By IANS,
Dhaka/Riyadh : Nearly two million Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia can now change their jobs under a new law passed on the eve of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit.
It will help Dhaka consolidate one of its most lucrative manpower export markets at a time when expatriates from some other West Asian countries and from Malaysia are returning home jobless.
The Saudi Council of Ministers Monday passed a series of regulations facilitating transfer of jobs of people employed by operation, maintenance, catering and cleaning companies in government departments.
A bulk of Bangladeshi expatriates are engaged in these sectors, The Daily Star said Friday in its reports from Riyadh and Dhaka.
"The Bangladeshi workers who have left jobs for low salaries or other reasons and even whose job contract period is over now can change their jobs," an official of expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry told the newspaper.
In Saudi Arabia, job transfer was restricted to the workers and their work permits were not renewed generally for which many Bangladeshis had to either do jobs 'illegally' or were forced to return home.
Since imposing a partial ban on recruiting workers in March last year, many Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia were not allowed to renew their residency visas after completion of job contract period.
The transfer of workers from the previous employer to the new one should be based on their desire and on agreements between them, Saudi Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said while explaining the cabinet decisions.
Hasina said that the government has decided to establish an Expatriate Welfare Bank for safe migration of the Bangladeshi workers and proper utilisation of the foreign exchange.
"You will be owners of the bank. Interested people will take loans from the bank and pay back the loan gradually from their income abroad... you won't have to sell your homes and lands to come abroad. We want your lives safe," she said.
The enthused Bangladeshis at a reception held in honour of Hasina said they were keen to invest back home and exercise their voting right.
Friday, April 24, 2009
London Probes "Embarrassing" Terror Raids
By IslamOnline.net & News Agencies
LONDON — The release without charges of all eleven people, including Pakistani students, detained on claims of plotting a "major terrorist plot" prompted Britain's terror watchdog to launch an investigation into the issue, with Islamabad demanding an apology.
"I shall be requesting input into these events from all involved as soon as possible. This will include those arrested and their legal representatives," said Lord Carlile, the reviewer of terrorism legislation.
He added the probe will look into the April 8 terror raids in northwest England and arrests of twelve students, including eleven Pakistanis.
"The questions I shall raise will centre on the nature and extent of the use of the Terrorism Act 2000 and connected legislation used for the purposes of the operation."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown had claimed the high;-publicized raids foiled a "major terrorist plot".
But after weeks in custody, police released all students without charges.
"These people are not terrorists," Hamza Shenwari, the only Briton detainee, said about the Pakistani students.
"They work nine to five, they are very religious. We have got used to it here."
Shenwari, a 21-year student and a delivery driver, said British authorities are playing the terror card from time to time.
"The police got bad information and they are just using it to scare everyone. It is just scare tactics," he said.
"It has become a daft game… But now people are afraid to talk and joke in case they get accused of being in Al-Qaeda. It is creating paranoia."
Scare Tactics
The Pakistani government confirmed Thursday it would provide legal assistance to the students against British attempts to deport them.
"We will assist them, if need be," Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told a press briefing.
He said Islamabad was in close touch with British authorities on the issue.
"We hope to resolve this issue to our mutual satisfaction."
Pakistan's High Commissioner to London Wajid Shamsul Hasan urged British authorities to compensate the students, not deport them.
"It is clear these people have neither violated UK law nor committed a crime. Why should they be punished," he told The Financial Times.
"It seems the arrests took place on the basis of a hoax," added the diplomat.
"(British authorities) owe an apology not only to these boys but also to the government of Pakistan for having not done enough homework."
Following the raids, Brown accused the Pakistani government of not doing enough to fight terrorism, sparking a war of words between officials from both sides.
"The men should be compensated," maintained the Pakistani envoy to London.
Parents of the students have warned that the deportation would ruin the future of their innocent sons.
"I appeal to the British government not to ruin the future of such bright youths in the name of suspicion only," Nasarullah Jan Khattak, a father of one of the students, has told IslamOnline.net.
"What if the British police find no clue against him? Where will he stand for the rest of his life?"
LONDON — The release without charges of all eleven people, including Pakistani students, detained on claims of plotting a "major terrorist plot" prompted Britain's terror watchdog to launch an investigation into the issue, with Islamabad demanding an apology.
"I shall be requesting input into these events from all involved as soon as possible. This will include those arrested and their legal representatives," said Lord Carlile, the reviewer of terrorism legislation.
He added the probe will look into the April 8 terror raids in northwest England and arrests of twelve students, including eleven Pakistanis.
"The questions I shall raise will centre on the nature and extent of the use of the Terrorism Act 2000 and connected legislation used for the purposes of the operation."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown had claimed the high;-publicized raids foiled a "major terrorist plot".
But after weeks in custody, police released all students without charges.
"These people are not terrorists," Hamza Shenwari, the only Briton detainee, said about the Pakistani students.
"They work nine to five, they are very religious. We have got used to it here."
Shenwari, a 21-year student and a delivery driver, said British authorities are playing the terror card from time to time.
"The police got bad information and they are just using it to scare everyone. It is just scare tactics," he said.
"It has become a daft game… But now people are afraid to talk and joke in case they get accused of being in Al-Qaeda. It is creating paranoia."
Scare Tactics
The Pakistani government confirmed Thursday it would provide legal assistance to the students against British attempts to deport them.
"We will assist them, if need be," Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told a press briefing.
He said Islamabad was in close touch with British authorities on the issue.
"We hope to resolve this issue to our mutual satisfaction."
Pakistan's High Commissioner to London Wajid Shamsul Hasan urged British authorities to compensate the students, not deport them.
"It is clear these people have neither violated UK law nor committed a crime. Why should they be punished," he told The Financial Times.
"It seems the arrests took place on the basis of a hoax," added the diplomat.
"(British authorities) owe an apology not only to these boys but also to the government of Pakistan for having not done enough homework."
Following the raids, Brown accused the Pakistani government of not doing enough to fight terrorism, sparking a war of words between officials from both sides.
"The men should be compensated," maintained the Pakistani envoy to London.
Parents of the students have warned that the deportation would ruin the future of their innocent sons.
"I appeal to the British government not to ruin the future of such bright youths in the name of suspicion only," Nasarullah Jan Khattak, a father of one of the students, has told IslamOnline.net.
"What if the British police find no clue against him? Where will he stand for the rest of his life?"
Israel Covering Up Gaza Crimes: HRW
IslamOnline.net & News Agencies
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM -– Human Rights Watch on Thursday, April 23, branded Israeli probes into the recent Gaza war as an attempt to covering up Israeli war crimes perpetrated in the densely-populated coastal enclave.
"The conclusions are an apparent attempt to mask violations of the laws of war by Israeli forces in Gaza," HRW Deputy Director Joe Stork said in a statement.
Israeli deputy army chief Major General Dan Harel claimed on Wednesday, April 22, that five military internal investigations into the 22-day war found "no violations" of international law.
It claimed its troops "operated in accordance with international law" and maintained "high professional and moral level".
HRW refuted the findings, insisting that its own investigation had showed Israeli forces were responsible for "serious violations of the laws of war."
It cited the use of heavy artillery and white phosphorus munitions, which can cause severe burns, in densely populated areas, the targeting of civilians and the destruction of civilian property in excess of military need.
HRW researchers in Gaza also found spent white phosphorous artillery shells, canister liners and dozens of burnt felt wedges containing white phosphorus on city streets and apartment roofs, in residential courtyards, and at a UN school.
Israeli forces killed more than 1,417 Palestinians, including 926 civilians, in their three-week onslaught in December.
The offensive wrecked havoc on Gaza's infrastructure, leaving thousands of homes, government buildings, schools, hospitals and mosque in ruins.
Foreign and Arab doctors have documented abnormal injuries suffered by the civilian population of Gaza, accusing Israel of using banned weapons.
Under international pressures, Israel has admitted using white phosphorous in shelling Gaza.
Lies
Victims of the Israeli Gaza war were also dumbfounded by the outcome of the Israeli probes.
