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June - 2014

National UnityCommunal AmityCultural IdentitySocial JusticeRule of LawDignified Democracy Volume : 4 Issue - 6 SHAABAN - 1 June - 2014 Pages - 8 Monthly Price : Rs. 10/- Annual Subscription : Rs. 120/-

THE TIMES OF LEAGUEPostal Registration No : TN/CNI GPO / 051 / 2012 to 2014 / RNI No. TNENG/2011/40521

Modi, Sharif discuss terrorism; hope for new page in tiesIndia’s new Prime Minister

Narendra Modi raised concerns on terrorism and need for action in 26/11 during his meeting with his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif Tuesday as the two sides stuck a note of optimism and hoped to start a new chapter in their strained bilateral ties.

The first meeting between Modi, who assumed charge earlier in the day Tuesday and Sharif was held at Hyderabad House here with the two sides agreeing that their foreign secretaries will be in touch to discuss the future roadmap for talks.

Modi clearly articulated India’s concerns on terrorism at the meeting which was described as a “good, substantive and constructive” meeting by Indian officials.

Sharif, who interacted with media before going back to Islamabad, said he had “a very good meeting” with Modi and it was time to open “a new page” in bilateral relationship.

Modi “underlined his concerns on terrorism and expressed the hope that Pakistan will abide by its commitment to not allow its territory or territories controlled by it to be used for terrorist activities against India,” Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh told media.

Modi also called for a speedy trial of Pakistanis accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. The bilateral relationship between the two countries has been bedevilled by what India views as Pakistan’s hesitation in taking action against the perpetrators of

the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.Sharif had Monday joined

leaders from SAARC countries at the swearing in of Modi as India’s

prime minister. He met Modi Tuesday for what was called a “courtesy meeting” by officials.

In a statement which he read out in his media interaction, Sharif said he had underlined that India and Pakistan needed

“I intend to pick up the threads of the Lahore peace declaration.”

The Pakistani premier said

his own election and Modi’s electoral victory - both “with a clear mandate” - “should be a historic opportunity for both our countries” to meet hopes and aspirations of people on the two sides.

decades.”Accusations and counter-accusations will be counter productive... We must end the legacy of mistrust. Modi warmly reciprocated my sentiments,” he said.

Sujatha Singh termed the meeting between the two prime ministers as “very constructive”.

“Both sides were trying to address each other’s concerns,” she said.”We want peaceful relations with Pakistan. However, for such relations to proceed it is important that terror and violence is brought to an end.”

The foreign secretary said that India’s “concerns on terrorism were clearly articulated” but did not confirm or deny if Modi had raised with Sharif concerns about involvement of terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba in the attack on the Indian consulate in Herat in Afghanistan last week.

On Kashmir, she said that foreign secretaries of the two countries will meet and discuss the way forward.

She said Modi has been invited to Pakistan and he had accepted the invitation but no dates had been fixed yet. Asked about India getting NDMA (non-discriminatory market access) status from Pakistan, she said that there was also discussion on trade.

In Srinagar, moderate Hurriyat Conference said the meeting between the two prime ministers was a a good beginning for improving relations between the two countries.

“It is a matter of satisfaction that the dialogue has been formalised and that too on the occasion of swearing-in ceremony,” said Hurriyat chairman Mirwiaz Umar Farooq.

peace to build their economies. Noting his 45-minute meeting with Modi was held in a warm and cordial atmosphere, he told Modi that he desired to take forward the peace process that he had initiated with then Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999 until it was derailed by a military coup.

Sharif said he urged Modi “to strive to change confrontation to cooperation” and added his government was “ready to discuss all issues in a spirit of cooperation”.

“After all we owe it to our people ... to rid the region of instability and insecurity that has plagued us for

June - 2014

2THE TIMES OF LEAGUE

Participation of SAARC Leaders in Modi Sworn in ceremony

A Symbol of Friendship

‘‘The Participation of SAARC Leaders in the Prime Minister Sworn in Ceremony has nothing to do with the communal amity’’ said the IUML All India General Secretary Professor K.M. Kader Mohideen. While replying to the Hindu Reporter, he further stated the religious amity was the internal policy of each and every country. In the present world it is the duty of a country to protect and establish religious amity.

