State terrorism 1,5,7,8,9,10,13

Hindutva terror 3,4,9

Islamophobia 2,6,11,20
Jauhar University 4
India/Palestine 7
India/Pak 5
AMP 13
BJP 11
Election 2014 4
J&K 10
Analysis 11
Special Reports 3,13
Issues 2,12-13
Books 21
National 3-10
International 16-18
Speaking Out 11
Newsmakers 12
Community News 14-15
Islamic Perspectives 20
Our Publications 19
Classifieds 22
Letters 23
Indian Muslims Leading English Newspaper, published since January 2000
www.milligazette.com
THE MILLI GAZETTE
www.milligazette.com
ISSN 0972-3366
Fort ni ght l y
Rs 10 Vol. 13 No. 19 Issue Serial # 305 1-15 October 2012 24 pages
Inside MG
AALIYA KHAN
N
ew Delhi: Jamia Teachers
Solidarity Association released
Framed, Damned, Acquitted:
Dossiers of a very Special Cell at the
Jamia Millia Islamia on 18 September.
The 200-page report was released by
Justice Rajender Sachar, former chief
justice of Delhi high court. The report
consolidates accounts of 16 cases of
framing of innocent Muslim boys by
Delhi Polices Special Cell and their
acquittal. They were picked up while
some of them were as young as 17
years old.
The event had two such falsely
charged youth who were released
after spending 14 years each of their
lives inside prison, going through vari-
ous trials in different cities to defend
themselves against false charges in
umpteen fake cases while their family
members ran around looking for
lawyers but in vain.
The programme started with Prof MS Bhat of JMIs depart-
ment of economics and president of JTSA, addressing the gath-
ering and giving a sense of how the report should be taken con-
structively and objectively and as an aid for providing social enti-
tlements to Indians and should not be seen as an anti-govern-
ment campaign.
Sanghamitra Misra, member of the JTSA and now affiliated
with Delhi University, gave a brief on the report and pointed out
how promotions in the Special Cell surpassed those in other
departments of the Police and how Special Cell officers were
awarded with Presidents medals etc for extra-judicial murders
and tampering of evidence. She demanded that the state be held
accountable for the framing of false charges against boys who
are subsequently released with precious years of their lives lost.
Justice Sachar congratulated JTSA on the hard work they
put in their fact-finding work. He said such work should be used
as building blocks to fight against the inequalities in the society.
He quoted the famous lines of a German intellectualt:
First they came for the communists,
and I didnt speak out because I wasnt a communist.
Then they came for the socialists,
and I didnt speak out because I wasnt a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didnt speak out because I wasnt a trade unionist.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
Saying that such biases can
only be fought collectively and
that the injustices levelled
against members of minorities
should not be taken lightly by
others, he called for active par-
ticipation of Indian citizens to
share the burden of being alert
and aware and use the tools in
the constitution to do so. He
touched upon the Sedition Act
of 1860 in the Indian
Constitution and how it reflect-
ed colonial intolerance of pop-
ular movements. This act, he
said, should be disbanded in
order to promote a healthy
democracy.
Human rights activist Advocate ND
Pancholi spoke about democracy being
the responsibility of all citizens. He said, in
a broader picture, people should come
together to take care of these matters and
raise their voice against unreported events
and misquoting/misrepresentation of facts
by the media and should speak out against
the Supreme Court protecting the Special
Cell.
Advocates Trideep Pais and Jawahar
Raja, who worked closely on the report,
threw light on the dearth of legal aid for
innocent undertrials and the loopholes in
the implementation of law and misinterpre-
tation of the constitution to suit govern-
ment needs. They signed off with Law and
justice are too important to be left to the
courts and the judiciary.
Novelist and human rights activist
Arundhati Roy discussed the patterns of
Polices modus operandi in such cases
and the States role in creating bogeys to
be able to militarise and dehumanise soci-
ety and keep their subjects busy with nerve-rattling reports cre-
ated with the help of Special Cells favoured journalists in various
news media.
See review of the report, page 21
To buy a copy, see page 24
JTSA releases report on framing & acquittals
MG/Yusuf
VICTIM OF TERROR HONOURED...7
Jaccuse
During the recent police chiefs 2-day conference, IB head Nehchal Sandhu said, with the
simpleton home minister Shinde nodding like Alice in Wonderland, that the security agen-
cies are finalising a 2-pronged strategy to de-radicalise [Muslim] youth. To illustrate the
point, he gave the example of the youth recently arrested by Bangalore Police. The other
part of the strategy, according to the IB chief, is to focus on development and education.
We beg to differ. The victimised communitys perception and prescription are totally
different from those of the persecutor. Our perception is that a vast majority of the ter-
ror cases against Muslim youth are fake, false and fabricated. These cases have been
cooked up deliberately with a purpose by the same agencies which are now shedding
crocodiles tears at what they themselves have meticulously engineered as part of a dia-
bolical conspiracy to radicalise Muslim youth and thereby get a handle to beat the whole
community with, in order to browbeat and retard the communitys progress.
While the country is awash with umpteen terrorist and violent outfits, the same police
chiefs conference decided that the so-called Indian Mujahidin is the biggest threat to
the country. No mention of the proven Hindutva terror or the one exported from beyond
our borders or of Maoism. Our contention is that these agencies, led by the IB, are the
biggest threat to national security. Instead of safeguarding our security, they are willfully
and by plan vitiating the security of the country by targeting innocent Muslim youths
through their rogue informers and thoroughly communal police personnel eager to get
promotions, medals and cash prizes by implicating innocent Muslim youths. Their feats
include the latest arrests which are all patently fake and engineered by the IB and local
police. Coming on the heels of the fake Darbhanga Module, the latest sacrificial lambs
are meant to bolster the (fake) counter-terror activity of the IB, Special Cell, ATS etc.
We demand an independent judicial enquiry headed by an honest person like Justice
Sachar or Justice Kolse Patil or Justice Hosbet Suresh. As of now, we do not have an
iota of trust in the IB, Special Cell or ATS headed by the likes of Rakesh Maria.
A serious detoxification and decommunalisation of these forces as well as the police
and PAC is the need of the hour. Secret services have to be brought under a strict par-
liamentary and public oversight to put a brake on their roguish activities which threaten
the security of the country. Only after that, the 180 million Muslims of India will start
believing in and trusting these lawless agencies which as of now are acting like rogue
and mad elephants out to destroy the legal and constitutional framework of secular India
for their own myopic vested interests as well as serving the agenda of the Sangh whose
elements have infiltrated into these agencies over the years. ZAFARUL-ISLAM KHAN
y
RABIA FATEHULLY...12
MUKUL DUBE
ISSUES / OPINION
2 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012
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KALEEM KAWAJA
The recent events when an abusive and derogatory film about
Prophet Muhammad sparked massive public protests in Muslim
societies across the world, is a clear instance of unnecessary
provocation of Muslims as a community. However, this is a repeat
of several such attempts in recent years. Less than a year ago,
Pastor Jones in Florida tried to burn a copy of Quran on public
TV and that caused similar protests in the Muslim societies
across the globe. A few years ago a newspaper in Denmark pub-
lished derogatory cartoons of Prophet Muhammad causing a
firestorm across the Muslim world.
US and European countries are very aware of this repeated
cyclical effort to degrade the faith of Islam and to provoke
Muslims. And they vehemently criticise the violent protests by the
Muslims. But to date in all these years they have taken very little
action to prevent those who are repeatedly indulging in such abu-
sive degrading of Islam, the faith of 1.6 billion world population.
Surely, most Americans and Europeans decry such abusive
attempts to degrade Islam, but the governments and public
organizations in those countries do not take any action to put in
place policies to prevent such degrading of Islam or any other reli-
gion for that matter. As civilized people, do not the Americans and
Europeans have a responsibility to take preventive measures
towards such lampooning of Islam? Does this lack of action not
reflect badly on the American and European societies?
American and European people understand well that such
provocative actions are an abuse of the freedom of speech, that
is available more in Western society than in the Muslim societies.
And yet they hide behind these excuses time and again. Surely,
this has gone on for too long and it is time for Western societies
to take action to stop this continual degrading of Islam and its
Prophet.
Muslims should definitely not keep quiet or look the other way
when such degrading of their faith and their Prophet occurs. It is
their duty to hold large and effective public protests. But they
must make sure that the protests do not turn violent. And under
no circumstances they should try to kill or hurt any American or
European individuals. That is a violation of Islamic guidance to
Muslims on how to protest against injustice. Thus the attack on
the US embassy in Benghazi and the killing of four US citizens
including the US ambassador was a horrible act of violence. In
fact, it brought bad name to the Muslim community and their effort
to protest the abuse hurled at their faith and Prophet.
But Muslims as a community have to be proactive and make
every effort to persuade American and European governments
and public bodies that they simply have to take effective action to
stop this repeated and continual degrading of Islam and its
prophet. Massive public protests, representation through their
governments, advocacy within Western societies are some tools.
Unfortunately, the small band of vocal Islam-haters will not stop
its nefarious efforts to degrade Islam, but it can be isolated with
focussed public action by Muslims. If Muslims become passive in
this matter, that will not help. But Muslim protests too must not
turn violent.
Muslims should also understand that most Americans and
Europeans abhor such degrading of Islam and its Prophet and in
fact want equal respect given to them. But it is their keeping quiet
in the public space against the hate-speech of the abusers
amongst them, who are few in numbers, that is causing the vio-
lence and turmoil. They must turn proactive and stop this hate-
mongering.
Muslims Should Protest When Their Faith is Degraded
Why the West
hates
Muhammad?
SYED ZUBAIR AHMAD
There is a big difference between free speech and abuse.
Freedom of speech doesnt apply to abusing someone. Freedom
comes with certain responsibilities and is always subjected to lim-
itations. Unrestricted freedom is enjoyed only by animals and
beasts. Sometimes even these creatures dont cross limits. The
popular proverb says your freedom ends where my nose
begins. But nowadays unlimited freedom of expression has
become a fashion and licence to abuse and insult those you dont
like and this is creating a war-like situation in many societies.
Those who support unchecked freedom of expression to
abuse someone should be asked: If someone tells you you are a
son of a bitch how would you react? I am sure not even the most
polite person on this planet will respond by saying: Sir, please
dont say this to me, its very impolite and indecent to say this
because I belong to a very respected family. A decent and well-
behaved person may never abuse in response to abusive lan-
guage, but he may slap the abuser. Muslims never abuse others
religious personalities.
Forget about the latest 13-minute video trailer on YouTube
which was made by some morally bankrupt people like Nakoula
Basseley Nakoula in America. Such people may make one hun-
dred such films, but not a single Muslim will ever make a film
insulting Jesus (peace be upon him) or Christianity or any other
religion for that matter. Let Rushdie write 100 books like Satanic
Verses, not a single Muslim from the entire Muslim world will ever
think to abuse or insult Jesus and Mary. Let Jyllands-Posten pub-
lish thousands of cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad as a
terrorist, I am sure that not a single Muslim from the population
of one billion Muslims on this planet will ever make a single car-
toon ridiculing Jesus (pbuh) or icons of other religions. Did a sin-
gle Muslim ever insult any religious personality or religious book
of Jews, Christianity or Hinduism? Never. Because Muslims
believe that Moses and Jesus were prophets and messengers of
God, and that some Hindu gods too may be actually prophets of
God. This is why Muslims respect them as they respect icons of
their own religion.
The only difference is that Muslims follow only Muhammad
(pbuh) because his teachings are intact in their original form.
Muslims all over the world believe that Torah, Bible and Vedas all
are divine scriptures but they follow only the Holy Quran because
it is the only divine book which is available in its original form, free
from human interpolations. In this way, Islam unifies and respects
all religions of the world.
There are nuts in every religion: There are mindless stupid
people among the followers of all religions. The killing of ambas-
sador Chris Stevens and three other Americans in Benghazi was
as mindless and condemnable as the blasphemous film The
innocence of Muslims.
The attitude of West:
The problem is not just the film. The problem is the hypocrisy and
dual standards of the western world, especially America. They
want others to observe limits but they themselves reserve the
right to cross all limits. They forget the famous quote of Martin
Luther King Jr: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice every-
where. They commit violent acts but preach others to be peace-
ful and calm. They stockpile nuclear arms but do not allow others
to produce even nuclear energy. The whole world seemed to be
falling apart over the killings of four innocent Americans but no
cries are heard when, every day, innocent kids and women are
being killed by American drones in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The
hypocrisy of those champions of freedom of speech can be
seen in their dealing with Julian Assange who is still hiding in the
embassy of Ecuador in London.
Genesis of hate of Jews and Christians for Prophet
Muhammad
The genesis of hate of Jews and Christians for the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) is his birth in the family of Prophet Ismail, not
in the family of Prophet Ishaq. Prophets Moses and Jesus
belonged to the family of Ishaq, and so Jews and Christians were
expecting that the last prophet of God (foretold in the Torah and
Bible) will be born in the family of their prophets. History books
record that during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad, Jews and
Christians had expressed these feelings.
During the fourteen centuries (Prophet Muhammad was born
in 571 CE), thousands of books have been written in the West to
malign the last Prophet of God. Their main target is the character
assassination of the Prophet in order to defame Islam. They have
distorted their own religion in a way that now Christians make
films depicting Virgin Mary as prostitute and Jesus as gay (God
forbid) and the whole Christian world tolerates such aberrations
in the name of freedom of expression. But Muslims cannot toler-
ate this at any cost, because they respect the Prophet more than
their life and this is the feeling of Muslims which the Christian
world fails to appreciate. They hate Prophet Muhammad because
they do not respect Prophets Moses and Jesus. They hate
Quran because they have distorted the original Bible and Torah.
Every religion including Islam has some mindless followers
There are two types of people in the Christian world, one belongs
to the category of mindless idiots like Nakoula Basseley Nakoula
who insults the great Prophet; the others belong to the category
of Michael H. Hart, who in his famous book The Hundred: A
Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, put Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) on the top of the list and declared the Prophet
as the most influential person in human history. In his book, Hart
asserted that Muhammad was supremely successful in both the
religious and secular realms.
There are two types of people in the Muslim world too. There
are those who killed the innocent American diplomats in Benghazi
in response to the blasphemous film though those diplomats had
nothing to do with the idiotic film. Then there are others who start-
ed distributing books about the life of the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh). Problems are opportunities in disguise. The problem cre-
ated by Nakoula Basseley Nakoula could be the best opportunity
to educate people about the life and character of the Last Prophet
of God.
In Islam, debate and dissuasion are always welcome, healthy
criticism is always entertained. Thousands of books have been
written by orientalists criticising many teachings of Islam but there
were no protests by Muslims who are ever not ready to accept
abusive language about the Prophet. Those who want war
between religions and civilizations must be brought to justice, oth-
erwise the entire humanity will suffer.
They envy Muhammad because of the popularity and respect
he receives worldwide even 1400 years after his death. They hate
Muhammad because of the love and devotion he receives from
his followers. They hate Muhammad because of the command he
holds worldwide. They try to defame Muhammad to get some
cheap popularity in their societies in the name of freedom of
expression.
Muhammad predicted that the uncivilized beduin will one day
overrun Roman and Persian empires, and this happened.
Muhammad said every prophet comes with a miracle from God
as a proof of his prophethood, and the proof of my prophet-hood
is Holy Quran, an eternal miracle. Those who hate Muhammad
should know that Muhammad also predicted that Islam will one
day enter every house of the world. Muhammad is the future of
the world. Muhammad is like Sun. Anyone who will try to spit on
Sun, will get the spit back on his face.
Muslims should understand that most
Americans and Europeans abhor such
degrading of Islam and its Prophet and in
fact want equal respect given to them. But
it is their keeping quiet in the public space
against the hate-speech of the abusers
amongst them, who are few in numbers,
that is causing the violence and turmoil.
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 3
NATIONAL
Mangalore: Secularism is still alive in India, and we
need to raise our voices against anti-secularists, just
as Vartha Bharathi (VB) is doing. VB has been doing
what each Indian needs to do. Society is highly affect-
ed by media. Media is a watchdog. It should not turn
into a lapdog of power
holders, said popular
Bollywood director and
human rights activist
Mahesh Bhatt.
He was address-
ing the Readers
Convention on the
occasion of Vartha
Bharathi Kannada
dailys decennial cele-
brations held here on
September 14. A spe-
cial commemorative
issue was released on
the occasion.
Mahesh Bhatt fur-
ther said that his one
eye is Muslim and the
other one is Hindu, because his mother was a Muslim
and his father was a Gujarati Hindu. India is safe
today because we Indians are ready to give our lives
to one another, and this is because we share a strong
brotherly bond between us and not because of any
police force or politics. Moderate forces are being sup-
ported by VB, Bhatt said adding, Corruption is
increasing in India, and we all need to be revolutionar-
ies to fight against such evil, especially through media.
The mainstream media is getting more glamourized,
but VBs focus has been on bringing out the truth.
Addressing the gathering, litterateur and Central
University of Karnataka at Gulbarga chancellor U R
Ananthmurthy said that in todays scenario, we are
confused over whom to vote for as all parties are
involved in major scandals and all parties are corrupt.
VB is not a Muslim paper, its Karnatakas paper.
Guardian is the best and most honest newspaper of
UK, and has created a revolution in the whole of its
nation. In the same way, Vartha Bharathi is
Karnatakas Guardian, he lauded. He lamented that
there is widespread manufacturing of consent not just
in media circles but also in day to day conversations in
people spreading hatred against certain communities.
Many TV channels are taking up communalism as
a subject of discussion, but it is a crime, not a subject
of discussion. Muslims have come to the mainstream
to support the
poor, down-
trodden and
the backward
classes of the
communi t y,
and VB is fol-
lowing this
a g e n d a .
Media needs
to show the
right path to
the public,
just as VB
has been
doing, he
added.
The pro-
gramme was
inaugurated by Mahesh Bhatt and the special issue
was released by Dr U Ananthamurthy. The programme
was presided over by Abdul Salam Puthige, editor-in-
chief of VB. In his address, Puthige said that there is
usually a big difference between production cost and
the cost of the newspaper. In VB the production cost
is 100 percent higher than the cost of the paper, he
said.
Papers should not only give news, but focus on
bringing out the truth. But truth today differs from paper
to paper. There are many media that give totally wrong
and false information. Newspapers should be based
on certain values. Newspapers have the power to turn
right into wrong and vice-versa. In the same way, they
also have the power to do both right and wrong things,
he said adding that Media should not be a business.
People should also support the media and be its back-
bone. They should be active participants in the media
and not just readers, he said.
The function was attended by media personalities
and selected readers of VB who also spoke on the
occasion and put forth their ideas and views on VB.
Vartha Bharathi completes ten years
Quote, Unquote
Muslims in India have reason to beleive they are being persecuted.
NC ASTHANA, Inspector General CRPF, ANJALI NIRMAL
Tehelka
The RSS has always averred that Hindutva is not Hinduism. In fact
the word Hindu itself is something which has come to us from the
Arabs because no ancient scriptures refer to the word Hindu. The
Vedas, if they can be called scriptures, are both the genesis of
Sanatan Dharma and originate from it. In other words, the word
Hindu itself comes to us from a foreign source which, ironically, is
Muslim.
M.N. BUCH, Mainstream
White Paper on Terrorism:
calling out readers and
researchers
The most important and burning issue facing Indian Muslims at present is the con-
tinuing arrests and widespread fake implication of our youth in trumped up terror
cases masterminded by saffron elements in the government, IB and Police. Now
almost all Muslim organisations are up in arms against this state terror. People are
organising dharnas, meetings, conference etc all over the country.
As a long-term solution and serious response to this problem thrust upon us,
All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat (AIMMM) has decided to bring out a white
paper on the Muslim-related terrorism in the country. This was discussed and
passed during the Working Committee meeting on 7 July. But since AIMMM does
not have the required funds and staff, I have undertaken the responsibility of
preparing this white paper which will be comprehensive in around 600+ large for-
mat pages covering the whole history and genesis, communalism, vested inter-
ests in various fields, analysis of various laws like TADA, POTA and UAPA, fake
encounters, acquittals, IB & Police role, media attitude, case studies, statewise
studies, SIMI and so-called Indian Mujahidin, Hindutva terror, individual
tragedies of victims, Azamgarh, Bhatkal, Malegaon, Darbhanga modules, some
basic documents, etc.
The target is to bring it out during the next six months and release it in a big
convention at Delhi as a combined effort of all Muslim organisations, and there-
after present the white paper to politicians, media, human rights orgs, especially
those abroad, in order to enlighten public opinion as well as to build pressure on
our blind and deaf government.
The estimated cost of this white paper is Rs 25 lakh divided as follows: Rs 10
lakh cost of preparation and payments to contributors plus six months salaries to
three persons including an expert; Rs 10 lakh for designing and printing the doc-
ument in a world-class format; and Rs 5 lakh convention costs. The first two con-
cern the undersigned while the last (convention) concerns AIMMM.
To finance this effort which will be a watershed in this struggle against state
terrorism in India, I need and solicit your full support. This may be either by direct
contribution for the effort or by buying copies in advance which could later be sent
to you or to others at your behalf. The estimated price of the white paper is
Rs 2000 at least. Our well-wishers can pay Rs 1000 only per copy as advance
purchase (plus any actual postal or courier charges which will be indicated and
payable later). Payments for the copies may be made to our publishing company
(Pharos Media & Publishing Pvt Ltd, D-84 Abul Fazal Enclave-I, Jamia Nagar,
New Delhi 110 025 - Email: [email protected]). Individuals and organisa-
tions ordering a minimum of 100 copies will be included as sponsors of the White
Paper. Contribution towards the organisation of the convention may be sent to the
All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat, D-250 Abul Fazal Enclave, part 1, Jamia
Nagar, New Delhi 110 025.
Experts who can contribute to this white paper may kindly write to me
with some detail about their past experience and work.
ZAFARUL-ISLAM KHAN, Editor, The Milli Gazette - [email protected]
Police Officers book on Bengal Muslims banned
The West Bengal police has stopped the sale of a
101-page book on What Muslims should do writ-
ten by serving police officer Najrul Islam. This was
done after Islams manifesto for Muslims was
branded by a pro-government Bengali newspaper
as a template for dividing Bengali society and abet-
ting communal disharmony in the state. In his book,
award winning author and IPS officer Najrul Islam
has accused the Trinamool Congress government
of not giving due representation to minorities in the
state cabinet despite their high percentage in the
population of the state. He has criticised non-
Muslim politicians of the state for attending Iftar
parties, wearing hijab and uttering Khuda Hafiz and
Inshallah at the wrong place and time. He also
branded some views of a section of 19th century Bengali authors as communal.
Islam, who is presently posted as the Assistant Director General, Training, in
Kolkata said, I have moved court against the ban as I stand by my views. I have not
written anything that can be termed as hate mongering or communally disruptive.
Najrul was made a member of the Railway Board after Mamata Banerjee
became Railway minister. This was after he fell out with the former Left Front for his
anti-government writings. After Mamata Banerjee became chief minister, Islam was
brought to the state and made an Officer on Special Duty at the secretariat before
being relegated to the department of training in the home department.
Sabitendranath Roy, managing director of Mitra & Ghosh, the publishers, said,
We got a call from the Enforcement Department at 11 p.m. on Friday to stop all sales
of the book immediately.
Sangh outfit burns
student to death
Betul (M.P.): Astudent who earlier belonged to Bajrang
Dal, the militant wing of Sangh Parivar, subsequently
left this organisation and joined National Students
Union of India which is backed by the Congress Party.
His erstwhile colleagues could not tolerate this and
they set him on fire after sprinkling kerosene on him.
Four days later he succumbed to the burn injuries and
died on 4 September in a hospital. During treatment,
the 20-year-old student named Rahul Joshi told the
police that on 31 August his old friends were pressuris-
ing him to quit NSUI and rejoin the Bajrang Dal. On his
refusal, they sprinkled kerosene on him and set him on
fire. After struggling for four days with life and death,
he ultimately died. He also told the police that before
being set on fire he was beaten by those people on
three or four occasions for deserting the BD. Police
arrested the four persons named by him who belonged
to BD and ABVP, the student wing of the Sangh.
According to police, the day he was set on fire, the four
persons named by him were arrested for attempt to
murder and presented in court but after his death sec-
tion 302 of IPC (murder) was invoked against them.
RSS rampage against BJP
Indore: 200 RSS activists in a rare display of rage,
attacked the BJP office and ransacked it. Not satisfied
with this, they even burnt an effigy of the state C.M.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan and shouted slogans against
industry minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and local MLA
Ramesh Mendola. They accused the state govern-
ment of shielding culprits and for this very reason a
fearless police officer who was probing a recent firing
incident was transferred.
The issue dates back a few weeks when on July
23 during a Kawad procession someone fired at Monoj
Parmar, a local goon who had earlier been externed.
Since the culprit was believed to be an RSS activist
and close to BJP MLA Sudarshan Gupta, ASP Rakesh
Singh was investigating the matter. He has since been
transferred. However, the BJP has not buckled under
pressure and the said officer was relieved from the
post so that no wrong signal could be discerned.
RSS on the other hand, argued that the officer who
was taking action against the goon should not have
been transferred as this would send a wrong signal.
Manoj Parmar is in central jail booked for fraud. City
BJP chief, however, believes that the matter will be
resolved amicably through dialogue between the par-
ent organisation and its brainchild.
United against corruption: Hazare,
Ramdev, Swayamsevaks?
Located at a prime location in Chanakyapuri is where
the whos who of former bureaucracy, newsmakers
and Hindutva hardliners make headlines. It was in April
2011 that the Vivekananda International Foundation
together with RSS ideologue K N Govindacharyas
Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan, organised a seminar
on corruption and black money attended by both
Ramdev and Team Anna members Arvind Kejriwal and
Kiran Bedi. The seminar ended with Ramdev deciding
to declare an all-out war on corruption, and Anna
Hazare sat on his first fast in the next few days. With
strong RSS links and Swayamsevaks, the seminars it
holds are attended by bureaucrats even from the
PMO. The Foundations director is Ajit Doval, a former
Intelligence Bureau director, who feels that corruption
is draining India and strong action needs to be taken
against it.
No justice in Gopalgarh firing
The families of ten innocent Muslims who lost their
lives and over 30 people who were injured in the
Gopalgarh firing last year still await justice, said
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Rajasthan chief, Engineer
Khurshid Hussain, while adressing a meeting in Jaipur
which reviewed the situation in the state.
Hussain said that the guilty officers who were sus-
pended have been reinstated and are back on duty
due to the police failure to file a chargesheet. Even
after a year the CBI has failed to produce one.
The government transferred 17 of the police personnel
and its only willing to give a mild punishment to them.
One of the Congress leaders in the region pressurized
the Police to cancel the transfer orders. Mr. Hussain
condemned the fact that the state government gave in
to the pressure tactics.
He appealed to the administration and the CBI for a
speedy unbiased investigation of the case, independ-
ent of political pressures and awarding severe punish-
ment to all the officers involved and to release the
arrested innocent persons.
MG NEWS DESK
NATIONAL
4 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012
ABVP men assault
98 migrants after
dragging them out
of train
Bangalore: In an act of open terrorism, ninety-eight
migrant labourers were dragged out of a train and assault-
ed by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) mem-
bers, at Mandya in Karnataka late on 29 August night. The
activists terrorised the labourers hailing from West
Bengal, Orissa, Rajasthan, Bihar and other states for
nearly two hours before dragging them out, claiming they
were illegal Bangladeshis. The labourers were heading
to Mangalore on the Yeshwantpur-Kannur Express.
Scores of passengers remained mute spectators to
the assault, even as the labourers pleaded that they were
headed to the coastal city to seek jobs at construction
sites.
The ordeal for the workers, 66 of them from West
Bengal, began soon after they boarded the general com-
partment of the train in Bangalore at 8 p.m. on that day.
The activists started questioning them, Bishnu Babu from
West Bengal told The Hindu. They also started raising slo-
gans against Bangladeshi migrants. Without allowing us
to explain, they started searching our baggage and pock-
ets. Most of the people were cheering and laughing,
Shyam Sharma from Odisha said.
This torture continued till the train reached Mandya.
The activists dragged all the labourers out of the train and
in full public glare, kicked and punched them. The
Mandya police have detained nine persons in connection
with the incident. (The Hindu, 30 August 2012)
67% of rural India lacks sanitation facilities
A WHO report update has revealed that 67% of rural
households do not have toilets and these people practice
open defecation. When asked about the problem, the
Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Jairam Ramesh
stated that states had been allotted with funds to build
sanitation facilities and they had reported that 60% of the
rural households did have proper toilets. He accused the
states of fudging the statistics and said that most of the
states could not be expected to be made open defecation-
free before 2022. We are making an honest effort, he
said. According to the WHO report, Indians top the list and
account for 59% of all people in the practice in the world,
more than double the number of the next 18 countries
combined.
Dalit burnt alive in Una, family blames BJP MLA
A day after a dalit youth was burnt alive by fellow villagers
of another caste at Akolali in Una taluka of Junagadh dis-
trict over his love affair, the family of the deceased on
Friday alleged that the attack took place at the behest of
a BJP MLA. They claimed that the leader has been eying
their land. Lalji Sarviya, 27, was thrashed and locked up
in a house in the village before a mob, allegedly by
sarpanch Bhana Vaja, set him on fire.
They also allegedly injured Laljis father Kala and his
brother alleging Lalji, who was married, had an affair with
a village girl who went missing three days ago. A com-
plaint of murder, criminal conspiracy and atrocity was reg-
istered against 12 persons, police said, adding that 10
suspects, including the sarpanch, have been arrested.