"The deputy IDF chief of staff is lying, with a right that belongs only to those who have power but not justice on their side," Dr. Mahmoud Iyad told Yediot Aharonot.
"It is the same power that gives the IDF the privilege not to take moral responsibility for the crime it committed….They shoot, they kill, and they lie."
The bereaved father recalled the killing of his two sons in an Israeli attack on the outskirts of Khan Younis during a 4-hour humanitarian truce.
"It was afternoon, there was no fog or anything to inhibit the soldiers' view. There were no incidents, no fire," he said.
As Iyad and his two sons, a 27-year engineer and a 21-year freshman student, left the farm in a car, the Israeli soldiers opened fire at them.
"The soldiers were in a house that was empty and suddenly we heard yelling and fire and a soldier yelling, "Get down, son of a whore."
Iyad's eldest son died on the spot.
"My young son bled from 12:30 that day and until Saturday in the early morning, when he was defeated and died," he said chocking at the memory.
"If this the mistake the Israeli deputy chief is talking about? My children are gone.
"Maybe for him we were 'a little mistake here and there' but my children's life is over. They were my treasure, and in one moment they were taken."
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM -– Human Rights Watch on Thursday, April 23, branded Israeli probes into the recent Gaza war as an attempt to covering up Israeli war crimes perpetrated in the densely-populated coastal enclave.
"The conclusions are an apparent attempt to mask violations of the laws of war by Israeli forces in Gaza," HRW Deputy Director Joe Stork said in a statement.
Israeli deputy army chief Major General Dan Harel claimed on Wednesday, April 22, that five military internal investigations into the 22-day war found "no violations" of international law.
It claimed its troops "operated in accordance with international law" and maintained "high professional and moral level".
HRW refuted the findings, insisting that its own investigation had showed Israeli forces were responsible for "serious violations of the laws of war."
It cited the use of heavy artillery and white phosphorus munitions, which can cause severe burns, in densely populated areas, the targeting of civilians and the destruction of civilian property in excess of military need.
HRW researchers in Gaza also found spent white phosphorous artillery shells, canister liners and dozens of burnt felt wedges containing white phosphorus on city streets and apartment roofs, in residential courtyards, and at a UN school.
Israeli forces killed more than 1,417 Palestinians, including 926 civilians, in their three-week onslaught in December.
The offensive wrecked havoc on Gaza's infrastructure, leaving thousands of homes, government buildings, schools, hospitals and mosque in ruins.
Foreign and Arab doctors have documented abnormal injuries suffered by the civilian population of Gaza, accusing Israel of using banned weapons.
Under international pressures, Israel has admitted using white phosphorous in shelling Gaza.
Lies
Victims of the Israeli Gaza war were also dumbfounded by the outcome of the Israeli probes.
"The deputy IDF chief of staff is lying, with a right that belongs only to those who have power but not justice on their side," Dr. Mahmoud Iyad told Yediot Aharonot.
"It is the same power that gives the IDF the privilege not to take moral responsibility for the crime it committed….They shoot, they kill, and they lie."
The bereaved father recalled the killing of his two sons in an Israeli attack on the outskirts of Khan Younis during a 4-hour humanitarian truce.
"It was afternoon, there was no fog or anything to inhibit the soldiers' view. There were no incidents, no fire," he said.
As Iyad and his two sons, a 27-year engineer and a 21-year freshman student, left the farm in a car, the Israeli soldiers opened fire at them.
"The soldiers were in a house that was empty and suddenly we heard yelling and fire and a soldier yelling, "Get down, son of a whore."
Iyad's eldest son died on the spot.
"My young son bled from 12:30 that day and until Saturday in the early morning, when he was defeated and died," he said chocking at the memory.
"If this the mistake the Israeli deputy chief is talking about? My children are gone.
"Maybe for him we were 'a little mistake here and there' but my children's life is over. They were my treasure, and in one moment they were taken."
Singapore Madrasas Tune With Modern World
IslamOnline.net & Newspapers
CAIRO — With students having Islamic education while studying secular subjects, Madrasa Al Irsyad Al Islamiah in Singapore is giving an example of a model Islamic education in tune with modern world.
"It's like 'American Idol,'" Razak Mohamed Lazim, the head of Al Irsyad, told The New York Times on Thursday, April 23.
At the school, students begin their day with prayers and songs in honor of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him).
At class, students study religious subjects as well as secular studies such as English, math and other subjects from the national curriculum.
"Here they teach many things other than Islam," said Noridah Mahad, 44, who has a child studying at the school.
"So Muslim students will have two understandings: the Muslim and the outside world."
The school's 900 primary- and secondary-level students study religious education as well as the national curriculum of the country's public schools.
To accommodate both, the school day is three hours longer than at the mainstream schools.
Al Irsyad ranks the top academic performer among Singapore's six madrasas.
It has a central spot in the new Islamic center of the Islamic Religious council of Singapore, a statutory board that advises the government on Muslim affairs.
Al Irsyad was chosen to be in the center as "a showcase," said Razak, who is also an official at the religious council.
Muslims in Singapore are estimated between 450,000 to 500,000, making around 14 to 15 percent of the population.
Model
Many of the school's graduates excel themselves, thanks to the Islamic-secular education.
"Many became administrators, some are teaching and some joined the civil service," said Mohamed Muneer, 32, a chemistry teacher.
Ishak Bin Johari, a 17-year-old who wants to become a newspaper reporter, agrees.
"(The balance between the secular and religious would help the school's graduates) lead normal Singaporean lives compared to other madrasa students," he said.
Singapore's madrasas experienced a surge in popularity in the 1990s along with a renewed interest in Islam.
But the surge, coupled with the madrasas' poor record in nonreligious subjects, has raised concerns in the country.
In 2003, the government made primary education at public schools compulsory, allowing exceptions like the madrasas, provided they met basic standards by 2010.
If they fail, they will have to stop educating primary school children.
"That forced the madrasas to shift their curriculum away from being purely religious schools," said Mukhlis Abu Bakar, an expert on madrasas at the National Institute of Education, a teachers college.
Seen as a model of Islamic education in tune with modern world, Irsyad has now become a model for many schools in South Asia region.
Two madrasas in Indonesia have adopted Irsyad's curriculum. It is also in talks with madrasas in the Philippines and Thailand to export its model modern curriculum.
"The Muslim world in general is struggling with its Islamic education," said Razak.
"In many cases, it's also the challenge the Muslim world is facing. We are not addressing the needs of Islam as a faith that has to be alive, interacting with other communities and other religions."
CAIRO — With students having Islamic education while studying secular subjects, Madrasa Al Irsyad Al Islamiah in Singapore is giving an example of a model Islamic education in tune with modern world.
"It's like 'American Idol,'" Razak Mohamed Lazim, the head of Al Irsyad, told The New York Times on Thursday, April 23.
At the school, students begin their day with prayers and songs in honor of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him).
At class, students study religious subjects as well as secular studies such as English, math and other subjects from the national curriculum.
"Here they teach many things other than Islam," said Noridah Mahad, 44, who has a child studying at the school.
"So Muslim students will have two understandings: the Muslim and the outside world."
The school's 900 primary- and secondary-level students study religious education as well as the national curriculum of the country's public schools.
To accommodate both, the school day is three hours longer than at the mainstream schools.
Al Irsyad ranks the top academic performer among Singapore's six madrasas.
It has a central spot in the new Islamic center of the Islamic Religious council of Singapore, a statutory board that advises the government on Muslim affairs.
Al Irsyad was chosen to be in the center as "a showcase," said Razak, who is also an official at the religious council.
Muslims in Singapore are estimated between 450,000 to 500,000, making around 14 to 15 percent of the population.
Model
Many of the school's graduates excel themselves, thanks to the Islamic-secular education.
"Many became administrators, some are teaching and some joined the civil service," said Mohamed Muneer, 32, a chemistry teacher.
Ishak Bin Johari, a 17-year-old who wants to become a newspaper reporter, agrees.