He said that the muslim leaders alone were not invited for the ceremony but also leaders of other countries including Nepal,

Bhutan and Srilanka were invited.

He quoted the former BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee statement that ‘‘Countries friends may change. But neighbours dont change. Neighbouring Countries always

remain as our neighbours.SAARC Leaders might have

been invited to the ceremony to develop friendship and co-operation with the permanent neighbours. This invitation would pave way to prevent raise of terorism and help to develop joint economy among SAARC Countries, he said :

He stated that the develop ment of peace, progress and religious amity in the neigh bouring countries had to be welcome. He said that Participation of SAARC Leaders in Modi Sworn in ceremony was a symbol of friendship.

Parliament Election 2014 E Ahamed, E.T. Basheer emerge victorious

The IUML National President E. Ahamed won the Malapuram Parliamentary Consituency in Kerala with a huge margin of votes. Mr. Ahamed secured 4,37,723 votes defeating his nearest Marxist rival Mrs. P.K. Zainaba with a margin of 1,94,739 votes. The BJP secured 64,705 votes, SDPI 47,853 votes, Welfare party of India 29,216 votes, DSP 2,745 votes. Except Marxist candidate all other candidates lost their deposit.

In Ponani Parliamentary Costituency Kerala E.T. Mohammed Basheer defeated the Marxist supported Independent candidate V. Abdul Rahman with a margin of 25,410 votes. E.T. Basheer secured 3,78,503 votes. The BJP polled 75,212 votes, SDPI 26,640 votes, Aam Athmi 9,504 votes, DSP 2153 votes. The following are other IUML Candidates contested from the various parliamentary constituencies.

M. Abdul Rahman, Vellore - Tamil Nadu

S. Asmathullah Kathiri, Secunderabad, Telangana

Hayath Abdullah Sheik - North

East MumbaiPathan Ayub Mathekhan,

Nasik,Althaf Ahamed Iqbal

Ahamed, Nathedu,Ragath Aprose, Ferosabad,

U.P. Kasirudeen Sheik - Thuburi -

Assam,Muhammed Riazudeen -

Asansol, West Bengal,Abdul Sukur, Berhampur,

West Bengal,Jainulabudeen Mandal,

Diamond Harbour, W.B.,K.P. Muhammed Sherif,

Calcutta Datchin,Muhammed Ibrahim Khan,

Calcutta Uthar,Ahamed Hussain, Krishnan

Nagar, W.B.Muhamed Farooki Hussain,

Malta Datchin, W.B.

Abdul Bari, Murshithabad, W.B.

M a n i k c h a n d r a Mandal, Thamluk, W.B.

M u h a m m e d Vasikur Rahman, Krishnakanch, Bihar,

M u h a m m e d Ammanullah, Subaval, Bihar

Muhammed Athil, Jabalpur, M.P.

Muhammed Shanul Haq, Hazari bagh, Jarkhand,

Krishna singh, Rajmahal, Jarkhand,

Muhammed Ahamed Ninth, Shankarur, Punjab,

In Andhra Legislative Assembly Election the following IUML Candidates contested :

Muhammed Kader Khan, Amerpet,

Mohamed Jahangir, Hydrabad,Muhammed Athar Hussain,

Sanath Nagar,The IUML Secured 11,00,096

votes in the 2014 Parliamentrary Election. The IUML has secured 0.2% votes on All India Level.

The IUML has been consistently maintaining its presence in the Indian Parliament right from the Independent of the Country.

Prof. K.M. Kader Mohideen

June - 2014

THE TIMES OF LEAGUE3

DMK demands proportional representation

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has asked its district secretaries, candidates for the Lok Sabha polls and party leaders in-charge of all constituencies to submit independent and unbiased reports, detailing various factors that led to its dismal performance, to the party leader M. Karunanidhi by June 15.

A resolution adopted at the party’s high-level policy planning committee on Monday suggested to the party leadership to take further action based on the feedback reports.

The meeting also placed on record the constant flow of reports to the party leadership from various quarters including neutral persons, interested in the welfare of the DMK.

The meeting, chaired by party patriarch M. Karunanidhi, also decided to appoint a

committee to advise the party leadership on strengthening and simplifying the administration of the party’s district units.

