Kathmandu, Oct 12: After protests by Buddhist monks against the Nepal government’s alleged intervention in their religion, now the Muslim community is in an uproar over the bid to control the number of devotees making the annual pilgrimage, ‘Haj’ to Saudi Arabia’s holy city Mecca, warning to take to streets in protest.
The protests started after the new government of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal formed a 20-member Haj Committee this month to facilitate the passage of Haj pilgrims to Mecca in November. According to Taj Mohammad Mian, convenor of the Unified Muslim National Struggle Committee, an umbrella of over two dozen Muslim organisations, the committee has instructed the district administrations not to issue passports to Haj pilgrims who are above 65 years of age. “Every year, about 500 people go on Haj from Nepal,” Mian told. “Last year, there were 475 people. Most of them are above 65, including octogenarians. The new order is a virtual ban on Haj. It is anti-Islam since it is the dream of all Muslims to go on Haj once in a life time.” Mian said that no other south Asian country, including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, had issued such a directive.
The protesters are also demanding that the Nepali ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Hamid Ansari, be recalled, blaming the ‘ineptitude’ of the embassy there for the ‘ban’. They are also condemning the new Haj Committee, which comprises members of the ruling parties, saying parliament had ordered the government not to have more than seven members for the sake of efficiency. Two members of the community on Sunday moved court against the new committee, saying it violated parliamentary guidelines. Though Nepal, once the only Hindu kingdom in the world, became secular three years ago, the religious minorities say the change has been simply on paper.
“Unlike India, there is no permanent Haj Committee to work throughout the year for the pilgrims. Every year, the government appoints an ad hoc committee barely two months before the journey when due to the rush of pilgrims from all over the world, airlines' flights are booked six months in advance and so are all accommodation in Mecca.” In the past, Nepal’s then prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala had to make a personal request to the Pakistan government which asked its national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, to add a special flight for Haj pilgrims for Nepal. The previous government of Maoist prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda had signed a six-point pact with the protesting Muslim community, agreeing to form a permanent Haj Committee and a Haj House near a key mosque in Kathmandu where pilgrims coming from different parts of Nepal could stay before embarking on the journey to Mecca. Though the agreement was passed by the cabinet, none of the pledges has been implemented, including establishing a Muslim Commission to address the problems of the Muslims, who remain one of the most disadvantaged communities in Nepal. About five per cent of Nepal’s nearly 29 million population is considered to be Muslim. (IANS)
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Naga couple harassed by drunken men, cops in Delhi
NEW DELHI, Oct 12: A couple from Nagaland who alleged they were abused by a group of drunk men and subsequently the “callous police”, were able to file a complaint with the cops almost 20 hours after the incident and identified the perpetrators Monday.
The couple — Shimray Yangya and his wife Ton — were allegedly abused by a group of drunken men in south Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave area. The two are residents of southwest Delhi’s Dwarka area and were visiting their cousins late Saturday when they were confronted by the drunk men in a car park.
“They first passed lewd comments at my wife and made very embarrassing racial comments too,” Yangya told IANS. According to Yangya, he had parked his car outside his cousin’s residence. Later when he went out to check the car, he found that the tyres were deflated. He said that when he protested, the men beat up his cousin and him. “They snatched our phones and money and took the shirt I was wearing too.”
His travails didn’t end there. After calling the cops thrice, five police vans showed up at around 2 or 3 am by which time a crowd of about 30 people had gathered. “The cops flatly refused to arrest the culprits and instead tried shoving my wife and other women from my family into the vans. There were no policewomen there. After a whole night at the police station and after building pressure with the help of student union leaders and human rights activists the police finally registered a case 20 hours later,” Yangya said.
While the couple have already identified the men, they will also identify the cops later on Monday. Police meanwhile said it was a fight between neighbours and two cases have been registered in connection with the incident. (IANS)
The couple — Shimray Yangya and his wife Ton — were allegedly abused by a group of drunken men in south Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave area. The two are residents of southwest Delhi’s Dwarka area and were visiting their cousins late Saturday when they were confronted by the drunk men in a car park.