"(The balance between the secular and religious would help the school's graduates) lead normal Singaporean lives compared to other madrasa students," he said.
Singapore's madrasas experienced a surge in popularity in the 1990s along with a renewed interest in Islam.
But the surge, coupled with the madrasas' poor record in nonreligious subjects, has raised concerns in the country.
In 2003, the government made primary education at public schools compulsory, allowing exceptions like the madrasas, provided they met basic standards by 2010.
If they fail, they will have to stop educating primary school children.
"That forced the madrasas to shift their curriculum away from being purely religious schools," said Mukhlis Abu Bakar, an expert on madrasas at the National Institute of Education, a teachers college.
Seen as a model of Islamic education in tune with modern world, Irsyad has now become a model for many schools in South Asia region.
Two madrasas in Indonesia have adopted Irsyad's curriculum. It is also in talks with madrasas in the Philippines and Thailand to export its model modern curriculum.
"The Muslim world in general is struggling with its Islamic education," said Razak.
"In many cases, it's also the challenge the Muslim world is facing. We are not addressing the needs of Islam as a faith that has to be alive, interacting with other communities and other religions."
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
J D (S) promises to order judicial probe into Batla House encounter after coming in power
By RINA,
Malegaon: "In case the Third Front forms a government at the Centre the Janata Dal (S) will order a judicial probe into all of the fake police encounters that took places during the last five years of United Progressive Alliance rule so that the oppressed could get the justice." This promise was made by the national general secretary of JD (S) Mr. Kunwar Danish Ali here yesterday. He was addressing an election rally in the favor of Nehal Ahmad who is Lok Sabha candidate of JD (S) from here.
Severely criticizing the Congress Kunawar Danish Ali state: “Despite the fact that this parliamentary constituency boasts of more than five lakh Muslim voters still Congress did not give ticket to a Muslim candidate thus provide an opportunity for the Muslims to send their representative in the parliament”. He further said, “Panicking due to the popularity of the JD (S) candidate Nehal Ahmad the Congress has indulged in negative campaign.”
“The Congress President Ms. Sonia Gandhi rushed here and she started a negative campaign. She cautioned that if the voters do not vote for the Congress candidate from here then the Shiv Sena candidate would win” said Kunwar Danish Ali.
He also said that in spite of a Congress government in Maharashtra, Dhule witnessed one of the worst Hindu-Muslim riots in which Muslims suffered heavy losses of lives and properties. Enraged by this, now the voters have decided to teach a lesson to the Congress and to vote for the Janata Dal (S) candidate.”
Talking about the Malegaon bomb blasts Kunwar Danish Ali said that in those blasts members of our community were killed and also the members of our community were stuffed into jails. Whereas, after a long wait it came to light that some other people were involved in these blasts.
Lambasting the Congress for its anti-Muslim policies Kunwar Danish Ali said, “The only achievement of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre was that Muslims have projected as the terrorists and even the University graduates of Muslim community have either been stuffed into jails as alleged terrorists or were killed in fake encounters”.
“Despite the revelations made by the Sachar Committee Report the Congress did not bother to take steps to alleviate the educational and social backwardness of Muslims and also how to increase the representation of Muslims in the parliament and assemblies” said Kunwar Danish Ali.
Kunwar Danish assured that if the Third Front forming a government at the Centre the JD (S) would oversee the implementation of Justice Sachar Committee recommendations and Justice Ranganath Commission Report in Maharashtra.
Malegaon: "In case the Third Front forms a government at the Centre the Janata Dal (S) will order a judicial probe into all of the fake police encounters that took places during the last five years of United Progressive Alliance rule so that the oppressed could get the justice." This promise was made by the national general secretary of JD (S) Mr. Kunwar Danish Ali here yesterday. He was addressing an election rally in the favor of Nehal Ahmad who is Lok Sabha candidate of JD (S) from here.
Severely criticizing the Congress Kunawar Danish Ali state: “Despite the fact that this parliamentary constituency boasts of more than five lakh Muslim voters still Congress did not give ticket to a Muslim candidate thus provide an opportunity for the Muslims to send their representative in the parliament”. He further said, “Panicking due to the popularity of the JD (S) candidate Nehal Ahmad the Congress has indulged in negative campaign.”
“The Congress President Ms. Sonia Gandhi rushed here and she started a negative campaign. She cautioned that if the voters do not vote for the Congress candidate from here then the Shiv Sena candidate would win” said Kunwar Danish Ali.
He also said that in spite of a Congress government in Maharashtra, Dhule witnessed one of the worst Hindu-Muslim riots in which Muslims suffered heavy losses of lives and properties. Enraged by this, now the voters have decided to teach a lesson to the Congress and to vote for the Janata Dal (S) candidate.”
Talking about the Malegaon bomb blasts Kunwar Danish Ali said that in those blasts members of our community were killed and also the members of our community were stuffed into jails. Whereas, after a long wait it came to light that some other people were involved in these blasts.
Lambasting the Congress for its anti-Muslim policies Kunwar Danish Ali said, “The only achievement of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre was that Muslims have projected as the terrorists and even the University graduates of Muslim community have either been stuffed into jails as alleged terrorists or were killed in fake encounters”.
“Despite the revelations made by the Sachar Committee Report the Congress did not bother to take steps to alleviate the educational and social backwardness of Muslims and also how to increase the representation of Muslims in the parliament and assemblies” said Kunwar Danish Ali.
Kunwar Danish assured that if the Third Front forming a government at the Centre the JD (S) would oversee the implementation of Justice Sachar Committee recommendations and Justice Ranganath Commission Report in Maharashtra.
Stage set for final round of voting in Assam
BY IANS,
Guwahati : The stage is all set for the second and final phase of voting in Assam Thursday with 11 of the 14 parliamentary constituencies going to the polls amid heavy security arrangements, officials said here Tuesday.
"Polling personnel along with materials have already reached their respective polling centres and we are hopeful of a free and fair election," an Election Commission official said.
Elections are to be held to the parliamentary seats of Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaliabor, Nagaon, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Guwahati, Mangaldoi, Barpeta, Dhubri and Kokrajhar.
Earlier, elections in the first phase were held for the three parliamentary seats of Silchar, Karimganj and Autonomous District in Assam April 16 with heavy polling recorded.
An estimated 14.73 million voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the second phase in which 121 candidates are in the fray.
The ruling Congress party is locked in a direct fight with the opposition combine of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while for at least two seats it would be a triangular contest with the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) also emerging as a political force to be reckoned with.
Electioneering this time in Assam was marked by bitter exchanges between the rival parties - the Congress taking on the AGP-BJP and the AUDF, while the opposition mincing no words in lambasting the ruling party.
The main thorn for the Congress is the AUDF that has the potential to become a major spoiler by dividing the minority Muslim votes - a charge that the Congress has all along been trading.
"It is true that AUDF is a factor in the elections and would surely cut into the minority votes, thereby indirectly helping the AGP-BJP combine to fare well in the polls," said Abdul Mannan, an analyst and teacher at Gauhati University.
The AUDF, a party that claims to espouse the cause of the minorities, has put up candidates for nine seats.
"The AGP and the BJP have a secret pact with Badruddin Ajmal (leader of the AUDF) to defeat the Congress... AUDF has fallen into a communal trap with Ajmal playing into the hands of L.K. Advani who is known to have spearheaded the demolition of the Babri Masjid," Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told an election meeting in the minority-dominated Dhing area in central Assam.
A massive security alert was sounded and an estimated 50,000 policemen and paramilitary troopers were deployed across the state for the polls.
"Security measures have been tightened and deployment made according to the Election Commission guidelines," Assam police chief G.M. Srivastava said.
"We hope the elections would pass off peacefully," Srivastava said.
Guwahati : The stage is all set for the second and final phase of voting in Assam Thursday with 11 of the 14 parliamentary constituencies going to the polls amid heavy security arrangements, officials said here Tuesday.