“The party has been talking about redrawing the boundaries of the district units to ensure speedy and constructive organisational works, and to have a close watch on the functioning of these district

units. The committee will advise accordingly and based on its recommendations, the party’s organisational by-laws will be amended,” another resolution said.

As the DMK was not able to win a single seat in the recent Lok Sabha polls, despite its candidates securing substantial percentage of the votes polled,

the high-level committee of the party has also made a strong case for introducing proportional representation in the State Assemblies, Parliament and other elected bodies in the country.

Pointing out that barring the erstwhile British Colonies all other countries were following a proportional representation system, a resolution adopted at Monday’s meeting also recalled the DMK founder C.N. Annadurai’s advocacy for proportional representation.

“Now many national parties are also advocating the idea,” the DMK’s resolution pointed out and asked the Centre and the Election Commission of India to consider the proposal seriously.

Courtesy : The Hindu Chennai, 3.6.2014

Heart disease is no more associated with old age. It is fast catching to the younger population of the city, mainly due to smoking and consumption of tobacco related products. Of-late smoking has become a major cause of cardiac ailments among youngsters.

Around 15% of the 1000 odd patients arrived at Hamdulay’s cardiac rehab centre, in the last three months, for cardiac consultation were youngsters in the age bracket of 25 to 35 years and almost of them were cigarette smokers.

Dr. Zainuabedin Hamdulay, chief consultant cardiothoracic surgeon with Wockhardth hospital and founder of Hamdulay’s cardiac rehab centre, says, “Examination reveal that many of these young patients are regular smokers. Smoking cigarette or consuming tobacco increases the cholesterol deposition. Smoking impacts

Smoking a major cause of heart disease among youngsters

the heart and blood pressure.”He further said that earlier

cardiac diseases occurred in people in 50s but now it was being reported in youngsters in early 30s. “We are witnessing a large number of young heart patients who are not born with the disease but have acquired it.”

Many take to smoking by watching their elders smoking

in-front of them or due to peer pressure. For today’s youth it’s the cool and style quotient.

Being a cardiothoracic surgeon to Lilavati, Breach Candy and Prince Aly Khan hospital, Dr. Hamdulay said five years ago, we hardly saw young patients with heart problems. Now, we get many cases where cardiovascular disease affects people in

the age group of 25 to 35.In order to create awareness

and help youngster to quit smoking Hamdulay Heart foundation is distributing booklet, a guide on ill effects of smoking and how to quit it in easy steps. The book can be read online on its website as well.

Meanwhile in a recent survey conducted by Blossom media in association with Hamdulay Heart Foundation it was found that the average youth smoke around 5 – 7 stick per day, they also have a belief that it they smoke in limit it will effect has any adverse effect on them.

On the anti-smoking advertisement campaign the youth interviewed said they find it preach and don’t encourage to quit.

Apart from the cardiac problem smokers are also prone to oral cancer which accounts to 30 per cent of the total cancer cases in India, says a report.

June - 2014


Steps to promote secular outlookMr. Deputy Speaker, Shrimati

Vidya Chenupati has raised a discussion of great importance in this House. If we speak to anybody in our country, we will find that he speaks and swars by secularism, almost everybody in our country accepts secularism. The difficulty is that everybody gives his own interpretation to the word secularism and creates serveral dificulties. The word secularism bas been extensively misused and abused by vested interests in our country. She needs to be congratulated because she has in her resolution referred to the secular character of our Constitution. By secularism, as we understand, we mean the set up that is ervisaged by our Constitution or that is ervisaged by true implementation of the various fundamental rights that have been enshrined in our Constitution.

As far as the Indian Union Muslim League is concerned, I, as the General Secretary of the Party, must make it extremely clear that we are didicated and committed to the secular concept as is enshined in the concept of the various fundamental rights that have been enshined in our Constitution. I must also point out that in order to srengthen secuar democracy in our country, there must be a balanced development communities and groups that we may have in our country. Let me clarify that every community, every group that we have, religious or linguistic group, in our Country, is a source of strength for our Country. If any community, if any group, whatsoever, irrespective of religion, class, caste or creed lags behind in the progress, then that group that lags behind becomes a burden upon the nation. The secular concept is a concept which does not want any community or any group to be a burden on our nation. Therefore, there has to be a balanced development of all regions. There hgas to be a balanced development of all religious groups, linguistic groups, castes and other communities. It is only when there is a balanced

development of all, that everyone is welded into one nation and then only there is a great progress in our country.

