Tuesday, December 28, 2010

DONT JUDGE ISLAM BY WHAT FEW TERRORISTS ARE DOING



Terrorism should be seen as an international menace. No religious identity should be attached to it as no religion on earth justifies the killings of the innocent. Islam strongly forbids violence against innocents. The unenlightened people who say they are acting in the name of religion may have either misinterpreted Islam or are practising it erroneously. And so, you will make a big mistake if you try get an idea of Islam on the basis of the activities of these terrorists.

Yet the fact is, since the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, the entire Muslim community has been living in despair of being misunderstood by the rest of the world. The attack by few criminals was condemned by global Muslim leadership that identified the attackers as the black sheep in the community. But the entire Muslim community is still being viewed as terrorist today.

Very few non-Muslims have bothered to consider the facts that tens of thousands of local Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan have been involved in anti-terrorism operations, helping the Allied Forces and local governments. Could the US led military action against Iraq ever succeed if it did not get key support of the Islamic country of Saudi Arabia?

If you want to know about Islam, read the Quran- the only authentic source to know the widely misunderstood religion. The Quran is based on the concepts of morality, love, compassion, mercy, modesty, self-sacrifice, tolerance, and peace. One who truly lives according to these moral precepts is considered the best Muslim. However, today Islam is mostly being identified on the basis of what its morality-less section is doing.
If you read the Quran you can understand how Allah instructs His followers to be nice to his neighbours around, and shun cruelty and violence. Allah says, He does not like his followers who resort to violence against innocent people. Those who do not obey this divine command are walking in the footsteps of Satan and moving away from Allah.

Even the political doctrine in Islam is extremely peaceful, moderate and accommodating. The concept that badly needs clarification in this context is that of "jihad". The exact meaning of "Jihad" is "effort". That is, "to carry out jihad" is "to show efforts, to struggle". To be very precise, Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) explained that "the greatest jihad is the one a person carries out against his lower soul". Here the “lower soul" is one’s selfish desire, unhealthy ambitions and immoral intentions. The use of the concept of "jihad" for acts of aggression against innocent people, is indeed “TERRORISM”, and is not only unjustified but amounts to a serious distortion of tenets of Islam. These misguided lots- "the terrorists", ignore what their conscience says and listen to their earthly desire for violence by resorting to wickedness, which is indeed un-Islamic. They become loveless, aggressive people who do not hesitate to hurt others without the slightest pang of conscience. Having no fear of Allah or god, they do not abide by the morality of their religion, nor do they practice it. Nothing can stop them from committing crimes and hurting the innocents. Hence these misguided men should not be considered followers of any religion at all.

Compassion, peace and tolerance constitute the very basis of Islam, and the commands of the Quran leave no room for dispute and contradictions. The moral teaching offered to humanity by Islam is one that aims to bring peace, happiness and justice to the world. The barbarism that is happening in the world today under the name of "Islamic Terrorism" has no connection with the Quran. Such terrorism-related activities are the work of a section of ignorant, bigoted criminals who have nothing to do with religion and its tenets. A strong action should be taken against these individuals, groups and organisations who take to savagery under the guise of Islam.

This further leaves every Muslim with a duty to represent, through his attitudes and behavior, the religion of Allah in all finest possible manners. Muslims must display kindness, humility, forgiveness, as our Prophet (PBUH) possessed. And they must be compassionate and affectionate as he was.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

With no other better option around, Muslims have decided to support Trinamool Congress....


West Bengal appears like a heaven to the rest of the country. In fact it is in a shape more dilapidated than one outside the state can imagine. Minorities here face more hostile a government than their counterparts have faced in Gujarat. Compared to Gujarat more people have been killed in Bengal, but unlike Narendra Modi’s government it has not been caught. The law and order situation in Bengal has taken a beating and administrative machinery has been politically and religiously biased.

I am sure you all remember the popular 2002 Gujarat Riots picture of a weeping man with folded hands- appealing to Hindu activists to spare him. The Left Front widely used this picture of the Gujarat-based Bengalee Muslim tailor Qutubuddin Ansari during the 2005 campaign for Assembly elections. Ansari and his picture were used by the Front to seek Muslim votes in Bengal. Then the Front promised to arrange to rehabilitate and help Ansari in the most humane way possible. But as soon as the election was over and Muslims were found to have overwhelmingly voted the Communist coalition to power, the Front literally kicked Ansari out of the state. The poor tailor felt he had been cheated by the Left Front and chose to move back to Gujarat.