"Polling personnel along with materials have already reached their respective polling centres and we are hopeful of a free and fair election," an Election Commission official said.
Elections are to be held to the parliamentary seats of Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaliabor, Nagaon, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Guwahati, Mangaldoi, Barpeta, Dhubri and Kokrajhar.
Earlier, elections in the first phase were held for the three parliamentary seats of Silchar, Karimganj and Autonomous District in Assam April 16 with heavy polling recorded.
An estimated 14.73 million voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the second phase in which 121 candidates are in the fray.
The ruling Congress party is locked in a direct fight with the opposition combine of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while for at least two seats it would be a triangular contest with the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) also emerging as a political force to be reckoned with.
Electioneering this time in Assam was marked by bitter exchanges between the rival parties - the Congress taking on the AGP-BJP and the AUDF, while the opposition mincing no words in lambasting the ruling party.
The main thorn for the Congress is the AUDF that has the potential to become a major spoiler by dividing the minority Muslim votes - a charge that the Congress has all along been trading.
"It is true that AUDF is a factor in the elections and would surely cut into the minority votes, thereby indirectly helping the AGP-BJP combine to fare well in the polls," said Abdul Mannan, an analyst and teacher at Gauhati University.
The AUDF, a party that claims to espouse the cause of the minorities, has put up candidates for nine seats.
"The AGP and the BJP have a secret pact with Badruddin Ajmal (leader of the AUDF) to defeat the Congress... AUDF has fallen into a communal trap with Ajmal playing into the hands of L.K. Advani who is known to have spearheaded the demolition of the Babri Masjid," Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told an election meeting in the minority-dominated Dhing area in central Assam.
A massive security alert was sounded and an estimated 50,000 policemen and paramilitary troopers were deployed across the state for the polls.
"Security measures have been tightened and deployment made according to the Election Commission guidelines," Assam police chief G.M. Srivastava said.
"We hope the elections would pass off peacefully," Srivastava said.
2006 Malegaon blast witness accuses ATS of malpractice, absolves Muslim detainees
By RINA,
New Delhi: Turning hostile to government organs a key witness in Malegaon blast case now says: “All detainees arrested for Malegaon bomb blast are blameless.” Police initially arrested several Muslim youths but the crime is now supposed to be perpetrated by Hindu extremists.
Abrar Ahmad, the only witness, today signed an affidavit confessing that ATS and former Malegaon S. P. had forced him to witness falsely against arrested persons. “This was all for money and on account of intimidation”, the witness acknowledged in fresh official declaration.
Abrar Ahmad further said, “The culprits of shab-e-bara’at bombings in 2006 are the same persons who exploded bomb on Bhikkoo Cowk in 2008.” ATS had arrested them later.
Abrar’s affidavit, received by the legal cell formed by all organizations of Malegaon yesterday, may prove a decisive turn in the case. Abrar’s brother advocate Jalil Ahmad had requested court’s permission for fresh affidavit as the earlier one was signed under influence of greed and intimidation.
In a press conference organized in Asex Hall in Malegaon, the chief of the legal cell, advocate S. S. Sheikh said, “Local police and ATS hatched a conspiracy without telling it to Abrar Ahmad. Now Abrar’s affidavit reveals that former S. P. Govardhan Raj’s role has been extremely abominable in this case. Police officer’s activities tell that he is an accomplice of bhagwa terrorist ideology.”
Advocate Shabbir Ahmad Kardar complained about another connection, “When the justice loving masses of Malegaon were complaining about partisan activities of ATS, city MLA, Sheikh Rashid had justified ATS in a meeting in 2006.” The legal cell has decided to file a writ petition in the high court within a fortnight in the light of Abrar’s exposure.
New Delhi: Turning hostile to government organs a key witness in Malegaon blast case now says: “All detainees arrested for Malegaon bomb blast are blameless.” Police initially arrested several Muslim youths but the crime is now supposed to be perpetrated by Hindu extremists.
Abrar Ahmad, the only witness, today signed an affidavit confessing that ATS and former Malegaon S. P. had forced him to witness falsely against arrested persons. “This was all for money and on account of intimidation”, the witness acknowledged in fresh official declaration.
Abrar Ahmad further said, “The culprits of shab-e-bara’at bombings in 2006 are the same persons who exploded bomb on Bhikkoo Cowk in 2008.” ATS had arrested them later.
Abrar’s affidavit, received by the legal cell formed by all organizations of Malegaon yesterday, may prove a decisive turn in the case. Abrar’s brother advocate Jalil Ahmad had requested court’s permission for fresh affidavit as the earlier one was signed under influence of greed and intimidation.
In a press conference organized in Asex Hall in Malegaon, the chief of the legal cell, advocate S. S. Sheikh said, “Local police and ATS hatched a conspiracy without telling it to Abrar Ahmad. Now Abrar’s affidavit reveals that former S. P. Govardhan Raj’s role has been extremely abominable in this case. Police officer’s activities tell that he is an accomplice of bhagwa terrorist ideology.”
Advocate Shabbir Ahmad Kardar complained about another connection, “When the justice loving masses of Malegaon were complaining about partisan activities of ATS, city MLA, Sheikh Rashid had justified ATS in a meeting in 2006.” The legal cell has decided to file a writ petition in the high court within a fortnight in the light of Abrar’s exposure.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Stop springing diplomatic surprises, Dhaka paper tells India
By IANS,
Dhaka : India should stop springing "diplomatic surprises" on Bangladesh, a Dhaka newspaper said Monday and added that New Delhi's "aggressive style" since the Awami League government had come to power showed its "assertion of dominance over a neighbouring country".
New Delhi had "embarked on aggressive diplomacy to pursue its interests" ever since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took office, English language New Age daily said in an editorial Monday.
Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon's April 12-13 visit was considered to be a 'surprise' during which the official had a one-to-one talk with Hasina. He reportedly warned her that there could be an attempt to kill her.
Both governments remained silent on the visit's outcome and Dhaka followed up the warning by stepping up security for Hasina and her political associates.
However, two Indian newspapers reported on the talks Menon had with Hasina, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Army Chief Gen. Moin U. Ahmed, highlighting the death threat warning.
The New Age newspaper took the Hasina government to task for failing to take the public into confidence over the talks.
"... we believe the government had a responsibility to inform the people of this country of the basis and the nature of the threat that the government faced and, if it is baseless, it now has a responsibility to set the record straight.
"After all, threat to the life of an elected prime minister, if there is any, is a great concern for the citizens of this country as well," the editorial said.
It took exception to Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee failing to meet leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia during his brief February visit, while he had made it a point to meet Hasina when she was in the opposition.
"There is a danger that the aggressive style in which New Delhi has been pursuing its interests in Dhaka, since the Awami League-led alliance came to power could be reasonably interpreted as an assertion of dominance over a neighbouring country, confirmed by historical experiences in the region," said the newspaper.
The newspaper and its weekly publication Holiday have often accused India of being "hegemonistic" towards smaller neighbours in the region.
It took exception to both Mukherjee and Menon meeting the army chief that it said was in contravention to norms. It wondered whether Bangladesh foreign secretary could get to meet the top Indian military brass.
"�given the widely-held perception already that the ruling Awami League shares a comparatively better relationship with India than its main political rival, the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party), the series of overtures from New Delhi since the newly elected government office could end up eroding the latter's popularity and credibility at home," the newspaper said.
Dhaka : India should stop springing "diplomatic surprises" on Bangladesh, a Dhaka newspaper said Monday and added that New Delhi's "aggressive style" since the Awami League government had come to power showed its "assertion of dominance over a neighbouring country".
New Delhi had "embarked on aggressive diplomacy to pursue its interests" ever since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took office, English language New Age daily said in an editorial Monday.
Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon's April 12-13 visit was considered to be a 'surprise' during which the official had a one-to-one talk with Hasina. He reportedly warned her that there could be an attempt to kill her.
Both governments remained silent on the visit's outcome and Dhaka followed up the warning by stepping up security for Hasina and her political associates.