Sir, whenever I go to our people, I tell them one ting in Urdu. I tell them in Urdu:

‘Hum se Hindustan Hai, ‘He se Hindu; ‘Meem’ se, Musalman, Ye dono

Milker huwai ‘hum’. Aur is tareh ‘hum’ Se Hindutan hai.

That is the spirit that we must have. There may be certain different points of view amoung us but in a democracy they have to be discussed and settled. Therefore, I must emphasize the need for a balanced development.

Sir, secularism does not mean an anti-religious atitude. It does not mean that you have to be against any religion; and malicious propaganda against any religion whatsoever must be stopped. Sir, secularism also does not mean that we should have an irreligious attitude. That is also not the meaning.

We have before us this resolution for the promotion of secular outlook. There are various other pertinent points that I may make. The Qoran says : Lakum dinakum Valeyadin’ - to you your religion; to me my religion. At another place, it says ‘‘La ikraha fid-din’’ - there is no Compulsion in matters of religion. It is this outlook that has to be developed. And it is only then that we can have a society of which we will be proud.

Take the question of Muslims. I will not try to misuse this occasion by giving a long discourse upon the

same. it is only for the purpose of strengthening the point that what is needed is justice to all sections of the population in an effort to weld all of them into a harmonious whole, in to a nation of which we can be proud. I am making a reference to ‘The tribune of 6th December 1978 which says :

‘Muslims form about 11 percent of the population but, according to unofficial data, there are less than a dozen Muslims including one Class I officer, two Class II Officers and foru each in Class III and Class IV categories in the Union Home Ministry. In the Border Security Force Muslims constitute only 4 percent total strength of 80,000 and in the CRP the Muslim quota at present is barely 6 percent.’

There has been a steady deterioration all these years in the economic position of the Muslims of India. The deterioration has reached such low depths that I may draw your attention to the situation as it prevails now in Pune, the cultural capital of Maharashtra. In Pune, the economic situation of Muslims has so deteriorated that today Muslims are obliged

to accept sub-employment from those of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, who are appointed to clean and sweep the city of Pune by the Pune Municipal Corporation. They cannot even get the employment of sweepers from the Pune Municipal Corporation. We have already reached that depth. Therefore, it is necessary that an economic, deal, a fair deal, has to be given. We have to llok at the economic, backwardness and educational backswardness of various sections of national brotherhood, the purpose for which this Resoution has been brought.

There are various other things. But, then, we may wait for some other occasion for refering to them. Sir, I thank you very mucy for the time that you have given me. The Mover of the Resolution has to be congratulated, subject to my observations, for having brought this Resolution before the House and given us an opportunity to submit our observations on this matter of vital importance, on which rests the very network of relations in the country.

Four minority institutions in Delhi exempted from OBC quota

The Delhi High Court Friday exempted four minority colleges of Delhi University from reserving 27 percent seats for students from Other Backward Classes (OBCs) for the 2014-15 academic year.

Justice Manmohan passed the order while hearing a plea filed by Mata Sundari College seeking exemption from the OBC quota as it was minority-run institution.

The order will benefit four DU colleges run by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), constituted under the Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act. Apart from Mata Sundari College, these are Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Guru Gobind Singh College, and Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College -- all declared minority institutes.

Passing the order, the court also said that these colleges shall provide reservation in admission for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes as per the Delhi University’s norms, but they will not be obliged to give reservation to OBCs for this academic session.

Mata Sundari College, during the hearing, contended that the reservation policy was not applicable to these institutions in view of a Supreme Court verdict on OBC reservations.

The apex court had held that minority educational institutions (MEI), whether they were aided by the government or unaided, were exempted from reserving seats for OBCs, the college added.

However, DU maintained that reservation rule of DU for OBC should be followed by these colleges also.