Before the last assembly and 2009 general elections, this Left Front government made lots of promises to help the backward Muslim community reintegrate into the mainstream. But as soon as the elections were over it backtracked on its promises.

Some months ago the Left Front government announced reservations for backward sections of the Muslim community. The government took good care so that the news could spread all across the country to boost the image of the “minority caring” government. But few in the country know what happened to the implementation part of the scheme. The government identified some groups among Muslims as backward [OBC] and placed them in the reserved categories. But I can cite at least few thousands of cases in which young students of those OBC Muslim groups in the state have been actually denied the reservation facilities by the communally-biased administrative machineries when they queued up for the certificates. Communally biased bureaucrats and their officers have routinely been rejecting the applications of the poor Muslim students in the districts.

The scheme in fact has turned into a public scam now. It’s like they sold show tickets to public with behind-the-door instructions to gate-keepers to keep the gates closed when the public turned up for the show.

The government should understand that this reservation is an acknowledgement of the plight of a backward community and that it provides a remedial measure to uplift the down-trodden Muslims.

As I pick holes in the functioning of the Left Front government I should not be misconstrued that I appreciate the style of politics or policies adopted by Mamata Banerjee’s party. She is already a powerful union minister and appears set to take power in West Bengal soon. Yet, she has done nothing or hinted to do anything to improve the standard of life of Muslims, apart from resorting to some meaningless or hollow gestures.

She could have done something at least to make people realise that her rule, if she came to power, would be different from that of the present Stalinists. But as she closely follows Brahmanisation of her party, mislead people and indulges in the politicians’ well-known habits of making false promises only with an eye to grab power as quickly as possible, we become sure her rule would not be different from the one by the Front. In fact I am sceptical if she or her party members would even bother to listen to grievances of the Muslims, once she comes to power.

However, Bengal’s Muslims, who repeatedly kept electing the Front to power sees a bigger evil in the Communists, and have for now, decided to stand by Mamata’s TMC. It must be noted that Muslims are being forced to choose Mamata Banerjee as their new leader only because they do not have any other viable option before them at the moment.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The United States asserts the right to bomb, invade and destroy whatever country it chooses. Isn't it Terrorism ?