However, two Indian newspapers reported on the talks Menon had with Hasina, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Army Chief Gen. Moin U. Ahmed, highlighting the death threat warning.
The New Age newspaper took the Hasina government to task for failing to take the public into confidence over the talks.
"... we believe the government had a responsibility to inform the people of this country of the basis and the nature of the threat that the government faced and, if it is baseless, it now has a responsibility to set the record straight.
"After all, threat to the life of an elected prime minister, if there is any, is a great concern for the citizens of this country as well," the editorial said.
It took exception to Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee failing to meet leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia during his brief February visit, while he had made it a point to meet Hasina when she was in the opposition.
"There is a danger that the aggressive style in which New Delhi has been pursuing its interests in Dhaka, since the Awami League-led alliance came to power could be reasonably interpreted as an assertion of dominance over a neighbouring country, confirmed by historical experiences in the region," said the newspaper.
The newspaper and its weekly publication Holiday have often accused India of being "hegemonistic" towards smaller neighbours in the region.
It took exception to both Mukherjee and Menon meeting the army chief that it said was in contravention to norms. It wondered whether Bangladesh foreign secretary could get to meet the top Indian military brass.
"�given the widely-held perception already that the ruling Awami League shares a comparatively better relationship with India than its main political rival, the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party), the series of overtures from New Delhi since the newly elected government office could end up eroding the latter's popularity and credibility at home," the newspaper said.
Bangladesh seeks to increase trade with northeast India
By IANS,
Agartala : Bangladeshi trade and industry groups have said they would increase trade and economic activities with India's northeast region and urged Dhaka to provide transit facilities to India.
"We have decided to start business and education tourism with the northeastern region," said Abdul Matlub Ahmad, president of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A 10-member Bangladeshi delegation headed by Ahmad and comprising members of various Bangladesh trade bodies held a series of meetings here over the past few days with Indian businessmen and government officials to chalk out strategies for setting up of joint venture projects and intensifying trade and business between the two countries.
"A multipurpose complex comprising budget hotels and convention hall would be set up in Agartala to conduct business of both northeast India and Bangladeshi products," Ahmad told reporters Sunday.
Bangladeshi trade bodies have also urged Indian authorities to open a special counter in the Indian High Commission in Dhaka so that northeast-bound Bangladeshi businessmen, students and tourists can get visas more easily.
India has been pressing for transit facilities through Bangladesh for better connectivity between the land-locked northeastern region and the rest of the country.
"If the Bangladesh government provides transit facilities via Chittagong, Sherpur and Ashuganj and other ports, it would benefit in terms of revenue," he said, adding that the matter was under consideration.
The Tripura government had earlier set up a seven-member task force comprising officials and trade bodies of the two countries to suggest measures to enhance economic activities between northeast India and Bangladesh.
"During these meetings, it was decided to increase the export-import business between the northeast region and Bangladesh by three times by 2010," said Ahmad.
An Indian trade delegation will visit Bangladesh next month, while another from that country will visit the northeast shortly.
The Bangladesh government has expressed an interest to buy at nominal cost any surplus power generated from the proposed 740 MW Palatana thermal power project in south Tripura, Ahmad said.
Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh in almost all four sides and shares an 856-km border with that country.
Agartala : Bangladeshi trade and industry groups have said they would increase trade and economic activities with India's northeast region and urged Dhaka to provide transit facilities to India.
"We have decided to start business and education tourism with the northeastern region," said Abdul Matlub Ahmad, president of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A 10-member Bangladeshi delegation headed by Ahmad and comprising members of various Bangladesh trade bodies held a series of meetings here over the past few days with Indian businessmen and government officials to chalk out strategies for setting up of joint venture projects and intensifying trade and business between the two countries.
"A multipurpose complex comprising budget hotels and convention hall would be set up in Agartala to conduct business of both northeast India and Bangladeshi products," Ahmad told reporters Sunday.
Bangladeshi trade bodies have also urged Indian authorities to open a special counter in the Indian High Commission in Dhaka so that northeast-bound Bangladeshi businessmen, students and tourists can get visas more easily.
India has been pressing for transit facilities through Bangladesh for better connectivity between the land-locked northeastern region and the rest of the country.
"If the Bangladesh government provides transit facilities via Chittagong, Sherpur and Ashuganj and other ports, it would benefit in terms of revenue," he said, adding that the matter was under consideration.
The Tripura government had earlier set up a seven-member task force comprising officials and trade bodies of the two countries to suggest measures to enhance economic activities between northeast India and Bangladesh.
"During these meetings, it was decided to increase the export-import business between the northeast region and Bangladesh by three times by 2010," said Ahmad.
An Indian trade delegation will visit Bangladesh next month, while another from that country will visit the northeast shortly.
The Bangladesh government has expressed an interest to buy at nominal cost any surplus power generated from the proposed 740 MW Palatana thermal power project in south Tripura, Ahmad said.
Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh in almost all four sides and shares an 856-km border with that country.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Muslim vote; set it free
By Dr.Mookhi Amir Ali,
Since the days of Nehru Muslims are prone to vote en bloc. In the process they have converted themselves into a vote bank. Muslim leaders for their own vested interests have been manipulating the community into voting as they, the leaders, desired. A community of such a large size has exposed itself to exploitation. It is encouraged to give prime preference to the issues related only to them.
Even on the eve of this election a leading Muslim organization has recently issued a statement asking Muslims to vote on a single Muslim specific issue to the exclusion of all issues of national importance. Its war-cry is “shun candidates of parties which reject reservation for Muslims on the lines of Mishra Commission”. The advice of this premiere Muslim organization that Muslims be blind to any other issues is, by no means, a good advice. It asks Muslims to think and act as Muslims thereby separating Muslims out of the mainstream. Such thinking is the recipe for the alienation of the community. The idea of a religious community being asked and being expected to vote as one group is neither an idea of democracy nor that of secularism.
Perpetual gravitation of Muslims towards Congress, particularly because of the party appealing to them as Muslims, has been the cause of a subtle social polarization between Hindus and Muslims. This is to the detriment of Muslims as we have seen in Gujarat and perhaps we will see elsewhere. In Assam there is a Muslim dominated town/area called Doboka where Assam United Democratic Front and Congress are busy harvesting Muslim votes in the name of religion a phenomenon greatly and rightly resented by none other than Muslim clerics of the region.
The self seeking politicians have made Muslim vote such a monolith there as elsewhere that BJP does not even campaign vigorously in Doboka. The only way for the BJP to win the elections –and they win must- is to win without Muslim votes. This can be achieved only by polarizing the society on religious basis.
In Gujarat the BJP has written off Muslim votes. In stead the party under Narendra Modi has concentrated and succeeded in stopping the drain of Hindu votes to Congress. Congress too has realized that their so close a proximity to a religious group has cost them dear. It is losing out heavily on their Hindu vote-share. Now these two parties are fighting over the 90% non-Muslim votes. To both of them 10% Muslim votes have become unnecessary and irrelevant. The virus can spread all over India as it is happening in Doboka, Assam. Whom do Muslims blame for this?
A situation has arisen today where a Gujarati Muslim does not know what to do with his vote. There seem to be no takers for it. There is a lesson for Muslim leaders in this tragic situation. Why ask Muslims at all on whom to vote? Withdraw their call to Muslims to vote single-mindedly for Congress. Emancipate the Muslim vote. Set it free. Ask Muslims to vote as they like. Encourage them to think as Indians. Let them not think only of the issues pertaining to the community. Do not treat Muslims like a flock of unthinking sheep. Let them vote freely. A Muslim’s vote will not remain unwanted if he votes intelligently, judiciously and most importantly diversely.
Incidentally, according to a poll conducted [not in Gujarat] by a Muslim website 23% of the Muslims in a sample wanted to vote for the NDA against 39% for UPA,
Since the days of Nehru Muslims are prone to vote en bloc. In the process they have converted themselves into a vote bank. Muslim leaders for their own vested interests have been manipulating the community into voting as they, the leaders, desired. A community of such a large size has exposed itself to exploitation. It is encouraged to give prime preference to the issues related only to them.