His family alleged that Lalji was not killed over any
love affair but it was done in a bid to grab their land. Lalji
has been killed at the behest of a BJP MLA, who has eye
on our 17 bigha land, which is near stone mines, said his
father. Junagadh BJP president Madha Boricha, who is
also a dalit leader, however, refuted the allegation against
his party MLA. The incident is being given political
colour, said Boricha, who visited the affected family today
with some dalit party members.
Police, meanwhile, said the girl in question is still
missing. The girl is missing. Police will also investigate
the murder angle and interrogate all, said Junagadh
Superintendent of Police Dipankar Trivedi, adding, The
family has not mentioned name of any politician in the
FIR. Kala said the family was too disturbed to register a
proper complaint on Thursday, but after the last rites, we
will ask police to include the MLAs name in the FIR.
Orphan siblings request permission for euthanasia
Six siblings, aged between 4 and 17 years in Akhilesh
Yadavs wife Dimple Yadavs constituency in Kannauj,
pleaded for mercy killing in a petition filed with the district
magistrate.
The children lost their parents to a road accident and
have been unable to secure the insurance amount and
complained of corruption by revenue officials. A 2.5 bigha
land their parents owned has been encroached upon by
another person. The petition mentioned that they did not
want to live on the mercy of their neighbours and relatives
who gave them food occasionally.
YUNUS CHITALWALA
Ahmedabad: As the elections in states and
the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 approach,
there is some unease in the Muslim commu-
nity about the prospects of the Congress
retaining power post-2014. After the present
price hike in diesel and reduction in the num-
ber of subsidised gas cylinders, Congress
seems to have placed itself in the line of fire
of popular resentment.
Though the BJP is salivating at the
prospects of getting better of the situation,
its confused political ideology and lack of
vision regarding the countrys future devel-
opment makes it a party of agitators who
create bedlam instead of deliberation in
Parliament and rush to the streets to protest.
In fact, nobody would bet on either of the
parties.
However, the importance of Lok Sabha
elections is not lost on the minorities. Not
only the political stability of the country is at
stake, but the socio-economic challenges
thrown up by a split verdict will certainly agi-
tate the thinking of the Muslim community
which happens to be at the centre of the
electoral calculus.
The minorities in India are protected by
an egalitarian and secular constitution. In
the last 65 years, however, the safeguards
enshrined in it have largely been flouted.
Muslims have suffered huge losses in the
communal riots that have rocked their lives
at regular intervals and their self-serving
leaders have turned the community into
pawns in the game of votebank politics. But
of late, things have changed slowly but
steadily. First, the largescale and politically-
driven communal riots are a thing of the
past. Two, the Muslim community has start-
ed to get out of its isolationist shell and has
cast its boat into the national mainstream.
This is amply demonstrated by their efforts
to acquire higher education. The trend is
especially manifest in Gujarat, Maharashtra,
and southern states. Institutes of higher
learning run by Muslims have come up in
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and
Karnataka. Surprisingly, it is the large num-
ber of Muslim girls who not only get optimum
marks but are at the forefront of the knowl-
edge grab. At present in Gujarat, 700
Muslim students are studying in various
branches of medicine. They soon will
become surgeons, physicians and dentists.
Still others are writing their success stories
in other branches of knowledge. In Tamil
Nadu, a recent report showed how Muslim
boys and girls in large numbers are prepar-
ing for civil service examinations. They have
already made their presence felt in engi-
neering and management courses. This is
not the case only in the south, but in UP,
Delhi, Bihar, and West Bengal, one finds the
same story replicated.
In the sphere of business and industry,
Muslims have made steady progress,
though big industry is still out of their reach.
The Muslim middle class has emerged,
though miniscule.
The only big league Muslim industrialist
whose name is often mentioned is Azim
Premji. However, Premji happens to be an
Ismaili Khoja from Gujarat, and he is far from
a typical Muslim merchant. In fact, he
belongs to that elite club of big industrialists
who have earned for their products interna-
tional brand names. Therefore, he cannot be
expected to carry his religion on his sleeve.
He can be at best a role model for Muslim
youth. The enterprising narrative of Muslims
need not end with Azim Premji. There are
any number of them in mid-level businesses
and industry who have gradually become
conscious of their social responsibilities and
are contributing to the field of education and
entrepreneurship. This is particularly true of
merchants like Bohras and Memons of
Bombay who have set up various education-
al institutions and healthcare centres includ-
ing hospitals.
Muslims working in the Gulf countries
send remittances which form a significant
part of Indias foreign exchange earnings.
Memons of Kutch had left for greener
pastures to other cities at the beginning of
the 20th century. They have their business-
es in Bombay, Banglore, Hyderabad and
Kochi. Kutch was literally drained of the
Memon community except a couple of thou-
sand hagglers who found it difficult to make
two ends meet. Now with the establishment
of Mundra port and coming of industries,
Memons here have sensed opportunity and
have become goods carriers and steve-
dores.
Coming to Gujarat, the 2012 elections
are knocking on the door and the Muslim
community is in a quandary. Both the BJP
and the Congress are making larger than life
promises which are at best sops to garner
votes. Modi has taken out the Vivekananda
Yuva Yatra focussed on the youth. His elec-
toral iconography seems inexhaustible as
Swamy Vivekanands portraits and big
cutouts are everywhere on the yatra route.
In 2002 it was Miyan Musharraf, in 2007
Shorabuddin and Kausarbi stared down the
hoardings, and now one Narendra
[Vivekananda] is ostensibly doing all he
could to make his namesake [Namo]
emerge as a winner. It is ironic that when a
cleric offered a skull cap to Modi, he refused
to don it. But Vivekanandas mentor,
Ramkrishna Paramhansa who treated all
religions as equal, used to don Muslim cap
and even offered prayers in a mosque
despite opposition from some of his follow-
ers.
As far as Muslims are concerned, they
have risen from a slumber and have done
what they could to empower themselves
economically. Now, a Muslim intellectual
class is becoming increasingly vocal and is
not prepared to take horrors like Gujarat
2002 quietly. Hence, whether Modi wins or
loses, it hardly matters to them. Faiz Ahmed
Faiz had written: Koi unki soi hui dum
hilade. Modi has precisely done that and
one should not ask for more.
Muslims Tryst With Destiny:
Elections 2014
The minorities in India are protected by an egalitarian and secular
constitution. In the last 65 years, however, the sefguards enshrined in it
have largely been flouted. Muslims have seffered huge losses in the com-
munal riots that have rocked their lives at regular intervals and their self-
serving leaders have turned the community into pawns in the game of
votebank politics. But of late, things have changed slowly but steadily.
First, the largescale and politically-driven communal riots are a thing of
the past. Two, the Muslim community has started to get out of its isola-
tionist shell and has cast its boat into the national mainstream. This is
amply demonstrated by their efforts to acquire higher education. ]
Muhammad Ali
Jauhar
University
inaugurated
Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar University at
Rampur the dream project of Muhammad
Azam Khan, UPs minister for urban develop-
ment and minority welfare has at long last
become a reality with its inauguration by
Mulayam Singh Yadav on 18 September at
Rampur when, while lauding Azam Khan for
his firm resolve and single-minded devotion
he described the inauguration of this
University a historic event. UPs chief minis-
ter Akhilesh Yadav was the chief guest on
this occasion. Expressing his happiness over
the inauguration of this University, Mulayam
Singh praised the contributions of the Ali
Brothers i.e. Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar
and Shaukat Ali in the countrys freedom
struggle.
It may be stated in this connection that
though this university was conceived and its
foundation stone was laid in 2006 when
Mulayam Singh was the chief minister of UP,
its construction and development was held
up for such a long time because of the non-
cooperative attitude of the then governor
T. V. Rajeshwar, probably at the instance of
the Congress-led central government. It
faced more difficulties and even hostile atti-
tude when a year later the Mayawati govern-
ment came to power in UP. Anumber of crim-
inal cases against the chief architect of this
university, Azam Khan on some pretext or
the other were filed so much that some por-
tions of the proposed university which were
already built were demolished. In spite of all
those difficulties, however, the university
became a reality, though after a considerably
long time.
Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav while
speaking on this occasion said that every-
thing possible will be done to make this edu-
cational institution of world standard and for
this all modern facilities, educational, techni-
cal and technological requirements will be
provided so that this university could main-
tain its special identity. Azam Khan while
speaking on this occasion said that today he
is extremely happy because today his long
cherished dream had materialised.
Almost all the state ministers along with
many other important dignitaries were pres-
ent on this occasion. (NAAnsari)
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 5
NATIONAL
FIRDAUS AHMED
T
he complaint of Mr. Vivek Katju, a retired diplomat,
against his views being censored by the AIR, has fea-
tured in the press. The question in particular on the pro-
gramme Charcha on AIR was on whether the prime min-
ister should visit Pakistan. Mr. Katjus reply was in the negative.
The complaint has served not only to attract attention to censor-
ship but also to Mr. Katjus view that the prime minister should
not be considering visiting Pakistan. On the latter, is Mr. Katju
right?
It is possible that Mr. Katju is wrong, but he is entitled to his
views. He is also entitled to airing these and having them carried
by the national broadcaster. However, this is not the first time Mr.
Katju has attempted to exercise influence on the trajectory of
India-Pakistan relations. His earlier foray has been recorded by
General Musharraf in his self-serving autobiography, In the Line
of Fire.
The General having elevated himself from CEO to President
had alighted at Agra with high expectations. Indias surprise
announcement reaching out to the troublemaker at Kargil, one
who had derailed the promising Lahore peace process, had led
to the General imagining that India had a mind to resolve the
Kashmir dispute his way. However, Musharraf noted in his book
that Mr. Katju, then a bureaucrat in the MEA with a seat at the
negotiation table, played a role in holding Mr. Vajpayee back at a
critical juncture in the talks. The rest, as they say, has since
included a near-war and at least one crisis, is now history.
Mr. Katjus is just a pre-emptive salvo from the better known
quarters. Mr. Katjus views, no doubt well founded after a lifetime
in service of Indian diplomacy in hot spots such as Afghanistan
and in hot seats such as the Pakistan desk, are also widely
shared by those with less exposure and reflection. These are the
less visible vested political interests on the Indian side that prefer
a communal polarization in South Asia, one reflected in and fed
by the interstate face-off. They are not only not averse to seeing
this cut straight through Indian society, but instead prefer it. The
advantage these forces take of seemingly professional opinion,
such as voiced by Mr. Katju, is indeterminate.
Additionally, it is also indeterminate as to how much of the
strategic opinion is informed by soft cultural nationalism, the
hard variant of which is propagated by the communal forces. The
extent of subscription to cultural nationalist tenets by officials has
been understudied, deliberately so since finding it to be conse-
quential would detract from Indias secular credentials.
Secondly, Mr. Katjus opinion cannot but have been informed
by his life experience, that would perhaps include the tremen-
dous challenges faced by the Kashmiri Pandit community. Having
also been exposed to the underside of the Pakistani establish-
ment, Mr. Katju cannot but exert to warn as he does.
Cumulatively, this suggests that Pakistan related strategizing
is not without its limitations in terms of well springs. It is important
to be clear-eyed about such possible contamination of strategic
prescriptions. Opinions such as that of Mr. Katju can then be
taken with a pinch of salt. Acknowledging that such opinion and
such opinion-makers do not have monopoly over strategic ration-
ality, is the first step in moving to examine alternatives that other-
wise remain unexamined due to lack of imprimature by strategic
experts.
The case for the prime ministers visit is one such. The same
yardstick of strategic bias informing opinion, used here to exam-
ine Mr. Katjus opinion, has been applied to Dr. Manmohan
Singhs hope of repairing India-Pakistan relations. His strategic
preference is taken as one informed by nostalgia, quite like the
work of Mr. IK Gujral earlier. The good that came out of the pre-
vious instance of Punjabiyat impacting policy has been the com-
posite dialogue process. That a dialogue is into its third iteration
after its severest test at 26/11 suggests the power of the idea. A
prime ministerial visit would ensure resumption of the dialogue in
its composite format, as had been forged finally in the Vajpayee-
Musharraf joint statement of 2004. Therefore, even if the origin of
the strategic preference is not much different, judging it different-
ly must be in terms of its positive consequence.
But, the lion must be bearded in its own den and on its terms
for the case for the visit to be carried. In other words, strategic
rationality must be deployed to argue in favour of such a visit.
Indias policy is one of expanding and strengthening the pro-
peace constituency in Pakistan. This is to be done to the extent
that eventually they take over the democratic space in Pakistan,
constricting the military-mulla combine. Clearly, if a policy is to be
carried through to its logical conclusion in a democratic peace,
the prime minister must undertake the mission. Not doing so
would leave the extremists on both sides in a position to dictate
the inter-state agenda.
Given this as making strategic sense, the question is now
one of timing. The government having been on the backfoot over
the past two years has just chosen to break out with a slew of
second generation economic reforms. Since this can be expect-
ed to draw political backlash, it is unlikely the government can
sustain yet another policy initiative, this time in the field of foreign
policy. Being of neo-liberal inclination, it has chosen to prioritise
economics over foreign policy. In effect, that Dr. Singh is not
going is certainly not because Mr. Katjus say so.
Taking this as time gained to set back the intellectual sway
of naysayers in the strategic discourse is the best way to build
the climate and momentum to ensure the visit takes place, per-
haps not of Dr. Singh but by the next prime minister. The fight will
also help keep away figures from the prime ministerial chair hav-
ing no interest in making the visit in the first place.
Krishna in Islamabad
More than just a visit
Indias policy is one of expanding and strengthening the pro-peace constituency in
Pakistan. This is to be done to the extent that eventually they take over the democratic
space in Pakistan, constricting the military-mulla combine. Clearly, if a policy is to be car-
ried through to its logical conclusion in a democratic peace, the prime minister must
undertake the mission. Not doing so would leave the extremists on both sides in a posi-
tion to dictate the inter-state agenda.
SYED ZUBAIR AHMAD
T
he arrest of 18 Muslim youths aged 22-30 within two days
is a matter of grave concern. Many of them are highly
qualified youths including doctor, engineer, scientist and
journalist. Eleven youths were arrested from Bangalore,
four from Nanded and one from Hyderabad. Most of them are
career-oriented professionals. If we believe the story of the
police, they are scientists, doctors, journalists, engineers and stu-
dents in disguise while in fact they are terrorists. Police claimed
that some were working for LeT, some were seeking career in
HuJI while some others were operatives of IM. Seems strange!
But stranger is the sharp reaction of the police which, sensing the
danger, acted swiftly and nabbed the culprits in the nick of the
time. It is general knowledge that the very same police generally
gropes in darkness for years to get hold of the actual offender
beneath their nose. The question is: were those Muslim youths
really conspiring against the country or the police and intelligence
agencies are conspiring against the career-oriented Muslim pro-
fessionals and students.The million dollar question is: why those
youths wasted their time, money and energy in getting profes-
sional degrees if they actually wanted to become terrorists which
needs no educational qualifications? One may also question how
such noisy steps by police and intelligence agencies will favour
the unity and integrity of the country?
It seems that after the truth behind the Indian version of "tar-
get killings", commonly known as fake encounters, was exposed,
the new technique of "target arresting" is being used to demoral-
ize and marginalize the new generation of Muslims. Hundreds of
Muslim youths after spending 5-14 years in prisons are facing a
dark future after being acquitted from courts after they were false-
ly implicated by police and intelligence agencies and this is dis-
couraging many Muslim youths from pursuing higher education or
going out of their villages and small towns. If the theory of Gujarat
police and IB is to be believed, Ishart Jahan and her friends were
planning to kill the CM of Gujarat and after killing Mr Modi, their
plan was to descend on Delhi and kill LK Advani, and after Advni
they were supposed to kill VHP leader Praveen Togadia. Strange
indeed! That fake encounter was staged in the BJP-ruled Gujarat.
Now the police of the BJP-ruled Karnataka has come up with a
similar story. To make the arrests look genuine, Bangalore police
chief Mr. Lalkhurma said that the police had recovered a pistol
from the arrested youths while they were sleeping. Police also
said that a computer, laptop, cell phone and a hard disk were
"recovered" from them. It means the arrested youths were going
to carryout their "operation" with a pistol! Moreover, the seizure of
a computer, laptop, cell phone and hard disk which are used now
in the day-to-day life by a common Indian is being presented as
RDX and detonators by the Bangalore police. As far as the
"recovery" of the pistol is concerned one can recall the gory
images of Ishrat Jahan's fake encounter where the Gujarat police
had neatly put weapns in the hands of its victims after killing them
in cold blood. To look serious, the Karnataka police has arrested
youths from different places who, according to police claim, were
working on different "modules" (!).
According to a report published in the Times of India, the
"state police officers privy to the progress of the probe reiterated
on Tuesday that they still don't have anything to conclusively
establish the suspects were into something spectacular. They
asserted that the 14 terror suspects were only into target killings
and had no larger plan to blast any prominent sites. "Until now,
we're sure the suspects had decided to target prominent political
and media personalities. Until we get to know of their other
designs of spreading terror, how can we come to any conclu-
sion?" one investigating officer said. (TOI, 5 Sep 2012)
It means still the police has no concrete proof against the
arrested Muslim youths but all kinds of strange stories are being
fed to the media.
Human rights organizations like Civil Liberties Monitoring
Committee believe that "the main intention of these arrests is to
divert the attention of the people from the court verdict against the
criminals of Gujarat genocide and the ongoing genocide of
Muslims in Assam."
Earlier, media lamented that Muslims are educationally back-
ward and therefore they are lagging behind other communities.
Muslim youths who are already suffering because of state policy
to marginalize them economically have become permanent tar-
gets of some sections of police force and intelligence agencies
which enjoy the support of communal politicians and external
players.
The doors of government jobs are almost closed on Muslim
youths. Despite financial problems, after getting professional
educations, they are struggling to stand on their own feet in the
private sector but even this avenue is sought to be closed after
the blanket terror libel. The situation is that instead of demanding
reservations in government jobs and their share in the resources
of country, Muslims are worried about their personal safety and
security.This is what the Indian government wanted to achieve. In
fact, this is the end result of the conspiracy to push Muslims back
in the fields of development and education. Which private compa-
ny will give them jobs after they are implicated in terror cases?
After the serial blasts in Jaipur on May 13, 2008, eleven
Muslim youths were arrested. The fast track court, presided over
by Sessions Judge Mr. Nepal Singh, acquitted all the 11 persons
after the trial which lasted three and a half years. Apart from
those 11 persons, many youths were also picked up and interro-
gated by Jaipur police. One of them was Rashid Hussain, a bril-
liant software engineer employed by Infosys, Jaipur. After nine
days of illegal and unrecorded arrest and interrogation, he was
released only to find days later that Infosys also sacked him per-
manently. One can imagine that if a fast track court takes three
and a half years to decide the fate of those arrested in such
cases, how much time normal courts will take. And even after
acquittal which company will give them jobs, that too after 4-14
years of jail experience?
Among the recently arrested Muslim youths, one is 21-year-
old Obaidur Rehman from Hyderabad. He is a final year student
of computer science. His mother says that Obaid never visited
Bangalore in his whole life. Obaid, who lost his father at the age
of 17, is an asthma patient. His grandmother Tahera Khatoon
says, "He requires medicine every two hours. We don't know if
police are providing him proper medicines. He cannot survive for
long if he doesn't take the medicine every two hours." Tahera
Khatoon wonders, "How can a boy with such serious health prob-
lems get involved in a conspiracy to kill powerful men?" It is still
not clear whether this asthma-patient 'terror suspect' was plan-
ning to kill VIPs in Hyderabad or in Bangalore. It should be also
noted that after Makkah masjid blast many Muslim youths were
arrested and implicated by police but later court released them
honorably after a couple of years.
Violating all rules and norms set by Supreme Court for arrest,
the Bangalore police came to Hyderabad and kidnapped the boy
and, without informing the local police or his parents, they took
him to Bangalore and produced him before a court there. Who
would be accountable if Karnataka police had killed Obaid in a
fake encounter somewhere in Bangalore and declared him a
HuJI or LeT operative?
Four Muslim youths were picked up by Maharashtra ATS
from various parts of Nanded district in south-east Maharashtra
following a "tip-off" from Bangalore police about their possible
involvement in terror activities. Maharashtra ATS chief Rakesh
Maria has refused to divulge any further details. Probably ATS
Maharashtra needs some time to script a suitable story to impli-
cate them suitably.
This fabrication and malicious implication of innocents is all
about getting credit and promotion, defame the Muslim communi-
ty and ruin the careers and lives of Muslim youths.
The chargesheeted Praveen Togadia and Indresh Kumar are
roaming free while innocent Muslim youths are being arrested
and put behind bars for several years on the basis of suspicions
and flimsy charges - which is evident from their subsequent
acquittals. Imagine the horrible situation: countless youths are
facing 40-50 cases each in different states and 1400-1600 wit-
nesses are lined against them to give their statements before
courts. Demoralizing and terrorizing a community of 180 million
will never be in the interests of the country. It is in fact a disserv-
ice to the nation and motherland.
First encounters, now terror arrests different means, same target
NATIONAL
6 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012
RAM PUNIYANI
[email protected]
We are going through
strange times. While sci-
ence, technology and
rationalism have given us
physical and intellectual
tools to better the lot of
humanity, we are witness-
ing the production of
provocative materials, literature and films in par-
ticular, which demonize a particular religion,
Islam to be precise, and the Prophet of Islam.
On the other hand, there is a section of commu-
nity, feeling threatened and insecure, coming to
the streets to protest against such humiliation
and insult of their religion. There are debates on
freedom of expression, but how come the free-
dom of expression always goes to humiliate and
demonize one particular religion?
Currently, massive protests are taking place
in different countries against American
embassies, resulting in the death of four from
the US staff, including Ambassador Chris
Stevens, in Benghazi. Different countries are
asking Google, the owner of YouTube, which is
hosting this provocative and insulting video clip,
deceptively named Innocence of Muslims, to
withdraw the clip. At places, the video clip has
been withdrawn and blocked. US sticks to its
Freedom of Expression stance and many pro-
testers are still on the streets.
The film clip, of around 14 minutes dura-
tion, is part of a full-length feature film made by
Nakoula Basseley, a US-based Christian of
Egyptian origin. The film is very insulting to
Islam. In this film, large numbers of bearded
Muslims are shown to be attacking Christians.
It also takes the audience back in time to show
a distorted life of Prophet Muhammad with neg-
ative and aggressive traits. It is a crude film,
made in extremely poor taste and has generat-
ed strong reaction amongst a large section of
Muslims around the world. It must be pointed
out that this is not the only type of reaction to
this film. There are sections of clerics who have
asked Muslims to keep restraint. Quoting moral
precepts from the scripture of Islam, Quran,
they said that Islam is a religion of peace and no
violent protests should be held. The best
response to this despicable film has been from
a section of Muslims distributing a book on the
life of Prophet Muhammad, the prophet of
peace.
During the last few years, it has become a
sort of standard pattern by many in the West
and some here in India to demonize Islam. We
remember the Danish cartoons of the Prophet,
where he is shown as a terrorist, with a bomb
tucked in his turban. A Florida Pastor went on to
burn the holy book, Quran, claiming that it
teaches violence. Some US soldiers in
Afghanistan burnt copies of the Quran on the
ground that the terrorist elements had written
messages on those copies.
The demonization of Islam and Muslims fol-
lows a pattern and agenda. Cartoons and films
are the outcome of deeper political processes
which aim to control the oil wells in West Asia.
The imperialist greed of the United States mar-
shalled the flag of Islam the New threat since
Ayatollah Khomeini came to power in Iran, over-
throwing the US stooge Raza Shah Pahlavi.
Later, the slogan was worsened with US setting
up madrassas on Pakistan-Afghanistan borders
to train Al Qaeda-Taliban to initiate the Muslim
youth to fight against the occupying Russian
armies in Afghanistan. The word, Jihad and
kafir were distorted to indoctrinate the Muslim
youth in these seminaries. With later trajecto-
ries and the event of 9/11, the US media with all
its guile and global reach, popularized the
phrase Islamic Terrorism. The phrase was
picked up by the media all over the world and
later became a part of the social common-
sense. This is a major abuse of media power for
political goals by the imperialist powers. One
can understand this demonization of Islam as a
part of US policy, a cover to hide its agenda to
control the oil in the Middle East. To understand
it in the way Noam Chomsky coined the phrase
Manufacturing Consent, the coining of the
word Islamic terrorism is part of the US mech-
anism of manufacturing consent of the world to
give assent to the US attacks on Afghanistan
and Iraq.
This US policy has given rise to twin
processes. On the one hand, the phenomenon
like a Florida Pastor Terry Jones burning Quran
or a Danish cartoonist drawing Prophet
Muhammad as a terrorist or the present film
has been the outcome of the intense propagan-
da unleashed against Islam.
This US propaganda has been backed up
by the US-sponsored ideology of Clash of
Civilizations, according to which the current era
of World history is the era of the assault of the
beleaguered Islamic civilization against the
advanced Western civilization. This distorted
perception, this ideology, was used as a cover
for the US agenda in West Asia.
The other process which got unleashed was
that the psyche of global Muslim community
started being affected. A perception grew that
Muslims (Afghanistan and Iraq) are being
attacked, they are under threat. In India, the
added aspect was the rise of RSS-type politics,
bringing up Ram Temple issue and starting a
hate campaign against Muslims. A large section
of Muslims started feeling intimidated and
besieged. It became easy for mobilizing them
around identity issues. Any community, which
feels besieged, becomes vulnerable to easy
provocation and identity-based mobilization.
It is a vicious circle: Islamophobia on one
side and besieged community on the other. In
this scenario Muslim clerics who are appealing
for peace are the beacon lights of hope for the
community. Muslims who are distributing books
on the life of the Prophet need to be compli-
mented. This is what the sane response from
the community has to be.
What about US, imperialist designs and its
mighty propaganda machinery doing all the mis-
chief in the world? Can there be a process of
controlling it? Under Kofi Annan, when he was
Secretary General of United Nations, a high
level committee produced a report, Alliance of
Civilizations. This report got lost under the bar-
rage of Islamphobia. It is time the world as such
takes note of the deeper humane values which
have developed by humanity over centuries, the
values which have led to the reports of type of
Alliance of civilizations, the UN conventions
which have conceptualized human rights for all.
The trigger which has incited the demo-
nization process of religion and films like this
one are provoking reactions from a section of
Muslims. Can United Nations be revived as a
global platform for monitoring the behaviour of
Nations, media and other aspects of our global
life in order to ensure that democratization and
human dignity are promoted. Can the World
come forward to check the aggressions of the
Super Power? Thats when such films will cease
to be made to incite people and such crude
attempts at insulting others religions will come
down. May be with such norms and restraints
on US policies we can hope that such incidents
will come down. Even if there are elements
making some films like this there will be others
making a film giving their own versions of
Prophets mission of peace in the World.
And, finally, we need to preserve the con-
cept of freedom of expression within limits.
We also need to cultivate methods of protest
where hysterical emotions are kept at bay
and rational approach is brought to the fore.
(Issues in Secular Politics)
Vicious Cycle of Islamophobia
It is a vicious circle: Islamophobia on one side and besieged
community on the other. In this scenario Muslim clerics who are
appealing for peace are the beacon lights of hope for the commu-
nity. Muslims who are distributing books on the life of the Prophet
need to be complimented. This is what the sane response from
the community has to be.
At a time when the national average for primary school enrol-
ments is either stagnating or declining across states, there is an
all-time rise in Muslim enrolments, especially of Muslim girls.
According to the National University of Education Planning and
Administration estimates, 33% of the enrolment in classes I to VII
is Muslim girls and there has been an over-all increase of 31%
from the previous academic session.
919 Pak Hindus in Rajasthan eligible for citizenship
Pakistani Hindus, who came to India in 2004, are eligible to apply
for Indian citizenship as they had over-stayed after the expiry of
their visas and have been found fit to apply for Indian citizenship
after having stayed in India for seven years. Additional magistrate
(city) of Jodhpur Rajendra Rathore said, We have asked them to
follow the procedure and if they fulfil the conditions, including
fees, they will be given citizenship. But a major cause for con-
cern of Seemant Lok Sangathan, which champions the cause of
these migrants, is that the application fee has been raised from
Rs. 100-2,200 to Rs. 3,000-20,00. Calling them an exploited
minority, the SLS president said it was difficult for them to man-
age the sum. He added that its wrong to exclude some people on
account of their poverty. Government statements say 764
Pakistani nationals have been granted citizenship during three
(2009-12) years. The government said they process the applica-
tions as expeditiously as possible.
On the other hand, following reports in Indian media of Hindu
pilgrims not returning to Pakistan, the National Assembly of
Pakistan said in a statement that 200 Hindu families have already
returned and that the Pakistan government considers the Indian
media reports a part of a conspiracy. With three million Hindus in
Pakistan and the Pakistan Hindu Council pegging the number at
seven million, they are the biggest minority in Pakistan.
MHA inquires into Asthanas book
Former chief of CRPF in the Valley of Kashmir, NC Asthana,
whose personal opinions on the condition in Kashmir were wel-
comed by Hurriyat, said the Kashmiris had a strong anti-India
sentiment and did not trust the Indian administration. He said this
in an interview to the weekly Tehelka. In the interview about his
book, Indias Internal Security: The Actual Concerns, Asthana
said that voter turnouts and prospering tourism in Kashmir should
not be interpreted as reposition of the peoples trust in India and
a sign of normalcy. Asthana is currently the IG of the anti-Naxal
unit CoBRA. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs is inquiring into
the matter and will take action against him if required. Asthana
said, According to the All India Services Rule number 6, no per-
mission is required and we have to only give a declaration in the
book that the views expressed are our own.