On September 17, 2002 the Bush administration published its “National Security Strategy of the United States of America.” So far, there has been no serious examination of this important document in the establishment media. This is unfortunate, to say the least, because this document advances the political and theoretical justification for a colossal escalation of American militarism. The document asserts as the guiding policy of the United States the right to use military force anywhere in the world, at any time it chooses, against any country it believes to be, or it believes may at some point become, a threat to American interests. No other country in modern history, not even Nazi Germany at the height of Hitler’s madness, has asserted such a sweeping claim to global hegemony—or, to put it more bluntly, world domination—as is now being made by the United States.
The message of this document, stripped of its cynical euphemisms and calculated evasions, is unmistakably clear: The United States government asserts the right to bomb, invade and destroy whatever country it chooses. It refuses to respect as a matter of international law the sovereignty of any other country, and reserves the right to get rid of any regime, in any part of the world, that is, appears to be, or might some day become, hostile to what the United States considers to be its vital interests. Its threats are directed, in the short term, against so-called “failed states”—that is, former colonies and impoverished Third World countries ravaged by the predatory policies of imperialism. But larger competitors of the United States, whom the document refers to, in a revival of pre-World War II imperialist jargon, as “Great Powers,” are by no means out of the gun sights of the Bush administration. The wars against small and defenseless states that the United States is now preparing—first of all against Iraq—will prove to be the preparation for military onslaughts against more formidable targets.
The document begins by boasting that “The United States possesses unprecedented—and unequaled—strength and influence in the world.” It declares with breathtaking arrogance that “The US national security strategy will be based on a distinctly American internationalism that reflects the union of our values and our national interests.” This formula is so striking that it should be committed to memory: American Values + American Interests = A Distinctly American Internationalism. It is a very distinct sort of internationalism that proclaims what’s good for America is good for the world! As President Bush asserts in the introduction of the document, America’s values “are right and true for every person, in every society...”
These values are none other than a collection of the banal nostrums of the American plutocracy, such as “respect for private property”; “pro-growth legal and regulatory policies to encourage business investment, innovation, and entrepreneurial activity”; “tax policies—particularly lower marginal tax rates—that improve incentives for work and investment”; “strong financial systems that allow capital to be put to its most efficient use”; “sound fiscal policies to support business activity.” The document then declares: “The lessons of history are clear: market economies, not command-and-control economies with the heavy hand of government, are the best way to promote prosperity and reduce poverty. Policies that further strengthen market incentives and market institutions are relevant for all economies—industrialized countries, emerging markets, and the developing world.”
All these right-wing platitudes are asserted in the midst of a deepening world economic crisis, in which entire continents are suffering the consequences of market economics that have shattered whatever once existed of their social infrastructures and reduced billions of people to conditions that defy description. One decade after the dismantling of the USSR and the restoration of capitalism, the death rate of Russia exceeds its birthrate. South America, a laboratory where the International Monetary Fund has gleefully practiced its anti-social experiments, is in a state of economic disintegration. In Southern Africa, a substantial portion of the population is infected with the HIV virus. According to the World Bank,
“The AIDS crisis is having a devastating impact on developing countries, especially in Africa. Health care systems—weakened by the impact of AIDS, along with conflict and poor management—cannot cope with traditional illnesses. Malaria and tuberculosis continue to kill millions—malaria alone is estimated to reduce GDP growth rates by 0.5 percent per year on average in Sub-Saharan Africa. Life expectancy in the region fell from 50 years in 1987 to 47 years in 1999; in the countries hardest hit by AIDS (such as Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Lesotho) the average lifespan was cut short by more than ten years.”[1]
These catastrophic conditions are the product of the capitalist system and the rule of the market. The strategic document acknowledges in passing that “half of the human race lives on less than $2 a day,” but, as to be expected, the prescription drawn up by the Bush administration is the more intensive application of the economic policies that are responsible for the misery that exists all over the world.
Defining its idea of a “distinctly American internationalism,” the document states that “While the United States will constantly strive to enlist the support of the international community, we will not hesitate to act alone...” In another passage, the document warns that the United States “will take the actions necessary to ensure that our efforts to meet our global security commitments and protect Americans are not impaired by the potential for investigations, inquiry, or prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC), whose jurisdiction does not extend to Americans and which we do not accept.” In other words, the actions of the leaders of the United States will not be restrained by the conventions of international law..

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

It must be noted that Muslims are being forced to choose Mamata Banerjee as their new leader...


West Bengal appears like a heaven to the rest of the country. In fact it is in a shape more dilapidated than one outside the state can imagine. Minorities here face more hostile a government than their counterparts have faced in Gujarat. Compared to Gujarat more people have been killed in Bengal, but unlike Narendra Modi’s government it has not been caught. The law and order situation in Bengal has taken a beating and administrative machinery has been politically and religiously biased.

I am sure you all remember the popular 2002 Gujarat Riots picture of a weeping man with folded hands- appealing to Hindu activists to spare him. The Left Front widely used this picture of the Gujarat-based Bengalee Muslim tailor Qutubuddin Ansari during the 2004 campaign for Assembly elections. Ansari and his picture were used by the Front to seek Muslim votes in Bengal. Then the Front promised to arrange to rehabilitate and help Ansari in the most humane way possible. But as soon as the election was over and Muslims were found to have overwhelmingly voted the Communist coalition to power, the Front literally kicked Ansari out of the state. The poor tailor felt he had been cheated by the Left Front and chose to move back to Gujarat.

Before the last assembly and 2009 general elections, this Left Front government made lots of promises to help the backward Muslim community reintegrate into the mainstream. But as soon as the elections were over it backtracked on its promises.