“They first passed lewd comments at my wife and made very embarrassing racial comments too,” Yangya told IANS. According to Yangya, he had parked his car outside his cousin’s residence. Later when he went out to check the car, he found that the tyres were deflated. He said that when he protested, the men beat up his cousin and him. “They snatched our phones and money and took the shirt I was wearing too.”
His travails didn’t end there. After calling the cops thrice, five police vans showed up at around 2 or 3 am by which time a crowd of about 30 people had gathered. “The cops flatly refused to arrest the culprits and instead tried shoving my wife and other women from my family into the vans. There were no policewomen there. After a whole night at the police station and after building pressure with the help of student union leaders and human rights activists the police finally registered a case 20 hours later,” Yangya said.
While the couple have already identified the men, they will also identify the cops later on Monday. Police meanwhile said it was a fight between neighbours and two cases have been registered in connection with the incident. (IANS)
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Secular Ideals Go to Dogs: Left Run Govt of Kerala goes for Sharia Compliant Banking
Frontline
October 10-23, 2009
FINANCIAL SECTOR
Kerala shows the way
THE fact that there is a strong need for interest-free banking and also the means to establish it has been proved in Kerala where the CPI(M)-led government has decided to establish a Shariah-compliant financial institution by March 2010. This was announced by State Finance Minister Isaac Thomas recently. The institution will be started with a share capital of Rs.1,000 crore and the Kerala State Industries Development Corporation will have a share of 11 per cent in it. It will be gradually expanded to a full-fledged banking institution.
State Industries Secretary T. Balakrishnan recently told newspersons in Thiruvananthapuram that the government had commissioned Ernst & Young to give a feasibility report and that the institution would be set up on the basis of the recommendations of the report.
Ernst & Young pointed out in its report that interest money to the tune of Rs.5,000 crore could be lying unclaimed in various banks, as devout Muslims considered it ribaah, or usury, which is prohibited in Islam. Kerala has a high Muslim population, over 27 per cent, and receives over Rs.37,000 crore worth of remittances from the Gulf countries annually.
Purnima S. Tripathi
October 10-23, 2009
FINANCIAL SECTOR
Kerala shows the way
THE fact that there is a strong need for interest-free banking and also the means to establish it has been proved in Kerala where the CPI(M)-led government has decided to establish a Shariah-compliant financial institution by March 2010. This was announced by State Finance Minister Isaac Thomas recently. The institution will be started with a share capital of Rs.1,000 crore and the Kerala State Industries Development Corporation will have a share of 11 per cent in it. It will be gradually expanded to a full-fledged banking institution.
State Industries Secretary T. Balakrishnan recently told newspersons in Thiruvananthapuram that the government had commissioned Ernst & Young to give a feasibility report and that the institution would be set up on the basis of the recommendations of the report.
Ernst & Young pointed out in its report that interest money to the tune of Rs.5,000 crore could be lying unclaimed in various banks, as devout Muslims considered it ribaah, or usury, which is prohibited in Islam. Kerala has a high Muslim population, over 27 per cent, and receives over Rs.37,000 crore worth of remittances from the Gulf countries annually.
Purnima S. Tripathi
Is it a Crime to be born a Muslim in India?
By Ram Puniyani
The rising tide of communal violence from the decade of 1980 has consolidated the communal politics, politics in the name of religion. The party riding on the chariot of religious nationalism became the second largest party and tasted power at center for six long years and is now entrenched in few states and is knocking at the door of power in few other states. The hope that its recent defeat in Lok Sabha elections will reduce the impact of communal politics in society or will ensure that all communities can breathe the air of civil rights and equal citizenship rights with ease, seems to be like distant drums!