Jamiat Ulema-e Hind takes IB to court
The Jamiat-i-Ulema Hind Maharashtra (Arshad faction) has filed
a writ petition in the Supreme Court against the Intelligence
Bureau for allegedly framing Muslim youth in terror cases. The
organisation, which has been providing legal aid to young men
accused of terror acts in the country, mostly from the Muslim com-
munity, wants all terror cases since 2002 to be investigated inde-
pendently by a Supreme Court retired judge. The charges against
the IB include misguiding other investigating agencies by giving
wrong inputs. According to the writ petition, IB allegedly falsely
framed Muslims during the investigation into the 2006 Mumbai
train blast, 2007 UP courts serial blasts, 2008 Ahmedabad and
Surat blasts, 2008 Delhi blast and the Jaipur blasts in 2008. The
petition states that the IB has followed a set pattern. This includes
framing of Muslims as terror suspects and fabricating and manip-
ulating evidence. The IB has been alleged by JUH to have alle-
giance to the right-wing forces in the country. IB par RSS ke
logon ka kabza hai, claimed Gulzar Azmi from the JUH. The JUH
has till now provided legal aid to 239 terror accused. In every sin-
gle case in which a judgment has been passed, those we have
defended have been acquitted, said Azmi. The organisation
wants compensation for all those who have been acquitted in ter-
ror cases since 2002. We fought Fahim Ansaris case. He has
been acquitted. But his house has been sold, said he.
6,800 Bangla migrants apprehended
While on a decrease since 2008, a total of 6,800 Bangladeshi
migrants have been caught crossing the border since 2008 till
July 2012, according to Government estimates.Commander of
the BSF on the Indo-Bangla borders said that whole border has
been fenced with the exception of nine kms.
On PFI complaint, PCI issues notices to nine newspapers
New Delhi: The Press Council of India (PCI) issued show cause
notice to nine newspapers in response to complaints filed by
K.M. Shareef, General Secretary, Popular Front of India (PFI).
PFI approached the PCI last April against 11 newspapers and
two TV channels for publishing/telecasting defamatory news
against the organization, with malicious intention to lower and
damage its reputation. Earlier, legal notices were sent to these
periodicals and channels, but they failed to respond positively.
Out of 11 complaints against the newspapers, nine com-
plaints were taken on file and show cause notices were issued to
Dainik Jagran Hindi Daily (Meerut), Dainik Jagran Hindi Daily
(Delhi), Hindustan Times English Daily (Lucknow), The Asian Age
English Daily (Delhi), Deccan Chronicle English Daily
(Ernakulam), Nav Bharat Times Hindi Daily (Delhi), The Inquilab
Urdu Daily (Delhi), The New Indian Express English Daily
(Calicut) and The Sunday Guardian English Weekly (Delhi). The
Press Council is waiting for the replies from the respondents for
further proceedings.
The complaints against the Pioneer and the Sunday Pioneer
are pending before the Council for the issuance of show cause
notices. In the matter of the complaints against IBN 7 and Times
Now news channels, the PCI said that the electronic media
(news channels and websites) does not fall under the purview of
PCI. Now PFI will look into other legal options to proceed against
these two channels. The advocates Bahar U. Barqi, Maroof
Ahmed and A. Mohamed Yusuff represented PFI in the PCI.
Deadly Kerala Politics
The Kerala High Court dismissed the bail pleas of CPI(M) legis-
lator T. Rajesh and jailed Kannur powerful district party secretary
P. Jayarajan, suspected in the murder of Indian Union Muslim
League worker Abdul Shukoor in February by Democratic Youth
Federation of India (DYFI) leader Ganesh and a group of killers.
When a group of IUML workers targetted a vehicle with CPI(M)
members in it in Ariyil in Kannur, Jayarajan and Rajesh got hurt.
CPI(M) workers circulated pictures of IUML party workers among
themselves to identify the culprits. The hunt led to zeroing in on
two workers, Shukoor being one of them was tracked down and
hacked to death while his cousin escaped with deep injuries.
Jayarajan is the 38th CPI(M) accused the police has
arrested, while 27 leaders have been arrested since 20th
February when the incident first came to light. Following this
the CPI(M) called for a bandh across the state and normal life
came to a standstill as a DYFI worker died in Kasargode and
police stations and offices of various political parties were
attacked. The Home Minister, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan
confirmed that 200-odd incidents of violence were reported
state-wide.
Compiled by AALIYA KHAN
Muslim girls enrolment surges while average slumps
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 7
NATIONAL
ASHOK B SHARMA / ANDALIB AKHTER
New Delhi: In a bid to soothe the growing resentment in the coun-
try against close relationship with Israel, particularly among a
large section of the Muslim population, India has chosen to give
an equal attention to the Palestinian State. India also wants to
demonstrate a balanced approach between the Arabs and the
Israelis.
India reminded the visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas that it had played an active role in supporting the efforts of
the State of Palestine to secure full membership at UNESCO.
India will continue to support Palestines bid for full and equal
membership of the United Nations, said Prime Minister, Dr
Manmohan Singh.
President Abbas inaugurated the new Palestinian Embassy
building, which has been built with Indian support, on 10
September. The building is a symbol of the enduring friendship
between our two countries and peoples, said Dr Singh.
India and Palestine signed three Memoranda of
Understanding on setting up Centre of Excellence in ICT in
Palestine, for providing technical and vocational education train-
ing equipment and services for Vocational Training Centres in
Palestine and for construction and equipping of Jawaharlal Nehru
Secondary School for Girls in Asera Al Shamalyeh and
Jawaharlal Nehru Secondary School for Boys in Abu Dees.
Under the scheme for setting up of Centres of Excellence in
IT, professionals from Palestine will also be given a higher-level
training in India in the field of ICT who will then impart training to
Palestinians making the ICT centre self reliant.
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) of
the Department of Electronics and Information Technology
(DeitY) will be the implementing agency for this project.
Under the scheme for technical and vocational education
training, India will provide equipment for VTCs in the existing
Palestinian infrastructure. This proposal has been considered for
capacity building of youth and women of Palestine by providing
machinery and technical expertise for vocational training centres
in Palestine.
Identified trainers from Palestine will be given necessary
training in India so that they are able to train the local youth and
women in Palestine.
This Project will be implemented by HMT International Ltd.,
an Indian public sector company under the Ministry of Heavy
Industries & Public Enterprises.
As for the construction and Equipping of Jawaharlal Nehru
Secondary School for Girls in Asera Al Shamalyeh and
Jawaharlal Nehru Secondary School for Boys in Abu Dees, the
estimated cost of the project for two schools is $ 1.8 million.
These two schools will cater to educational needs of about
800 students in the Palestinian districts of Asera Al Shamalyeh,
Abu Dees and neighbouring villages.
The school in Asera Al Shamalyeh will have a constructed
area of 1900 sq. m. with 12 class rooms and other facilities; Abu
Dees School will be constructed in an area of 1700 sq. m. with 10
classrooms and other facilities.
Briefing mediapersons after delegation level talks with the
Palestinian President, the Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan
Singh said: Support for the Palestinian cause has been a corner-
stone of Indias foreign policy. During our meeting, I reiterated
Indias firm support for the struggle of the Palestinian people to
achieve a sovereign, independent, viable and united state of
Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, living within secure
and recognized borders, side by side and at peace with Israel.
Dr Singh also said that India had played an active role in sup-
porting the efforts of the State of Palestine to secure full member-
ship status at UNESCO. We will continue to support Palestines
bid for full and equal membership of the United Nations, he said.
The Indian Prime Minister also said, We also look forward to
early resumption of peace talks between the Palestinians and
Israelis leading to a comprehensive resolution between the two
sides.
The Palestinian President expressed concern over Israels
aggressive approach in settlement of Jewish population on
Palestinian land, violence and killing of civilian population. More
than 5,000 Palestinians were languishing in prisons since 1995.
(theindianawaaz.com)
UPA plays Palestine card
Candle March for Batla House
Lucknow: A candlelight march was attended by hundreds of intel-
lectuals condemning the continued arrests of innocent boys in the
name of terrorism. They demanded the Batla House encounter be
investigated. They held Samajwadi Party government in Uttar
Pradesh accountable for the delay and for not raising the issue in
Parliament. They said the Congress was sleeping over the issue.
They raised slogans to the effect that Batla House fake encounter
case should be judicially inquired as the killings had a political
motive and the illegally arrested youth should be released. The
demonstraters marched from the GPO, Hazratganj, to Gandhi
Statue here.
The protesters included Prof. Ramesh Dikshit, Advocate
Muhammad Shuaib, Siddharth Kalhans, Tahira Hasan, Ajay Singh,
Rajesh Kumar, Advocate Randhir Singh Suman, Rakesh, KK Vats,
Mahendra Singh, Renu Mishra, Kiran Singh, Hamida, Dr Surwat
Gupta, Sudha, Seema Rizvi, Apoorva, Ghazala, Tariq Shafiq,
Meena, Hina Kausar, Dr Neeraj, Anjani Gopal, Dr Rastogi,
Azharuddin Ansari, Ghufran Siddiqi, Bhante Krunashil, Sheila,
Laxman Prasad, Shahnawaz Alam, Avinash Chanchal, Rajeev
Yadav and Sandeep Pandey among others.
Goas Malbhat Masjid committee elected peacefully
Margao: Sunni Jammat Musalmeen (SJM) Masjid at Malbhat here
created history by electing its mosque committee peacefully
instead of selecting as is usually done. The voting was held with
ballot papers. Margao police said that the process to elect 11 man-
aging committee members of the masjid was carried out on 23
September and voting went off peacefully. After the rift between the
two factions of the committee members of the masjid, one faction
had filed a petition under Section 9 of the Arbitration and
Conciliation Act along with an application for temporary injunction.
UPA to impose Suraya Namaskar in schools
New Delhi: The UPA government, which accuses opposition BJP of
playing communal politics, is getting involved in the same practice.
The UPA is now all set to impose communal agenda in the name of
the health of the children of the country. If a programme for children
health prepared by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports is imple-
mented, every school-going child across the country, will have to
bow before Sun God.
According to Exposure Draft of National Physical Fitness pre-
pared by Ministry Youth Affairs & Sports for the school children, the
controversial Surya Namaskara (Salutation to Sun) would be com-
pulsory in all school all over the country. The draft which was
unveiled by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Youth
Affairs & Sports Ajay Maken on 31 August clearly defines the gene-
sis of the Hindu ritual saying its origins lie in a worship of Surya, the
Hindu solar deity. Surya Namaskara is good for health. We will
implement it, Makan asserted. The chapter on Surya Namaskara in
the exposure draft is defined along with illustrations. Surya
Namaskara also known in English as Sun Salutation is a common
sequence of Hatha yoga asanas. Its origins lie in the worship of
Surya, the Hindu solar deity. This sequence of movements and
asanas can be practised on varying levels of awareness, ranging
from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete sad-
hana which incorporates asana, pranayama, mantra and chakra
meditation, noted the draft.
Interestingly, at the same time the minister said that it would
entail the formulation of a scientific programme and criteria to first
motivate and encourage school-going children of both sexes to be
physically fit and concurrently evaluate their fitness. The programme
aims at ensuring Physical Fitness amongst all school children by put-
ting into place a system that would assess and ascertain a childs
physical fitness from class V onwards. It may be recalled that last
year when Madhya Pradesh government had imposed the Surya
Namskara at schools, beside minorities, Congress party too came
forward to criticize the BJP government decision.
(theindianawaaz.com)
N
ew Delhi: Muhammad Aamir Khan, the terror-accused
innocent released after 14 yrs of detention in 17 fake
terror-related cases, was honoured here on 20
September by Association for Protection of Civil Rights
(APCR). During the function a cheque for Rs 5,00,000 (five lakh)
was presented to him to help his rehabilitation. The function was
chaired by the President of Jamaate Islami Hind Syed Jalaluddin
Umari.
Muhammad Aamir, son of late Muhammad Hashim is a res-
ident of Azad Market in Delhis Kishanganj area. He was arrest-
ed, rather kidnapped, by Delhi Police on 20 Feb 1998 from Azad
Market and implicated in 17 cases of bomb blasts in Delhi, U.P.
and Haryana. After 14 years of terrible deten-
tion, he was finally released on 9 January, 2012,
as innocent. During this long period of struggle
to prove his innocence from one case to anoth-
er, he lost his father while his mother was struck
by paralysis. After his release, he is trying to
restart his life with a new enthusiasm.
With 2000 volunteers in ten states, APCR is
trying to strengthen civil and human rights by
creating a strong network of para-legal workers
and holding awareness campaigns, protests,
symposiums, seminars, fact-finding missions,
legal and financial aid, legal help and guidance,
filing public interest litigations etc throughout the
country since its formation in 2006, said Akhlaq
Ahmad, Coordinator of APCR. After its initial
meeting with Muhammad Aamir, APCR had
offered him some small financial help but it felt that he needed
more help, hence this initiative, Akhlaq Ahmad said.
Advocate N.D. Pancholi, counsel for Muhammad Amir, said,
There are a large number of poor families whose bread-winners
are in jail facing fabricated cases since a long time but nobody is
supporting their families. It is need of the hour to support these
families at all levels.
Advocate Firoz Khan Ghazi narrated the whole story of
the fight for justice to Muhammad Aamir through courts.
Addressing the gathering, Muhammad Aamir thanked
APCR and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind for supporting him. He
hoped that the community will help all those who are suffering
with similar situations.
Muhammad Aamir honoured by APCR
India has pledged $10 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority and its support for full
Palestinian membership to the United Nations.
Mahmoud Abbas in Delhi
(Left to right): Adv. ND Pancholi, JIH secretary Muhammad Ahmed, JIH chief
Syed Jalaluddin Umri, Mohd. Amir, APCRs Akhlaque Ahmed
NATIONAL
8 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012
SAQUIB AHMED, ADV
With the recent arrest of 18-odd youth in the so-called cases of
conspiracy to kill prominent BJP leaders and attack buildings of
importance, the Karnataka Police has imitated the method and
style used by the Gujarat police since the Gujarat riots. It seems
that to appease their political masters and to further their own
careers, Karnataka police is now copying their counterparts in
Gujarat and are indiscriminately arresting Muslim youths.
After the Gujarat riots, to further rub salt into the injuries of
the Muslim community and to harass them and to encumber
them in their fight for justice against the perpetrators of riots, the
Gujarat Police started arresting Muslim youth on various flimsy
and fabricated grounds so as to put the whole community on the
defensive and in self-apathy and to deter them from seeking jus-
tice in the riot-related cases.
The Gujarat police and especially the ATS rounded up sev-
eral youths and framed numerous cases against them under var-
ious sections of POTA and IPC (Indian Penal Code) for hatching
conspiracy. In almost all the cases, the police came up with an
identical list of political persons who were supposed to be target-
ed by these so-called terrorists. The list would include the
name of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, BJP MLA
Mayaben Kodnani, Bajrangdal leader Babu Bajrangi, VHP lead-
ers Jaydeep Patel and Pravin Togadia etcetera. The revenge
theory was used to the hilt as all these political persons alleged-
ly played a major role in the Gujarat riots. Further accusations
were made against these arrested persons that they received
training in Pakistan, that they went there through various cir-
cuitous routes and that they are members of terrorist organiza-
tions like SIMI, HuJI, LeT, ISI, etcetera. It is pertinent to note that
in most of these cases no evidence is provided even to base
these allegations.
The Gujarat ATS went one step ahead in fabricating cases
and used fake encounters as a means to give credence to these
cooked up conspiracies. After the encounters, the Police would
report fabulous stories to the media that the accused were on a
mission to kill Modi. This exemplified the deceased as a monster
and vitiated the communal atmosphere to such an extent that
even questioning the encounter was considered a crime. The
Gujarat government later accepted in court that the encounter of
Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife Kauserbi and friend Tulsi
Prajapati, and of Ishrat Jahan and three others were not encoun-
ters but they were murdered in cold blood by the police. After the
recent Supreme Court judgment, all the encounters since 2002
are under investigation.
Now let us look into cases where accusations have been
made against Muslim youth for conspiracy, getting arms training
in Pakistan, being members of banned terrorist associations as
offences against them were registered under various sections of
POTA, UAPA, Arms Act and sections of IPC and how all these
conspiracies share identical themes and how they received iden-
tical judgments from courts of law.
Sameer Khan Pathan: As per the F.I.R. registered on
September 30, 2002, the then police chief K R Kaushik claimed
to have received intelligence information that a JeM terrorist, who
was an accused in the killing of a constable, was coming from
Mumbai to Gujarat, and that he had received terrorist training
with the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pakistan and was out to kill
Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and other BJP and VHP leaders
like LK Advani and Pravin Togadia.. He then passed the informa-
tion to the then JCP P P Pandey who directed Vanzara to probe
whether Sameer Khan was part of the Akshardham terror attack.
Khan was said to be arrested in the afternoon of September
27, 2002. The police were granted a 14-day remand, thereafter
he was transferred to judicial custody. He was again arrested on
a transfer warrant in the Constable Vishnu murder case. In the
night of October 21, 2002, at 1 am, Sameer Khan was taken to
the spot where Vishnu was killed. As per the police claim,
Sameer Khan snatched PSI K M Vaghelas revolver and tried to
run away, but was shot dead by the police.
In the court, the police presented 12 co-accused in the case
alleging that they had helped him procure fake documents,
including a passport and driving licence under the false name of
Nawab Khan. According to the police, Sameer had gone to
Pakistan on January 13, 1998. However, the passport officer tes-
tified in the lower court that a passport under the name of Nawab
Khan was delivered only on March 27, 1998. The lower court
refused to frame charges and dismissed it.
The state government then filed an appeal in Gujarat High
Court, which too observed that there was no evidence to prove
that Sameer Khan went to Pakistan on the date mentioned by the
police and so an adverse inference is required to be drawn
against the investigating agency. The court also held that no
weapons were recovered from Sameer.
Conspiracy for Planting of bombs in six buildings at
Ahmedabad after Godhara Carnage (FIR No. I-CR No. 01/2006
ATS Police Station, Sessions Case No. 71/2006).
In this case, the police had arrested six persons, again, on
the charges of conspiracy. As per the FIR., in 2002, after Godhra
train incident, communal riots had flared up in Gujarat in which
Muslims incurred loss of life and property, and to avenge that,
Islamic terrorist organizations from Pakistan like Jaishe
Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Toiba etc. started instigating Muslim
youth to join and accomplish the malicious intentions of targeting
top leaders of VHP and BJP and to destroy places of economic
interest in Gujarat and to cause bomb blasts at religious places.
As a part of such Jehadi terrorist activities, Akshardham was
attacked and former home minister Haren Pandya was killed.
The FIR further mentions that these persons as part of conspira-
cy to take revenge of the 2002 riots against Muslims had planned
to plant bombs and blow up several buildings. Ironically, this
complaint also starts from 2002 and it has been stated that one
of the accused went to a mosque on 27 May 2002 on his birth-
day and in the mosque he was crying thinking about all the
deaths and destruction that the Muslims suffered during 2002
riots. It is further alleged in the complaint that the accused met
there with a person named Zahid alias Abu Talha from Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia, who instigated him to take revenge and for that he
would supply money and weapons. The complaint also alleges
that this Zahid alias Abu Talha was a member of Jaish-e
Muhammad and I.S.I. of Pakistan.
Offences were registered u/s 120B, 121, 121A, 122, 123 of
IPC and Sec. 25(1)A, 27, 29 of Arms Act and Sec. 4 of Explosive
Substance Act and 17, 18, 19, 20. 23(1), 38, 39 and 40 of the
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2004.
In the judgment, the Honble Judge observed that the inves-
tigating officer accepted that he had made no inquiries about that
person Zahid alias Abu Talha and also made no efforts to search
him. The Honble Judge further observed that there is no recov-
ery from these persons and that all the facts of the complaint
about conspiracy are nothing but hearsay. The Sessions Court
acquitted all the accused persons..
Here, I want to point out that this Zahid alias Abu Talha is just
a fictitious character who is said to be based in Saudi Arabia and
his name is reported in a few other cases also but in all the
cases, no direct or indirect inquiry is made against him as is evi-
dent from the excerpt of the judgment above.
Blast at Nehru Nagar Cross Road Tea Stall (FIR No. I-CR No.
894/2003 Satelite Police Station Sessions Case No. 279/2006):
In this case, the police had arrested four persons, again on the
charges of conspiracy and carrying out a bomb blast. The
accused are same as in the previous case except for two per-
sons who were accused in that case but are not accused in this
case. Like the previous case, here also the ATS alleged that
these persons are part of a conspiracy to avenge for the 2002
riots against Muslims and as part of their plan to plant bombs and
blow up several buildings, they carried out s blast at Nehru Nagar
Cross Road. Offences were registered u/s 120B, 307, 121, 122,
123 of IPC and Sec. 3 & 4 of The Explosive Substance Act and
17, 18, 19, 20. 23(1), 38 and 39 of The UAPA,.
The Sessions Court observed in its judgment that there are
no recoveries from these persons and that the important witness-
es in the case, that is, the investigating officers, who were serv-
ing as P.I. and Dy. S.P. of ATS, made contradictory statements
and made statements against what is on record and made false
statements about the proceedings they carried out in the investi-
gation. The Sessions Court acquitted all the accused persons in
the case.
Conspiracy to create terror in Gujarat by planting bomb at
various important places of Gujarat (FIR No. I - CR No. 02/2006
Registered with Anti Terrorist Squad Police Station Sessions
Case No. 96/2007)
In this case, six accused persons were arrested for conspir-
acy. It is alleged in the FIR that in the year 2002, the Muslim
community suffered death and destruction in Gujarat pogrom
and these persons came into contact with banned Islamic terror-
ist organisations like Lashkar-e Toiyba and Harkat-ul-Jehad
Islami (HuJI) and that they are working under the instructions of
ISI of Pakistan, and that they got the terrorist training through
Azam Chima alias Baba of Pakistan and got the weapons, explo-
sives and financial help of rupees one lakh through hawala, to
send some more Muslim youth from Gujarat to Pakistan for tak-
ing Jehadi training. They were sent to Tehran by flight to go to
Pakistan for training on 9 December 2005 by preparing their
visas and other documents. They had planned to target the
offices of the RSS and Bajrang Dal and planned the conspiracy
to blast Gujarat Kandla pipeline, Somnath Temple, Ahmedabad
Sabarmati Railway over-bridge by bomb blasts and to fulfill this
objective and to spread terrorism and anarchy, local Muslim
youths were instigated.
Offences were registered against the accused under sec-
tions 120B, 121, 121A, 122, 123 of IPC and Sec. 4 & 5 of
Explosive Substance Act and 17, 18, 19, 20. 23, 38, 39 and 40
of UAPA.
The Sessions court in ist order found that no evidence has
been proved to support the case that a conspiracy was hatched to
attack places like the offices of the RSS and Bajrang Dal and to
blast Gujarat Kandla pipeline, Somnath Temple in Gujarat as is stat-
ed in the complaint. The court observed that some of the accused
were already arrested in New Delhi and that a separate case in
New Delhi is going on against them. The Sessions court also said
in its judgment that the fact mentioned in the complaint that these
persons were thinking about taking vengeance of the 2002 riots are
totally based on fictitious and imaginatory ideas of the police. All
the persons who were arrested in the case were acquitted.
Haren Pandya Murder Case (FIR No. RC 2 (S) SIC/I New Delhi
2003 - POTA Case No. 10/03): Fifteen persons were arrested for
the murder of Mr Haren Pandya who was shot dead at
Ahmedabad in 2003. The Gujarat High Court in its order while
acquitting the accused of the offence and quashing the order of
the Sessions Court mentioned that the careful and meticulous
mentioning of only five gunshots throughout the relevant evi-
dence for the prosecution makes the whole prosecution case a
possibly well-orchestrated concoction of a story away from the
whole truth of the matter. The discussion of ocular, ballistic and
medical evidence and the ham-handed rejection of the experts
opinion, only strengthened the argument for the appellants that
the conclusions drawn by the trial Court were perverse and illog-
ical.
Also Malegaon in 2006 and 2008, the Samjhauta Express in
2007, Ajmer Sharif in 2007 and Mecca Masjid in 2007
In all the above cases, more than 30 Muslim youths were
arrested under various sections of MCOCA and UAPA for terror-
ist activities and for bomb blast. The police initially rounded up
300 Muslim youths for the blast in Mecca Masjid. The Sessions
court acquitted them all and the case is now filed against persons
belonging to a right-wing Hindu organization for these offences.
In the Mecca Masjid blast case, the court not only acquitted them
but the government went on to grant compensation ranging from
3 Lakhs to rupees 20,000 to more than 100 people for wrongful
arrest and detention.
CODA: In all the above cases, the very first reaction of the
media is that the police arrested youths who were on the verge
of doing catastrophic and dastardly activities against the nation.
The media leaves no stone unturned in projecting these persons
as savage beasts who can kill people even from their own com-
munity to create hatred for people of other communities as was
in the case of Mecca Masjid, Malegaon and Ajmer Sharif blasts
cases. The media stigmatized them and their families. They
laud police every time such so-called conspiracy is unravelled
by them or when any encounters of such conspirators are car-
ried out. The media seldom asks questions about the veracity
and antecedents of these facts and blatantly disseminates them
to the common people further creating a stereotype wherein peo-
ple of minority community are made to look like enemies of the
nation. They rarely give any other version than the one provided
to them by the police, let alone conducting their own independ-
ent inquiry about the accused persons. The families or the
lawyers of the accused are never given a chance to put across
their case before the people.
When the case falls flat in the court and this happens most
of the time, the defence generally taken by the Police is that they
had evidence against the alleged conspirators but they were not
substantial, while the fact is that a closer look at the remarks
made by the sessions court and the high courts busts this myth
created by the Police of their genuineness in arresting people. In
all of the above cases, it is specifically mentioned that the police
fabricated and concocted the alleged conspiracy. In most of the
cases, the accused were released not on the grounds of benefit
of doubt but due to sheer lack of evidence. In the Haren Pandya
case, the High Court observed that the case of the prosecution is
possibly a well-orchestrated concoction of a story away from the
whole truth of the matter and in another case, the sessions court
observed that the investigating officers of the case made contra-
dictory statements and made statements against what is on
record and made false statements about the proceedings they
carried out in the investigation and such kind of observations are
made throughout in the orders of the above-mentioned cases.
Pertinent to note here is that in Mecca Masjid blast case, out
of the 32 persons who were arrested, many were pursuing pro-
fessional courses like engineering and medicine. The mala fide
action of the police destroyed their careers and ruined their
hopes of leading a life of dignity in society. It is an irony that a
student who was in the final year of MBBS is given a rickshaw as
compensation for the time he spent in prison. Like Gujarat,
where the innocents were arrested and booked for conspiracy
and other offences by the police to serve their political masters,
it seems that the same game is now being played in Karnataka
with the arrest of 18-odd youth on vague charges.
Karnataka Police imitating Gujarat
[Conspiracy to create terror in Gujarat by planting bomb at various important places of Gujarat, 2006]
The Sessions court in its order found that no evidence has been proved to support the case that a conspiracy
was hatched to attack places like the offices of the RSS and Bajrang Dal and to blast Gujarat Kandla pipeline,
Somnath Temple in Gujarat as is stated in the complaint. The court observed that some of the accused were
already arrested in New Delhi and that a separate case in New Delhi is going on against them. The Sessions
court also said in its judgment that the fact mentioned in the complaint that these persons were thinking about
taking vengeance of the 2002 riots are totally based on fictitious and imaginatory ideas of the police. All the
persons who were arrested in the case were acquitted.
Kandhamal Communal
Violence: Four Years Later
Following is a synopsis of the fact-finding report on the situation of
violence-affected people in Kandhamal after four years:
One of the most severe communal violence incidents took place in
Kandhamal in 2008 following the murder of Swami Laxamananda
Saraswati, a front-line leader of Sangh Parivar allegedly by the
Communist Party of India (Maoists).
The violence forced 55000 Christians to displace, 5600 homes in
415 villages were looted and burnt down, 38 persons were killed, two
women were gangraped, several people were tortured and disabled.
A Fact Finding Team visited 16 villages during 10-14 August,
2012, interviewed about 50 persons including victims, witnesses,
leaders of different political and social organisations, District
Collector and Superintendent of Police and reviewed various docu-
ments and records.
Highlights of the teams observations:
Status of the Livelihood (income source) of Victims and Access to
MGNREGS: Almost all the victims belong to families below poverty
line, mostly dependent on daily-wage labour, cultivation and small
vending work. After the violence they had to run here and there for
their life without any means for livelihood. After coming back, they
found it very difficult to resume their previous livelihood practices.
They are not getting labour work in the fields/houses of people from
other communities either because of a feeling of insecurity or are
being not allowed. People are not able to access MNREGS work reg-
ularly for alien treatment by Gram Sathi and PRI leaders. People
depending on forest product are barred by other community people
to collect these items.
Migration: Among those survivors who left Kandhamal during vio-
lence to other places, at least 10,000 people are yet to return to their
respective places. In Bhubaneswar alone, more than five thousand
people are struggling to live somehow. Many of those who returned
began to migrate again, as it became quite hard to find viable liveli-
hood options at their locality. Out of fear, the minorities of
Mlahupanga, Dadingia, Beticola villages who were compelled to shift
to other places like Nandagiri of Kandhamal, do not have any
dependable sources of income and are planning to migrate outside.