Excerpts from G.M. Banathwala’s Parliamentary Speach - April 23, 1982

June - 2014


I am of the view that BJP is a majoritarian party. There is an attempt for a majoritarian form of democracy over participatory form. It raises our anxieties because we have witnessed what happened in Sri Lanka, where the Sinhalas have put in place a majoritarian form of democracy.

Will Mr Modi rise to the occasion? He has been a pracharak of the RSS right from his youth. In his first speech in the Central Hall of Parliament, he referred to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. What about his theory of integral humanism in which he said Muslims cannot be trusted? The RSS ideology is clearly divisive.

You judge a person by his past. Mr Modi during his campaign talked about the Gujarat model of development. Can one say development in Gujarat has been inclusive? Why is it that the Metro line has stopped just before Juhapura in Ahmedabad, dominated by Muslims? You have a gas pipeline which does not pass through Juhapura. Why is Mr Modi opposing pre-matric scholarship to minorities of Gujarat? Why did he bring in legislation making it mandatory for a person who wishes to change his religion to seek the government’s permission? The Governor did not give assent.

On the day the results were out, the Supreme Court exonerated all the boys implicated in the Akshardham case. The boys lost 11 precious years of their life, and the apex court criticised the non-application of mind by the home minister of Gujarat and the state government.

Doesn’t this raise anxiety? The boys said the Gujarat police had given them the option of choosing between the Haren Pandya murder case, Godhra and Akshardham. I don’t agree with the view that Atal Behari

We must have an umbrella Muslim outfitAsaduddin Owaisi

Vajpayee and L K Advani had reached out to the minorities. How can we forget what happened to Graham Staines? It was when Mr Vajpayee was Prime Minister and Mr Advani was home minister and Lok Sabha member from Gujarat that Gujarat witnessed the 2002 riots. Mr Vajpayee might have asked Mr Modi publicly to follow raj dharma but it was under his nose that everything happened. A draconian law like POTA which was passed during their tenure was used extensively against Muslims, Dalits and tribals.

It is up to the country to ponder why an Imran Masood makes an incendiary speech and loses the elections and Giriraj Singh says the same and wins. You don’t have a single Muslim MP in UP, which has 18 per cent Muslims. Why is it that in Tamil Nadu and Odisha, each of which has 10 per cent Muslims, the BJP is not doing well and in Assam where the Muslim population is 17 per cent the BJP is doing extremely well. Clearly it is because of the communal polarisation in Bihar, UP, West Bengal and Assam. Where the Muslim population is more than 15 to 16 per cent, BJP has made significant gains.

Of the 448 candidates of the BJP, not a single Muslim got elected. Poster boy Shah Nawaz Hussain lost from

Bhagalpur which is 18 per cent Muslim. This time there are 21 Muslim MPs and they won not because of their party but because of the substantial presence of minorities in their constituencies. Look at the representation of Brahmins, Kshatriyas and OBCs. They have more representation than their population size.

In Karnataka, AP, including Telangana, and Maharashtra, which have 118 seats, I am the only Muslim MP. Clearly secular parties did not transfer their votes to Muslim candidates.

All Muslims should come under an umbrella of a single

party which represents them and defends minority rights. Secular parties have failed to transfer their votes to Muslim candidates. Whether the Muslim League, MIM or AIUDF, it is time to have our own party. It is our responsibility to ensure that RSS ideology does not get ascendency. We are not the torchbearers of the movement for defeating the BJP. You cannot put the responsibility on me. I am not a coolie of secularism.

Mulayam Singh would not have won without the support of Muslims in Azamgarh, his daughter-in-law Dimple from Kannauj and Dharmendra Yadav, nephew, from Badaun. Let us become the masters of our destiny since all secular parties together have brought in a hardcore RSS pracharak as Prime Minister.

(The author is MP and president of All India Maj-lis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen)

DC, Chennai, 25.05.2014

Terming Nazrul Islam minority icon appalling: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday said it was “appalling” that Bengali revolutionary poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was being dubbed a “minority icon”.

Inaugurating the Nazrul Tirtha, a cultural and educational centre dedicated to the poet, in the satellite township of New Town, Banerjee asserted that greats like Islam and Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore were beyond any minority or majority labels.