The impact of the rise of this politics and accompanying effect on minorities has resulted in worsening their lot. This downward slide in the condition of minorities is very obvious, is going from bad to worse, to worst. It has resulted in the conditions for minorities where they have to live in fear, alienation and the impact of constant profiling in different walks of life. This communal politics has been talking of Hindu nation, has been spreading hate against minorities, against Muslims in particular. The Muslim community has been the major target of attack and has been bearing a huge brunt of the divisive politics being spearheaded by RSS, its progeny and by those influenced by the RSS ideology. They are not only there in the state machinery and media but also in other crucial spots of Indian social, economic and political life. The worsening plight of Muslim community got reconfirmed in the recently held national meet on ‘What it means to be a Muslim in India Today’, organized by Anhad in Delhi (Oct 3-5).
The meeting was addressed by the victims and social activists working in the area of human rights particularly of minorities. The pain and anguish of the Muslim community was heart rending, coming through different narrations of illegal arrests, tortures, detentions and adverse judgments. The latest trick is to implicate the Muslim youth in multiple cases in different states. This will ensure their being behind the bars for good. The communal violence which has broken the back of the Indian community is being supplemented by the intense and blind police action against innocent Muslim youth, in the name of terror attacks. While the communal violence is now being orchestrated at low intensity and is scattered far and wide, in the post 9/11 period another front for torturing the community has been opened. Here the modus oprendi is simple enough, there is ‘Intelligence’ tip and that makes our efficient police machinery to arrest the Muslim youth, being Muslim is the major ‘tip’ for arresting and torturing innocent youth by the guardians of law. Many a youth in the middle of their education for professional lives face immense obstacles, their illegal arrests are never compensated for and nor are they supported to complete their education despite being proved innocents.
There had been many such arrests followed by all sort of illegal steps by the police. Using cars without number plates, taking victims blindfolded to farm houses for third degree tortures are new addition to the ‘efficient methods’ of the police machinery. There are enough grounds of doubts in Batla House encounter, but it will not be taken up for honest investigation. The argument to avoid honest investigation is that it will demoralize the police force. Can we have such a police force whose morale depends hiding truth?
Following Mecca Masjid blast, there was a shooting by the police which killed more people than the number killed by blast. The pretext was that the crowd was menacing, which it was not. Truth of Ishrat Jahan case is out in the open but the perpetrators will remain in the seats of power unscathed, barring an odd official living in jail. While such enthusiasm in arresting Muslim youth is there for all to see, those arrested by Hemant Karkare’s ATS in Malegaon blast case, are currently being treated with kid gloves. The apprehension is that these guilty gang against whom evidence was collected by late Hemant Karkare may not get the punishment it deserves.
The families battered by such brutal police actions and the families shattered by communal violence are on the streets unattended, marginalized and neglected by society and state. Those Muslims having successful business have been targeted to ensure breaking their economic backbone. This not only in Gujarat but also in other BJP ruled states. This economically marginalized community is practically boycotted by financial institutions, telephone companies and other. There are many cases where the community is being denied space for graveyards, which are either being taken away or not allowed to expand where there is need for more space. The plight of Shabana Azmi or Imraan Hashmi not getting the house in desired locality is not isolated; this phenomenon is becoming more widespread. The walls of separation along religious community lines are becoming stronger. The Sachar Commission and the Prime Minister’s 15 point program remain a showpiece for purposes best known to the state!
The myths and stereotypes in the media and social space are very much there. The large section of school text-books reinforces the stereotypes and myths about the community. So where does all this lead us? In a democracy, in a secular state the minorities should be provided safety and dignity irrespective of their religion. The present condition of Muslims in India is nothing but abysmal from the point of view of security, economic condition and social life. A large section has started feeling the deprivations in a very painful manner.
One recalls under the domination of Brahmanical values, caste based exclusionary social-political-system, the caste of Shudras was systematically denied the life of dignity and made to live in subjugation and ghettoization. The efforts of ‘Brahmanical ideology based politics’, the one of RSS and its progeny, is achieving the same pattern with some difference. Now Muslims are being reduced to second class citizens. This is precisely what RSS wants, this is what is coming to be practiced at all the levels in the country. RSS progeny being in power or out of it does not matter as far as the life of Muslim community is concerned. The RSS workers and ideology have infiltrated the ‘social common sense’ through media and education. It has infiltrated the state machinery. The limit of this can be seen that RSS controlled Bhonsla Military School in Nasik is supplying large number of recruits for Indian army one of them being Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, an accomplice of Pragya Singh Thakur, alleged culprits of Malegaon blast. If RSS, a fascist organization wrapping its politics in the cloak of Hindu religion, swaymsevaks can infiltrate army, which institution in the society is safe from slow communal fascist infiltration? Which institution can be trusted for upholding Indian Constitution?