Childrens Education: Many Christian students had to drop their
study. Some parents informed that they have sent their kids to out-
side Kandhamal for study as they feel their children, who have
already undergone traumatic conditions, are not safe inside
Kandhamal. The eight years old son of widowed Ludhia Digal is stay-
ing at Punjab. However, the team noticed some of violence-affected
children cleaning the table, washing the plates and serving water in
some restaurants run by higher caste people in Baliguda, G. Udaigiri
and Phulbani.
Caste Certificate: Both adivasis and dalits are facing difficulties in
obtaining caste certificates. Tahasil officials are issuing certificates to
only those who have recommendations from Vishwa Hindu Parisad
and Kui Samaj Samanmaya Samiti and other Hindutva groups. In
Bagadi, Kandha people failed to get the certificates. In Bhaliapada of
Gumamaha Gram Panchyat, many victims complained that Pano
(dalit) children are deprived of getting admission in the govt. run
Ashram schools or getting stipends due to inability to get a certificate
from Tehsil offices. Even if the DM clarifies that there are other ways
of assessing caste identity and issuing certificates, the dominance of
Sangh Parivar (VHP/KSSS) continues in decisions of Tehsil officials.
Compensation - Housing and Properties About 5600 people lost their
houses during the violence. Odisha government provided Rs. 50000
for fully-damaged houses and Rs. 20000 for partially damaged hous-
es. As of now, 5% families are yet to get any compensation. Many
families, even if they had to replace their house walls and roofs fully
have been enlisted in the partially damaged houses. Compared to
other states, the compensation for house damage in Orissa is much
low. Most of the survivor families could get some additional support
from non-official sources.
The government did not enumerate loss of properties (other than
housing), such as household articles, agricultural and forest product,
domestic animals, vital documents (like educational certificates, land
records), agricultural implements, utensils, clothes, loss of livelihood
etc. Average cost of damage of such properties per family came
about Rs. 200000. Many people lamented: itll take another genera-
tion to make up their losses. The DM said the government does not
have a policy to enumerate or compensate such losses.
130 shop-keepers, whose shops were destroyed, have received
a meagre compensation in comparison to their loss, which is far
below the requirement to revive their business.
Almost no compensation (in a few cases very small compensa-
tion) has been paid against the damage of institutions such as hos-
pitals, schools, NGOs properties and church buildings.
Condition of Government-established colonies (ghettos) for victims:
When the government failed to arrange the return of the displaced
people to their respective villages as it failed to provide security
there, they put the people in new villages: Nandagiri, Ashirbada
colony and Ambedkar colony. Although more than 150 families were
made to stay in these colonies, there are no opportunities for their
livelihoods and no adequate facilities for water and sanitation. As a
result, sizable section of the victims have migrated to other states.
Christian families in Beticola village were threatened not to
return to their village unless they convert to Hinduism. Ajay Mallick,
Trashant Malick and Gochhi Nayak (63) and others had to leave
behind their moveable and immovable properties and livelihood and
come to Nandagiri.
Justice Delivery: Against a total of 3232 criminal complaints lodged
by the victims, while the district police acknowledged
1541 cases, only 828 were finally registered as FIR (First Information
Reports) by the Police. Out of 245 cases disposed by the Fast Track
Court, convictions have been made in 73 cases while in 172 cases
no convictions have been made. As of now 267 cases are pending
for trial. Total persons acquitted as of now are 2433 and only 452 per-
sons have been convicted.
Out of a total 30 murder cases heard till now at the Fast Track
Court, only in two cases (six persons) have been sentenced to life-
imprisonment and in five other cases lesser punishments have been
given. But, in the rest 22 cases, almost everybody has been acquit-
ted.
The witnesses are being motivated by some influential persons
like Manoj Pradhan (accused in 11 murder cases), MLA of G.
Udayagiri constituency.
The court premises are dominated by the supporters of funda-
mentalist forces while hearings are made in the presence of influen-
tial political persons who bring along hooligans with them. In many
places, the accused have not been arrested and they are roaming
around freely repeatedly threatening victims and witnesses to with-
draw the cases against them.
Security and Peace: The survivors are living under stress and strain.
Threats and hate campaigns are regularly used to demonize the
minorities. In Bodimunda, the minorities are being treated as 2nd
class citizens and suppressed by Sangh Parivar people. The minori-
ties are not allowed to raise their voice in a meeting and while collect-
ing water from tubewell they have to wait till all Hindus fetch water.
They are not allowed to rebuild their houses. The district admin-
istration claims that normalcy has returned after four years of vio-
lence but undeclared social boycott is marked in at least 2-3 villages
out of 17 the team visited. In some villages, conditions are imposed
on minorities if they are allowed to stay in the village like they have
to withdraw the cases, convert to Hinduism and stop taking beef etc.
Fake Arrestees: Innocent peoples are arrested suspecting them to be
killers of Laxamanananda and connecting them with Maoists and this
is a way to harasses victims and their families. Seven persons
accused of being Maoists and murdering Swami Laxamanananda,
namely Sanatana Badamajhi, Duryadhana Sunamajhi, Garnath
Challanseth, Budhadev Nayak, Bijay Sanseth, Munda Badmajhi and
Bhaskar Sunamajhi from Madaguda Gram Panchayat, are languish-
ing in jail for the last four years. They belong to adivasi and dalit com-
munities. In the meantime, 40 out of 42 witnesses have submitted
their statements before the Court that the accused persons are inno-
cent and not involved in the murder. Polygraph tests conducted on
them thrice have proved nothing against them. The conditions of their
family members are miserable. The police are deliberately prolong-
ing their case claiming that all the witnesses had been motivated and,
hence, arguing for re-deposition by the witnesses before the Court.
Instead of searching for the real culprits, the complacent officers are
putting their entire weight on wrong targets.
(The Fact finding Team members comprised of Mahendra Parida,
Cell: 9437106174, Surya Mishra, Manoj Nayak, Sanjay Das, Manas
Sahoo. Date of Visit: 10 -14 August, 2012)
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 9
NATIONAL
How the police made
SIMI president
sing their tune
MUSTAFA KHAN
Malegaon: When Sadhvi Pragyasingh Thakur revealed her and
Abhinav Bharats involvement in the terrorist attack in Malegaon
on September 29, 2008. her accomplice, the serving Lt Col of the
Indian army Prasad Shrikant Purohit told Major (retd) Ramesh
Upadhya that she had started singing. The ATS also can make
others sing different tunes as they desire.
Munawar Ahmad Muhammad Amin was the president of
Students Islamic Movement of India of the Malegaon unit. The
way Anti Terrorism Squad made him sing their tune is worth his-
toric record. He headed SIMI from 1998 to 2003. Before him,
Khalid was in charge of the organization in the town. Khalid is the
cousin of Noorul Hoda, an accused in 2006 blasts and other
cases. The secretary of his unit was another accused called
Muhammad Zahid Abdul Majid.
Munawar states that he has been accused of inciting people
and has been booked in eight cases at three police stations of the
town, Killa and Ayesha Nagar. He has been given bail and has
been reporting at these stations whenever the police demands.
Since he became president, he has known Shabbir Masihullah
who had a shop of imitation jewelry and gift items at Anjuman
Chowk, situated at a stones throw from the SIMI office in Bhiku
Chowk. He met Shabbir occasionally in the vicinity of the office
and would tell him about the work of the organization. In the after-
math of the ban on SIMI, he was rendered jobless. It was then
that Shabbir asked him to join him in a partnership business and
start Gazal Dresses just above his Gazal gift and jewelry shop.
Earlier, he had sold bone powder as fertilizer. Both of his busi-
ness ventures ended in loss.
During the period in office and after the ban, the SIMI head of
Kurla, Mumbai branch, Muhammad Ali aka Aziz, would visit
Munawar. Munawar introduced Shabbir to him.
Muhammad Ali told them that Riyaz Bhatkal was sending
some youth to Pakistan for training in arms. In June 2003,
Shabbir travelled to Dubai to buy imitation jewelry for his shop.
On his way back, he was searched at Katmandu and his jewelry
was confiscated. (That he visited Pakistan for training is a canard
spread by the police, he told this writer on September 12, 2012.)
Then in September-October 2003, a youth called Nafees
Ahmed came to stay with Shabbir for a month and a half. Prantu
sadar kalavdheet shabbier ani Nafees hey lapoon chapeen rahat
ast. Mahnoon mi Shabbir kade barkaieeney chokshi keyli
tehooan to aani Nafees dogey hi Muhammad Ali che sangneya
Pakistan jaoon dahshatwad chey training aleyache tyane mala
sangeet ley hotey (But during this period Shabbir and Nafees
were hiding and concealing themselves. Therefore, I closely
inquired Shabbir about it and then he revealed that he and
Nafees had gone to Pakistan and were trained in terrorist activi-
ty) claims the ATS. Many youths would visit Shabbir and stay
with him for a couple of days and then go away.
Is this what Munawar says or the ATS? The attitude of
Munawar in this confession strangely shows disapproval of the
youths, particularly Nafees. And of all the things this Dubai
dukaracha maal aandneyasathi janayaas kahi harkat nahi paran-
tu Pakistanat training la jaoo nako (There is no problem in going
to Dubai to purchase items for ones shop but it is objectionable
that he should go to Pakistan for training).
If SIMI is a terrorist organization according to India, how
could a president of the organization say this to a potential recruit.
Why would he reprimand him?
It shows the naked truth that the confession of Munawar is
fake. There is more than one reason to believe this. The most
important is that Munawar was also arrested by the police and
was in jail along with the other nine accused. The other nine have
wondered why he was let out of the prison. That he spent time
with the nine is a well known fact to the nine accused and many
others outside the jail, particularly for people in Malegaon. One of
them is the former corporator of Jaffernager called Muhammad
Ismail Mulla. He even submitted an affidavit that he had seen
Munawar in the police van when the police was pretending that
they were on the lookout for him.
SIMI was banned on September 19, 2001 as a fall out of al
Qaeda attack in New York and Washington on September 11,
2001. The Indian government at Centre was headed by the
Hindutva party BJP leaders AB Vajpayee as Prime Minister and
LK Advani as the Deputy PM and Home Minister.
The anti-Muslim weltanschauung created in the aftermath of
the 9/11 came in as an opportunity for the Hindutva government
to begin its own hidden agenda of framing Muslims and repress-
ing them, or else what it was that they did? No Indian Muslim was
involved even remotely in the 9/11 which even President George
Bush asserted. Despite this, the Indian government banned the
organization. Its massive police force and intelligence agencies
had arms full of assignment to go after the members of the
banned outfit.
They have the statement of Munawar and he was with them
and was in the jail and yet today the police, the CBI and the NIA,
claim he is an absconder while he was very much in the police
custody, in their own van and later in the prison. Who let him go
and why?
The lesson this bogus case teaches us is the failure of school
education. Had the administrators, police and investigators been
taught critical thinking, they would not have made themselves fools
for the world to laugh at them and the country to decry. There is no
proof of Shabbir visiting Kurla. The additional chief secretary
(Home) and secretary in charge of Home Department of
Government of Maharashtra AP Sinha, who signed the order of
arresting and prosecuting Shabbir, Nafis, Riyaz Ismail Bhatkal (r/o
Qadar building, 1st floor, room no 17, Kurla Pipe road, Kurla West,
Mumbai), Tarique Ismail Abdul Sattar, Muhammadd Ali Alam Shaikh
aka Aziz should not have simply put his signature on the dotted line
on behalf of the governor. He should have critically looked into the
facts and discussed, howsoever briefly, to know that it was not fake
or else it would bounce back on the forwarding authorities.
Since then Riyaz/Riyas Bhatkal has been claimed to be
involved in all sorts of bomb attacks everywhere in Maharashtra
and beyond. What is the degree of probability that he could be
involved in so many crimes till the triple blasts in Mumbai on July
13, 2011 and the police be sleeping over his activities all along!
Is he the wandering Jew in modern avatar of the wandering
Muslim? How come the PSI Shripad Kale of Ghatkoper police
station so solely dependent on his informants and so gullible that
the informants could pull wools over his eyes and frame innocent
people at will?
Muhammad Ali is also accused in the serial blasts in local
trains of July 11, 2006 and he is consistently involved in other
blasts or unlawful activities. Is it probable that Muhammad Ali aka
Aziz in the custody of Kurla police would be so active to be free
to conspire for another and a much larger terror attack of blowing
bombs in Malegaon just over a month later? Ditto Shabbir. If Kale
and Sinha be so obtuse, what about others who supervised,
sanctioned and executed re-arrests of some of the Ghatkopar
accused in Malegaon 2006 case? And why did the CBI take three
years to tell the court that it did not find anything incriminating
regarding the nine accused?
Still, two more years would pass before they could be given
bail, albeit Muhammad Ali. And why could the chief minister of
Maharashtra be so sensitive and prompt to act in the case of the
mute artist Aseem Truvedi and so insensitive alongwith his pred-
ecessors in office in the matter of the nine accused in Malegaon
case and the five in the Ghatkopar case? Most of the accused
were men without any criminal record and could not have even
thought of being traitors to their country?
When Sadhvi Pragyasingh Thakur revealed her and
Abhinav Bharats involvement in the terrorist attack in
Malegaon on September 29, 2008. her accomplice, the
serving Lt Col of the Indian army Prasad Shrikant
Purohit told Major (retd) Ramesh Upadhya that she had
started singing. The ATS also can make others sing
different tunes as they desire.
NATIONAL
10 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012
AFSANA RASHID, SRINAGAR
Summoning families of five civilians allegedly killed in a fake
encounter in Pathribal in Anantnag district in March 2000, Army
asked the families to depose as witnesses in the court- martial
proceedings at Nagrota-Jammu on September 20. Being appre-
hensive about the transparency of the proceedings, families of
victims decided not to participate.
Whereas hearing of charge will be held at headquarter 16
Corps (Nagrota) on September 20 against accused persons in
Pathribal encounter case. I do hereby summon and require you
to attend as witness at Nagrota and bring with you relevant doc-
uments/material, if any, you shall fail at your peril, reads the sum-
mons.
Summons were issued to wives of victims; Roshan Jan and
Mirza Noori, who according to their family members are aged and
ailing. Summons were also issued in favor of family members of
the other three victims. The Army had also issued summons to
Faqirullah Khan and Amirullah Khan, fathers of two victims.
Interestingly, both have passed away before the encounter took
place.
Advocate Muneer Shawl from Anantnag district court has
been quoted as saying, One of the prime witnesses, who has
been following the case, Rashid Khan son of Jumma Khan has-
nt been summoned for court martial proceedings. Shawl added
the venue of the proceedings should have been close to the place
of victims.
Families of victims September 19 decided to opt out of court-
martial proceedings citing lack of transparency as the reason.
Earlier, being apprehensive of the trial, they asked the state gov-
ernment to provide security.
Army September 20 reportedly initiated disciplinary proceed-
ings against the accused army officers in the case.
Central Bureau of Investigation March 19 told the Apex Court
that Pathribal encounter was cold-blooded murder and the guilty
officers deserve exemplary punishment. Supreme Court May 1
offered eight weeks to the Army to decide whether the accused
should be tried by a criminal court or be court-martialed. Army
June 29 decided to opt for the latter.
As per CBI investigation, five civilians were killed and brand-
ed militants, days after 35 Sikhs were killed in Chattisinghpora-
Anantnag.
SHRC dismisses Bhaderwah case
Dismissing the criminal complaint against former DGP, Kuldeep
Khoda in the Bhaderwah triple murder case 1996, State Human
Rights Commission has said it cant traverse beyond findings
returned by High Court more so when matter in issue is essential-
ly and substantially same.
Rejecting the contention of complainants, the
Commissions division bench comprising Javed Kawoos and
Rafiq Fida September 12 said, Itll be a sheer exercise to take
matter on board that stands otherwise already disposed off by
High Court, trial court of principal sessions judge Bhaderwah,
National Human Rights Commission and this Commission.
The Commission states that its chief prosecuting officer,
Reyaz Ahmad submitted once a matter is set at rest by trial
court or High Court judgments, complainant cant be allowed to
agitate and re-agitate same over and again till infinity jeopard-
izing honour and status of most decorated and respected
police chief.
In a petition filed before Commission April 23 by Yasir Irfat
of Maini Beeru-Bhaderwah whose father, Fazal Hussain Dar
was one of victims, plea had been made to order fresh investi-
gation into the incident.
Three civilians from Bhaderwah were murdered June 3,
1996 with families of victims accusing Khoda, the then DIG of
Udhampur-Doda Range for crime. High Court had dismissed a
petition May 29 exonerating Khoda of charges levelled against
him. He had been implicated in a case by the crime branch
progress report that came to light August 13 last year.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the Commissions pro-
nouncement, Coalition of Civil Society, coordinator Khurram
Parvez said, Judgment has been based on crime branch
report prepared by accused himself when he was IGP crime
branch.
He said no notice was served to complainant or his advo-
cate to appear for hearing. On August 13, advocate for com-
plainant had sought an opportunity to advance further argu-
ments on August 22. While the request was granted, no hear-
ing was held. Instead, Commission chose to dismiss the case.
Parvez said families of victims had waited 16 years for jus-
tice. By its decision, Commission has affirmed its unwilling-
ness to look closely at facts of case and instead follow deci-
sions of trial court, high court and NHRC.
He added crux of complainants case before the
Commission was that a parallel crime branch investigation
ordered into the case was never considered by the trial court,
high court and NHRC. Commission was the first forum to have
an opportunity to consider crime branch investigations.
The coordinator added this denial of justice has only
deepened understanding of victim families that for crimes per-
petrated on them justice is impossible under existing judicial
and governmental mechanisms.
With dismissal of the petition against Khoda, decks have
been cleared for him as his name had been recommended by
a panel for the post of Chief Vigilance Commissioner.
7 out of 10 subscriptions are through WORD OF MOUTH
You know we dont have the resources to advertise & promote ourselves, so
please ask your friends to get their copy now
THE MILLI GAZETTE
First English Newspaper of Indian Muslims. Telling the Muslim side of the story fortnight after fortnight since January 2000
Army summons families of Pathribal victims
Valley protest against
derogatory film
Deploring the production of the derogatory film on the life of
Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Kashmir valley witnessed protest
demonstrations, shutdowns and peaceful marches. Protesters also
set ablaze government vehicles and torched American and Israeli
flags.
Normal life was disrupted across the valley, September 21 fol-
lowing spontaneous shutdowns. Mobile phones and internet serv-
ices were snapped and strict restrictions imposed on the movement
of people as authorities apprehended an escalation in protests.
A complete shutdown was observed, September 18 following a
strike call by several organizations including Kashmir Economic
Alliance, religious groups, Hurriyat (G), JKLF and Kashmir High
Court Bar Association. Strike was also observed, September 21.
Protesters clashed with police and CRPF and set ablaze a govern-
ment vehicle.
Protests also broke out here September 14 with protesters
chanting slogans against US and Israel and torched flags of both
countries. Separatists were put under house-arrest to prevent them
from joining the protests. Protest by High Court Bar Association
was led by its president Z A Qureshi.
Expressing strong resentment over the blasphemous movie,
Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani in a statement here
September 13 said, Zionists, Christians and Hindus are pursuing
a joint agenda against Muslims.
Such blasphemous videos will not affect Prophet
Mohammads (SAW) noble personality. Well not allow any
American to enter the valley. I appeal to people to protest in a
peaceful manner, said Grand Mufti of Kashmir, Mufti Bashir-ud-
din. National Conference spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said, We
strongly and resolutely denounce this desecrating act.
Agencies commu-
nalism a threat to
our country:
Darapuri
Forum for Release of Imprisoned Innocent Terrorists convened
a conference at Lucknow on the communal mindset of intelli-
gence agencies on 19 September. Speakers accused the
Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders of using communal tactics to get
rid of their tainted image following unravelling of reports of scams
in the state. CPI leader and member of Parliament Atul Anjan
reiterated that the SP resorts to communalism to stay in power.
He said that the SP needs to wake up to the fact that they cant
divide the state subjects on communal lines anymore as the
downtrodden with their own sufferings will not play into their
hands.
Speakers demand SP to fulfil its promise of looking into the
cases of falsely-implicated imprisoned youth and award them
appropriate compensation. If this was not conceded fairly quick-
ly, a protest will be started against the state government. They
pointed out that the Saudi government has repeatedly stated that
the charges against Fasih Mahmood should be substantiated,
yet the Congress government keeps branding him a terrorist.
The wrongful conviction and sentencing of Afzal Guru is jus-
tified in this country. Muslim boys are picked up and labelled as
Indian Mujahideen. The politics in the country is thoroughly
communalized, totally linked to international politics, so much so
that the Indian government is taking decisions at America and
Israels behest.
Ujjain advocate Noor Muhammad, who is a counsel for
imprisoned innocent youth, was attacked by Hindu right-wingers
recently. He said that no Muslim in this country feels safe today.
He said that he himself was attacked before the very eyes of the
Police and in front the court. He said that Muslims will continue
to be attacked if they ask for their rights.
Advocate Muhammad Shuaib said that the riots during past
six months are a proof that the state government is trying to
divert attention from the release of imprisoned persons, reinforc-
ing its communal agenda.
S
yed Mubarak, a native of Sitapur, UP, who was held by the
state police for two years, spoke about his torture during
imprisonment and shared the reason why the police had nabbed
him. It was because he was fair and tall, and this was enough to
label him a Kashmiri migrant.
Human rights activist
Masihuddin Sanjari said it should
be investigated as to which cor-
porate groups benefit from
Intelligence Bureaus communal-
ism and whose interests it
serves.
Journalist Abu Zafar said
injustice in the Batla House case
will be ground for unjust rulings in
future.
The following nine-point
political resolution was passed at
the conference:
1) Intelligence reports on the
activities of political and social organizations should be brought
under the right to information.
2) The government should release a white paper on Indian
Mujahideen immediately.
3) The Batla House fake encounter case and Qateel
Siddiqis custodial murder should be investigated.
4) The government should bring Fasih Mahmood to India.
5) The gvernment should release R D Nimeshs report on
Tariq and Khalid arrests.
6) The SP government should fulfill its promise to release
innocent youth from jails.
7) India should stop sending its police officers to train in ter-
rorist nations like America and Israel.
8) Mulayam Singh should answer about his MLAs role in
riots under the SP government.
9) Journalists SMA Kazmi and Matiur-rehman shold be
released immediately.
(Translated from Hindi by Aaliya Khan)
Candle march in Lucknow on 18 Sept
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 11
ANALYSIS
This is not the first time that Indian democratic principles
have been flouted by politicking that BJP has indulged in.
BJP leaders like LK Advani violated principles of Indias
secular democracy around two decades ago. With the aim
to convert secular India into a Hindu state, they took out
communal demonstrations, as a part of their Hindutva
drive, which led to anti-Muslim riots across the country
and demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on
December 6, 1992. The mosque was demolished to con-
struct a temple on the same site. The issue is still being
legally fought in courts.
Undeniably, the communal drive helped BJP gain
greater political prominence than it had before. The BJP
had only two seats in the Lok Sabha in 1984. The use of
communal card, that is the Hindutva drive, including the
plan to build a temple at the disputed site, helped BJP
emerge as the largest party in 1996 Lok Sabha elections.
The communal card, however, did not help BJP assume
power. In 1996, BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee became
prime minister for only 13 days. The BJP returned to
power in 1998, with the support of other parties, only
after it agreed to put its communal agenda on the back-
burner. Though this coalition split soon, the BJP-led
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returned to power in
1999 to stay on for the whole term with Vajpayee as Prime
Minister. The BJP was able to win the support of several
other political parties only after it gave in to their secular
demands. The BJP was thus able to stay in power.
But the BJP failed to have the same luck again as the
anti-Muslim Gujarat pogrom of 2002 made voters have
doubts about this partys secular credentials. The subse-
quent elections in 2004 and 2009 thus helped the return
of Congress to power, with a coalition government.
The BJPs political history is witness to it having
played havoc with the countrys democracy and secular
ethos for its narrow political gains. The party appears to
have learnt now that the communal card can no longer
help it gain politically. With India home to numerous polit-
ical parties, the importance of vote banks along religious,
regional and ethnic factors has increased tremendously
during the past two decades. This includes the Muslim
vote. The BJP fears that using the communal card will
help rival parties gain votes of Muslims as well as of sec-
ular non-Muslims and thus create a greater dent in BJPs
political base. This apparently explains BJPs political
strategy of abusing the countrys parliamentary democra-
cy. The monsoon session of the Parliament concluded on
September 7 after functioning for less than a week. The
BJP legislators paralyzed the functioning of the
Parliament by their unruly and rowdy behaviour. They
also demanded resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh over alleged irregularities in coal block allocations.
Certainly, as elected legislators it is the duty of all
members of Parliament to scrutinize the functioning of
the government. But the hard fact is that BJP members
did not allow the Parliament to even function. This indi-
cates that these legislators failed to live up to their dem-
ocratic and parliamentary responsibilities. Besides, the
Indian prime minister is not expected to hand in his res-
ignation simply on demand of opposition parties or of
any self-acclaimed leader. He holds this office on the
strength of the support of a majority of legislators in
Parliament. Constitutionally, he is obliged to hand in his
resignation when and if his government is voted out of
power or when his term ends officially.
Over the past two years, the BJP has been giving
increasing importance to exciting political frenzy outside
Parliament against the government on corruption issues.
If the BJP is seriously concerned about ousting the pres-
ent government, why hasnt it given any importance to
exercising its political right to vote against it inside
Parliament? Obviously, the BJP is conscious of the fact
that it is not going to gather sufficient votes to defeat the
UPA inside the Parliament. Therefore, failure of this move
would be equivalent to BJP making a mockery of its own
anti-Congress political strategy.
The BJP has deliberately indulged in rowdy behaviour
in Parliament so that it gains more time in making noise
against the Congress through demonstrations, rallies
and other similar moves outside the Parliament.
Definitely, the BJP has the democratic right to ques-
tion and criticize the governments functioning. But the
manner in which it has abused the countrys democratic
principles cannot be ignored. Earlier, the BJP created
havoc by abusing the countrys secular democracy.
Having learnt that the communal card will not help it
politically, the party has now sought to corner the
Congress by showing disrespect to the parliamentary
democracy. Once considered a model democracy, it is
a shame that India is now earning criticism for its non-
functional parliament. The BJP must answer as to what
are its political priorities where Indian democracy is con-
cerned. If it is not concerned about the importance of the
parliamentary democracy, the party must seriously delib-
erate on the need to participate in elections!
Speaki ng Out
BJP must
respect Indian
democracy
NI LOFAR SUHRAWARDY
MIRZA YAWAR BAIG
Freedom of expression must not be confused with freedom from
the consequences of expression. Exercising freedom and abusing
it are not the same. The latter forfeits the former. Just because we
are free to express ourselves, it doesnt free us from the respon-
sibility for what we express. We are responsible for what we say
and do and for the consequences thereof and so must consider
carefully what we want to express. This is the basis of what we call
civilized socially responsible behaviour.
Once again we have an attack on the Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) on whom it seems to be open season all the
year round for people to take pot-shots. And then cry foul when
those who love him get upset. The rule seems to be, I will say or
do whatever I want but you must not get offended. Another rule,
Prove your maturity and culture by not being offended by insults.
Seems strange indeed to us, who are brought up in a culture
where honour is not just important, it is everything. Respect for our
signs and symbols is what our sense of honour is based on. And
there is no symbol of our honour other than Allah Himself, that is
more important than the Prophet (peace be on him). So if some-
one insults him, it is very natural for a Muslim to feel sad and very
upset. The claim of those who make these attacks is, But we are
not offended when someone blasphemes against Jesus or
Moses. So how can you be offended when we insult
Mohammed? That is like saying, I am not offended if you curse
my parents and so you should also not be offended if I curse your
parents.
Our response is of course, We have never cursed your par-
ents in the first place. And secondly if you are not offended if
someone curses your parents it is a sign that you are lacking in a
sense of honour, that you are shameless. How can you demand
that we too should become shameless? For the record, find me a
film made by a Muslim which abuses Jesus or Moses? You wont
find it because we revere them as prophets of Allah. So when
Muslims have not done anything to abuse Christianity or Judaism,
why should they be subjected to abuse from Christians and Jews
(the people who allegedly made this ridiculous film) and be com-
pelled to accept it?
I am not for a moment justifying or countenancing the violent
protests and the unfortunate killing of innocent people. However, I
am writing this to request all responsible people to seriously wake
up and start asking some pointed questions. One of which should
be, What was the need for this film in the first place? What is
wrong with letting people believe whatever they want? What is
wrong with leaving people alone with their religions which is a
basic human right?
I was interested to read one of the comments of the learned
viewers of the film who said, In all their history, Muslims have
contributed to the development of mankind less than a bunch of
donkeys. What do you do with such ignorance? Another one
demands that he will screen this film along with clips from other
films which are insulting to Hindus, Christians and Jews and he
demands that people must sit and watch all of them with equanim-
ity. Isnt that the strangest statement? For someone to make this
insane demand is not considered insane. But when someone
protests at this unprovoked attack on his honour, he is guilty of
intolerance.
Why must people be forced to tolerate insults? Why must
people be forced to sacrifice their honour just because those who
have no honour want to exercise their fancy? Is this fair? Is any-
one interested in justice anymore?