“Some people have started a whisper campaign saying Nazrul is a minority icon. This is appalling,” she said at the inaugural on the 115th birth anniversary of Islam.

“Icons like Kazi Nazrul or Rabindranath cannot be labelled as minority or majority icons. They are icons of all Bengalis,” she said.

He was nicknamed “Bidrohi Kabi” or the rebel poet because of the rebellious tenor of his works espousing political and social justice during the colonial rule.

The polymath was born in Bengal’s Churulia in 1899 and died in 1976 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is regarded the national poet of Bangladesh.

June - 2014


Seven years after the Sachar Committee Report, there is no marked change in the socio-economic conditions of Muslims in West Bengal, a new “Public Report on the Status of Muslims in West Bengal” note.

To assess the socio-economic and educational conditions of Muslims in West Bengal, a preliminary study was conducted jointly by NGO Social Network for Assistance to People (SNAP) and Guidance Guild. The ‘public report’ was released on 31 May at Indian Science Cong ress Association Hall, Kolkata.

Release of report on “Status of Muslim in West Bengal” in Kolkata on 31 May, 2014 by Hazi Md Khalil, Writer Nabanita Deb Sen, Poet Shankha Ghosh.

Secretary of Guidance Guild and renowned social activist Hazi Muhammad Khalil, eminent writer Nabanita Deb Sen and Poet Shankha Ghosh inaugurated the preliminary survey report `Status of Muslims in West Bengal, Preliminary Public report 2014’.

The 77 page report puts light on the continuing poor conditions of Muslims of West Bengal. The report highlights some important socio-economic issues, concerning Muslims of West Bengal, even seven years after the landmark all-Indian study done by central government appointed Sachar Committee. It points out that there is no marked change in the conditions of Muslims in the state.

After released of Survey report poet Shankha Ghosh said, “When any Muslim comes to my home, then others guest always ask him, if he has come from Bangladesh, which is unfortunate. We have to remove this misconception.”

Writer Nabanita Deb Sen pointed that most of the schemes for meant for Muslims are only paper and for real change to come, we have to implement these indiscriminately.

Achintya Chakraborty pointed that last three-four years there have been some positive changes in the situations of Muslims in the state and sounded optimistic that gradually thiings will improve.

SNAP secretary, IIT Scholar Jahangir Hossain, Politician Abdur Rajjak Molla, Maulana Siddiqullah Chowdhury, Data expert Amirul Alam, Educationalist Miratun Nahar, Proffessor Sirajul Islam, Milan Dutta, Manisha Banerjee and many others personalities were also present in the programme.

The Honorary Chief PRO of SNAP Amirul Alam said that they have conducted the study in the state without any government support to maintain the impartiality

Seven years after Sachar Report, no change in condition of Muslims in WB: New study

on the report. He pointed out that on the initiatives of community organisations, the work on the survey began way back in October 2011 and was completed in May, this year. 163 enumerators (Male - 70% & Female - 30%), were thus involved for a total of 2 years 6 months in this project.

The survey was carried out in 325 villages and 73 urban wards, in the first phase of the inquiry, to cover 97017 (79913 rural and 17104 urban) households and in second phase another 8000 households were included.

Amirul Alam pointed out that they also sought the help of Noble Laureate Amrtya Sen’s Organisation `Pratichi Trust’ and those valuable inputs by likes of Dr Amartya Sen, Dr Manabi Mazumdar, Dr Achintya Chakraborty were taken.

The study group was headed by Dr P. P. Ghosh, Director of Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) of Patna.

Although then Left front Government had initially refused to accept the findings of the Sachar Report, they and later the TMC government subsequently tried to improve the situations. The preliminary report, however, suggests little improvement.

The present analysis of the collected data on select indicators throws light on some important dimensions of the lives and liveli hoods of Muslims of West Bengal. Unlike the all India scenario, proportion of Muslims living in rural areas is very high. For a large majority of the Muslims of West Bengal manual and menial work is the only option of livelihood.

Living Areas: Most of the Muslims of West Bengal live in village. 83 percent Muslims are living in Village area and only 17 percent in urban areas.

Earning Way: Most of the Muslims earn their living through menial labour work.