It is with this gloomy scenario around that many a victims deposing in the meeting said with pain and anguish, “Is it a crime to be born a Muslim in India?”
(Ram Puniyani could be contacted on puniyani.ram@gmail.com)
The rising tide of communal violence from the decade of 1980 has consolidated the communal politics, politics in the name of religion. The party riding on the chariot of religious nationalism became the second largest party and tasted power at center for six long years and is now entrenched in few states and is knocking at the door of power in few other states. The hope that its recent defeat in Lok Sabha elections will reduce the impact of communal politics in society or will ensure that all communities can breathe the air of civil rights and equal citizenship rights with ease, seems to be like distant drums!
The impact of the rise of this politics and accompanying effect on minorities has resulted in worsening their lot. This downward slide in the condition of minorities is very obvious, is going from bad to worse, to worst. It has resulted in the conditions for minorities where they have to live in fear, alienation and the impact of constant profiling in different walks of life. This communal politics has been talking of Hindu nation, has been spreading hate against minorities, against Muslims in particular. The Muslim community has been the major target of attack and has been bearing a huge brunt of the divisive politics being spearheaded by RSS, its progeny and by those influenced by the RSS ideology. They are not only there in the state machinery and media but also in other crucial spots of Indian social, economic and political life. The worsening plight of Muslim community got reconfirmed in the recently held national meet on ‘What it means to be a Muslim in India Today’, organized by Anhad in Delhi (Oct 3-5).
The meeting was addressed by the victims and social activists working in the area of human rights particularly of minorities. The pain and anguish of the Muslim community was heart rending, coming through different narrations of illegal arrests, tortures, detentions and adverse judgments. The latest trick is to implicate the Muslim youth in multiple cases in different states. This will ensure their being behind the bars for good. The communal violence which has broken the back of the Indian community is being supplemented by the intense and blind police action against innocent Muslim youth, in the name of terror attacks. While the communal violence is now being orchestrated at low intensity and is scattered far and wide, in the post 9/11 period another front for torturing the community has been opened. Here the modus oprendi is simple enough, there is ‘Intelligence’ tip and that makes our efficient police machinery to arrest the Muslim youth, being Muslim is the major ‘tip’ for arresting and torturing innocent youth by the guardians of law. Many a youth in the middle of their education for professional lives face immense obstacles, their illegal arrests are never compensated for and nor are they supported to complete their education despite being proved innocents.
There had been many such arrests followed by all sort of illegal steps by the police. Using cars without number plates, taking victims blindfolded to farm houses for third degree tortures are new addition to the ‘efficient methods’ of the police machinery. There are enough grounds of doubts in Batla House encounter, but it will not be taken up for honest investigation. The argument to avoid honest investigation is that it will demoralize the police force. Can we have such a police force whose morale depends hiding truth?
Following Mecca Masjid blast, there was a shooting by the police which killed more people than the number killed by blast. The pretext was that the crowd was menacing, which it was not. Truth of Ishrat Jahan case is out in the open but the perpetrators will remain in the seats of power unscathed, barring an odd official living in jail. While such enthusiasm in arresting Muslim youth is there for all to see, those arrested by Hemant Karkare’s ATS in Malegaon blast case, are currently being treated with kid gloves. The apprehension is that these guilty gang against whom evidence was collected by late Hemant Karkare may not get the punishment it deserves.