If we go by this logic then the right to safety and security must
be balanced by the right to terrorize a population. The right to edu-
cation must be balanced by the right to remain ignorant. The right
to health must be balanced by the right to sickness. The right to
marriage must be balanced by the right to rape and so on. Crazy,
isnt it? Just as crazy as the call that the right to freedom of reli-
gion must be balanced by the right to blaspheme any religion.
These people want to impose the rule on us that if the followers of
any religion want to practice their religion then they must be pre-
pared to accept the fact that all that they hold holy and sacred will
be blasphemed, insulted, degraded and desecrated by other peo-
ple who dont care about their feelings and they must accept this
treatment without complaint.
Doesnt that sound like a gross violation of human rights? It
does, to me. Violence to human rights is not only physical vio-
lence. It is also violence that is psychological and mental. Ask any
divorce lawyer who is suing on the basis of mental torture. This is
an accepted principle in law. Freedom is defined as something
that you are permitted to do as long as it does not violate some-
one elses freedom; does not hurt someone else; does not harm
anyone else. That is why the famous saying, Your freedom ends
where my nose begins. If we define freedom as the unbridled
right of someone to do whatever he or she wants irrespective of
what harm this action or speech may do to someone elses digni-
ty, reputation, relationships or position, then we would have com-
plete chaos and anarchy.
Defined in the way the makers of this ridiculous film and their
supporters are demanding, freedom of speech must be rechris-
tened freedom to abuse, freedom to hurt, freedom to dam-
age, freedom to destroy. This is a completely senseless argu-
ment and this behaviour is not civilized at all. It is barbarism and
oppression at its worst. So what is so different when it is done by
film-makers with the target being not one man or woman but an
entire population? If anything, it must make the crime humungous
in magnitude. Like murder, which when it is perpetrated against an
entire population, becomes a holocaust and genocide. Ask the
Jews who were the victims of this at the hands of Hitler. Of course
that was before the West invented the term collateral damage.
Otherwise they too, like the Iraqis and Palestinians, would have
been mere statistics rather than innocent people who suffered one
of the worst man-made disasters in the history of mankind.
Unfortunately it seems to be by no means the last.
Yet we are asked to accept this ridiculous argument that if we
are practicing Christians then we must accept films that show
Jesus as a fornicating rock star or his pictures holding a beer can
in one hand and a cigarette in the other. If we are practicing
Hindus then we must accept the pictures of the gods we worship,
on toilet seats. And if we are practicing Muslims then we must
accept the most obviously hatred-filled images of the one person
who we hold the most respect-worthy, Muhammad, the
Messenger of Allah (peace be on him). And all of us, Muslims,
Christians, Hindus and others who have not been targeted yet are
told that we have to accept someones right to indulge his per-
version at our expense. And if we dare to protest, then we will be
labelled uncivilized, terrorists and anti-human.
In this version of civilization, it is civilized behaviour to insult a
religion. But it is uncivilized behaviour to protest against that
insult. Does this make sense to you? It doesnt to me. But it seems
to make sense to a small minority of people who are seeking to
impose their warped sense of values on the rest of the world.
The question is: what should be our reaction? Ideally I would
love to ignore this thing entirely. But Im afraid that it may only
make such people bolder and eventually we will get to a point
where we cant ignore it anymore and then the reactions are more
destructive.
In my view it is important for people of all religions to come
together and stand together to ensure that freedom of worship
and freedom of expression is ensured for everyone. And that this
is done with an understanding of responsibility for expression.
There can be no freedom of worship or expression when some
people insult and abuse what someone else worships or reveres.
Insulting someone personally is not accepted as a freedom in any
civilized society. If someone did that they would become liable for
legal action and punishment. So how can it be accepted to insult
someone or something that an individual worships or considers
holy?
Will someone explain this insanity to me please?
The BJPs political history is witness to it having
played havoc with the countrys democracy and
secular ethos for its narrow political gains. The
party appears to have learnt now that the commu-
nal card can no longer help it gain politically. With
India home to numerous political parties, the
importance of vote banks along religious, region-
al and ethnic factors has increased tremendously
during the past two decades.
Why must people be forced to tolerate
insults? Why must people be forced to
sacrifice their honour just because those
who have no honour want to exercise
their fancy? Is this fair? Is anyone
interested in justice anymore?
In this version of civilization, it is
civilized behaviour to insult a religion.
But it is uncivilized behaviour to protest
against that insult. Does this make sense
to you? It doesnt to me. But it seems to
make sense to a small minority of people
who are seeking to impose their warped
sense of values on the rest of the world.
The question is: what should be our
reaction? Ideally I would love to ignore
this thing entirely. But Im afraid that it
may only make such people bolder and
eventually we will get to a point where
we cant ignore it anymore and then the
reactions are more destructive.
Freedom of Expression or Freedom to Blaspheme?
MUZAFFAR RAZMI KAIRANWI, prominent
Urdu poet died on 19 September at Kairana
after a prolonged illness at the age of 76 years.
Born in Shamli in 1936 he could not achieve
higher education. It is a pity that being a good
poet he could not win fame nor was he hon-
oured with any award. He also spent his life in
rather oblivion and penury. He is survived by
his wife, three sons and two daughters.
Hazrat Peerji SYED AHMAD SARMADI, a
respected personality of Delhi and Sajjada
Nashin and Trustee of Dargah of Sufi Sarmad
Shakeel and Dargah of Syed Badruddin
Samarqandi died in Delhi on 15 September. He
leaves behind four sons and six daughters. He
was laid to rest at Dargah of Syed Badruddin
Samarqandi at Firoz Shah Kotla ground.
MAULANA SHOAIB ANWAR, Hadees
teacher of Jamia Shamsul Uloom of Shahdra
(Delhi) and a great religious scholar who
played an important role in the educational
progress of this madrasa died on 15
September.
MAULANA KHALID SAIFULLAH RAHMANI,
great religious scholar and distinguished
Islamic jurist and general secretary of Islamic
Fiqh Academy of India has been appointed
founding member of International Islamic Fiqh
Aacdemy, Makka (Saudi Arabia). Maulana
Rahmani is an author of about 60 books, more
than two dozens of which are regarding Islamic
Fiqh, many of whom have been translated into
seven foreign languages.
Dr. ANWAR SAYEED,
member of Central
Council of Indian
Medicine (CCIM) and
general secretary of
Jamia Tibbia, Deoband
has been appointed
chairman of Bhartiya
Chikitsa Parishad, U.
P. by U.P. government.
This post is equal to the status of a state minis-
ter.
MUHAMMAD SHADAB KHAN, a young engi-
neer of Basti who is a final year B. Tech
Aeronautic student of Lucknows Babu Banarsi
Das Engg. College is one of the five students
from India who have been selected for partici-
pating and reading their research papers in the
5-day 63rd International Aeronautic Congress
to be held in Naples (Italy) from 1 to 5 October
in which 90 countries of the world will take part.
First research paper that Shadab Khan will read
in the Space Science Congress will be on
NASAs programme to send man on planet
Mars which is at a distance of 250 million miles
from earth but oxygen is not found on this plan-
et. His research paper on Mars will also throw
light on respiratory system and conversion of
carbon dioxide gas, which is emitted or exhaled
by plants and trees, into oxygen after recycling
it. He will also read his research paper on inte-
grated small satellite system through which
information about natural calamities like tsuna-
mi and earthquakes etc. can be obtained in
advance and safety and rescue measures can
be taken accordingly to prevent loss of lives
and properties. His study and research also
points out that helium-3 is found in so abundant
quantity that it can be dug out by robots and
brought to earth to meet energy requirements
for about five thousand years. Earlier, another
conference i.e. 28th conference of United
Nations and International Aeronautical
Federation will be held in the same city i.e.
Naples from 28 to 30 September in which three
persons including Shadab, will take part and
read their research papers. In this conference
Shadab will read his research paper on Space
Applications for Land Management.
Twenty-eight year old FIROZ KHAN, Assistant
Teacher in the primary school of a village in
Buland Shahar district has won Microsoft
Innovative Teachers Leadership (MITL) Award
2011-12, leaving behind more than 130,000
other teachers from all over the country who
belonged to different states of the country and
who had got themselves registered for this
competition for which Firoz Khan had written an
article on Chemical Mystery and prepared a
dynamic Power Point based on 3-D Animation,
Music and Higher link under Chemistry. Firoz
Khan will now participate in the forthcoming
Microsoft World Web Innovative Teachers
Conference to be held in Prague
(Czechoslavakia) from 27 Nov. to 2 Dec. 12 in
which teachers from different countries will take
part and their entire expenses will be borne by
Microsoft company.
Ms. SHAMA KHAN, Pradhan of a village
Panchait Committee of Rajasthans Barmer dis-
trict had the distinction of being selected to
speak on the methodology of implementing
development schemes at a 2-day conference
sponsored by U.N. Development Programme
and Indian governments Leadership
Development Programme in the 21st century at
India Habitat Centre on 6 September. The con-
ference was inaugurated by UNDPs Resident
Coordinator and attended by important bureau-
crats and dignitaries.
Dr ATHER FAROUQUI
was unanimously
selected to work as
interim general secre-
tary of Anjuman
Taraqqi-e Urdu Hind
(ATUH) in place of Dr.
Khaleeq Anjum, ATUs
general secretary who
has been ill for about
three months. On 17 September he was got
admitted to Apollo Hospital. The decision to
appoint Dr. Ather Farouqui as interim general
secretary of ATUH was taken in a meeting
held in ATUs office which was chaired by
Prof. Sidiqur Rahman Qidwai when other
members including Vice President Sharif
Hasan Naqvi, Prof. Shamim Hanafi were
present.
GHALIB MIRZA of Nasik has come out suc-
cessful in the difficult Chartered Accountancy
Examination at the young age of 20 years
only. He aspires to become Comptroller and
Auditor General of India.
NEWSMAKERS
12 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012
MEN & WOMEN IN NEWS
OBITUARIES
Dr. FAZLUR RAHMAN, a scientist and
Principal of Faiz Aam Degree College of Meerut
was honoured with Distinguished Teachers
Award on the occasion of Teachers Day on 5
September by the Vice Chancellor of Dr. Ram
Manohar Lohia National University and Khwaja
Moinuddin Chisti Arabic-Persian University,
Lucknow on behalf of UP government.
Dr. Fazlur Rahman has already been honoured
with five or six prestigious national awards ear-
lier and his many research articles have been
published in at least one important international
journal of Germany and many national journals.
Ms. SAMINA ROOHI, a lecturer in Zooloy in
Bijnors English medium Modern Era School
was honoured with Best Teacher Award by
School Principal Ajay Bansal and Manager Anil
Chaudhary in recognition of hard and sincere
work in teaching her subject and developing
mental faculties of children.
SANJAY GUPTA, Group Editor of Hindi daily
Dainik Jagran, which also publishes Urdu
daily Inqilab on a large scale was honoured
with Dr. Kailash Nath Katju Award for his
services in promoting Urdu. On the same
occasion, Poet AZIZ
NABEEL was honoured
with Firaq Gorakhpuri
Award for his services
to Urdu poetry. The
Award to Sanjay Gupta
was honorary whereas
the Award to Aziz
Nabeel consisted of a
cheque of Rs. 11,000,
certificate and a
memento.
Dr. AKHTAR AZAD, a
research scholar in
Chaudhary Charan
Singh Universitys Urdu
department and a fic-
tion writer of new gen-
eration was honoured with Urdu Heritage
Caravans first Saadat Hasan Manto Award
which consisted of Rs. 11,000, a certificate
and a memento.
Prof. M. U. KHAN of Jamia Millia Islamic
who is the Programme Coordinator of Jamias
NSS, and a model officer of ICTC was hon-
oured with Safeer-e Aman Award by Nepals
Vice President Permanand Jha at
International Leadership Programme held at
Nepals capital Kathmandu on 10 September.
Five Muslims of Malegaon who are painstak-
ingly trying to maintain and promote peace
and communal harmony and are members of
Malegaon Peace Committee were honoured
with Awards by Ganesh Utsav Madhyawarty
Committee. They are Dr. MANZOOR HASAN
AIYYUBI, SHAKEEL DIAMOND, ABDUS
SALAM NAZEER alias Abdullah Quraishi,
IFTEKHAR PAHELWAN ISLAM
GYMKHANA WALE and BASHIR NABI
PAHELWAN. All those people were honoured
by top police officers with Samman Patra in
the presence of top officers of Madhyawarti
Ganesh Utsav Samiti at a function held in the
Police Control Room on 15 September.
AWARDS
Rabia Futehally was the first woman pilot in India to obtain a
Private Pilot Licence from the Bombay Flying Club (BFC).
Last month, she was honoured as a 2012 inductee into the
International Forest of Friendship (IFF) in Atchison, Kansas. She
was recognized for her contributions to international womens
aviation and civil aviation in India, Among the more than 1300
honourees are other internationally recognized flyers.
Rabia has co-founding the Indian Women Pilots Association
(IWPA) to her credit, along with two other female pilots of Indian
origin.
Rabia, an accomplished Bharatnatyam and Kathakali
dancer, says youngsters till this day tell her how she inspired
them. Although she quit flying 15 years ago, she still works with
the BFC. (Aaliya Khan)
DR. R. ABDUL HAKKIM
From Coonor to Harvard, Dr. R. Abdul Hakkim has worked and
researched in many cities and published his findings in leading
scientific journals. Recently,
he was awarded the Peter-
Hans Hofschneider Prize for
Molecular Medicine at the
62nd general meeting of the
Max-Planck Society in
Germany.
Dr. Hakkim was award-
ed for his outstanding scien-
tific achievements in the
field of immunology during
his PhD at the Max Planck
Institute for Infection Biology
in Berlin. His unassuming
nature comes across even
over the phone from
America as he tries to
deconstruct his relationship
with science for the lay per-
son.
Basically, there were
three breakthroughs,
explains Mr. Hakkim. The
first one involved a genetic
problem in an 8-year-old child. We conducted gene therapy by
taking the missing gene and giving it to the child through bone
marrow transplantation, he says. The patient after the thera-
py recovered steadily.
He then explains how white blood cells fight bacteria in
wounds using fishing net-like structures called neutrophil
extracellular traps. Our second breakthrough was in linking
these net-like structures with autoimmune diseases where the
bodys immune system attacks itself, like systemic lupus ery-
thematosus (SLE), says Dr. Hakkim.
In a healthy person, an enzyme called
DNase chops off these nets but in a patient
with SLE the nets start to collect. We worked
with 150 patients out of whom 40 per cent of
patients had trouble with these nets, he says.
This discovery was published in the PNAS
journal and the new diagnosis was patented.
The last discovery was quite laborious. To
find small drugs to cure SLE patients, we con-
ducted a chemical screening and looked at mil-
lions of compounds to see which one blocks
these nets, he explains. The findings from this
research were published in Nature Chemical
Biology.
Hailing from Coonoor, Dr. Hakkim did his
schooling in Stanes before completing his
graduate studies in Microbiology at PSG
College of Technology, Coimbatore. He then
spent a few years doing a fellowship in The
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, under
leading professors before moving on to do his
PhD in Berlin. Dr. Hakkim is now completing
his post-doctoral research in Harvard
University, involved in identifying new drugs
and therapies for various ailments. (Sowmiya Ashok, The
Hindu)
RABIA FATEHULLY
New Delhi: Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) Delhi
Chapter organized a meeting here on 16 September. It was
attended by its key members and associates from Delhi and
northern cities. The meet was organized to interact, network and
have a better understanding of the organization and its objec-
tives.
Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, President of the All India Muslim
Majlis-e Mushawarat was the guest speaker who motivated and
guided the members and helped them get a deep insight as to
how each one can work better towards the uplift of the communi-
ty, society and the country.
Aamir Edresy, President of AMP, said that the organization is
a fast growing NGO which aims at working for peace and
progress within the society and nation. He explained the way
AMP functions and its goals and objectives so that same may be
replicated in other parts of the country.
More than 60 key AMP members and associates all profes-
sionals from different fields participated in the meeting. Some
members had come from cities like Gorakhpur, Aligarh, Bareilly,
Bhadohi, Jaipur, Jhunjhunu, Swai Madhavpur, Noida and
Faizabad etc. The meeting was organized at the AIMMM central
office in Abul Fazal Enclave.
Speaking to the participants in his keynote address, Dr. Khan
said that educated Muslim youth should rise above their person-
al interests and work for the community and the nation. In his
detailed and discerning speech, he elaborated that there are
ample opportunities for Muslims to progress in a democratic
setup. He said that opportunities are equally available for any
capable person irrespective of his caste or creed and it is up to
him how he can utilize the best of these opportunities.
The session included brain-storming and group discussions
among the participants on various activities of AMP. It was con-
ducted by Syed Raghib, who is AMP National Coordination Team
member and research scholar at JNU.
AMP is a platform for Muslim professionals and volunteers to
share their knowledge, intellect, experience and skills for the
overall development of not just the Muslim community but the
society at large, and further empowering Muslims in the educa-
tional, social, political and economic front of life.
AMP now has more than 50 chapters across India. It has a
strong professionals base across the country. AMP has been
conducting educational, social and welfare activities. It is non-
sectarian endeavouring to promote social welfare, community
spirit and knowledge in our society. AMP was founded by a group
of in India and registered as a welfare organization under the
Societies Act and is entirely funded by its members and socially
aware individuals.
For more information, contact AMP at [email protected]
SPECIAL REPORT
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 13
AMP meets at Delhi
MG/Yusuf
N
ew Delhi: Thousands of people joined hands together on
15 September demanding the release of under-trail
innocent Adivasis, Dalits and Muslims on bail. It was the
culmination of PFIs "Bail is the rule, release innocents
from jail" nation-wide campaign to demand the release of inno-
cents, which was conducted from 15 August to 15 September
this year. Human chains were organized in more than 100 cen-
tres across the country.
The participants took an oath which said, "We, the citizens of
India, who have joined hands to form this Human Chain, declare
our commitment to the democratic and secular values enshrined
in the constitution of our country and protected by our legal sys-
tem. We believe that every citizen should be treated innocent
unless and until he is found guilty by due process of law. No
accused individual should be kept in jail. We strongly believe that
bail is the rule and jail is an
exception. We call upon the
government to release the
under-trial prisoners of the
country on bail. We pledge
to strive together to prevent
illegal arrests, to free under-
trial prisoners, to provide
compensation to victims and
to withdraw UAPA amend-
ments and all black laws".
Some family members
of victims such as Shozab
Kazmi (son of Ahmed
Kazmi), Shakeel Siddiqui
(brother of Qateel Siddiqui) also participat-
ed in the human chain.
After the human chain, a public meet-
ing was held at the venue in which various
leaders including PFI chairman EM Abdur
Rahman, human rights activists like
Arundathi Roy, Rona Wilson, SAR
Geelani, Dr.Sai Baba, Dr Baseer (IUML),
Prof P Koya (NCHRO), Maulana Shahul
Baqavi (All India Imams Council), Hafiz
Manzoor Ali Khan (SDPI), Kavita Krishnan
(CPI-ML), Aneesus Zaman (Campus
Front), Omar Khalid (DSU) and others
addressed the public.
Following the meeting a nationwide signature campaign was
inaugurated by Arundathi Roy demanding the release of inno-
cents in jails.
While addressing the public, PFI chairman Abdur Rahman
said, "according to the statistics, the number of undertrial prison-
ers is around three lakh. They are denied bail due to black laws
such as UAPA and have been in prison for years without any
proven crime." He announced that this human chain is not the
end but the campaign will continue through various agitations in
future.
Arundathi Roy said, "thousands of innocent Adivasis in many
states of India are under arrest. They dont have a piece of bread
to eat. After the demolition of Babri Masjid, picking up of Muslim
youth began on big scale. I demand that all these innocent polit-
ical prisoners be released on bail immediately."
PFI holds rally at Jantar Mantar for release of innocents
Urdu Caravan flagged off
New Delhi: Last month a first of its kind initiative was taken to restore the lost glory of
Urdu by launching the Urdu Heritage Caravan (UHC) which was flagged off on 19
September from New Delhi. UHC is organised by Indian Development & Education
Associates (IDEA) Communications headed by Asif Azmi. Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for
HRD, was the chief guest at the launching ceremony of UHC.
In his inaugural address, Justice Markanday Katju, chairman of the Press Council of
India, said Urdu is a pure Indian language and it is the duty of Indians to restore its lost
glory. Urdu is part of our civilization, hence the UHC was the need of the hour, he said
adding, "Urdu Heritage Carvan is basically an idea to associate masses with this indige-
nous cultural heritage. We have distributed our tour plan into three phases. Initially, we
will hold conferences and live performances in four historical cities of the country having
old connections with Urdu, namely, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Lucknow.
The launching ceremony was attended by political leaders, Urdu scholars, poets,
writers and people from various other fields.
The organisers announced three awards on this occasion Dr. K. N. Katju Award
from New Initiatives in Urdu Promotion, Firaq Gorakhpuri Award for Young Urdu Talent
in Poetry and Saadat Hasan Manto Award for Young Urdu Talent in Porse. (Mohammad
Mudassir Alam)
If we have to go down,
we'll go down fighting!
MG Editor speaking at the AMP meeting Aamir Edresy, President, AMP speaking at the meeting
COMMUNITY NEWS
14 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012
Namaz-e Shukrana following verdict
Ahmedabad: With tears welling in their eyes six women, who
were witness to and victims of the carnage, offered thanksgiving
prayer (Namaz-e-Shukrana) over the verdict on Naroda Patiya
carnage. Jannat Chachi, Shakilabanu, Farzana Banu, Ishrat
Jahan, Zulekhan Aapa and Fatima Aapa were seen praying prior
to a press conference addressed by Citizen For Justice and
Peace and Teesta Setalvad on 29 August.
Compensation to Bhagalpur victims families after 23 years
Patna: Bihar governments home ministry has released, on the
High Courts order, an amount of Rs. 14 lakhs to Bankas D.M.
towards payment of compensations after 23 years to the family
members or nearest surviving kins of 14 persons who were killed
or who have been missing so far in the terrible communal riots
that had taken place in Bhagalpur in 1989. Many people among
these 14 persons killed in those riots belonged to the same fami-
ly. These riots were on a very large scale and so the losses also,
both in human lives and properties, were terrible. According to
official statistics (which are invariably shown on a smaller scale)
as many as 1070 persons were killed and 524 persons were seri-
ously injured in these riots. An idea of the enormity of these anti-
Muslim riots can be had from the fact that out of 21 blocks of this
(Bhagalpur) district, communal violence had erupted in 15 blocks
and as many as 11500 houses in 195 villages were destroyed or
damaged. Not only this, 68 mosques were also damaged or set
on fire and about 20 mazars were also destroyed. About 600
power looms and 1700 hand looms were also set on fire.
Compensations to families of many victims were given earlier
also. All the victims and untraced persons to whose kins the com-
pensations were announced in this case were Muslims (men and
women). It may be stated in this connection that an amount of one
lakh as compensation after 23 years is too small for a family.
No Sadbhavna: Gujarat govt. denies Eid holiday
Ahmedabad: Shouting sadbhavna in words from rooftops, the
Gujarat government denied Eid holidays to Muslim employees
and students putting them to a lot of inconvenience. Not only gov-
ernment offices but even schools, colleges and courts were open
compelling Muslim employees and students to report for atten-
dance. Students who applied for leave (for their absence) were
penalised with fines. Mid-day meals prepared for students could
not be consumed because the students had absented themselves
on Eid day. Thus a huge quantity of cooked meals was wasted.
It is interesting to note that while the High Court had the foresight
to declare Monday as holiday for Eid, sessions court continued to
work forcing several Muslim litigants either to report on Eid day or
plead for posteponement.
Complaint to PCI against one-sided reporting by media
New Delhi: Biased reporting by the so-called secular and nation-
al media about the arrest of innocent Muslim youth, on suspicion
of their involvement in cases of terrorism, has been criticised and
doubted but inspite of that only the police version about their
alleged complicity and arrest is being reported by print and elec-
tronic media. Taking serious notice of this, a letter signed by about
a dozen members of Parliament and complaining against this
trend has been sent to the Press Council of India and its chairman
Justice Markandey Katju separately. In these complaints, not only
the trend of one-sided reporting of only the police version by
media has been criticised but serious concern also has been
expressed on falsely implicating innocent Muslim youth and a
demand has been made to rein in this biased and dangerous
trend. The signatories to this letter are Sita Ram Yechuri, CPIM-
MP; Ram Kirpal Yadav, Janta Dal MP; Ram Vilas Paswan, LJP
leader and MP; Naresh Agarwal, Samajwadi MP; Rajiv, CMP-MP;
Achuta Menon, MP; Muhammad Adeeb, MP and many other
Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs. Muhammad Adeeb while talk-
ing to media persons said that the way the arrest of suspected
Muslims is being reported in the media on the basis of the police
version only and baseless stories are being reported without any
investigation and proof are not only tarnishing the image of
Muslims but also efforts are being made to make their love, patri-
otism and loyalty to country suspect.
Riot-accused doctor socially boycotted
Ahmedabad: Dr. Atul Vaidya, an accused in the Gulbarg Society
carnage, is paying the price of his crime with the social boycott of
his family. Though he has no remorse for his role in the Gulbarg
Society carnage and he still believes that he did nothing wrong for
which he should be repentant, the community has deserted him.
His US-returned engineer son is unmarried because no one
wants to enter into a matrimonial alliance with such a family. A
similar fate awaits his C.A. studying daughter. Atul Vaidya is angry
over the apathy maintained by the Bajrang Dal and VHP for not
providing any kind of legal assistance to him. His name did not fig-
ure in the first F.I.R. but a case was registered against him by the
SIT appointed by the Supreme Court in 2008.
VHP relief package spurned by victims
Ahmedabad: Keeping the coming elections in mind, VHP came
forward with a plan to provide relief to those who have been con-
victed by various courts. The package comprised cash assistance
of Rs. 2500 per month alongwith grocery for the family members
who are suffering financial crunch. The relief proposed was for the
period till the convicted persons get acquitted. However, the
offered relief has been rejected by families of convicts saying that
they do not want any kind of charity nor mercy.
Police silent spectator during riot
Himmat Nagar (Gujarat): A clash between two groups resulted in
arson in which two shops were gutted and four others were ran-
sacked while police remained a silent spectator at Eder. Later on
10 persons were arrested following complaints lodged by people.
A minor incident of collision between a minitruck and a bike
enraged a mob of 500 who began pelting stones and wooden
clubs. After looting the shops they set them on fire. Other vehicles
parked also bore the brunt of arson in which a bus and a car and
rickshaws were damaged. Several persons sustained injuries.
Three were seriously injured, the condition of one of them is
reported critical. The mob was encouraged by the polices role of
a silent spectator. Complaints and cross complaints from both the
sides have been lodged in Eder police station under various sec-
tions of Indian penal code.
SIMI activists convicted
Indore: Three activists of SIMI have been sentenced to five year
imprisonment alongwith a fine of Rs. 5000 each for possessing
unlicensed guns and explosives. Three others were acquitted.
Shyamnagar police had raided the house of Gaffoor Khan
and had arrested 13 persons in August 2008. The convicted per-
sons are Khalid son of Muhammad Salim, Samiullah Khan son of
D. Akhtar and Shehzad son of Ba-ullah. Ravindra Singh Gaur, the
government pleader, said that he would appeal in the high court
against District and Session judge S. S. Sisodias order of convic-
tion for higher punishment and would demand punishment for the
acquitted persons too.
Islamic literature into Hindi is the need of the hour
A new religious monthly magazine titled Zakariya published by
Jamia Mazahirul Uloom was released by Mazahirul Ulooms
Trustee, Maulana Shahidul Hasani in Saharanpur on
17 September. Speaking on the occasion he said that the speed
at which the use of Hindi is increasing in common knowleldge.
Hindi being the national language of the country, a large number
of Muslims also learn and read this language. He said that
madrasas and their Ulama have always moved with the times,
and they have always tried in every possible way to propagate
and popularise Islamic knowledge and information to the Hindi-
knowing population of the country by publishing Islamic literature
into Hindi language. Maulana Shahidul Hasani said that translat-
ing and rendering Islamic literature into Hindi language is an
important need of the hour lest our new generation be deprived of
Islamic literature and Islamic education and knowledge. With this
objective and in view of the requirement of the times the Hindi
monthly magazine Zakariya is being published, adding that this
monthly magazine is a ray of light in the darkness with the objec-
tive to spread Islamic education and knowledge among Muslim
youth and to create Islamic awareness in them. This magazine
will also promote brotherhood and national harmony in the coun-
try. He said that Ulama and responsible authorities of madrasas
were never oblivious of the need of the times and circumstances
and the their and madrasas role in the countrys freedom struggle
development and progress, is no secret. He said that if these
madrasas and Ulama would not have participated in the countrys
war of independence and played a dynamic role, the dream of
independence would not have been fulfilled.
He said that today Hindi language has also become the need
of the times and realising this need it has been decided to publish
this standard monthly magazine (Zakariya). He said that three
magazines published by Mazahirul Uloom are already in circula-
tion of which one i.e. Al Mazahir is in Arabic, Yadgaar-e Sheikh is
in Urdu and another monthly is in Urdu and yet another monthly
magazine i.e. Mazahir Uloom is also in Urdu and now a fourth
monthly magazine (Zakariya) will be published in Hindi.