Education: The educational status of the Muslims shows a dismal picture: no literate adult was found in nearly one fifth of the surveyed households and this is certainly

a cause for concern. Even large proportion of those who had had the opportunity of becoming literate or going to school could pursue their studies only up to primary level.

As evident from the school enrolment data, there appeared a substantial gap between growing aspirations among Muslims towards acquiring modern public education and the actual provision to realise such social ambitions. That the rate of enrolment in schools was very high in the areas with Muslim preponderance clearly showed that, not only they were not averse to modern education but also that there was a clear lack of educational infrastructure in those areas.

Health Sector: The health sector was also found to be suffering from similar, glaring dearth of facilities: while there was no proof of Muslim’s not accepting the modern health facilities, the field level data clearly showed that areas inhabited by Muslims were quite poorly equipped with such provisions.

Condition of Road: A major disadvantage that people of the surveyed hamlets appeared to have faced was the poor condition of roads. In 27 percent of the total cases, roads inside the hamlet were reported to be waterlogged; and another 18 per cent had kuccha roads not suitable even for bicycle riding. Only 9 percent of the roads were pucca and a meagre 4 percent were made of concrete. Again, paras inhabited predominantly by the adivasis, dalits and Muslims had a much larger share of waterlogged roads than what an upper caste hamlet had.

Electricity: Despite the centrality of the supply of electricity in the modern world nearly 8 percent of the selected hamlets were found to be deprived of this basic facility.

Drinking Water: 94 percent of the villages were found to have publicly provided tube wells; their functionality was much below the threshold of satisfaction. Government supplied tap water was available in only 36 percent of the villages, but, it too was not sufficient

to serve the whole population.Health Facilities: The Primary

Health Centre is the lowest unit where some of the basic services, like dispensary, child delivery facility, etc, are supposed to be available. As the survey found, 35 percent of the villagers had to commute at least four kilometres to access this facility, and in 12 percent of the cases the distance was even longer - more than 8 Kilometres. It is often argued that Muslims are averse to modern health facilities. But, given the poor accessibility of the modern health facilities on one hand and our observation on the other of the willingness of the members of this community to utilise modern health facilities of decent quality wherever available, this perception appears to be quite unfounded.

Audience of the Status of Muslim in West Bengal report release programme at Indian Science Congress Association Auditorium Hall, Park Circus on 31st May, 2014. (pix: Khalidur Rahim)

Educational Institution: In the survey areas numbers of private schools and private Madrashas were found to be 30 and 22 respectively against a total of 774 government run institutions. However, in nearly 3 percent of the villages, which had more than 1000 population, there was no educational institution at all. In short, public provisioning of educational infrastructures and resources, and the quality thereof, appeared critical for the educational progress of this community.

Other Basic Facilities: It has been observed that 10 percent villages did not have any ICDS centre, which is regarded as a prime important institution for child development. While these 10 percent villages are directly deprived of the facility, the poor functioning of the ICDS centers in many other villages are kept them as mere showcases. 27 per cent of the surveyed villages were found to be flood-prone, while another 21 percent reported to be regularly hit by drought. In only 7 percent of the total flood affected villages people reported to have received government assistance whereas 70 percent villages were provided with government assistance on pick and choose basis (only for a few people) and 23 percent villages were rendered nothing . Similarly only 4 percent of draught affected villages had received some help from Government.

The preliminary report suggests that above all there is a capability deprivation – the lack of opportunity for self-emancipation – that is responsible for the poor socio-economic conditions of Muslims.

June - 2014


‘POTA Court and Gujarat HC worked with pre-conceived mind,’ says lawyer in Akshardham case

The six accused in the 2002 Akshardham case were all pronounced guilty not only by the special POTA court but the conviction was also upheld by the Gujarat High Court. On May 16, the Apex Court, however, not only acquitted all of the accused persons but also came down heavily on the state administration, investigating agency, and the trial court.

The Apex Court had noted, “Before parting with the judgment, we intend to express our anguish about the incompetence with which the investigating agencies conducted the investigation of the case of such a grievous nature, involving the integrity and security of the Nation. Instead of booking the real culprits responsible for taking so many precious lives, the police caught innocent people and got imposed the grievous charges against them which resulted in their conviction and subsequent sentencing.”