The families battered by such brutal police actions and the families shattered by communal violence are on the streets unattended, marginalized and neglected by society and state. Those Muslims having successful business have been targeted to ensure breaking their economic backbone. This not only in Gujarat but also in other BJP ruled states. This economically marginalized community is practically boycotted by financial institutions, telephone companies and other. There are many cases where the community is being denied space for graveyards, which are either being taken away or not allowed to expand where there is need for more space. The plight of Shabana Azmi or Imraan Hashmi not getting the house in desired locality is not isolated; this phenomenon is becoming more widespread. The walls of separation along religious community lines are becoming stronger. The Sachar Commission and the Prime Minister’s 15 point program remain a showpiece for purposes best known to the state!
The myths and stereotypes in the media and social space are very much there. The large section of school text-books reinforces the stereotypes and myths about the community. So where does all this lead us? In a democracy, in a secular state the minorities should be provided safety and dignity irrespective of their religion. The present condition of Muslims in India is nothing but abysmal from the point of view of security, economic condition and social life. A large section has started feeling the deprivations in a very painful manner.
One recalls under the domination of Brahmanical values, caste based exclusionary social-political-system, the caste of Shudras was systematically denied the life of dignity and made to live in subjugation and ghettoization. The efforts of ‘Brahmanical ideology based politics’, the one of RSS and its progeny, is achieving the same pattern with some difference. Now Muslims are being reduced to second class citizens. This is precisely what RSS wants, this is what is coming to be practiced at all the levels in the country. RSS progeny being in power or out of it does not matter as far as the life of Muslim community is concerned. The RSS workers and ideology have infiltrated the ‘social common sense’ through media and education. It has infiltrated the state machinery. The limit of this can be seen that RSS controlled Bhonsla Military School in Nasik is supplying large number of recruits for Indian army one of them being Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, an accomplice of Pragya Singh Thakur, alleged culprits of Malegaon blast. If RSS, a fascist organization wrapping its politics in the cloak of Hindu religion, swaymsevaks can infiltrate army, which institution in the society is safe from slow communal fascist infiltration? Which institution can be trusted for upholding Indian Constitution?
It is with this gloomy scenario around that many a victims deposing in the meeting said with pain and anguish, “Is it a crime to be born a Muslim in India?”
(Ram Puniyani could be contacted on puniyani.ram@gmail.com)
Indian Democracy and Caste System
By Dr.M Anwar
Indians usually boast around as the bearers of democratic norms and holders of civilian rule through regular holding of elections and observing rituals essentially required by an egalitarian state. The arrangements appear to be going well with the hegemonic designs of elite class or upper caste Hindus yearning to remain in power by clever use of majority vote in India. The “Shining India” slogan jingled through media campaigns and other costly Public Service Announcements (PSAs) also raise speculations about the ground realities in India where discrimination of low caste Hindus and non-Hindu communities is the common practice.
Democracy in India has not changed the status and destiny of untouchables and the MALLEECH. Although at the time of election upper class Hindus make promises with tall claims using voters as a tool to tread the power path. The low caste majority is virtually forced to participate in the electoral process. There are dire consequences for those who opt to vote for a losing candidate. Thus coercion through state authority is openly applied to punish the political opponents and their supporters. The process of electioneering is repeated every time the government completes its term but nothing changes the fate of low caste communities in India. The question arises as to why cannot democracy bring a change in Indian culture where people are treated as equals with similar rights to be citizens of India, having freedom of expression, rights to elect their own representatives, freedom of religious practices and other rights as envisaged in a democratic state? Does India employ coercive methods to hide her real face as a democratic state and cheats her own people by using them as the instruments of power by discriminating against them as untouchable and impervious? Indian social system has the answer.
Unfortunately Indian social system is based on the notion of purity and pollution in which upper class does not interact on equal terms with the low castes. Exchange of eatables is as prohibited among the upper and low caste communities as the marriages. One gets polluted by touching the untouchables, hence drinking or eating with low castes is completely prohibited. Resultantly social exchange activities carry subjective and double meanings as one is never sure to expect that common exchange of pleasantries and promises made by the stake holders will carry the same weight. Social order in India is hate driven and low caste communities irrespective of their claims to be Indians by birth, are despised as much as the outsiders are loathed and rejected. Such a democracy practically leads people to incapacitation and wheezing debilitation while India shines only for the elite class.