Gujarat builders now want to build for Muslims
Ahmedabad: Some builders and real estate developers in
Gujarat, realising that Muslims of the state find it difficult to get or
buy homes in housing societies or colonies, are now thinking of
starting housing schemes exclusively for Muslims. One of them is
Balwant Singh Padheriya, Director of B. Shahjee & Co. (P.) Ltd.,
who is offering plots of 200 to 400 sq. yards in the price range of
Rs. 6 to 12 lakh to Muslims on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. And
as an inducement for them to purchase plots in this area he is
even building a mosque there. He says that since eating habits
and religious rituals etc. of Hindus and Muslims are different, he
wants to make this housing scheme for Muslims only. He realises
that this involves some risk also but being a businessman he
understands better in which sector investments can be profitable.
He says that in many housing schemes, builders ignore religious
minorities, particularly Muslims and hence he has decided to
undo this trend and mentality. He plans to consult a religious
leader to finalise plans for building a mosque at the proposed site.
Another builder, Pravin Bavadiya, president of Ahmedabad
Realtors Association says that Balwant Singhs initiative is a good
move because they got a lot of enquires from Gujarati Muslims
living or working in Gulf countries about housing schemes in this
state but we are unable to give them options with which they
would be satisfied. Yet another company in the building field,
Space Age Infracon P. Ltd. is building a housing colony exclusive-
ly for Bohra Muslims in Fatehganj area of Vadodra. The Director
of this company, Tahir Jhabuwala says that after building
Amanatullah Residency which consists of 22 large size bunga-
lows at a place near Vadodra in 2009, this (Fateh Ganj housing
project) is his second Muslim housing project with proper sur-
roundings and basic requirements such as places for offering
namaz, community functions, religious functions and ceremonies
etc.
Muslim girls achieve distinction in C.S. exam
Indore / Ujjain: Muslim girls achieved distinction in the prestigious
CS examination. While Zainab Begwala obtained the 20th rank at
The All India level she was on First position at Indore by securing
299 marks at the Foundation programme. There were 500 candi-
dates in the exam held in June 2012. Tasnim Khan secured 220
marks. Nooriya Karimi is on the 24th All India Rank.
Zainab gives credit to her success, first to her teachers and
then to her own hard work, she used to devote eight hours a day
without sacrificing her social responsibilities and studies for
B. Com nor did she neglect her hobbies though she had to forego
games.
Patna: Syed Abdullah Tariq, popularly known as the ambassador
of communal harmony, said here Ignorance is the mother of mis-
understanding. Many social conflicts take place because of mis-
conceptions.
Delivering a talk on Communal Harmony - Key to co-exis-
tence at Bihar Urdu Academy here on 16 September, he said,
Peace is desired, not demanded and harmony is achieved, not
acquired. Integration was an outcome of adjustment, and it is dif-
ferent from unification. Brotherhood is totality of fraternity. It is a
matter of feeling, not indoctrination.
The programme was organized by Shanti Sandesh Kendra,
Patna and The Temple of Understanding, an inter-faith global
organizations Bihar Chapter at Patna.
Talking on Monotheism in the Vedic, or Sanatan Dharma,
he said unfortunately the original teachings are being con-
cealed from the common man. Ekam Brahm, dvitiya naste
neh na naste kinchan which means there is only One god, not
the Second; No, nor, not in the least. This is the Brahm Sutra
of Hindu Vedanta. Original Hindu religion presents the con-
ception of One God in the same way as has been presented
by Islam. But general people are kept away from this funda-
mental teaching of Hinduism.
Kafir, an Arabic word generally used for a non-Muslim, is, in
his view, completely misplaced. To him, a Kafir means one who
refuses to accept, who conceals, who is ungrateful. Until Muslims
deliver the true message of Islam to non-Muslims, how can they
declare that non-Muslims have refused to accept Islam and
hence could be declared kafir? Other meanings of kafir fit most
Muslims as they conceal the message of Allah from non-Muslims
on different grounds and despite having Holy Quran in their pos-
session, they are ungrateful to Allah and keep inviting Allahs
wrath.
On Jihad, Tariq clarified that it has nothing to do with killing of
innocents and terrorism. Jihad means consistent struggle to
establish peace. The first permission to take up arms was accord-
ed in verse 22:39 of Holy Quran, which reads: Permission (to
take up arms) is hereby given to those who attacked because
they have been wronged. The Quran further says: Fight, for the
sake of Allah against those that fight against you, but do not be
aggressive (2:190). Islam, like any other creed, allows war when
all avenues for peaceful resolution of dispute are exhausted. In
fact, in the same manner, the Bhagwad Gita too says: Slain, you
will gain heaven; victorious, you will enjoy the earth (2:37).
Mr. Abdul Majid Qasmi of Shanti Sandesh Kendra, asserted
that the need of the hour is to go back to religion as it is the only
means of uniting people. Despite various differences, he said,
there still exists an unchallengeable common bond among all
human beings, i.e., their being created by one God. Quoting Holy
Quran and Adi Granth like Veda, he emphasized on commonali-
ties and similarities among different religious scriptures and com-
munities.
Secretary of The Temple of Understanding, Bihar Chapter,
MT Khan, stated that humanitys prosperity and peace lies in
mutual respect and co-existence. We must get rid of the system-
atic hypocrisy of proclaiming one vision of mankind but building a
world of fundamentalism and fanaticism against one another. We
must fight against all those anti-humanity, anti-religion groups
who spread hatred and ill-will among different communities. Our
mission is to acquaint the general public with the beliefs, customs
and historical sources of different religions and religious traditions
of the world, in order to foster interfaith communication and inter-
religious harmony.
S.N. Jha, Chairman of Bihar Human Rights Commission
and former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, presided
over the function. He emphasized that humanity is the spir-
it of all religions. (M Naushad Ansari)
Ignorance is the mother of misunderstanding
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 15
COMMUNITY NEWS
NIA searching for Samjhauta accused
Indore: Ateam of two NIAinvestigators tried to collect information
about the absconding accused Rajendra Chauhan wanted in the
Samjhauta train blast. The duo went to Depalpur but failed to
trace him. SDO police Saligram confirmed the news about the
visit of the team which did not divulge the purpose of its visit nor
did the team seek any police help.
J&K Waqf Board
Admitting that irregularities are taking place, Jammu and Kashmir
Muslim Waqf Board, which looks after shrines and other Muslim
properties in the valley, has said some cases have been handed
over to the Crime Branch for investigation. I have found many
cases of irregularities and misconduct in the Board which is a
national property of the valleys Muslims, M Y Qadri, Boards
vice-chairman told media, September 5. Qadri said some
employees were scuttling steps aimed at weeding out corruption
at different levels. But the Board wouldnt desist from taking
severe action against employees indulging in malpractices.
He said that lions share from offerings by devotees at
shrines goes into Mujawirs (attendants at shrines) kitty. Making
public assets of Waqf Board, second largest asset body after the
state government, he said it owns 1453 shops, 2160 kanals of
orchard land, 99 kanals of paddy land, 242 kanals of Malyari
land, 6840 kanals of forest land, 32 kanals of marshy land and
630 kanals of Idgah. Pertinently, some media-reports suggested
the Board was selling cemeteries through underhand deals.
(Afsana Rashid)
Tulsi Encounter: chargesheet filed against 21 persons
Ahmedabad: The CBI filed chargesheets against 21 persons in
the Tulsiram Prajapati encounter case at the Danta Court in
Banaskatha. The list of the accused includes Amit Shah, the for-
mer home minister, and twenty top ranking police officers includ-
ing Vanzaara, Pandian, P. C. Pande, Geetha Johri, O. P. Mathur
and R. K. Patel. This one lakh page chargesheet was filed by
investigating officer of the CBI Sandip Tamgane. It was present-
ed by CBI advocate Ejaz Khan. It was challenged by advocate of
I.P.S. Raj Kumar Pandian saying that it could not be lodged at the
Danta court. It could be lodged either at the Gujarat High Court
or at the Supreme Court.
This development has caused panic among police officers. It
has also created a catastrophe in the political arena. With oppo-
sition partys Hallabol agitation BJP needed a smart damage con-
trol politician like Amit Shah who is extremely keen to return to his
home state prior to assembly polls. However this chargesheet will
further obstruct his entry. People fear that Shah will enter Gujarat
to be lodged in Sabarmati jail. Sangh has rushed Rajasthan stal-
wart Om Mathur to take care of the poll campaign. Mathur is a
well-known figure in Gujarat and had worked during 2007 polls.
O.P. Mathur, the accused in Tulsiram encounter, was
appointed Ahmedabad police commissioner on the recommenda-
tions of Om Mathur for his role in botching up the encounter
cases. Modis ship is further wrecked by the proposed visit of his
sworn enemy Sanjay Joshi who is to visit the state despite Modis
annoyance to attend a lecture on Swami Vivekanand. RSS is
now divided into two camps - one favouring Modi, the other
against him.
Sunni Central Waqf Board to work in Urdu
Agra: Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board decided in its
meeting held on 11 September that Waqf Board being a purely
religious institution, all file work and correspondence etc. will be
done in Urdu and that in court proceedings and dealings only
English and Hindi will be allowed. This decision was welcomed
and appreciated by different organisations and social workers not
only of Agra and Firozabad but of UP as a whole. Maulana Alam
Mustafa Mazahiri while welcoming this decision said that at least
in offices which work purely in religious fields work should invari-
ably be done in Urdu because people belonging to the minority
community are generally in contact with such institutions and
hence other government offices like Haj Committee, Urdu
Academy also should learn a lesson from this and for the conven-
ience of people, these offices also should carry out work in Urdu.
In this way Urdu will also be promoted, he said.
The Waqf Board meeting held at its office at Mal Avenue was
chaired by the Boards chairman Zafar Ahmad Farooqi and
attended among others by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Dr. Akmal Husain, Begum Tabassum Hasan, Ms. Qaisar Jahan,
Maulana Muhammad Hamza Hasani Nadwi, Mufti Najeeb Ahmad
etc. In this meeting many complaints about Waqf Boards of some
cities like Kanpur, Azamgarh, Saharanpur, Farrukhabad etc. were
discussed and CEO was authorised to conduct enquiries into
these complaints. Other problems like expediting disposal of
arrears of work, payment of employees salaries, PF and other
allowances etc were also discussed.
Rs. 38 lakh annual package to Jamia students
New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi like many other uni-
versities has now started campus placement service and this
year many MNCs like Microsoft, Google, Maruti Suzuki,
Mahindra & Mahindra and Japanese company, Works Application
visited Jamia to select students for their company. Japanese
company, Works Application came to Jamia for the first time this
year and after interviewing and shortlisting nine students select-
ed two students of B. Tech (computer engineering), MCA, MSc
(computer science) for its Singapore office with a package of 6
million Japanese Yen (Rs. 38 lakh) per annum. According to
University spokesperson, Simi Malhotra, this is the highest pack-
age so far in the history of Jamia. American company Microsoft
India selected two students and offered both of them a package
of Rs. 16 lakh (per annum) each. She said that some more reput-
ed companies like Adobe India, HCL, Samsung, Tata Steel etc.
will also be coming shortly to select students. She said that last
year 105 companies had come to the University and had given
employment offers to 475 students. Many other companies like
Maruti, Mahindra have interviewed and short listed many stu-
dents but have not yet decided about making offers.
Naroda Patia verdict to implicate several
New Delhi: With Maya Kodnanis conviction in the case several
other persons are likely to be dragged in. Detail phone records
provide proofs about the involvement of several police personnel.
The SIT has not so far submitted its report on the involvement of
politicians and policemen. Senior advocate and activist Mukul
Sinha is contemplating an appeal in the state High Court
demanding that Gordhan Zadaphia, the then home minister of
state and police officers as well as officials in CMs office be
brought under the list of accused persons. Phone details reveal
that though Maya was not a minister at the time of riots in 2002
yet there had been four telephonic contacts between Kodnani
and CMO on March 1. On 28 February there was a 78-seconds
long conversation at 7.46 p.m. followed by another at 8.14 for
103 seconds. On March 1 Kodnani contacted CMs office at
13.09 for 179 seconds followed by another call of 75 seconds.
She was also in constant touch with N. K. Tandon and
K.K. Mysorewala.
Naroda Patia verdict fallout
Ahmedabad: With the Naroda Patia, verdict several issues have
surfaced. The quantum of punishment has been hailed by many
though quite a few persons desire death penalty for them. While
Maya gets a 28 years term Bajrangi has been sentenced to a
rare punishment - imprisonment till he dies. The victims, on the
whole, feel satisfied - justice delayed but finally delivered.
Ghanibhai Mansuri, who saw his house in flames, wanted the
death penalty because such persons are a burden on mankind.
Another victim, Farzana Aiyub Khan, saw her young daughter
gangraped by the mob while she herself was set ablaze. Her one
daughter was cut in two, another daughter, ten year old Reshma
was handicapped permanently by severing her hands. She saw
four other persons of her family set ablaze. She heaves a sigh of
relief seeing the predicaments of the accused.
Fatimabibi, who lost eight members of her family, feels the
punishment as just though it is too meagre vis-a-vis their crime.
The court had observed that their crime, in no sense, was less
than that of terrorists. Among the 32 convicted persons are two
advocates - Mukesh Rathod and Sachin Modi. Among the 29
acquitted are two of Mukeshs sisters - Geetaben and Ramila
while another advocate Rajkumar Chaumal got the benefit of
doubt. Mukeshs father, also an accused, died during the trial. In
her plea to the judge Maya Kodnani described it as a political
punishment. Claiming innocence she said that she did not go to
the place on her own.
Maha. Minorities Commission gets the status of civil court
Mumbai: Maharashtra Minorities Commissions newly appointed
Chairman, Munaf Hakeem said after taking over charge of his
post that investigations into the arrests of innocent Muslim youths
who were accused of indulging in violence after the meeting held
in Mumbais Azad Maidan (on 11 August) to protest against anti-
Muslim riots in Assam and Myanmar will be made and no inno-
cent persons will be put behind bars. He said in the presence of
noted lawyer Majeed Memon, MLA Milind Kamble, NCP leader
Mubarak Khan and others that this Commission now enjoys the
status of a civil court and after getting any complaint against the
investigating agencies and officers it has the power to summon
them (for questioning). He further said that he will soon hold a
meeting of Commissions high officials and will issue orders to
look into the complaints received in the Commissions office.
It may be stated that the state government has vested the
Minorities Commission with the powers of a civil court by virtue of
which it has the powers to summon government officials in its
office, to question them or seek clarifications from them in any
matter and to recommend suitable action be to taken against
them if found guilty. It may be stated incidentally that the post of
this commissions chairman was vacant for the past one year.
The state government, after issuing a notification on 28 August,
appointed Munaf Hakeem as Chairman of this Commission.
Educational rehabilitation of strife-affected students
Guwahati: A discussion on Educational rehabilitation of strife-
affected students of BTAD was held here at the Regional
Institute of Science & Technology on 8 September. The pro-
gramme was organised jointly by the ERD Foundation Guwahati
and Committee on Girls Education (NCMEI), Union Ministry of
HRD. All India Confederation for Womens Empowerment
through Education, Markazul Maarif, Justice & Equity Demand
Samiti, Ajmal Foundation, Unity Education Foundation, Assam
Zakat Foundation and Pragjyotish Group of institutions extended
support. Over 100 heads of leading educational groups, repre-
sentatives of NGOs, social workers and activists, corporate
heads, opinion leaders and philanthropists from across the coun-
try, particularly, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andra Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Bihar, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal
and North Eastern States attended the conclave.
At the outset, Mahbubul Haque, Chancellor, University of
Science & Technology Meghalaya, made a powerpoint presenta-
tion to acquaint the gathering about the background of the BTAD
unrest and the loss suffered by the education sector and student
community on account of the strife. Dr Shabistan Gaffar,
Chairperson, Committee on Girls Education, NCMEI, said, While
there is scope to take up work for socio-economic uplift of the
affected people, we are concentrating on the educational rehabil-
itation of the student community as education is the field of our
focus. Similarly, others can take up work in the field of health and
hygiene, family planning, financial literacy etc.
Justice MSA Siddiqui, Chairman of NCMEI, in his keynote
address, said, We need not look at the clashes in and around
BTAD area of Assam from a communal angle. In a developing
society, clashes may happen when communities are in transi-
tion. Let us look at these as human tragedies. We have to
have faith in our Constitution and look forward. NCMEI will
extend all its support for the rehabilitation of students affected
by the recent strife, irrespective of their caste, creed, commu-
nity or denomination. He expressed his confidence that prop-
er education can vanquish communalism.
Former Darul Uloom vice-chancellor, Maulana Ghulam
Mohammed Vastanvi, stressed on the need for frequent social
interaction between communities. Sayyid Ibraheemul
Khaleelul Bukhari, Chairman, Madin Islamic Academy,
Malappuram, Kerala made a short speech saying that his
organization would be able to adopt 1000 children of different
age groups.
New Delhi: A 2-judge bench of Himachal Pradesh High Court of
Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Rajiv Sharma ruled in
response to a petition that changing ones religion is a matter of
a mans personal belief and the state has no right to question
whether it is a forced or free / voluntary conversion. It may be
stated in this connection that like many other states, Himachal
Pradesh also had passed anti conversion Act named Himachal
Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act in 2006 which required that
any one changing his / her original religion has to intimate the
District Magistrate of his decision to change his religion a month
in advance and after receiving such intimation the D.M. would
satisfy himself if the intended conversion was voluntary or forced
one, or was fraudulent or was motivated by any other factor like
monetary or other inducements. The Act also provided that in
case of failure to intimate the D.M. in advance, a fine of Rs. 1000
could be imposed. The Act also provided that if a converted per-
son wanted to re-convert to his original religion which is termed
ghar wapsi, by Hindutva protagonists, no prior intimation was
needed. Because of this dichotomy this Act was questioned and
a petition was filed by two NGOs viz. Evangelical Fellowship of
India and ANHAD in H.P. High Court. It was in response to their
petition that the High Court had given the above mentioned rul-
ing and held that the Act was contrary to the right to practice any
religion and the right to privacy linked to Art 21 of the
Constitution.
It goes without saying that this ruling of HP-HC will be chal-
lenged in a higher court that is the Supreme Court because
many states also like Karnataka, Gujarat and some others have
passed anti-conversion Acts and if the Supreme Court upholds
Himachal Pradesh High Courts ruling, it will nullify the anti-con-
version acts and laws of those states which may create a crisis
of sorts. Of course this is the verdict of H.P. High Court which,
even if not challenged in the Supreme Court, may not be
enforceable in other states but it will create a precedent which,
unlike laws passed by a state legislature, may have deep effect
in other states, particularly those states which have enacted
anti-conversion laws.
The petitioners, a team of lawyers including M.V. George of
the Supreme Court, argued that disclosure by the would-be con-
vertee about his intention to convert could endanger his life. The
Bench also agreed to this possibility and said that chances of
the convertee being subjected to physical and psychological tor-
ture by his original co-religionists cannot be ruled out.
(NA Ansari)
State has no right to question anyones
religious conversion: HP High Court
INTERNATIONAL
16 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012
The Pro-Israel Network Behind the Innocence Video
JUSTIN RAIMONDO
If someone had planned to upend US foreign policy - to utterly
destroy the very basis of all our diplomats (and military person-
nel) been working to achieve in the Middle East and throughout
the Muslim world - they couldnt have done a better job of it than
whoever put together Innocence of Muslims.
As violent protests spread, the consequences continue to roll
in: the suspension of joint US-Afghan military operations, the
suspension of US aid talks with Egypt, the rapid decline of US
prestige in the region, and the growing influence of the radical
Islamist movement US support for the Arab Spring was
designed to counter. The Obama administrations effort to split
the Islamist upsurge and lend its support to moderates has
been stopped cold.
Was the release of the video a random event, one of those
unpredictables that can arise at any moment to foil the best-laid
plans? Perhaps. Yet one is hard-pressed to explain what the
makers of Innocence sought to accomplish, if not precisely what
has occurred. According to various explanations floated in the
media - primarily by anti-Muslim agitator Steve Klein - the idea
was to promote the video to Muslims. In one account, Klein says
he hoped the video would smoke out Muslim radicals in the US,
who he is convinced have organized secret cells that will strike
on command. On the other hand, we are told the films authors
and promoters hoped to convert Muslims.
Neither explanation is very convincing. The video itself is so
crude, so inept, and so deliberately insulting, it is hard to believe
anyone thought it could convert anyone to anything. And as for
the prospect of smoking out secret Islamist cells - if there were
such cells, one would hardly expect them to reveal themselves
because of a YouTube video. In order to understand the real
motives and goals of the makers of Innocence, it is necessary to
take a good look at the people who have, so far, been identified
as the films authors and promoters.
The central figure in all this is reported to be one Nakoula
Basseley Nakoula, a 56-year-old Egyptian immigrant: although
Nakoula presented himself in an interview with the Associated
Press as Sam Bacile, a 56-year-old Israeli-American real
estate developer, he is a Coptic Christian, a member of a minor-
ity in Egypt - and a convicted felon. Media reports portray him as
the central figure in the making of Innocence: he denies this, and
describes his job as arranging logistics for the film. Nakoulas
role seems to have been that of a facilitator - gofer - rather than
creative director, and in any case he hardly seems the type to
have originated the idea for the movie. Having been released
from jail - where he was serving a sentence for bank fraud - bare-
ly a month before filming started, Nakoula was hardly in a posi-
tion to undertake such a project. Chances are he was recruited
by someone else, the real originator and driving force behind
Innocence- but who is that someone?
Public records show a filming permit was taken out by Media
for Christ, an outfit run by one Joseph Nasrallah Abdelmasih. His
group sponsors Christian programming in Arabic, including The
Way, a production that has featured such prominent
Islamophobes as Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer. The Geller-
Spencer collaboration goes back to the protests against the New
York City Ground Zero mosque in which the duo achieved
national notoriety: Nasrallah was one of the speakers at their
rally. The idea for just such a movie as Innocence showed up on
Gellers blog in February, in a post entitled A Movie About
Muhammad: An Idea Whose Time Has Come. Ali Sina, an ex-
Muslim and board member of Geller and Spencers Stop the
Islamization of Nations, exhorted Gellers readers to support his
movie project:
The movie shows Muhammads raids, plunders, massacres,
rapes, assassinations and other crimes. A small subtitle in the
lower right corner of each scene will give reference to the source
of the story. This movie is entirely factual. Wherever possible, I
copied the Quran, the Sira and the Hadith verbatim. It is a rivet-
ing story. Truth about Muhammad is more shocking than fiction.
The world does not know Islam. What is known is a watered
down and euphemized version of it that has no bases [sic] in real-
ity. The truth is that Muhammad was a cult leader, much like Jim
Jones, Shoko Asahara and Charles Manson. Unlike them he suc-
ceeded because there was no central power in the seventh cen-
tury Arabia to stop him.
The other good news is that I have been promised a sub-
stantial angel financing. I have been daydreaming about this
movie for ten years. It was this promise that prompted me into
action. I put everything aside for five months, read everything I
could about my protagonist, selected the most salient episodes
and wrote the script. The seed is now sown. Now its time to nur-
ture it. What I need is an experienced executive producer, some-
one who shares my values, to make it happen with professional-
ism and missionary zeal. I am not thinking of a high budget
movie, but given the subject matter, it can become one of the
most seen motion pictures ever. (Recall Danish cartoons?)
This may or may not be the same movie as Innocence, but
whats important here is that the idea of such a provocation -
recall Danish cartoons? - was percolating in these circles when
the movie was in production. Nasrallah has now issued a non-
denial denial, in which he claims he was duped - along with the
actors - by Nakoula who did not make the movie we thought he
was making. However, he admits Nakoula called him and that
Media for Christ lent him their facilities: and, one has to ask, what
movie did Nasrallah think his buddy Nakoula was making?
Nasrallahs recent involvement with the Geller-Spencer
crowd coincided with a very profitable time for his organization:
Media in Christs income has recently skyrocketed, according to
public records, with receipts totaling under $200,000 in 2009 and
prior, rising to $633,516 in 2010 and $1,016,366 in 2011. Where
did all that money come from - was it Mr. Sinas substantial
angel? Nakoula claims he funded his movie project with money
from over 100 Jewish donors.
When Nakoula spoke to the Associated Press, he described
himself as an Israeli-American real estate developer operating
out of California: this was soon debunked, however, when inquir-
ing reporters outed him as an Egyptian of the Coptic faith. They
also discovered hes a convicted felon - not only for a check-kit-
ing scheme, but also for drug-dealing (methamphetamine). Hes
an unlikely hero for the right-wing Christians who have made a
martyr out of him, although to ostensible libertarians like Matt
Welch, who thinks Nakoula & Co. are on the same level as
Salman Rushdie, the meth conviction is doubtless a plus.
The idea that these vermin, who deliberately set out to make
a movie that would inflame the Muslim world, are free speech
heroes is worse than nonsense: it is valorizing villains. We dont
yet know where the money, or the impetus to make the film, came
from, but what we do know is this: the driving force behind
Innocence was a desire to create an international incident that
would bring discredit on the United States, and empower radical
Islamists who hate America and everything it stands for. And the
promoters of this garbage pose as patriots!
Free speech has nothing to do with this issue: the President
requested of YouTube that they reconsider the videos place on
YouTube in light of their terms of service. YouTube refused, and
thats the end of it. Unfortunately, however, thats not the end of
this imbroglio, the consequences of which well be living with for
a long time to come.
There is an ugly sore festering under the skin of the West,
and its first manifestation - or should I say symptom? - surfaced
when Andre Breivik committed his ghastly crime, slaughtering the
attendees at a Norwegian Labor Party youth camp. He, too,
wanted to stop the Islamization of nations, and his online man-
ifesto cited Geller, Spencer, and the writings of the movement
their hateful rantings have energized. The English Defense
League - a sorry collection of skinheads, neo-Nazis, and soccer
hooligans - which Geller endorses, has mounted a campaign of
violent intimidation aimed at British Muslims, inspiring imitators in
several European countries. These groups feed off the more rad-
ical elements of the Zionist movement: Geller and her supporters
claim to be defending Israel, and the EDL regularly flies the
Israeli flag at their hate rallies.
Defense of the Jewish state is a major theme of the
Islamophobe network: they use it as a shield to deflect criticism. A
key leader of this network is former New Leftist and Black Panther
groupie David Horowitz: his David Horowitz Freedom Center (for-
merly the Center for the Study of Popular Culture), sponsors
Spencers Jihad Watch. Horowitzs Frontpage site - ablaze with
stories decrying the betrayal of Israel by the American govern-
ment and the perfidy of all things Islamic - recently speculated
Innocence was created by the very Salafists now leading the
protests. Since the video sprang from the same bigoted milieu of
which Frontpage is the online Jerusalem, this theory isnt merely
ironic - its a moral obscenity.
It isnt hard to imagine
where the money to create this
deadly provocation came from.
Of the many millions in neocon
money sloshing around this
country, its hardly inconceivable
a hundred thousand or so would
find its way into the hands of a
twice-convicted felon and all
around dubious character like
Nakoula, who is, I suspect, just a
con man rather than an ultra-
Zionist ideologue like the pro-
moters of his work. Although,
to be sure, the difference is alto-
gether negligible.(original.anti-
war.com)
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The Moslem Worlds
Rage; Justified or
Misplaced?
SORAYA SEPAHPOUR-ULRICH
Media outlets are abuzz with news of the Moslem worlds rage
over the release of the provocative film Innocence of
Moslems.
Pundits are quick to condemn the protests across 20
nations, and the gullible and callous citizens of the West, mim-
icking pundits who are paid to mislead and misinform, are plac-
ing the blame on the aggrieved Moslem community - they sim-
ply dont understand how free speech works in America. But
those who are not intellectually blind see a different reality - the
fallacy of free speech.
There is a precedent to curbing free speech when deemed
harmful. In a landmark Supreme Court hearing -- Schenck v.
United States, 249 U. S. 47 (1919), the actions of Schenck, an
anti-war individual who had printed and distributed leaflets in
order to discourage enlisting servicemen, was not afforded pro-
tection under the First Amendment. The issue before the court
was whether Schencks actions (words, expression) were pro-
tected by the free speech clause of the First Amendment. The
Court ruled:
The most stringent protection of free speech would not pro-
tect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing
panic. Holmes argued that The question in every case is
whether the words used are used in such circumstances and
are of such nature as to create a clear and present danger that
they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a
right to prevent.
Since the events of 9/11, the whole Moslem community has
been engulfed in panic, death, and destruction through such
provocative expressions of free speech. The United States
government, in defiance of this precedent has decided not to
prevent such substantive evils.
The desecration of the Koran in 2002 by Guantanamo
prison guards revealed in 2005, caused riots globally and took
the lives of 15 people. The lack of inaction by the authorities
may have given Florida pastor Terry Jones reason to be encour-
aged and to burn a Koran on March 20, 2011. Pictures of which
were posted on his churchs website. Shortly thereafter,
protests broke out in Afghanistan where a U. N. building was
attacked and 12 people killed. The government inaction contin-
ued.
As such, it did not come as a surprise that in February
2012, US forces in Afghanistan burnt copies of Korans at U. S.
bases. Angry protests ensued resulting in 30 deaths. There
were no criminal charges against the troops, only unspecified
administrative punishment.
While the First Amendment enabled insults to be hurled at
Moslems, Moslems living in the United States were deprived of
free speech. Moslem students at California State University in
Irvine (UCI) were suspended for a year for interrupting the
speech of the Israeli Ambassador to the U. S., Michael Oren.
The same state allowed the censorship of professors who
spoke out against the bombing of Gaza and slaughtering of the
Palestinians.