Some months ago the Left Front government announced reservations for backward sections of the Muslim community. The government took good care so that the news could spread all across the country to boost the image of the “minority caring” government. But few in the country know what happened to the implementation part of the scheme. The government identified some groups among Muslims as backward [OBC] and placed them in the reserved categories. But I can cite at least few thousands of cases in which young students of those OBC Muslim groups in the state have been actually denied the reservation facilities by the communally-biased administrative machineries when they queued up for the certificates. Communally biased bureaucrats and their officers have routinely been rejecting the applications of the poor Muslim students in the districts.

The scheme in fact has turned into a public scam now. It’s like they sold show tickets to public with behind-the-door instructions to gate-keepers to keep the gates closed when the public turned up for the show.

The government should understand that this reservation is an acknowledgement of the plight of a backward community and that it provides a remedial measure to uplift the down-trodden Muslims.

As I pick holes in the functioning of the Left Front government I should not be misconstrued that I appreciate the style of politics or policies adopted by Mamata Banerjee’s party. She is already a powerful union minister and appears set to take power in West Bengal soon. Yet, she has done nothing or hinted to do anything to improve the standard of life of Muslims, apart from resorting to some meaningless or hollow gestures.

She could have done something at least to make people realise that her rule, if she came to power, would be different from that of the present Stalinists. But as she closely follows Brahmanisation of her party, mislead people and indulges in the politicians’ well-known habits of making false promises only with an eye to grab power as quickly as possible, we become sure her rule would not be different from the one by the Front. In fact I am sceptical if she or her party members would even bother to listen to grievances of the Muslims, once she comes to power.

However, Bengal’s Muslims, who repeatedly kept electing the Front to power sees a bigger evil in the Communists, and have for now, decided to stand by Mamata’s TMC. It must be noted that Muslims are being forced to choose Mamata Banerjee as their new leader only because they do not have any other viable option before them at the moment.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

CONGRESS WILL MAKE A MISTAKE IF IT DOES NOT REACH OUT TO MUSLIMS


The Congress party in West Bengal is clearly in shambles. It has been in the miserable shape in the state mostly because of its internal feuds, and not because of any external political aggression. Congress has lost its popularity also because its leaders moved away from the masses over the past decades and has turned into a party of drawing room politicians. A party which once dominated the political scenario of Bengal has been left with just a few legislative members in the state assembly today.
Congress high command should act in a war footing to do away with the differences among the party leaders. The leaders should not indulge in unnecessary groupism and should stop virulent campaign against each other. It’s time for the leaders to put their heads together and to find out ways to regain their popularity they had lost some decades ago.

The gradual decline of its vote share and popularity among the minorities (namely, Muslims) has been a key factor behind the erosion of Congress’ platform in West Bengal where Muslims constitute 35% of state’s population/electorate. Some half-hearted efforts were indeed made to improve the lots of the state’s mostly backward Muslims by Congress-led state government some decades ago [?] and then by the Congress-led UPA government in the past few years. But as West Bengal’s Muslims continue to be denied their rightful share in country’s development by the country’s largest political party, they have chosen to turn away from Congress. Muslims have faced systematic discrimination in the society, government offices and businesses. The Sachar Committee findings supported what Muslims have been complaining about discrimination for decades. But even X years after the committee submitted its report to the government, the Congress-led central government has not bothered to do address the miseries Muslims have been living through.



India’s Muslims have always behaved in secular ways and have made efforts to stay with the mainstream, and have supported secular political parties dominated by non-Muslims. Muslims have always accepted the leaders of secular parties as their leaders at the cost of raising leaders from within their community, for which we do not happen to find Muslim leaders at national level. All charges by some groups portraying Muslims as communal or narrow-minded are absurd. Muslims have been mariginalised in the society simply because they face discrimination in all walks of life. If the most powerful section of the society and the government treated the Muslims in unbiased manner, the community might have been able to come out of their ghettoes long ago.



No big communal riot has taken place in West Bengal in the past 34 years. Yet Muslims’ socioeconomic condition in the state has not seen any improvement. Despite using the key Muslim support it has stayed on in power for record stretch of years, the Left Front government has not helped uplift the backward community. The Muslims are now seething in anger and are preparing to teach the Communists a lesson in next year’s state elections. Taking advantage of the situation the Trinamool Congress is targeting to come to power through next year’s elections. Some time back, for a while Muslims thought that Mamata Banerjee’s party would offer a viable alternative to them. But now they are disenchanted with this party which appears to be paying attention at nothing except grabbing the power as quickly as possible. Many Muslims who turned to Trinamool Congress last year have begun backtracking in recent months and they believe that this party would not serve the community well.