Reportedly United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is taking into consideration to recognize caste-based discrimination as a human rights violation. This will certainly annoy India where low caste untouchable Hindus, Dalits, Muslims and Christians are habitually mal-treated on the basis of their castes. Nepal, where untouchability is traditionally practiced, has openly supported UNHRC draft principles and guidelines for effective elimination of caste based discrimination. This is radically different from India’s aversion to the internationalization of the caste problem. Adding to India’s discomfiture, Sweden in its capacity as the president of European Union (EU) has stated that caste-based discrimination is an important priority for EU. If the issue continues to gather momentum, UNHRC may in a future session adopt the draft principles and guidelines and send these for adoption to UN General Assembly. Though India succeeded in her efforts to keep caste out of the resolution adopted by the 2001 Durban conference on racism, yet the issue has emerged in a different guise. It will encourage other states to raise their voice against discrimination based on caste inequalities, exposing the real face of Indian democracy.
Source:
www.kashmirwatch.com
Indians usually boast around as the bearers of democratic norms and holders of civilian rule through regular holding of elections and observing rituals essentially required by an egalitarian state. The arrangements appear to be going well with the hegemonic designs of elite class or upper caste Hindus yearning to remain in power by clever use of majority vote in India. The “Shining India” slogan jingled through media campaigns and other costly Public Service Announcements (PSAs) also raise speculations about the ground realities in India where discrimination of low caste Hindus and non-Hindu communities is the common practice.
Democracy in India has not changed the status and destiny of untouchables and the MALLEECH. Although at the time of election upper class Hindus make promises with tall claims using voters as a tool to tread the power path. The low caste majority is virtually forced to participate in the electoral process. There are dire consequences for those who opt to vote for a losing candidate. Thus coercion through state authority is openly applied to punish the political opponents and their supporters. The process of electioneering is repeated every time the government completes its term but nothing changes the fate of low caste communities in India. The question arises as to why cannot democracy bring a change in Indian culture where people are treated as equals with similar rights to be citizens of India, having freedom of expression, rights to elect their own representatives, freedom of religious practices and other rights as envisaged in a democratic state? Does India employ coercive methods to hide her real face as a democratic state and cheats her own people by using them as the instruments of power by discriminating against them as untouchable and impervious? Indian social system has the answer.
Unfortunately Indian social system is based on the notion of purity and pollution in which upper class does not interact on equal terms with the low castes. Exchange of eatables is as prohibited among the upper and low caste communities as the marriages. One gets polluted by touching the untouchables, hence drinking or eating with low castes is completely prohibited. Resultantly social exchange activities carry subjective and double meanings as one is never sure to expect that common exchange of pleasantries and promises made by the stake holders will carry the same weight. Social order in India is hate driven and low caste communities irrespective of their claims to be Indians by birth, are despised as much as the outsiders are loathed and rejected. Such a democracy practically leads people to incapacitation and wheezing debilitation while India shines only for the elite class.
Reportedly United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is taking into consideration to recognize caste-based discrimination as a human rights violation. This will certainly annoy India where low caste untouchable Hindus, Dalits, Muslims and Christians are habitually mal-treated on the basis of their castes. Nepal, where untouchability is traditionally practiced, has openly supported UNHRC draft principles and guidelines for effective elimination of caste based discrimination. This is radically different from India’s aversion to the internationalization of the caste problem. Adding to India’s discomfiture, Sweden in its capacity as the president of European Union (EU) has stated that caste-based discrimination is an important priority for EU. If the issue continues to gather momentum, UNHRC may in a future session adopt the draft principles and guidelines and send these for adoption to UN General Assembly. Though India succeeded in her efforts to keep caste out of the resolution adopted by the 2001 Durban conference on racism, yet the issue has emerged in a different guise. It will encourage other states to raise their voice against discrimination based on caste inequalities, exposing the real face of Indian democracy.
Source:
www.kashmirwatch.com
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