On October 16, 2004, President George W. Bush signed
the Israel Lobbys bill, the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act.
This legislation requires the US Department of State to monitor
anti-Semitism world wide. (It is noteworthy that four years later,
Republican candidates ran on a platform of promoting hatred of
Islam). In line with policies of selective free speech, and in the
same month that no criminal charges were brought against
troops in Afghanistan for burning Korans and urinating on
Afghan corpses, August 2012, California passed a resolution
(House Resolution 35) against criticism of Israel. What is per-
haps more revealing than the Resolution itself, is the desire and
the power to curb free speech.
In light of the recent examples, is the Moslem worlds anger
at the United States misplaced when clearly the United States
government has the power to curb speech (the most recent
case in point being the State of Georgias denial of KKK groups
application to Adopt a Highway)? Perhaps for the protestors,
it is hard to understand that the Presidents kill list allows the
assassination of American individuals based merely on pat-
terns of behavior yet he is not able to exercise power to curb
speech denigrating Islam.
Why has there been no will to put a stop to these insults
and the ensuing violence? One may never know the answer.
What is clear is that although the Moslem countries have been
grossly violated, their cities bombed, their men, women, and
children killed, their spirit has not been crushed. As was bril-
liantly depicted in a different kind of movie -- Gillo Pontecorvos
1965 production of The Battle of Algiers, bombs and guns can
crush a mans frail body but not his resistant spirit; ideology will
always prevail over bullets.(Information Clearing House)
Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich is a Public Diplomacy Scholar,
independent researcher and blogger with a focus on U. S. for-
eign policy and the role of lobby groups.
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 17
INTERNATIONAL
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Beirut: Congresswoman Illena Ros-Lehtinen will have her hands
full as she makes the political and social rounds at this month's
Republican National Convention. Illena is the only female com-
mittee chair in the House of Representatives and arguably
Israel's most ardent agent. She is a constant thorn in the Obama
administration's side, regularly castigating the president for play-
ing "political games with U.S. foreign policy" and being "soft on
Iran" and undermining the legitimacy of Israel. Ros-Lehtinen is a
congressional cheer leader also for her Jewish voters in Florida-
a key battleground in the rapidly approaching US presidential
election. Most recently, Ros-Lehtinen helped shepherd through
Congress yet another bill tightening sanctions against Iran while
calling for US military action against the Assad regime in Syria.
The Congresswomen's focus will likely not be on pushing the
republican's talking points regarding her party's nominee, Mitt
Romney, the former "moderate Massachusetts governor" who
she is aware is unlikely to win the White House. Nor, according
to a source at the Democratic National Committee, frantically put-
ting together final touches on their own Convention, to be held
the week of September 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina, will Ileana
spend much time with or promoting Mitt' running mate,
Congressman Paul Ryan. Ryan, an Ayn Rand (author of The
Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged as well as founder of the
Objectivism movement) follower, regularly tells audiences that
"Ayn Rand's teachings have been one of the most profound
philosophical influences of my life"-well, except for religion and
abortion, as Ayn who passed away in 1982 was an avowed athe-
ist and strongly pro-abortion, the opposite of what Ryan tells
audiences he is.
Rather, Ros-Lehtinen will be meeting with local, national,
and international Jewish leaders in this must win state where she
has been assigned the task of reassuring them that the
Republican Party is Israel's best friend and that a recent US gov-
ernment draft report urging a US re-think of its relationship to
Israel is the responsibility of none other than Barack Obama, and
it reveals his true disdain for Israel.
Helping her smear the White House with the findings in the
draft analysis will be William Kristol, publisher of the neoconser-
vative Weekly Standard and Director of the New American
Century, an "Israel first" Washington-based lobby "promoting
joint Israeli and American political and military leadership across
the globe, while bringing democracy to the Middle East".
So what is all the fuss about?
It's a paper entitled "Preparing For A Post Israel Middle
East", an 82-page analysis that concludes that the American
national interest is fundamentally at odds with that of Zionist
Israel. The authors conclude that Israel is currently the greatest
threat to US national interests because its nature and actions
prevent normal US relations with Arab and Muslim countries
and, to a growing degree, the wider international community.
The study was commissioned by the US Intelligence
Community comprising 16 American intelligence agencies with
an annual budget in excess of $ 70 billion. The IC includes the
Departments of the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast
Guard, Defense Intelligence Agency, Departments of Energy,
Homeland Security, State, Treasure, Drug Enforcement Agency,
Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency,
National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, National
Reconnaissance Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency
commissioned the study.
Among the many findings that Ros-Lehtenin and Kristol and
other unregistered agents of Israel will likely try to exploit politi-
cally between now and November 6, by using them to attack the
Obama Administration are the following:
* Israel, given its current brutal occupation and belligerence can-
not be salvaged any more than apartheid south Africa could be
when as late as 1987 Israel was the only "Western" nation that
upheld diplomatic ties with South Africa and was the last country
to join the international boycott campaign before the regime col-
lapsed;
* The Israel leadership, with its increasing support of the 700,000
settlers in illegal colonies in the occupied West Bank is increas-
ingly out of touch with the political, military and economic realities
of the Middle East;
* The post-Labor government Likud coalition is deeply complicit
with and influenced by the settlers' political and financial power
and will increasingly face domestic civil strife which the US gov-
ernment should not associate itself with or become involved with;
* The Arab Spring and Islamic Awakening has to a major degree
freed a large majority of the 1.2 billion Arab and Muslims to pur-
sue what an overwhelming majority believe is the illegitimate,
immoral and unsustainable European occupation of Palestine of
the indigenous population;
* Simultaneous with, but predating, rapidly expanding Arab and
Muslim power in the region as evidenced by the Arab spring,
Islamic Awakening and the ascendancy of Iran, as American
power and influence recedes, the US commitment to belligerent
oppressive Israel is becoming impossible to defend or execute
consistent given paramount US national interests which include
normalizing relations with the 57 Islamic countries;
* Gross Israeli interference in the internal affairs of the United
States through spying and illegal US arms transfers. This
includes supporting more than 60 'front organizations' and
approximately 7,500 US officials who do Israel's bidding and
seek to dominate and intimidate the media and agencies of the
US government which should no longer be condoned;
* That the United States government no longer has the financial
resources, or public support to continue funding Israel. The bil-
lions of dollars in direct and indirect aid from US taxpayers to
Israel since 1967 is not affordable and is increasingly being
objected to by US taxpayers who oppose continuing American
military involvement in the Middle East. US public opinion no
longer supports funding and executing widely perceived illegal
US wars on Israel's behalf. This view is increasingly being shared
by Europe, Asia and the International public;
* Israel's segregationist occupation infrastructure evidenced by
legalized discrimination and increasingly separate and unequal
justice systems must no longer be directly or indirectly funded by
the US taxpayers or ignored by the US government;
* Israel has failed as a claimed democratic state and continued
American financial and political cover will not change its continu-
ing devolution as international pariah state;
* Increasingly, rampant and violent racism exhibited among
Jewish settlors in the West Bank is being condoned by the Israeli
government to a degree that the Israel government has become
its protector and partner;
* The expanding chasm among American Jews objecting to
Zionism and Israeli practices, including the killing and brutalizing
of Palestinians under Israeli occupation, are gross violations of
American and International law and raise questions within the US
Jewish community regarding the American responsibility to pro-
tect (R2P) innocent civilians under occupation;
* The international opposition to the increasingly apartheid
regime can no longer be synchronized with American claimed
humanitarian values or US expectations in its bi-lateral relations
with the 193 member United Nations;
* The Draft ends with language about the need to avoid entan-
gling alliances that alienate much of the World and condemn
American citizens to endure the consequences.
Interestingly, it notes Iran as an example of a country and people
that have much in common and whose citizens have a real inter-
est in enjoy bilateral associations (here an apparent reference to
Israel and its US lobby) not determined by the wishes of other
countries and their agents. It also highlights the need for the US
to undertake the repairing of relations with Arab and Muslim
countries, including the drastically curtained use of drone aircraft.
The coming days will clarify the success of Israel's in making an
issue of the finding in the soon to be published daft report and the
degree to which the Republican Party will gain for its findings in
the race for the White House. (Foreign Policy Journal)
US preparing for a post-Israel Middle East?
Racial Profiling
Rife at US Airport
Boston: More than 30 federal officers in an airport program
intended to spot telltale mannerisms of potential terrorists say
the operation has become a magnet for racial profiling, target-
ing not only Middle Easterners but also blacks, Hispanics and
other minorities.
In interviews and internal complaints, officers from the
Transportation Security Administration's "behavior detection"
program at Logan International Airport in Boston asserted that
passengers who fit certain profiles - Hispanics traveling to
Miami, for instance, or blacks wearing baseball caps backward
- are much more likely to be stopped, searched and questioned
for "suspicious" behavior.
"They just pull aside anyone who they don't like the way
they look - if they are black and have expensive clothes or jew-
elry, or if they are Hispanic," said one white officer, who along
with four others spoke with The New York Times on the condi-
tion of anonymity.
The practice has become so prevalent, some officers said,
that Massachusetts State Police officials have asked why
minority members appear to make up an overwhelming number
of the cases that the airport refers to them.
"The behavior detection program is no longer a behavior-
based program, but it is a racial profiling program," one officer
wrote in an anonymous complaint obtained by The Times.
It is unusual for transportation agency employees to come
forward with this kind of claim against co-workers, and the large
number of employees bringing complaints in Boston could
prove particularly damaging for an agency already buffeted with
criticism over pat-downs, X-ray scans and other security meas-
ures.
While 161 airports already use behavioral officers to identi-
fy possible terrorist activity - a controversial tactic - the agency
is considering expanding the use of what it says are more
advanced tactics nationwide, with Boston's program as a
model. (Excerpted from a New York Times report, August 11, 2012)
INTERNATIONAL
18 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012
KARAMATULLAH K. GHORI
There can be no doubt that provocation
was deliberate and intense. The vicious
and vile documentary, Innocence of
Muslims, scorning the Prophet of Islam
(pbuh) in vilest colours, was calculated to
trigger a violent Muslim backlash. It ended
up doing just that.
Enemies of Muslims and Islam, whose
numbers have been galloping in the west
especially since the cataclysm of 9/11, know it for a fact how sen-
sitive world Muslims-irrespective of their sectarian divides-when it
comes to the persona of their beloved prophet. Revering the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is organic to their belief; their faith
remains incomplete without utmost and selfless devotion to the
last Messenger of Allah. God commands them to revere their
prophet, whose personality would remain the most perfect and
ideal role model for them.
Knowing the centrality of the love of the Holy Prophet in the
lives of Muslims, the enemies of Islam-especially in the last quar-
ter century-have made it a focal point of their satanic conspiracies
to target his personality and character.
This vicious campaign of slander against the Holy Prophet
was kicked-off, with deliberate design, in 1989 with the publica-
tion of Salman Rushdies Satanic Verses. The Islamophobes
couldnt have found a better bell-boy than him, a Muslim in name
and by accident of birth, to spread their message of hatred of
Muslims and their Holy Prophet.
9/11 was a god-send for Muslim-baiters and purveyors of vile
propaganda against Islam. They found western governments
standing right behind them and aching to unleash their fury
against the world of Islam. The campaign to denigrate the
Prophet of Islam received a hefty boost from government intelli-
gence agencies, church groups, Zionists and their advocacy
cohorts. Ridiculing the tenets of Islam, besmirching the name of
its prophet and calibrating a vicious campaign of slandering
Muslims as terrorists unfit to live in peace with the civilised world,
became the only sport in town. Muslims became fair game, with
a license given to their denigrators and tormentors.
The Danish cartoons, of 2005, and the steady rise of right-
wing Christian parties in Western Europe, were outcroppings of
Islamophobia sweeping the shores of Europe and North America.
The latest documentary, which has set the Muslim world ablaze,
from Nigeria to Pakistan to Malaysia and Indonesia, fits perfectly
into the pattern that has been in vogue for so many years with the
clear intent to keep world Muslims agitated and in turmoil.
A great deal of mystery still surrounds the exact identity and
provenance of the person, or persons, responsible for triggering
this latest round of mayhem and violence in the world of Islam,
with the release of their work of sleaze and filth.
Conventional wisdom in the news media of North America
says the documentary-a 14-minute trailer caricaturing Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh)-is the handiwork of an American of Coptic-
Egyptian origins. His name has been given out as Nakoula
Basseley Nakoula, a resident of Los Angeles, California.
The earliest version of the story about the producer of the film
described him as an Israeli American, of Jewish faith. However,
that initial version was very quickly erased and blotted out. Indeed
the Jewish lobbies working full time in U.S. couldnt have allowed
Israels shining name to be sullied or Jewish credentials dragged
in the mushrooming controversy.
So now the popular media copy about the person responsi-
ble for this heap of rubbish says that Nakoula, an Egyptian Copt
believed to be carrying a chip on his shoulder against Muslims
and their prophet, did this with the help of a network of militant,
Muslim-hating, Christian evangelicals, who have their own axe to
grind against Muslims and their icons.
Another vicious character who shot to prominence and noto-
riety last year when he burnt copies of the Holy Quran outside his
church in Florida also joined these anti-Muslim forces and lent
them a helping hand in the production of this piece of filth against
the Prophet of Islam. Pastor Terry Jones is a hate-monger, as
vicious and vile as any, and offered his assistance to the films
producer, voluntarily, to promote his dastardly undertaking.
Another media version being bandied about the heinous film
in North America is that it was enabled to shoot to fame, world-
wide, by the help extended to it from some Coptic circles inside
Egypt, who are said to have been moved by their constant per-
secution at the hands of Egypts Muslim majority. Some media
pundits are beating their chests that life for Egyptian Copts is
becoming intolerable under the post-Mubarak government led by
the Muslim Brotherhood. Some are nostalgic about the soft hand
Mubarak used in dealing with Egyptian Copts. Of course, there is
no mention of how Mubarak tortured and hounded the Muslim
Brotherhood and their followers under his cruel regime.
U.S. government, of course, isnt prepared to accept any
responsibility for the Muslim-hating campaign waged with such
obvious ferocity and vehemence in U.S. Its excuse is as patent as
that of other western governments: they cant interfere in the free-
dom of speech guaranteed by western democracies. The Obama
administration, though, has, at least, made a visible effort to try to
impress the people of Pakistan-who have been most virulent in
their denunciation and paid with the lives of more than 20 of them
killed in the wave of violent protests that consumed the country
from one end to another-that it has no hand in the films produc-
tion. On the contrary, both President Obama and his Secretary of
State, Hillary Clinton, have vouched in a brief television clip that
was run on a number of Pakistani television channels, at the peak
of agitation sweeping across the Muslim world, that their govern-
ment doesnt have an anti-Islam agenda and wants to cultivate
the best of relations with the Muslim world.
However, protestations and affirmations of peace and best of
conduct notwithstanding, the Muslim world, at this sensitive junc-
ture on unfolding history, isnt ready to be duped by empty slo-
gans or sweet-scenting words that ring hollow when it comes to
substance and meaning. Muslims are becoming increasingly con-
scious and aware of double-standards being practised by west-
ern governments with impunity when it concerns the interests of
Muslims, the world over.
What Muslims know as a fact about the reality of free speech
is that it isnt limitless or without any boundaries. Its a crime, for
instance in almost all western countries, to question the
Holocaust or cast any aspersion on its antecedents and ramifica-
tions. In a country like Canada, which used to be a haven of civil
liberties and respect for human rights, the Conservative govern-
ment in power is tinkering with a draft law that, if approved by the
parliament, would make it a cognizable offence to question poli-
cies of Israel, because a critique of Israel is, in the myopic vision
of the Conservatives, akin to anti-Semitism.
The proof of pudding, as the old saying says, about the dou-
ble-speak of the west was served to world Muslim at the height of
their global agitation against the snide attempt to tarnish their
Holy Prophets impeccable image. A French magazine got its
hands on some photographs of Kate Middleton, consort of Prince
William of Britain, in which she was, reportedly, sunbathing in
nude. The magazine wanted to run those sassy photographs for
the benefit of its readers but the French government imposed a
publication ban on the plea that it would hurt the sensitivities of
the British royals. Fine. But what about the sensitivities of 1.4 bil-
lion Muslims of the world who hate to see their Holy Prophets
name tarnished by some paid agents of Islamophobes with the
clear intent to cause suffering to Muslim sensibilities?
Obviously, the west is still labouring in its false expectation
that it can get away with any sacrilege of Islamic fundamentals or
icons sacred to the world of Islam. To an extent it did, in this lat-
est episode, as far as the affluent oil-producing and autocratic
regimes of the Gulf were concerned. There was no public protest
or agitation in these countries, at least for the record, except in
Bahrain. But the truth is that the restive public in these tightly-con-
trolled regimes wasnt allowed to give free expression to their agi-
tation against the snide campaign afoot in the west to denigrate
Islam and its prophet.
But the newly liberated societies-such as Egypt, Libya and
Tunisia-presented the west, used to getting away with its bluffs,
with a huge surprise by organising massive popular agitations in
response to the hurt deliberately caused to the sensitivities of
Muslims. The upsurge of protest in Libya was particularly violent
and caused the killing of American Ambassador, Christopher
Stevens, and three other members of his staff.
The murder of American diplomats was a heinous crime, no
doubt, and allowed the practitioners of double-standards to occu-
py the high moral ground in the guise of world-wide condemna-
tion of the diplomats slaying that followed.
The temptation to violence, in response to provocation, is
truly becoming the Achilles heel of Muslims, even in situations
triggered by episodes such as this one, where Muslim feelings
are hurt in the truest sense of the word.
What Muslims of the world ought to understand is that by
resorting to such violence they are doing no service to them-
selves, or to their religion or to their prophet, for whose sanctity
and honour they are prepared to lay down their lives.
Violence is un-Islamic; it is the antithesis of the command-
ments of the Holy Quran and the teachings of Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) whose message is loud and unambiguous:
killing one man is tantamount to the murder of mankind.
The sickening proclivity to indulge in arson, violence and
mayhem in the name of God is, without question, the greatest dis-
service to God and His commandments. Its also a case of dou-
ble-jeopardy for Muslims of the world and bodes ill for their right-
ful place in the comity of nations.
On the one hand, the nihilistic tendency to burn, pillage and
murder plays into the hands of the enemy within the Islamic
camp. The terrorists, of whatever persuasion or stripes, are out to
subvert the collective demand of Muslim societies the world over
for democratic freedoms-of justice, liberty, equality and respect
for the peoples fundamental rights. The likes of Salafis and oth-
ers of their ilk dont particularly savor democracy and would, in its
place, like to impose their own brand of a repressive Islam-which
has little in common with Islams pristine model of good gover-
nance-on their polities.
On the other hand, the mad rush to call the Islamophobes
bluff with a violent response and reaction feeds the anti-Muslim
propaganda mills working overtime in the west. Pseudo-intellec-
tuals and prurient media pundits, alike, are desperate to portray
Muslims as a violent, undisciplined and uncivilised lot that can
have no truck with the western values of unlimited freedoms, as
well as societies based on the rule of law. Violent Muslim behav-
iour proves the point of shrill-voiced political gurus that Muslims
are alien to democratic moorings because of innate structural
flaws in their religious tenets and beliefs.
Muslim societies despicable tendency to give priority to gun
over reason or disciplined argument and dialogue is proving to be
their undoing. Regrettably, myopic rulers in most Islamic coun-
tries are deliberately augmenting the slide into disorderly conduct
because it allows them room to thrive in their autocratic, and often
inhuman, ways.
The need of the hour calls for all Islamic states-and there are
58 of them sheltering under the canopy of the OIC, a largely inac-
tive and clueless debating club-to put their heads together and
craft a well-thought-out strategy of engagement with the west.
President Khatemi of Iran, when he was in power, had proposed
a dialogue-of-civilisations between the world of Islam and the
west in order to avert the gathering storm of a clash of civilisa-
tion sought by the neocons and their war-mongering cohorts.
The time to put teeth into Khatemis bold initiative is now. The
stakes couldnt be greater to propel both the Islamic world and the
west in this direction.
Provocation and Response: Muslims are
Swallowing Islamophobes Bait
The proof of pudding, as the old saying says, about the double-speak of the west was served
to world Muslim at the height of their global agitation against the snide attempt to tarnish their
Holy Prophets impeccable image. A French magazine got its hands on some photographs of
Kate Middleton, consort of Prince William of Britain, in which she was, reportedly, sunbathing in
nude. The magazine wanted to run those sassy photographs for the benefit of its readers but the
French government imposed a publication ban on the plea that it would hurt the sensitivities of
the British royals. Fine. But what about the sensitivities of 1.4 billion Muslims of the world who
hate to see their Holy Prophets name tarnished by some paid agents of Islamophobes with the
clear intent to cause suffering to Muslim sensibilities?
Al-Azhar sheikh
demands international
law criminalizing
defamation of religion
Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayyeb has demanded a
UN resolution criminalizing blasphemy against Islam and other
world religions, as well as demanding that those he described
as "misled" be punished for committing "these heinous acts of
abuse to the Prophet."
In a statement released Saturday, Tayyeb called on UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to criminalize the defamation
of religion, saying that such actions and words threaten world
peace and international security.
"Is not that irresponsible tampering, Mr. Secretary General,
similar to the issue of [anti-Semitic] prejudice, which you con-
demn all the time, and [against] which verdicts were issued
against alleged perpetrators in many countries of the world,
even if they are great thinkers and scientists?" Tayyeb asked in
the statement.
Tayyeb also called on all Egyptians to keep calm and con-
demned attacks on innocent people and expressed sympathy
for victims of the recent violence. He also stressed the need to
protect diplomatic missions and the headquarters of interna-
tional organizations. (Al-Masry Al-Youm, 15 Sept. 2012)
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The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 19
ASGHAR ALI ENGINEER
A Coptic American, extreme right-winger and Islam-hater made an
anti-Islam film and put it on Internet. The reaction to this film was
very violent in the Muslim world beginning with Libya where an
American ambassador along with four other consulate staff was
killed in violent demonstration. It was followed by violent demonstra-
tions in Egypt, Yemen, and other places. Saudi Arabia which nor-
mally remains officially silent, also strongly protested on
Government level.
Of course, some countries like Indonesia and Malaysia,
remained comparatively peaceful though signs of unrest are visible
in these countries too. In other words, countries covered by Arab
Spring were mostly affected. On this occasion, a private organiza-
tion in Iran once again renewed the prize offer with an increased
amount on Rushdies head. Rushdie reacted characteristically by
saying that blasphemy should be ones right. It is difficult to say what
shape this renewed offer on Rushdies head will take. It may remain
only a formal announcement. It seems difficult that it would become
a raging controversy as it did when Ayatollah Khomeini had
declared price on Rushdies head. Politically it was very different
context.
Ayatollah Khomeini then was a great hero for the Muslim youth
as he had pushed America out of Iran and declared America the
Great Satan. America all over the Muslim world then was seen as
an evil incarnate which had tried to stop an Islamic revolution and
Rushdie was seen as a western agent who had, in the name of
human rights, insulted the Prophet of Islam thus trying to weaken
the Islamic revolution.
But as for the anti-Islamic film Innocence, there is a different
political context today, i.e., the Arab Spring, which no less significant
than Islamic revolution of Iran. The only difference is that the Iranian
revolution was actively opposed by America whereas Arab Spring
was seen as favourable by American rulers under the pretext of
bringing in democracy to the Arab world.
In Libya, America and NATO forces played an active role in
overthrowing Gaddafi who had played an anti-American role
throughout his life except perhaps during the last phase when he
had tried to reconcile with Western powers. In Syria too, America,
like Libya, is interested in regime change. Needless to say, both in
Libya and Syria, America had not played so innocent a role as it
would like the world to believe.
Today, both in Libya and Syria, Al-Qaeda has become hyper-
active but even at the cost of making al-Qaeda quite active,
Americas priority is to destroy Gaddafi and Bashar al-Assad, the
old enemies of America and the only obstacles in total domination
of Middle East by America and Israel. Both of them have been anti-
Israel and with their elimination, America will be free to promote its
interest in the area.
For al-Qaeda too, this suits it well as both Bashar al-Assad and
Gaddafi have been its enemies. Thus, both the regimes, ironically,
are seen as enemies both by America and al-Qaeda.
The violent demonstrations against the film are a result of num-
ber of factors. What is to be understood is that these demonstra-
tions are less Islamic and more for down-to-earth factors - political,
economic and sociological.
The media, especially western, is portraying these demonstra-
tions as purely a violent religious act of fanaticism. It is not so sim-
ple as the media is portraying it. First of all, we must reckon with the
oil factor. Americas sole interest in this region is neither Islam nor
democracy nor dictatorship. It is oil, pure and simple.
There is as yet no alternative to oil and most of the oil resources
of the world are found in this region. America wants to maintain its
grip on this region at any cost. The first danger it smelt in the region
was the Islamic revolution of Iran. U.S. was exceptionally hostile to
Iranian revolution. Not because it was Islamic but because Iran was
emerging as a challenge to American hegemony over the region. It
was equally hostile to Mosaddegs democratic revolution in early
nineteen fifties and to undo that revolution it had used Ayatollahs.
After the then Iranian revolution of 1950s, a number of left-ori-
ented regimes emerged in the Middle East, i.e., Iraqi and Syrian
(Baath Party-led revolutions) and Libyan Revolution in September
1969, apart from Gamal Abdel Nassirs Young Officers coup in
Egypt in July 1952. Nassers revolution was no less dangerous than
that the Iranian revolution in 1979. It nationalized Suez Canal
prompting France, Britain and Israel to invade Egypt. It was Soviet
Union which threatened these powers and made them retreat.
The Arab Spring, was also seen similarly as an opportunity by
America to intervene and do away with enemies like Gaddafi and
Bashar al-Assad. But like before, it is not as simple as America
wishes. The demonstrations are aimed politically against American
interests in the region.
It is true the American regime, much less the people, had any-
thing to do with making of the film and so one wonders why kill its
ambassador and consular staff or why demonstrate against
America. These demonstrations do not mean that people put
responsibility of the film on the American government. It clearly
means that they have utterly hostile feelings towards the American
domination and repeated interference in their region. They want
America to get out of the region.
Unfortunately America does not want to learn lessons. After
Libya it rushed to the aid of rebels not for its love of democracy in
Syria but for its hatred of an enemy, i.e., Bashar al-Assad. America
is fully aware of the fact that al-Qaeda is trying to capture the rebel
forces. But it thinks Bashar al-Assad is much greater enemy and it
can take care of al-Qaeda later. Let America not think that the
rebels in Syria would feel grateful to America after the success of
their rebellion. These rebels too carry anti-American feelings hidden
in their hearts and when time comes they will manifest it as it hap-
pened in Libya.
Some moderate Muslim intellectuals are saying that moderates
should speak out against violent demonstrations. I fully agree with
this viewpoint. We must oppose violence anywhere and in whatev-
er form. Moreover, it is not people of America who are to be blamed
for events like anti-Islamic film. It is after all a small number of right-
wingers who are compulsive haters of Islam.
Also, people of America like any other people of the world, are
manipulated by the powerful media to think that American foreign
policy vis-a-vis Middle East is right. For them, interests not princi-
ples play the role in framing policies. Also, hatred is not the right
answer for hatred. As a Muslim and as a Gandhian, I think love and
understanding are the right answer.
To prevent such violent demonstrations, our Imams should play
creative role in Friday sermons. They should explain to Muslims
what are Islamic values and why they should desist from such
demonstrations. Also, as a value we oppose US policies, not
America or its people. American principles are as great as any other
principles. Among those principles are freedom of expression and
freedom to follow the dictates of ones conscience. There can be no
compromise of that.
But this is possible only when our Imams are highly educated
and capable of analyzing facts as they are. The kinds of Imams we
have now are illiterate in matters other than Islamic Shariah and
theology. Imams play a very significant role in the lives of Muslims,
especially in Asian and African countries. Muslim intellectuals and
moderate Muslims should see to it that Imams should not only be
Islamically educated but also in other matters as they influence the
thinking of the Muslim masses on socio-political matters through
their sermons on Friday and other occasions.
The Muslim media also has to play a highly responsible role in
such matters. We see that Muslim media also, like Imams of the
mosques, plays to the gallery. Today, we are living in the age of
democracy and in democracy media plays a very important role. We
know western media too does not play a responsible role. On the
one hand, it displays deep-rooted prejudices and on the other, it
guards the interests of multi-national corporations.
But if we believe in Islamic values of justice and peace, we have
to suppress our anger and display more patience failing which our
belief that Islam stands for peace will become mere rhetoric and
such display of violence does show it is mere rhetoric. As good
Muslims, we should go beyond mere rhetoric and show in action
that we stand for justice and peace.
ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES
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Anti-Islam Film And Reaction In The Muslim World
20 The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012
It is true the American regime, much less the
people, had anything to do with making of the film
and so one wonders why kill its ambassador and
consular staff or why demonstrate against America.
These demonstrations do not mean that people put
responsibility of the film on the American govern-
ment. It clearly means that they have utterly hostile
feelings towards the American domination and
repeated interference in their region. They want
America to get out of the region.
Unfortunately America does not want to learn
lessons. After Libya it rushed to the aid of rebels
not for its love of democracy in Syria but for its
hatred of an enemy, i.e., Bashar al-Assad. America
is fully aware of the fact that al-Qaeda is trying to
capture the rebel forces. But it thinks Bashar al-
Assad is much greater enemy and it can take care
of al-Qaeda later. Let America not think that the
rebels in Syria would feel grateful to America after
the success of their rebellion. These rebels too
carry anti-American feelings hidden in their hearts
and when time comes they will manifest it as it
happened in Libya.