At this point Bengal Muslims have begun thinking that only Congress could offer a secular and progressive government which could make sincere efforts to reach out to them. Congress, if it sets up a well-organised network extending to Muslims living in ghettoes- in villages, town and cities, will reap a good benefit in all terms. For the Congress the situation provides a very good opportunity. If Congress leaders make sincere effort to organise themselves well and reach out to Muslims, I am sure, the community will not disappoint them. If Congress can win the Muslim heart in Bengal, Muslims have the ability to propel the party to power in the state and this support will also in part help Congress consolidate its position in central power, for many years.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

changing CM in Maharashtra will make any difference ?


Will changing CM in Maharashtra will make any difference ? I sincerely doubt that. As we have seen similar changes at state helm earlier too but then too the ground realities remained (read corruption) unaltered. I do not expect much from Mr.Pritiviraj Chavan as well, even if he is an honest and capable politician. My assessment of the situation is that the politics in Maharashtra is so glamourously lucrative that it spoils even the best in team.


The other abjure is that, it will surely initiate & consolidate another power camp (this time of Prthiviraj Chavan) within the ruling congress, to make things more worrisome for the congress & suffocating for the state partymen,the biggest threat to Prthiviraj is not from BJP or the Shiv Sena but from the Congress, within. His tenure will be a “litmus Test” of his skills be it his patience, reasoning or governance and as to how he would manage the internal rivalry and external alliance to keep himself afloat as CM.

Although National leadership has tried to contain groupism within organization by announcing a name not from state political arena, but then there is other side of the story that is, the current CM is an outsider hence will remain weak comparatively to the other local politicians of the state. Another, hurdle he faces will be as to how he would accommodate the former Dpty CM Bhujbal, who remains one of the most powerful politician, without antagonizing Ajit Pawar, the nephew of Sharad Pawar, and Dpty CM designate.

Whatever the outcome I feel things will not be easy and smooth for CM to be, Mr.Prtiviraj Chavan, and his maiden experience as CM will certainly be a bumpy one, if not disappointing and corrupt. But then whatever the results of his encounter with power( and Pawar's) will be, I only pray that this be the last change of guard till next legislative elections as this will at least save some unnecessary expenditure on state exchequers pocket....

Monday, October 25, 2010

More such events will surely bridge the communal gap between the communities and it followers, Insha Allah...


I hugely admire and appreciate the efforts ,spirit and enthusiasm for hosting such a wonderful Iftar programe for the first time in the history of India, that’s too at a state run by right wing hindu party BJP.

I have come to know that Krishnapura ( Karnataka), a small town which has been hogging the limelight for all wrong reasons such as communal riots, attacks, curfews and tensions for many years, have now sent a message of peace, religious harmony and co-existence to the entire Country.

Compassion, understanding and brotherhood are the core elements of any religion. And if we are truly religious and pious people following our religious obligations neatly, then I am sure we can never show disrespect or hurts other people’s religious sentiments. But then these initiatives, humanitarian gestures must come from the elder brothers, the majority community first, to be followed by the minority community. I am very certain that more such events will surely bridge the communal gap between the communities and it followers, Insha Allah...

Friday, October 8, 2010

we (Muslims) have always asserted that we will abide by the court verdict


Just because there was no violent Muslim outburst of anger or displeasure after the September 30 Allahabad High Court verdict on the land of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya did not mean that Muslims accepted the court verdict as justified one.
When mythology and "faith" of the majority took precedence over legal propriety and hard evidence, then how much conviction can the judgement carry? And, why give one-third land to the Waqf Board as consolation prize, if the Hindu claims of Ram being born there and a temple being demolished by Muslims at the site were correct?
Over the years Muslims have kept asserting that they would definitely abide by the court verdict. But Hindu groups kept saying that either the court decided in favour of Ram Janmasthan or the groups would assert that a court can't decide on matters of faith. No wonder the judges have kept in mind the intransigent attitude of the saffron brigade in regard to Ayodhya issue while delivering their verdict.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Is this how we treat our Martyrs and their families ?