Even on the eve of this election a leading Muslim organization has recently issued a statement asking Muslims to vote on a single Muslim specific issue to the exclusion of all issues of national importance. Its war-cry is “shun candidates of parties which reject reservation for Muslims on the lines of Mishra Commission”. The advice of this premiere Muslim organization that Muslims be blind to any other issues is, by no means, a good advice. It asks Muslims to think and act as Muslims thereby separating Muslims out of the mainstream. Such thinking is the recipe for the alienation of the community. The idea of a religious community being asked and being expected to vote as one group is neither an idea of democracy nor that of secularism.
Perpetual gravitation of Muslims towards Congress, particularly because of the party appealing to them as Muslims, has been the cause of a subtle social polarization between Hindus and Muslims. This is to the detriment of Muslims as we have seen in Gujarat and perhaps we will see elsewhere. In Assam there is a Muslim dominated town/area called Doboka where Assam United Democratic Front and Congress are busy harvesting Muslim votes in the name of religion a phenomenon greatly and rightly resented by none other than Muslim clerics of the region.
The self seeking politicians have made Muslim vote such a monolith there as elsewhere that BJP does not even campaign vigorously in Doboka. The only way for the BJP to win the elections –and they win must- is to win without Muslim votes. This can be achieved only by polarizing the society on religious basis.
In Gujarat the BJP has written off Muslim votes. In stead the party under Narendra Modi has concentrated and succeeded in stopping the drain of Hindu votes to Congress. Congress too has realized that their so close a proximity to a religious group has cost them dear. It is losing out heavily on their Hindu vote-share. Now these two parties are fighting over the 90% non-Muslim votes. To both of them 10% Muslim votes have become unnecessary and irrelevant. The virus can spread all over India as it is happening in Doboka, Assam. Whom do Muslims blame for this?
A situation has arisen today where a Gujarati Muslim does not know what to do with his vote. There seem to be no takers for it. There is a lesson for Muslim leaders in this tragic situation. Why ask Muslims at all on whom to vote? Withdraw their call to Muslims to vote single-mindedly for Congress. Emancipate the Muslim vote. Set it free. Ask Muslims to vote as they like. Encourage them to think as Indians. Let them not think only of the issues pertaining to the community. Do not treat Muslims like a flock of unthinking sheep. Let them vote freely. A Muslim’s vote will not remain unwanted if he votes intelligently, judiciously and most importantly diversely.
Incidentally, according to a poll conducted [not in Gujarat] by a Muslim website 23% of the Muslims in a sample wanted to vote for the NDA against 39% for UPA,
Master, Queen and Slave
By Mubasshir Mushtaq,
Is the Congress only party which works on the basis of master-servant relationship? Sonia Maino Gandhi has challenged that assumption by breaking the sound of silence. All these years, her long and stoic silence was being considered as a sign of acquiescence. Sonia has proved that she is indeed the daughter-in-law of Indira Gandhi, who dealt her opponents with an iron fist.
So, is Lal Krishna Advani, a slave of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as Sonia Gandhi has termed at a poll rally in Margao? Anybody who is aware of India’s political history will bear witness that L.K. Advani has indeed been a ‘slave’ of the RSS. There is nothing new in this utterance but yet it will find a unique place in the political history. Sonia’s lips have given it Congress affiliation. The vacuum left behind by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru has finally found an echo in the voice of his grand daughter-in-law!
If Congress is a budiya (old lady) then RSS is by no means a gudiya (doll). Congress was born in 1885, an old political party indeed. RSS breathed life in 1925. If one applies Narendra Modi logic, RSS too will fall under the category of budiya! What more, this ‘budiya’ has given birth to ‘gudiyas’ legitimate as well as illegitimate. BJP, VHP and Bajrang Dal can claim to be legitimate while Abhinav Bharat, Ram Sene will be ‘branded’ as illegitimate although both have been begotten by RSS, the gudiya-in-chief of Sangh Parivar!
RSS was founded in September 1925 at Nagpur on Dussehra day by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, a medical doctor. Hedgewar was a disciple of Balkrishna Moonje who had sent him to Calcutta in 1910 to pursue medical studies. His unofficial mission was to learn terrorist techniques from the Bengal secret societies. He joined Congress after returning to Nagpur, following in his mentor’s footsteps. Both the master and servant were “disenchanted” with the Congress soon.
In their book The Brotherhood in Saffron, Walter K. Anderson and Shridhar D. Damle record how Hedgewar began to lay intellectual foundations of RSS at a time of escalating Hind-Muslim animosity in Nagpur. They write, “Hedgewar began to develop the intellectual foundations of the RSS. A major influence on his thinking was a handwritten manuscript Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s Hindutva, which advanced the thesis that the Hindus were a nation. The central propositions of Savarkar’s manuscript are that Hindus are the indigenous people of the continent and that they form a single national group.”
RSS was succeeded by Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar after the death of Hedgewar on June 21, 1940. RSS did grow under his leadership but yet remained on the margins of Indian politics. It was known as a militant Hindu group notorious for its role in communal riots.
An understanding was reached between Golwalkar and the Hindu Mahasabha leader S.P. Mookerjee which led to the formation of the political arm of RSS, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on October 21, 1951. Jana Sangh merged into Janata Party in 1977. After the fall of the government in 1979, Jana Sangh broke away with Janata Party and renamed it as The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on April 5, 1980.
After the shameful defeat of BJP in 1984 general election, BJP was given a new lease of life by Rajiv Gandhi government when it opened the locks at the gates of Babri Masjid in February 1986. BJP adopted a resolution on Ayodhya on June 11, 1989 at Palampur which demanded that “the sentiments of the overwhelming majority in this country – the Hindus be respected and the site in dispute must be handed over to the Hindus and a mosque built at some other place.” The resolution did not specify what will happen to the Babri Masjid; it was demonstrated only on December 6, 1992.
Construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya is one of the first demands of a ‘cultural’ and ‘fascist’ RSS ‘budiya’. BJP is the 29-year old ‘gudiya’ of the same ‘budiya’!
RSS, as it claims, is apolitical cultural organisation but it has floated its political arm in the form of BJP! The BJP policy has always been dominated and influenced by RSS agenda. Immediately after Palampur resolution, L.K. Advani said, “I am sure it will translate into votes.” After the November 1989 election, he expressed satisfaction that the issue had contributed to the success of BJP. In 1991 election, Advani was confident that Ram Temple movement will influence voters. On June 18, 1991 he proudly said, “Had I not played the Ram factor effectively, I would have definitely lost from the New Delhi constituency.” And immediately after the demolition of the Babri Masjid and subsequent riots that followed, he wrote that if the Muslims were to identify themselves with the concept of Hindutva there would not be any reasons for riots to take place. In July 1992, he argued in Lok Sabha speaker’s chamber: “You must recognise the fact that from two seats in Parliament in 1985 we have come to 117 seats in 1991. This has happened primarily because we took up this issue (Ayodhya).”
From 1999 to 2004, BJP had convened many meetings just to convince the RSS top brass their helplessness over Ram temple because numbers in parliament didn’t add up to pass legislation for the same. Anderson and Damle put it thus, “It is questionable if the BJP could survive politically without the RSS cadre, and the cadre will not stay unless the leadership of the party stays firmly in the hands of the ‘brotherhood’.”
The Italian scholar Marzia Casolari has documented, on the basis of archival evidence, the RSS’s links with and admiration for Mussolini’s fascist regime.
Doesn’t this brief Advani pattern resemble that of a slave of the master? The sole job of a slave is to serve the interests of his master no matter how despicable and abominable the assigned job is. All through his life Advani has tried his best to please the RSS top brass.
Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who once proudly said – the Sangh is my soul – had worked hard to woo Sanghis. On his visit to Nagpur on August 27, 2000, he had literally surrendered the post of prime minister to a swayamsevak. He had said, “The post of (prime minister) may go tomorrow, but I will always remain a humble swayamsevak.”