Some moderate Muslim intellectuals are saying
that moderates should speak out against violent
demonstrations. I fully agree with this viewpoint.
We must oppose violence anywhere and in whatev-
er form. Moreover, it is not people of America who
are to be blamed for events like anti-Islamic film. It
is after all a small number of right-wingers who are
compulsive haters of Islam.
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 21
BOOKS
Book: Framed, Damned, Acquitted: Dossiers of a Very Special
Cell
Publisher: Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association (JTSA)
1st Edition, September 2012
Pages: 200 (also available in Hindi)
(Available from Pharos Media & Publishing Pvt Ltd)
MAHTAB ALAM
Senior serving IPS officer Dr N C Asthana and his wife Dr Anjali
Nirmal (the latter holds a doctorate in Police administration) in the
preface of their latest book, Indias Internal Security: The Actual
Concern while writing about police and its modus operandi
observe: In case after case, the pattern of stupidity has been the
same. The Police claim to receive secret information from an
unnamed informer about a meeting or a suspicious character at
a certain location. They reach the spot, search the premises, find
unlawful material such as pamphlets and CDs, some easily
available weapon, some powder or liquid that is described as a
powerful explosive, on the person or persons present there, and
arrest them. All sorts of professional mistakes are committed. The
fact of having received the secret information is never recorded
anywhere. No search warrant is obtained. The fact of their leav-
ing the police station is never recorded in the General Dairy.
Search witnesses are always stock witnesses of the police, in
spite of the courts having commented adversely on the practice.
Seized material is hardly ever secured in a foolproof, tamperproof
manner. All this is done to provide scope for manipulation. And to
cap the lot, once the arrested person is in police custody, he is
miraculously stuck by remorse a few days later and volunteers
confession-never mind that they withdraw them later.
While at the face of it, despite being hundred percent true,
these observations might sound like scenes from some famous
Hindi film or pulp crime fiction but the important question here is:
Is it just stupidity and lack of professionalism or something else?
The fact is that this has become the rule of the day for police offi-
cials investigating cases of terrorism.
The book under review, Framed, Damned, Acquitted:
Dossiers of a Very Special Cell, a report brought out by civil
rights group, Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association (JTSA) pres-
ents startling facts in this regard. The report, which is entirely
based on the Court judgments and official documents clearly
brings out how these police cell officials, often considered as the
most prestigious and given unaccounted powers and money, are
involved in cases of fabrication of innocents, manufacturing evi-
dence and forging documents; and mind it, this is not because of
mere stupidity, lack of professionalism or procedural lapses but to
earn money, fame and medals--all by framing innocents all in the
name of fighting the so-called war against terror.
The present volume documents 16 such cases and the writ-
ers of the report have rightly pointed out, the cases we present
here are only the proverbial tip of the iceberg, and simply indica-
tive of the extent of the malaise affecting our policing and crimi-
nal justice system.
In the 2005 case of State vs. Saqib Rehman, Bashir Ahmed
Shah, Nazir Ahmed Sofi, Haji Gulam Moinuddin Dar, Abdul Majid
Bhat, Abdul Qayoom Khan and Birender Kumar Singh, Judge
Virender Bhat, Additional Sessions Judge at Dwarka Courts, New
Delhi while acquitting the accused year later in 2011, writes:
They [accused] are totally innocent and have been framed in this
case by the aforesaid four police officers in order to achieve their
personal gains and/or to settle petty personal scores, be that at
the behest of one Major Sharma, whose attempts to persuade
accused Gulam Moinuddin Dar to work for him in getting the mil-
itants surrendered in Kashmir were spurned by him (Gulam
Moinuddin Dar) or to earn undue honours or awards for them-
selves. The judge further noted, Viewed from any angle, the
encounter alleged to have been taken place on the night interven-
ing between 01.7.05 and 02.7.05, did not take place at all and an
absolutely fake encounter has been projected. The story of the
encounter was carefully scripted in the office of Special Staff,
Delhi Police, Dhaula Kuan, by its main author SI Ravinder Tyagi
with the assistance of SI Nirakar, SI Charan Singh and SI
Mahender Singh. All these four police officers have acted in
advancement of their self-interests in total disregard to the
demands of their solemn duty. These four police officers, whose
duty was to protect and safeguard the citizens, have turned per-
secutors and tormentors.
The judge did not stop there in his judgment delivered on
2 February 2011. He went on to write: These four police officers
have brought utter shame and disrepute to the whole Delhi Police
force. In my opinion, there cannot be any more serious or grave
crime than a police officer framing an innocent citizen in a false
criminal case. Such tendency in the police officers should not be
viewed or dealt with lightly but needs to be curbed with a stern
hand. I, therefore, direct the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, to ini-
tiate appropriate enquiry against the four police officers
S I Ravinder Tyagi, SI Nirakar, SI Charan Singh and SI Mahender
Singh [who by now may have been promoted to the post of
Inspector] for the misuse and abuse of their powers as a police
officer, as detailed herein-above. The enquiry shall be completed
within three months from today, and report be submitted to this
Court on the next date of hearing. The SHO, Police Station
Kapasahera is also directed to register an FIR against the afore-
said four police officers u/s. 167 IPC and forward the same to the
Addl. Commissioner of Police (South/West) who shall conduct
investigation which shall be completed within three months from
today and a report be submitted to this Court on the next date of
hearing. A copy of the FIR shall be sent to this Court within one
month from today. What is important to note here is that, till date,
no such action has been taken. These officers are not only enjoy-
ing all the benefits of their service, including promotion, but have
also been entrusted to investigate new cases. When asked under
RTI, what has been done following the court judgment, the
Special Cell replied that they have challenged the judgment in the
higher court. That too at the cost of public money!
And what was the case against these innocents, who had to
spend six years of their life in jail and are now forced to live a life
with the terror tag, for no crime? According to the prosecution,
on 27 June 2005 a secret informer apprised Ravinder Tyagi - then
posted as SI in Special Branch of Dhaula Kuan - of the nefarious
designs of two Kashmiri terrorists, Masood and Zahid. Tyagi
asked his source to develop this information further and on 1 July
2005, the secret informer resurfaced with the valuable news that
the two terrorists along with two associates, ferrying a huge con-
signment of arms and ammunition, were headed into Delhi from
Jaipur in a blue Tata Indica (HR26S0440). Tyagi led a police party
and sat waiting on the national highway. On 2 July 2005, in the
early hours, the police party spotted a blue Tata Indica coming
towards Delhi. After a chase-involving cross firing and hurling of
hand grenades, the terrorists were apprehended, and a terrorist
attack was successfully averted. Zahid was revealed to be
Moinuddin Dar. However, in the court, during cross examination
the deposition of the star witness Ravinder Tyagi crumbled under
the scrutiny of the judge. Tyagi could not reveal to the court the
identity of his secret informer. Nor could he reply as to why he felt
no urgency to inform the IB or his seniors about the impending
terror strike. The Court firmly held that no one could be convicted
on the basis of secret information which could not be tested on
the touchstone of the cross examination by the accused.
Moreover, regarding the Army uniform seized from the terrorists
at the time of the arrest, the witness turned out to be a stock wit-
ness of the police. The witness, a tailor from the Gopinath Bazar
in Delhi Cantonment area, told the court that he operated his
shop from a pavement which left him at the mercy of the police
and MCD officials, and false testimonies were his way of paying
hafta to the police. He was summoned to the Dhaula Kuan Police
station where the accused was shown to him and asked to
depose against him in the court. Similarly, the prosecution
claimed to recover a sketch of Palam Airport from the pocket of
the accused. But this also turned a desperate attempt to manu-
facture evidence. The court observed, For the sketch to be kept
in the pocket, it would have to be folded more than twice. The fact
that there was a single fold longitudinally with no creases sug-
gested that the sketch had been planted as an afterthought. Also,
the police, upon recovering the sketch, made no attempt to either
corroborate the handwriting on the sketch, nor to inform the
Palam airport authorities about a possible terror attack.
This report is full of such revealing facts, one after another,
ripping apart the tall claims made by the prosecution in what are
called cases of national importance and bearing international
ramifications.
Look at the case of State vs. Moarif Qamar and Mohammad
Irshad Ali. A somewhat similar story follows: On 9 February 2006,
around 4 pm, SI Vinay Tygai received secret information that two
militants of Al-Badr outfit, namely Moarif Qamar and Mohammad
Irshad Ali would be arriving in Delhi by a J&K State Road
Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) bus bearing registration num-
ber JK 02Y 0299. The officer was also told that the alleged mili-
tants would disembark at Mukarba Chowk, near the G. T. Karnal
Road in north Delhi, and that they would be carrying on them a
huge cach of arms and explosives. Upon the receipt of this infor-
mation, a police team was constituted to act upon this informa-
tion. The police team reached Mukarba Chowk around 5.30 pm,
where two of its members, namely Inspector Sanjay Dutt and SI
Vinay Tyagi met their (police) informer. They asked about half a
dozen people to join the raiding police team as witnesses, but all
excused themselves. Failing to enlist public witness, the police
team, SI Subhash Vats and SI Ravinder Tyagi, were asked to
become witnesses of the police teams proceedings. As the police
team waited for the accused to arrive, it was divided in two cor-
dons (inner and outer). At around 7.35 pm a JKSRTC bus bear-
ing the mentioned registration number arrived at Mukarba
Chowk. As the bus stopped, the police informer accompanying
the police team identified Moarif Qamar and Mohammad Irshad
Ali, from among the passengers alighting from the bus. When the
accused were about to cross the road, they were intercepted by
members of the police team and apprehended. However, the
truth is that both the accused named in this case, Moarif Qamar
and Mohammad Irshad Ali, were shown arrested by the police
from a place and on a date that were far removed from the date
and place from where they were actually picked up or rather kid-
napped by the Special Cell personnel in Delhi, way back in
December 2005.
In this regard, a CBI investigation revealed that both the
accused after being picked up by the police in December 2005
were kept in illegal detention till 9 February 2006 when they
were shown arrested as alleged terrorists. The CBI observed that
on 9 February 2006, the recovery and seizure of arms and
ammunitions from Moarif Qamar and Mohammad Irshad Ali by SI
Vinay Tyagi and claimed to have been witnessed by SI Subhash
Vats and Ravinder Tyagi, is false and that false evidence/record
has been fabricated to implicate Irshad Ali and Moarif Qamar for
an oblique motive. The CBI s Closure Report submitted in the
court of the Additional Session Judge, S. S. Mohi, on
11 November 2008 categorically stated that far from being Al-
Badr terrorists, as alleged by the Special Cell, the accused were
innocent men, framed and falsely implicated in the entire case by
the Special Cell, which had planted fabricated evidence on these
men. The CBI further recommended legal action against SIs
Vinay Tyagi, Subhash Vats and Ravinder Tyagi for commission
of offences u/s 120-B r/w 193, 195 and substantive offences
thereof as per provisions of Section 195(1) (b) (i) Cr. P.C. Which
simply means: these officers must be prosecuted for fabricating
cases and planting incriminating evidence. But here too, nothing
has been done against these officers to date.
The other cases, documented in the report are no different
from these samples. In almost every case, the courts have
observed that the prosecution has failed to prove its case (and
produce any substantial) evidence beyond reasonable doubt.
The present report ably brings out the fact of how media
houses and journalists are working as faithful stenographers of
the Police, not only presuming the accused guilty much before a
court of law gives its verdict but also in ruining the lives of inno-
cents by reckless reportage, reproducing press handouts provid-
ed by the Police. Hence, it must be noted that, in this business of
framing innocent citizens and manufacturing terrorists, the media
considered to be the fourth pillar of democracy is as responsible
as the criminals in khaki themselves. Because, it is the media
who gives them legitimacy by not only hiding crimes but also part-
nering in their crimes by failing to ask basic questions and,
instead, succumbing to the police versions.
The report is an eye-opener and demands urgent action
against the real criminals in khaki. It must be circulated on a
large-scale and treated with all seriousness, if we are really inter-
ested in solving the problem of Terrorism in India.
(Mahtab Alam is a Delhi-based Civil Rights Activist
and Journalist.
To order, see page 24
Dossiers of a Very Special Cell
Sachar Committee Report
English Rs 1000
Hindi Rs 1000
Urdu Rs 1000
Ordering details on page 19
The present report ably brings out the fact of how
media houses and journalists are working as faithful ste-
nographers of the Police, not only presuming the accused
guilty much before a court of law gives its verdict but also
in ruining the lives of innocents by reckless reportage,
reproducing press handouts provided by the Police.
Hence, it must be noted that, in this business of framing
innocent citizens and manufacturing terrorists, the media
considered to be the fourth pillar of democracy is as
responsible as the criminals in khaki themselves. Because,
it is the media who gives them legitimacy by not only hid-
ing crimes but also partnering in their crimes by failing to
ask basic questions and, instead, succumbing to the police
versions.
Framed, Damned and Acquitted:
Dossiers of a Very Special Cell
A report by Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Association
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The Saudi Connection
JazakAllah khairan for the great article.. to be honest with you I did
not know some of the points raised in the article, not to mention that
you are well-versed in Arabic.
Dr. Saleh M. Sbenaty, Murfreesboro, USA
[email protected]
MG Editor: Indian Muslims for the last ten years at least are
subject to a well- planned conspiracy by highly biased
Intelligence and police elements here who are implicating our
youth in terror cases. In the beginning, our elders thought that
it is possible that some of our youth were involved in some stu-
pid plots to avenge injustices like demolition of the Babri
mosque or the Gujarat pogroms, but now after hundreds of
acquittals in courts and emergence of reams of evidence it is
clear that this is all pre-planned to implicate our youth in order
to retard our progress, give bad name to our community. This
serves the long term agenda of the ultra nationalist Hindus
(RSS etc). We were already victims of discrimination since
Independence in 1947, but the opening of the Gulf and Saudi
route in early 1970s offered our youth a venue to work and
progress, thereby improving the lot of their families. Now, they
are trying to close even that route. It is upto the Gulf Arabs to
understand the designs of the ultra nationalists in India. It is
not correct that the whole government of India is involved in
this conspiracy but certainly some biased sections of our gov-
ernment are involved. Now we are saying this openly here.
White Paper on Terrorism
Your plan to publish a white paper about the excesses and injustices
upon Ummah through security agencies using TADA, POTA,
MACOCA, fake encounters, illegal arrests, police-manufactured sto-
ries, closing of riots-related cases, etc. Certainly it is a monumental
task and needs huge funds. We wish May Allah give a great suc-
cess.
S. Haque, Patna
Islam-bashing: Wests hobby-horse
The west seems to have its favourite pastime: Islam-bashing. A
derogatory movie on Muhammad followed by cartoons in a French
weekly indicate that the entire wests only objective is to instigate
Muslims by caricaturing its holy book and figures. This is not free-
dom of speech and expression. This is misuse, nay abuse, of this
freedom. I ask those miscreants, whore trying to besmirch the
image of Islam and denigrate its sacred characters, howll they react
if Biblical figures are condemned, though a true Muslim will never
insult Jesus and his mother Mary as both are revered in Quran?
Even if youre an atheist, it doesnt mean you go on sullying those,
whore held in high esteem by the followers of a particular faith. Ive
never had faith in any god or religion. I spare none. Yet, I see to it
that my attacks arent flagrantly full-frontal as to disturb the mental
equilibrium of those whove faith and who cannot live sans a reli-
gious anchorage. Even in criticism, one shouldnt lose ones mar-
bles and start abusing randomly. Were living in religiously danger-
ous times and people have become all the more sensitive when it
comes to their faith. Its, therefore, imperative to exercise utmost
restraint not to resort to anything that may snowball into a conflagra-
tion.
Dr. Sumit S. Paul, Pune
II
Death of Chris Stevens is sad. Unconcerned people should not have
been killed. A brief news item says: India has strongly condemned
the violent act.... The condemnation is well-placed and rightful. This
gesture could have been saner and more rightful if the statement
could, at the same time condemned strongly the film insulting the
Prophet of Islam who was Mercy unto, and benefactor of the entire
Humankind, and not the prophet for the Muslims only. This is out-
right wrong to view such misadventures (this film, Rushdies book,
and Denmark cartoons, etc.) in a Muslim versus non-Muslim per-
spective. This is rather a matter of universal human moral values.
Z. A Mansoorie, New Delhi 110025
[email protected]
III
Freedom of speech should have a limit. It cannot be used to hurt the
religious sentiments of a community. I strongly condemn the
attempts by certain anti-peace and anti-social elements of making a
film Innocence of Muslims. This film has hurt the sentiments of
Muslim Community world over. with regards
Abdul Hafiz Gandhi, New Delhi
[email protected]
IV
The filthy American/Zionist documentary is a new scheme to keep
Muslims engaged in a reactive manner, and to sow new seeds of
violence. The best strategy is to simply ignore this filth. All that these
heinous minds want is violent protests and new excuses to oppress
Muslims. The history and legacy of the Prophet is not something that
would melt away in the wake of a repulsive design like this. The
prophet as a human being has been humanitys blessing. No dirt
can ever stain his legacy. The Prophet himself had faced unimagin-
able levels of humiliation and insults from the forces of tyranny. His
followers had to go on exile in Ethopia, he himself had to go away
to Madina whose civilised people made him their leader. The
Prophets message is patience and tolerance.
Rasheed
[email protected]
V
The violence throughout the world over the blasphemous film
Innocence of Muslims is not justified in the least as Islam advo-
cates for peace. However, we must also denounce the inflammato-
ry film. Freedom of expression cannot be absolute. Just like free-
dom of action is not a free licence to kick everyone you want, free-
dom of expression does not mean you go on hurting people emo-
tionally. Ridiculing any religion or personalities related to it should be
excluded from the ambit of freedom of expression. It is illogical that
you outrage someone and then expect him to always behave in a
sensible and peaceful way.
A. Hameed Yousuf, Ulsoor, Bangalore
[email protected]
VI
I earnestly appeal my Muslim brethren not to get provocated on
every filthy move aimed to sacrilege our religion or the revered per-
sons .It has now become an easy but effective tactics for some mis-
chievous elements to put us on psychological toes, these con-
demnable things will get cropped up time and again, shall we have
to protest always. I think it is not advisable to respond to these
unscrupulous and devil elements by protesting and agitating. Let us
not give any attention to these filthy actions, the strange thing about
our reactions to such heinous moves is that for a short span of time
we get spontaneously united vowing to crush such elements and
few abuses here and there including US and its allies. We should
instead focus on certain basic issues confronting ummah. Do we
really have any concern about our unity? Do we have any realiza-
tion of our untapped resources being at the disposal of Muslim
countries? Do we have any say in the global polity? Do we have any
regulating power on the economic issues? How much mastery do
we have on issues pertaining to science and technology? Have we
created any international fund to promote quality research in Muslim
countries?
Nasir Hussain Peerzada, Srinagar, JK
[email protected]
Advani
This is with reference to the fantastic article published in MG 1-15
Sept 2012 Fall of the fanatic; is Advani the new Rakhi Sawant of
Indian politics? is a mind blowing article by Samar Narayan, which
has presented the true face of Advani, who is compared to Rakhi
Sawant is very interesting and informative. Mr. Advani is really a
defeated man defeated by none but by his own self goals. His
dream of becoming PM is an illusion. A man of long political tenure
should respect the democracy, but he made a mockery of it, and is
now reaping the fruits of his misdeeds. I congratulate the editor for
publishing this article for the readers in a bold venture.
Muhammad Azam, Karimnager, AP
[email protected]
S M Krishna Yatra
S M Krishna, the Indian Foreign Minister, paid a visit to Data Durbar,
Lahore, and left without making even a token donation! And then
India talks of improving the relations between the two countries!
Col. Syed Riaz Jafri (Retd), Rawalpindi
[email protected]
Real and image Congress and BJP
Every BJP leader blames Congress as Gandhi Parivar Party but
Congress shies to call BJP Sangh Parivaar party. BJP blames
Congress for 1.86 lakh crore coal scam and Congress blames BJP-
ruled CMs responsible for coal scam. Congress targets Modi for
sponsored riot as Modi asked police top brass not to act and let
Hindus vent their anger for three days. Congress Assam CM and
central Congress leaders stage-managed drama not to take action
to control riots in Assam for at least three days. CM blamed Centre
for not sending army in time and defence minister apologised for the
delay in sending the army to Assam. Muslims should compare the
similarities between Congress and BJP. Many decades earlier Dalit
leaders recognised Congress as Naag Naathand BJP as Saanp
Naath.
S. Haque, Patna
Communal organization involved in terrorist activities
As a result of investigations of anti-terrorists squads and other
investigating agencies it has been proved that Hindu communal
organizations namely Bajrang Dal, VHP, Sanatan Sanstha, Ram
Sena and RSS were involved in highly deplorable terrorist actions at
Ajmer, Malegaon, Mander and Macca Masjid Hyderabad and highly
explosive materials had been found both at the offices of these
organizations and residences of activists of these organizations.
Arrests of Col Purohit and Sadhvi Pragya collaborates the existence
of a conspiracy engineered by these organizations. Mot only this,
VHP and Bajrang Dal had also tried to convert Orissa into another
Gujarat by killing Christians and damaging their churches white Shiv
Sena had launched an intense hate campaign against north Indians
in Mumbai. A prominent leaders of RSS has also been accused of
participating in these activities by anti-terrorist squad. AICC at its
recent session severely condemned the involvement of these
organizations in terrorist activities. The Union Govt should immedi-
ately ban these organizations for their involvement in terrorist activ-
ities and this decidedly will be a fatal blow to terrorism.
Dr. M. Hashim Kidwai, ex-M. P., Mayur Vihar - New Delhi
Open Letters to Modi and Kodnani
This is with reference to the fantastic items published in MG 16-30
Sept Sanjiv Bhatts Open Letters to Modi and Kodnani. These let-
ters are an eye-opener not only to Modi & Co, but to all the Saffron
brigade. Sanjiv Bhatt should be congratulated for his boldness. He
challenged Modi for his multiple communal misdeeds. Now it is the
time for Modi to reply to the allegations made in the open letter.
Mohd. Azam, Karimnager, AP
[email protected]
Three CS - greatest menace to the Indian democracy
Three Cs, i.e., Communalism, Corruption and casteism not only
pose menace to the very existence of Indian democracy which is the
largest parliamentary democracy of the world and the integrity of the
country, Indian parliamentary system, Indian nationalism and our
precious national composite culture will become a thing of the past.
The need of the hour is that the Congress through whose efforts the
country got freedom alone is capable of defeating these forces i. e.
communalism, casteism and corruption by lunching a vigorous cam-
paign against them.
Dr. M. Hashim Kidwai, ex-M.P., Delhi
Why India still follows British laws?
If one has to find a reason as to why independent India has still on
its law books, a bulk of penal laws, from the old colonial British rule,
one may have to do some comparison between the British rule and
the present Brahmin rule. Both British as well as Brahmins were and
are a minority. Both ruled India with cunning and manipulations.
India is hailed as being freed from the British rule, but unfortunately
it fell into the grip of another minority, which though proclaiming
independence, democracy and secularism, is still a oligarchic minor-
ity that has enslaved India. The Brahmin minority is treating rest of
the people as their slaves and is mortally afraid of a 1857 like peo-
ples revolt. It has therefore preserved all draconian laws that British
colonials had devised to keep the Indians in bondage. The clever-
ness of Brahmins is that they have been successfully convincing the
rest of the people that they are Indians and therefore their rule is
the rule of the natives. However, it is the same kind of ruse that
Communists imposed on their people by calling their autocratic rule
as peoples and workers rule, while a brutal oligarchy in fact ruled
the Communist countries. Unless we the people wake up to the
fraud that has been imposed on us and realize that the Brahmin Raj
is a continuation of the colonial British Raj, we will never achieve
true freedom from our bondage. It is time for a wake up call.
Ghulam Muhammed, Mumbai
[email protected]
What has Namaaz to do with a political move?
If, indeed, Mamta Bannerji has used the words after the namaz to
announce the time of her ministers resignation, the statement is
highly communal and smacks of warped secularism. The intention
to appease one community, Muslims, was obvious and unshamed.
The Muslim community should refuse to be swayed by any sort of
hollow appeasement and make known their displeasure at such
gimmickry.
Dr Mookhi Amir Ali, Santacruz West, Mumbai 400054
Why media silent on S. S.-BJP relation
Once shiv sena mouthpiece displayed bad taste poetry about Bihari
ek bihari 100 bimari. Now SS 2nd top leader Udhav Thakarey
raised issuing permit to Biharis. The media made some hue and cry
but not a single media or a journalist asked BJP leaders particular-
ly BJP leaders from Bihar about S. S. venom spitting against Biharis
and BJP-SS relation and why BJP leaders continue relation with SS
etc. The answer will expose medias saffron mentality.
S. Haque, Patna
Pragmatism
This word is used to mean different things. A sports commentary
said, The Valencia team imposes its pragmatism in El Sadar,
meaning that it applied every effective means to achieve a positive
result. In this sense, pragmatism could be understood as the ten-
dency to adjust to actual circumstances. We could distinguish two
sides to this term-a philosophical pragmatism and a relativistic, or
vulgar, pragmatism. The philosophical type has been developed by
Charles S. Peirce, William James and John Dewey, among others.
It acknowledges the validity of traditional issues concerning the truth
of cognitive practices, and it seeks to reconstruct philosophy on that
basis, starting from the notions of objectivity and truth. Relativistic or
vulgar pragmatism is connected with a lack of principles, shrewd-
ness, cynicism, and mere material efficiency. It seems to be quite
frequent among certain businessmen and politicians. Manipulative
advertising, deprived of any moral considerations, can obtain busi-
ness benefits, even if this means deceiving consumers or creating
artificial needs. For some politicians all opinions are worth the same,
that is, nothing and truths do not exist as such. Their worth is mere-
ly based on the votes they help get. This is why, whenever a politi-
cian is asked about a particular fact, he typically does not reply to
what is being asked, but rather answers with one or several well-
built phrases aimed at creating a good image for himself or his party
without stopping to think whether what is said is true or not. It is not
the reality of facts that is sought, but rather to make a good impres-
sion on the audience and to secure their votes. Talking about this
with a friend of mine who is a politician, he told me that at their sum-
mer schools they were taught the techniques for replying to mass
media with arguments favoring their party and public performance,
without taking into account whether their speech was true to the
facts or not. This relativistic pragmatism bases social relationships
on lies and creates a radical distrust in politicians, which is among
the worst-rated collectives in many surveys. There is a clear need to
base politics and human relationships on reality, and to always tell
the truth about what we think and feel.
Arturo Ramo, DO-Teruel (Spain)
[email protected]
Commercialization of Education
All countrymen have to lament that education in the country has now
become a thriving industry. Admissions to technical institutions and
to institutions imparting education in professional courses are given
on the basis of donations exceeding six figures. In flagrant violation
of Indian constitution which provides for free and compulsory edu-
cation to students up to the age of 14, public schools are charging
excessive amount of thousands of rupees from the parents and
guardians of students not once but after every three months during
one academic session. These public schools are public only in
name but are really centres of worst kind of exploitation which is the
norm of private sector or privatization. One has to pay for admission
forms of universities not on payment or paltry amount. Mr. Kapil
Sibal, the energetic H. K. D. Minister will really do a national service
by adopting strong preventive measures to totally stop commercial-
ization of education i. e. the conversions of education into a thriving
industry.
Dr. M. Hashim Kidwai, ex-MP, Mayur Vihar - Delhi-110091
Have Muslim leaders sold self-respect?
Janta Party leader Subramaniam Swamy wrote an article in Pioneer
(14 July 2012) exposing the conspiracy of Hashimpura killings. He
wrote that the then minister of state for home P. Chidambaram air-
surveyed the riot-hit Meerut areas and told the local authorities:
Teach Muslims a lesson as we taught Sikhs. He had a meeting
with PAC top brass where Mohsina Kidwai was not invited. Rather,
she was virtually locked in the Dak bunglow. Mohsina Kidwai must
answer the questions raised by Subramaniam Swamy and why she
kept mum over the killing of 69 innocent Muslims?
S. Haque, Patna
Path of peace and progress
It is need of the hour to inculcate values of tolerance, brother hood,
non-violence amongst our countrymen. Hatred, violence, intoler-
ance etc are harmful to the development and progress of our moth-
erland. It is elementary that with out peace, tolerance, unity, and rule
of law no progress is possible. How the country can proceed on the
path of progress when shops and houses are burnt, places of wor-
ship desecrated and demolished , property looted and innocent citi-
zens are killed. Terrorism , communal and caste riots, bunds, bomb-
blasts, naxalism, violent agitations etc retard all kinds of develop-
ment and progress. There is no place for terrorism, violence, hatred
linguism, intolerance etc in a secular democratic country like ours.
We should adopt the peaceful and democratic methods of mutual
understanding and discussions to achieve our objectives. The sprit
of brotherhood, love, tolerance, co-operation, communal, regional
and racial harmony and peaceful coexistence are essential for
national unity, communal harmony and progress . We should launch
a crusade against hatred, intolerance, linguism, regionalism, terror-
ism, intolerance, and violence prevailing in our country.
G. Hasnain Kaif, Bhandara, Maharashtra 441904
The Milli Gazette, 1-15 October 2012 23
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Framed, Damned and Acquitted:
Dossiers of a Very Special Cell
A report by Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Association
Framed, Damned and Acquitted:
Dossiers of a Very Special Cell
A report by Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Association