The country is debating, should government engage Naxals for table talks or counter them with military measures.But then none is talking about the plights of our Central Para Military Forces be it CRPF,BSF & rest. which are basically the first line of defence in counter insurgency related matter be it terrorism,maoist threats or other law and order affairs.

These not so well trained forces are send into the batte field somewhat “as bait”, for the terrorists or naxals and other insurgency areas.Once hurt during action the primary aim of the department is to board the injured soldier out of the scene at their earliest. Unfortunately the rehabilitation package of a para military personnel is nutshell in comparasion to an army soldier in a similar situations.

one would be surprised to know that there is no housing schemes,no subsidised ration and even the medical facilities are restricted and conditional.hence one can very well understand that if a bread earner of a family is hurt or disabled in the line of duty the matter becomes difficult for his survival too.The injured soldier are not provided any support even by the state defence service welfare board,neither they are eligible for employment under ex servicemen category as those too are restricted and reserved for army,navy and air force.

Its worrisome that ex paramilitary men have to fight long court battles even to get their benefits released under Seema Prahari Bima Yojana. Its a pity that thousands of cases pertaining to primary rights violations of soldiers are pending before differents courts in India today.....is this how we treat our MARTYRs and their family ?

Its high time the government realise these brave men’s worth and ammend respective laws for better training and rehabilitation of these forces,and on priority it should accomodate these disabled personnels in the organisation( their forces) with some desk jobs.

Hats off to their bravery & courage…

Monday, August 16, 2010

The media (specifically television) has completely lost its mind while tracking news







Not very long ago, there was a time when "journalism" was considered revered profession. People used to congratulate freshers choosing this noble profession as careers. The electronic media was proudly picking up steam and the profession had started gaining eyeballs each day. 'Newstrack' & 'Eye Witness', the extremely popular video news magazines had demonstrated how television journalism could make a difference. 'The World This Week' and such other programmes had hooked an entire nation of television viewers and set very high standards in television production. It was then considered very difficult and a dream come true to break into any of the top production houses of news television.But today, the media (specifically television) has completely lost its mind while tracking news,it has lost it motive and directions also,the mushrooming of news channels and the constant chase for television rating points (TRPs) has led to some rotten apples spoiling the feast.....and has turned these news channels into corporate houses where biasedness and corruption rules....

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Army for stone pelting ,angry,agitated but unarmed civilian and talks with train bombing(terrorists) Naxals....Sir the policy is flawed & unfortunate















"All India Majlis E Shoora(AIMS)" held a peaceful Mass protest /Demonstration in Kolkata on Friday the 23rd July2010. A letter was also send to Union Home Minister through Janab. Gautam Mohan Chakraborty,Hon;be Commissioner of Police the same day,In our letter we have demanded review of the situation in Kashmir and withdrawl of Army from Civilian area in Kashmir if possible, we have further requested immediate Initiatives to be taken by the Government of India(GOI) ,to resettle the "Kashmiri Pandits" back to theirr native place in the valley, It further demanded strong action against the miscreants responsible for the present Law & Order situation in Kashmir.The copy of the letter concern is attached below:-



Janab.P.Chidambaram
Hon’ble Union Minister
Ministry of Home Affairs,
Government of India
July 22, 2010
Kind Sir,
We are deeply hurt with the use of military against angry, agitated but unarmed civilian, Indian citizens in Kashmir. We would request the Hon’ble Union Home Minister to please evaluate the situation in Kashmir and vacate the Military forces from the valley, if possible.We further request the Government of India (GOI) to make required arrangements to settle back all Kashmiri Pundits to their native places, as they are living in “Émigré like” situation in and around Jammu for years now.We further demand “unsympathetic action” against the miscreants & trouble-mongers responsible for the present law & order situation in Kashmir, distinctively keeping in mind that innocent civilians are not made to endure in the process.May Allah bless India.
J A I H I N D

Aziz A.Mubaraki
National Secretary
All India Majlis E Shoora,Kolkata
South Asia Ullema Council,India.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

We feel that,the Communal Violence Bill 2009, if passed, will not only be weak, it will be dangerous



His Excellency
Janab, ManMohan Singh
Hon’ble Prime Minister
Govt of India, New Delhi

dated : 24th April 2010
Kind ManMohan Singh Ji,
We write to you to vigorously protest against the proposed Communal Violence Bill in its present format. As responsible citizens of this country we find it truly reprehensible and unfair that wise counsel of anti communal groups, human rights defenders and independent legal experts was not taken stock of and their very important suggestions and modifications have been totally ignored. The bill in its present form as is being proposed is dangerous for the health of our secular democracy and it could cause great harm to protect victims of communal violence. We want you to urgently intervene and ensure that the vitally needed legislation on Communal Violence be reviewed and revised.