Sonia Gandhi, the queen of Congress, has highlighted the BJP-RSS relationship though there are RSS-sympathisers within the Congress as revealed by RSS general secretary Ram Madhav recently.
Slavery was officially abolished in Britain in 1833 but it is still prevalent in Indian politics.
Is the Congress only party which works on the basis of master-servant relationship? Sonia Maino Gandhi has challenged that assumption by breaking the sound of silence. All these years, her long and stoic silence was being considered as a sign of acquiescence. Sonia has proved that she is indeed the daughter-in-law of Indira Gandhi, who dealt her opponents with an iron fist.
So, is Lal Krishna Advani, a slave of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as Sonia Gandhi has termed at a poll rally in Margao? Anybody who is aware of India’s political history will bear witness that L.K. Advani has indeed been a ‘slave’ of the RSS. There is nothing new in this utterance but yet it will find a unique place in the political history. Sonia’s lips have given it Congress affiliation. The vacuum left behind by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru has finally found an echo in the voice of his grand daughter-in-law!
If Congress is a budiya (old lady) then RSS is by no means a gudiya (doll). Congress was born in 1885, an old political party indeed. RSS breathed life in 1925. If one applies Narendra Modi logic, RSS too will fall under the category of budiya! What more, this ‘budiya’ has given birth to ‘gudiyas’ legitimate as well as illegitimate. BJP, VHP and Bajrang Dal can claim to be legitimate while Abhinav Bharat, Ram Sene will be ‘branded’ as illegitimate although both have been begotten by RSS, the gudiya-in-chief of Sangh Parivar!
RSS was founded in September 1925 at Nagpur on Dussehra day by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, a medical doctor. Hedgewar was a disciple of Balkrishna Moonje who had sent him to Calcutta in 1910 to pursue medical studies. His unofficial mission was to learn terrorist techniques from the Bengal secret societies. He joined Congress after returning to Nagpur, following in his mentor’s footsteps. Both the master and servant were “disenchanted” with the Congress soon.
In their book The Brotherhood in Saffron, Walter K. Anderson and Shridhar D. Damle record how Hedgewar began to lay intellectual foundations of RSS at a time of escalating Hind-Muslim animosity in Nagpur. They write, “Hedgewar began to develop the intellectual foundations of the RSS. A major influence on his thinking was a handwritten manuscript Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s Hindutva, which advanced the thesis that the Hindus were a nation. The central propositions of Savarkar’s manuscript are that Hindus are the indigenous people of the continent and that they form a single national group.”
RSS was succeeded by Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar after the death of Hedgewar on June 21, 1940. RSS did grow under his leadership but yet remained on the margins of Indian politics. It was known as a militant Hindu group notorious for its role in communal riots.
An understanding was reached between Golwalkar and the Hindu Mahasabha leader S.P. Mookerjee which led to the formation of the political arm of RSS, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh on October 21, 1951. Jana Sangh merged into Janata Party in 1977. After the fall of the government in 1979, Jana Sangh broke away with Janata Party and renamed it as The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on April 5, 1980.
After the shameful defeat of BJP in 1984 general election, BJP was given a new lease of life by Rajiv Gandhi government when it opened the locks at the gates of Babri Masjid in February 1986. BJP adopted a resolution on Ayodhya on June 11, 1989 at Palampur which demanded that “the sentiments of the overwhelming majority in this country – the Hindus be respected and the site in dispute must be handed over to the Hindus and a mosque built at some other place.” The resolution did not specify what will happen to the Babri Masjid; it was demonstrated only on December 6, 1992.
Construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya is one of the first demands of a ‘cultural’ and ‘fascist’ RSS ‘budiya’. BJP is the 29-year old ‘gudiya’ of the same ‘budiya’!
RSS, as it claims, is apolitical cultural organisation but it has floated its political arm in the form of BJP! The BJP policy has always been dominated and influenced by RSS agenda. Immediately after Palampur resolution, L.K. Advani said, “I am sure it will translate into votes.” After the November 1989 election, he expressed satisfaction that the issue had contributed to the success of BJP. In 1991 election, Advani was confident that Ram Temple movement will influence voters. On June 18, 1991 he proudly said, “Had I not played the Ram factor effectively, I would have definitely lost from the New Delhi constituency.” And immediately after the demolition of the Babri Masjid and subsequent riots that followed, he wrote that if the Muslims were to identify themselves with the concept of Hindutva there would not be any reasons for riots to take place. In July 1992, he argued in Lok Sabha speaker’s chamber: “You must recognise the fact that from two seats in Parliament in 1985 we have come to 117 seats in 1991. This has happened primarily because we took up this issue (Ayodhya).”
From 1999 to 2004, BJP had convened many meetings just to convince the RSS top brass their helplessness over Ram temple because numbers in parliament didn’t add up to pass legislation for the same. Anderson and Damle put it thus, “It is questionable if the BJP could survive politically without the RSS cadre, and the cadre will not stay unless the leadership of the party stays firmly in the hands of the ‘brotherhood’.”
The Italian scholar Marzia Casolari has documented, on the basis of archival evidence, the RSS’s links with and admiration for Mussolini’s fascist regime.
Doesn’t this brief Advani pattern resemble that of a slave of the master? The sole job of a slave is to serve the interests of his master no matter how despicable and abominable the assigned job is. All through his life Advani has tried his best to please the RSS top brass.
Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who once proudly said – the Sangh is my soul – had worked hard to woo Sanghis. On his visit to Nagpur on August 27, 2000, he had literally surrendered the post of prime minister to a swayamsevak. He had said, “The post of (prime minister) may go tomorrow, but I will always remain a humble swayamsevak.”
Sonia Gandhi, the queen of Congress, has highlighted the BJP-RSS relationship though there are RSS-sympathisers within the Congress as revealed by RSS general secretary Ram Madhav recently.
Slavery was officially abolished in Britain in 1833 but it is still prevalent in Indian politics.
Moonshine and blankets to win polls in Assam
By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS,
Jorhat (Assam): Shakuntala Murmu was seething with anger to find her husband returning home inebriated late in the night. She was all the more furious as she knew he would be coming home drunk for at least a week as, come election time, Assam tea garden workers are much wanted and politicians go out of their way to entertain them.
The second and final phase of parliamentary elections in Assam is scheduled for April 23, while the first phase was over April 16.
In constituencies surrounded by lush green tea gardens, politicians need not do any hard talking to convince the male voters - all they need to do is to get a few casks of paint-peeling moonshine brewed from fermented rice to keep the men happy in the run-up to the polls.
"Whenever there is an election most of the men here are spoiled by politicians who offer them free haas-pani (fermented rice beer)," Shakuntala told IANS at a tea plantation in Jorhat in eastern Assam.
A severe hangover prevents her husband Santanu from going to work in the morning. Both of them are both daily wage plantation workers and earn about Rs.100 per day.
Shakuntala, a mother of two, sets out early in the morning with a bamboo basket and for the rest of the day her nimble fingers crop through the bright flush on the tops of the bushes, milking the buds from the plants.
"I hate elections as the politicians never keep their promises. They give some free alcohol to the men and maybe a few blankets and forget us once the results are announced," she said, flicking her wrists to wipe the sweat running off her forehead before dropping the leaves into the bamboo basket on her back.
"If I don't work my children would starve."
There are an estimated one million workers in Assam's 800-odd tea gardens. They are a deciding factor in at least three parliamentary constituencies in Assam. Most of them have traditionally been Congress supporters.
"Exploitation is what our people have been facing ever since the British started growing tea and now even the politicians treat the tea community as a potential vote bank during elections," said Kamakhya Tassa, a tea community leader.
Tassa is contesting the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.
"We have been campaigning hard in the area, asking our people not to allow politicians to vitiate the atmosphere by distributing liquor during elections," Tassa said.
There are at least a dozen candidates belonging to the tea community, three of them have been put up by various national and regional political parties, while others are independents.
