bhawan
  96. Mohd Saud Ahmed, Tiloi
  97. Mohd Parvez Ahmed, Utraula
  98. Muhammad Rizwan Ahmed, Varanasi Cantt

Note: Data sourced from Elections.in & other sources

Muslims in fray for the UP 2017 Elections – Part I

Akhilesh in a rally.

Contesting candidates on SP’s ticket

  1. Zafar Alam, Aligarh
  2. Haji Parvez, Allahabad South
  3. Himayat Ali, Anupshahr
  4. Mahboob Ali, Amroha
  5. Abid Raza, Badaun
  6. Ataur-Rehman, Baheri
  7. Rubab Sayeda, Bahraich
  8. Badlu Khan, Bangermau
  9. Jafar Beg, Bareilly Cantt.
  10. Sheikh Suleiman, Barhapur
  11. Mohammad Umar Khan, Behat
  12. Zahid Beg, Bhadohi
  13. Shahjil Islam, Bhojipura
  14. Arshad Jamal Siddiqui, Bhojpur
  15. Faheem Irfan, Bilari
  16. Afzal Kausar Ansari, Biswan
  17. Shujat Alam, Bulandshaher
  18. Nasir Ahmad, Chamraua
  19. Arshad Ansari, Chandpur
  20. Mabiya Ali, Deoband
  21. Adil Sheikh, Didarganj
  22. Azim Bhai, Firozabad
  23. Nafees Ahmad, Gopalpur
  24. Kamaal Akhtar, Hasanpur
  25. Abrar Ahmad, Isauli
  26. Mohd Nahid Hasan, Kairana
  27. Aneesur-Rehman, Kanth
  28. Isratullah Sekhani, Kasganj
  29. Shahid Manzoor, Kithaur
  30. Ajju Ishaq, Koil
  31. Mohd Rizwan, Kundarki
  32. Fareed Mehfooz Kidwai, Kursi
  33. Rashid Malik, Loni
  34. Mohammad Rehan, Lucknow West
  35. Yasir Shah, Matera
  36. Altaf Ansari, Mau
  37. Liyakat Ali, Meerapur
  38. Jahid Hasan Alies Guddu, Meerganj
  39. Rafik Ansari, Meerut
  40. Adil Choudhari, Meerut South
  41. Dr R R Usmani, Mohammadi
  42. Mohd Yusuf Ansari, Moradabad Nagar
  43. Haji Ikram Qureshi, Moradabad Rural
  44. Tasleem Ahmad, Najibabad
  45. Tabassum Hasan, Nakur
  46. Javed Abdi, Naugawan Sadat
  47. Alambadi, Nizamabad
  48. Naimul Hasan, Noorpur
  49. Shakir Ali, Pathardeva
  50. Ansar Ahmad, Phaphamau
  51. Mansoor Alam, Phoolpur
  52. Haji Riyaz Ahmad, Pilibhit
  53. Mohd Azam Khan, Rampur
  54. Gazala Lari, Rampur Karkhana
  55. Abbas Ali Zaidi, Rudauli
  56. Abdul Shahnawaz Khan, Saharanpur
  57. Nawab Ikbal, Sambhal
  58. Abdul Mannan, Sandila
  59. Sartaj Khan, Shahabad
  60. Tanvir Ahmad, Shahjahanpur
  61. Mohd Ramzan, Shrawasti
  62. Ziyauddin Rizvi, Sikandarpur
  63. Irfan Solanki, Sishamau
  64. Ghulam Mohammad, Siwalkhas
  65. Meera Bano, Sri Nagar (SC)
  66. Abddula Azam, Suar
  67. Azeemul Haq Pahelwan, Tanda
  68. Nawab Jaan Khan, Thakurdwara
  69. Abdul Kadir, Tilhar
  70. Mohd Mashood Khan, Tulsipur
  71. Arif Anwar Hashmi, Utraula

Note: Data sourced from Elections.in & other sources

Physics workshop brings more than 100 international participants to AMU

AMU logoALIGARH. “The results of Physics researches in the field of Neutrinos generate from the India based Neutrino Observatory would provide a significant impact in the sphere of the cutting edge scientific research”, according to Prof. Takaaki Kajita, Nobel laureate in Physics and a professor at the University of Tokyo, Japan. Prof. Kajita was delivering his inaugural lecture at a five-day International Workshop on “The Frontiers of Electroweak Interaction of Leptons and Hadrons” organized by the Department of Physics, Aligarh Muslim University.

In his lecture, Prof. Kajita emphasized the importance of Neutrinos in day to day life and underlined the need for its production and detection. He said that the Japanese Neutrino Physics community was “eagerly looking forward to Indo-Japanese collaboration project in which a number of scientists from the Aligarh Muslim University are also involved”. Continue reading “Physics workshop brings more than 100 international participants to AMU”

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”

AMU condoles demise of Farzand Ahmad

Farzand AhmadALIGARH. The Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University, Lt. Gen. Zameer Uddin Shah, expressed deep sense of sorrow and grief on the sad demise of noted journalist Farzan Ahmad. Ahmad breathed his last in Lucknow on the second of October after prolonged illness.

Lt. Gen. Shah said that Ahmad, who also served as State Information Commissioner, Bihar and Adviser to Department of Vocational Education, Uttar Pradesh Government, created a niche for himself in the field of journalism through his hard work and determination. He said that Mr. Ahmad’s death had left a huge void in the media world, which would be difficult to fill. He prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and solace to the bereaved family. Continue reading “AMU condoles demise of Farzand Ahmad”

Muqeem Ahmad: Restoring heritage with love

muqeem ahmadMUQEEM Ahmad comes across as a quiet man but is a mason par excellence. A resident of Amroha in UP, Muqeem singlehandedly renovated and at times recreated structures and floral designs on some old Imambadas and the Shia Jama Masjid in the town.

Born in 1956, Muqeem has been working for the last 45 years. He worked for a few months in Delhi and Punjab before moving to UP.  For the last 25 years or so he has been mostly working on naqqashi or floral decoration. Continue reading “Muqeem Ahmad: Restoring heritage with love”

Gurudwara comes up on Waqf land, Amroha leads by example

gurudwara amroha
Gurudwara, Thandi Sadak, Amroha – View from the road

THE picture shows the biggest Gurudwara under construction on Thandi Sadak in Amroha, UP. But it has a background that needs to be shared. The land on which the Gurudwara is coming up was a Waqf Noorul Hasan, Danishmandan, property once. After a prolonged case that dragged on for 10 years (1980-90), the dispute was amicably resolved between the Sikh and Muslim communities in 1990. The Shia community donated the space reserved for an Imambara to their Sikh brethren. The Sikh community returned the favour by donating 12 bigha of land nearby for the Imambada.

This is a shining example of how sensitive issues could still be handled in India. Continue reading “Gurudwara comes up on Waqf land, Amroha leads by example”