We request your government not to rush in a law for short term considerations. We want this important law to be amongst the finest and the best in the world; as citizens of country that has been torn and wounded by communal strife, we want a law that best protects us and gives us justice. You will set a fine democratic precedent by taking a step back and listening to our plea.

As we feel that,the Communal Violence Bill 2009, if passed, will not only be weak, it will be dangerous. It will not only fail to secure justice for communal crimes it will prove to be dangerous for the minorities, Muslims, Christians and all others., and unfortunately, will actually strengthen the shield of protection to those who plan and sponsor these crimes. Further, it continues to perpetuate the silence around gender-based sexual crimes.
We hand foldedly request your immediate intervention and help with the matter.
J A I H I N D

Saturday, April 17, 2010

the solutions to NAXALISM is not only military but social and economical too




Sir,
I am no expert on defense or on guerilla warfare nor an ambassador, academician, analyst, or a think-tank but a concerned common man, a sincere citizen of this country and have my own observation in regard to menace called “Naxalism”…

There is no doubt that a movement which used to be a Bihar’s problem in 70’s has taken centre stage and has spread, unfortunately to about 220+ districts out of about 600 in India. In the beginning, the movement reflected the lack of development in remote area of the country where most deprived lived with no roads,schools,hospitals or even no attention, hence the poorest quarters of the state become the breeding hubs for Naxals. It was understandable that being ignored and unconcern, their numbers, anger and distrust towards state grew stronger with every passing day. The negligence for decades has somehow put the enormous pressure on government with a odd problem, which is, to offer development as well as take out the extremist elements in the most extreme circumstances. And in this situation if government exert more violence at places where people are struggling to make ends meet, the more it will be alienated.

In fact more people have died in Naxals attacks then the so called jehadi conspiracies, but a large section of Bajrangi officials, administrators and section of journalists were more concern in maligning follower of a particular religion and witch hunt them rather than work against the real problem of Naxalism in India. Hence a conspirator camouflage by some individuals against fellow citizens is blown with spilling reality out of the dantewada incident. And if 26/11 was a wake up call for the country’s anti terrorism mechanism, the dantewada incident is an eye opener of governments’ deficiencies in tackling the Maoist Challenge.

Thanks to the lethargic leaderships and inattentive successive governments which was busy boasting their political achievements with hollow misleading slogans as India Shinning, Bharat Nirman campaign, and undermining the real danger of Naxalism for years, which has somewhat helped the consolidation of “Naxalism”. And with baiting and wiping out almost the entire company CRPF personnel at Dantewada, they have proved that they are combination of well trained cadres, maneuvering with deadliest precisions and fire powers to destroy even our Mine Protected Vehicles, which further consolidates my fear that it’s a transition in strategy of Naxals from guerrilla to mobile warfare.

But then make no mistake Naxals are no modern day Robin Hood, but extortionist with well oiled economy of extortion, kidnapping, theft and terrorists as circumstances of poverty cannot be an alibi for violence nor be a justification for terror acts. Apart from that, they took advantage of our lack of single minded operations that is lack of co-ordination & co-operation between states against them, jumping between state boundries; they would always cross over to adjoining states after each cowardly act of terrorism. We should not forget that Maoists have wrecked thousands of schools and rural health centre hence it’s not for pro developments demands only.

I suggest a formation of a special force on the lines of Greyhound with younger officers created in each districts with enormous investment in the modernization of wepons, communications transport and supporting technologies at one hand and development in the Maoist affected area with real incentives for the people, with carved out models of Naxal free villages to demonstrate that the state is indeed serious about caring its people, as the solutions is not only military but social and economical too.