The condition of a majority of the tea garden workers and their children is far from satisfactory with illiteracy, alcoholism, and poor healthcare facilities still remaining a cause for concern.
Jorhat (Assam): Shakuntala Murmu was seething with anger to find her husband returning home inebriated late in the night. She was all the more furious as she knew he would be coming home drunk for at least a week as, come election time, Assam tea garden workers are much wanted and politicians go out of their way to entertain them.
The second and final phase of parliamentary elections in Assam is scheduled for April 23, while the first phase was over April 16.
In constituencies surrounded by lush green tea gardens, politicians need not do any hard talking to convince the male voters - all they need to do is to get a few casks of paint-peeling moonshine brewed from fermented rice to keep the men happy in the run-up to the polls.
"Whenever there is an election most of the men here are spoiled by politicians who offer them free haas-pani (fermented rice beer)," Shakuntala told IANS at a tea plantation in Jorhat in eastern Assam.
A severe hangover prevents her husband Santanu from going to work in the morning. Both of them are both daily wage plantation workers and earn about Rs.100 per day.
Shakuntala, a mother of two, sets out early in the morning with a bamboo basket and for the rest of the day her nimble fingers crop through the bright flush on the tops of the bushes, milking the buds from the plants.
"I hate elections as the politicians never keep their promises. They give some free alcohol to the men and maybe a few blankets and forget us once the results are announced," she said, flicking her wrists to wipe the sweat running off her forehead before dropping the leaves into the bamboo basket on her back.
"If I don't work my children would starve."
There are an estimated one million workers in Assam's 800-odd tea gardens. They are a deciding factor in at least three parliamentary constituencies in Assam. Most of them have traditionally been Congress supporters.
"Exploitation is what our people have been facing ever since the British started growing tea and now even the politicians treat the tea community as a potential vote bank during elections," said Kamakhya Tassa, a tea community leader.
Tassa is contesting the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.
"We have been campaigning hard in the area, asking our people not to allow politicians to vitiate the atmosphere by distributing liquor during elections," Tassa said.
There are at least a dozen candidates belonging to the tea community, three of them have been put up by various national and regional political parties, while others are independents.
The condition of a majority of the tea garden workers and their children is far from satisfactory with illiteracy, alcoholism, and poor healthcare facilities still remaining a cause for concern.
Where Imams decide parties and devotees vote
By IANS,
Milan Char (Assam): The call of the muezzin echoed quite a distance as most men, old and young, left their chores and rushed to the nearest mud-and-straw mosque for the afternoon prayers.
After prayers, the motley group of devotees, numbering about two dozen, assembled outside the mosque at this small village located on a sandbar in northern Assam, dominated by Bengali-speaking Muslims.
Soon they were all engrossed in a serious debate with the focus being the April 23 parliamentary elections.
A frail looking man with a wrinkled face curiously asked if the Imam of the village, about 100 km from Guwahati, had issued any fatwa for the elections.
"We are yet to decide whom to vote," replied Hafiz Badar Qasimi, the village priest.
Their views differed - some said they should not vote for the ruling Congress party and instead try the Muslim-based party called the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF).
The villagers dispersed without any unanimity with the priest announcing that they would meet once again after the night prayers to make a final decision.
"We generally vote en bloc - more than 90 percent of the votes would go to one candidate," said Karim Ali, a village schoolteacher.
The same is the case among a vast majority of Bengali-speaking Muslims in other villages - they all vote for one party and the decision is taken well in advance with the priest or a village elder having the final word.
"The most important consideration is whether the party that we vote for would win the elections and whether we would be safe under that government," said Raunak Ali, a village elder.
Muslims in Assam account for about 30 percent of the state's 26 million people and have for decades been at the centrestage of electoral politics with the community holding the key in at least four of the 14 parliamentary constituencies.
Come elections and minority Muslims in Assam become the heartthrob of all political parties and this time too the scene is no different.
The Bengali-speaking Muslims, most of whom migrated from Bangladesh, were traditional Congress supporters although their loyalty to the party has wavered in recent months.
Milan Char (Assam): The call of the muezzin echoed quite a distance as most men, old and young, left their chores and rushed to the nearest mud-and-straw mosque for the afternoon prayers.
After prayers, the motley group of devotees, numbering about two dozen, assembled outside the mosque at this small village located on a sandbar in northern Assam, dominated by Bengali-speaking Muslims.
Soon they were all engrossed in a serious debate with the focus being the April 23 parliamentary elections.
A frail looking man with a wrinkled face curiously asked if the Imam of the village, about 100 km from Guwahati, had issued any fatwa for the elections.
"We are yet to decide whom to vote," replied Hafiz Badar Qasimi, the village priest.
Their views differed - some said they should not vote for the ruling Congress party and instead try the Muslim-based party called the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF).
The villagers dispersed without any unanimity with the priest announcing that they would meet once again after the night prayers to make a final decision.
"We generally vote en bloc - more than 90 percent of the votes would go to one candidate," said Karim Ali, a village schoolteacher.
The same is the case among a vast majority of Bengali-speaking Muslims in other villages - they all vote for one party and the decision is taken well in advance with the priest or a village elder having the final word.
"The most important consideration is whether the party that we vote for would win the elections and whether we would be safe under that government," said Raunak Ali, a village elder.
Muslims in Assam account for about 30 percent of the state's 26 million people and have for decades been at the centrestage of electoral politics with the community holding the key in at least four of the 14 parliamentary constituencies.
Come elections and minority Muslims in Assam become the heartthrob of all political parties and this time too the scene is no different.
The Bengali-speaking Muslims, most of whom migrated from Bangladesh, were traditional Congress supporters although their loyalty to the party has wavered in recent months.
Minor girl from Manipur killed in Delhi
NEW DELHI, April 18 – In a gruesome incident, a six-year old girl from Manipur was raped and murdered at Mahipalpur, New Delhi on Friday. The girl had reportedly gone to dry clothes on the roof of their rented house around 1 pm. However, when she did not return, the mother went up to the roof in search of her and did not find her. After about 45 minutes her body was found in a water tank on the roof of another building.
The body was rushed to Spinal Injury Centre, Vasant Kunj and the girls was later confirmed raped and murdered. Her mother is a nurse and her father a businessman.
A fact, finding team led by advocate Lansinglui Rongmei, president of North East Support Centre and Helpline rushed to the spot where the incident happened and confirmed the rape and murder of the victim.
NE Helpline called up Vasant Kunj Police Station and reported the matter. Vasant Kunj Police Station confirmed that a man living in the same building where the girl’s body was found has been arrested while another suspect is absconding.
Meanwhile, N E Support Centre and Helpline urged the Delhi Government and NCR to take up appropriate measures to stop the discrimination meted out to the people of North-east. The NGO alleged that people from the region living in Delhi and NCR are facing severe racial discrimination.
In Gurgaon, two girls were beaten by their landlord in December and another raped. In March, a boy was beaten by cable operators, while in a separate incident two girls were assaulted by a rickshaw driver. Most of these cases are pending at police stations.
The body was rushed to Spinal Injury Centre, Vasant Kunj and the girls was later confirmed raped and murdered. Her mother is a nurse and her father a businessman.
A fact, finding team led by advocate Lansinglui Rongmei, president of North East Support Centre and Helpline rushed to the spot where the incident happened and confirmed the rape and murder of the victim.
NE Helpline called up Vasant Kunj Police Station and reported the matter. Vasant Kunj Police Station confirmed that a man living in the same building where the girl’s body was found has been arrested while another suspect is absconding.
Meanwhile, N E Support Centre and Helpline urged the Delhi Government and NCR to take up appropriate measures to stop the discrimination meted out to the people of North-east. The NGO alleged that people from the region living in Delhi and NCR are facing severe racial discrimination.
In Gurgaon, two girls were beaten by their landlord in December and another raped. In March, a boy was beaten by cable operators, while in a separate incident two girls were assaulted by a rickshaw driver. Most of these cases are pending at police stations.
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