So did the POTA court and the Gujarat HC acted in a “bias” manner? Advocate Ejaz Qureshi, one of the lawyers of the accused persons, told TwoCircles.net that he would not use the word bias, but said that the POTA Court and the Gujarat HC rather worked with “pre-conceived mind.” He pointed out that in the judgment of both the trial court and the HC, one of the findings was that the attack on the Akshardham temple was a “conspiracy against the Hindu community,” and that the said act of terror was a “revenge” for the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The honorable SC bench of Justice AK Patnaik and Justice V Gopala Gowda had observed, “The courts below (Special POTA court and Gujarat HC) mechanically and without applying their mind” had discarded the contention of the learned counsel on behalf of the accused persons.

Detailing the sequence of events, Advocate Qureshi said that after the attack on Akshardham temple on 24 September, 2002, the case was transferred to the Gujarat ATS, who had made no headway for almost a year. Gujarat ATS had found “no local connection,” and

concluded that the said act of terror was the handiwork of the neighboring country – raising the finger of suspicion on Pakistan.

Advocate Qureshi points to the manner in which the case was transferred to the Ahmedabad Police Crime Branch and the way arrests were made; alleging ‘foul play,’ something the honorable Supreme Court too has acknowledged. “The anniversary of the Akshardham temple attack was approaching, and in order to show that the Police have solved the case, they swung into actions,” he said, alleging that the arrests were made for political benefits.

On the evening of 28 August, 2013 a Fax was sent to this effect, transferring the case to the Crime branch and the very next day, on 29 August, 2003, five arrests were shown. Sixth accused Chand Khan who is a mechanic originally from Bareilly in UP, but also had a workshop in Kashmir, where he was apparently arrested on 31 August in Kashmir and later brought to Ahmedabad.

Pointing at the ‘conspiracy,’ Advocate Qureshi contends that most of the accused were already in “illegal detention since 17 August, 2003.” Several Muslim youths were picked up from Muslim dominated localities of Ahmedabad days preceding the date of arrest shown, he added.

He also raised suspicions at “the manner in which POTA laws were invoked.” The Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 (POTA) was a draconian anti-terrorism legislation enacted by the Parliament of India in 2002 that was later repealed by the UPA Government. Under POTA confessions made to police were admissible in the court of law.

“From the day one of the attack we all knew that it was an act of terror still POTA was not revoked for almost a year. On August 28, 2003, the case is transferred to the Crime Branch, next day (Aug 29) arrests are shown to be made and the very next day, that is August the office of the State Home Minister signed a letter sanctioning POTA against them,” he wondered.

The Special POTA Court subsequently found them guilty and convicted them with: Altaf Malek (5 years imprisonment), Adam Bhai Ajmeri (death penalty), Mohammed Salim Hanif Sheikh (Life imprisonment till death), Abdul Qaiyum Muftisaab Mohmed Bhai (death penalty), Abdullah Miya Yasin Miya (10 years imprisonment) and Chand Khan (death penalty).

Defense lawyers had questioned the sanction of the POTA in the courts of law. While the trial court and the Gujarat HC did not pay much heed, the Apex Court had observed, “The present case does not show that the sanctioning authority had applied its mind to the satisfaction as to whether the present case required granting of sanction.”

The SC has questioned the then Home Minister’s “non-application of mind” and deemed it “not a legal and valid sanction.” The SC bench had contended, “The prosecution had failed to prove that the sanction was granted by the government either on the basis of an informed decision or on the basis of an independent analysis of fact on consultation with the Investigating Officer. This would go to show clear non-application of mind by the Home Minister in granting sanction. Therefore, the sanction is void on the ground of non- application of mind and is not a legal and valid sanction under Section 50 of POTA.”

Advocate Qureshi also pointed to the fact that the prosecution had “miserably failed” to produce any evidence against its main allegations, that Altaf Malek and Mohammed Salim used to send money to others and that they had hatched conspiracy of the attack. “They could neither produce any records of call-details, nor do they produce any evidence of money transfer through Hawala or in bank accounts. They even failed to prove the common intent and ‘meeting of mind’ in the alleged conspiracy,” he told TCN.

Another evidence produced against them was a purported letter written by Abdul Qaiyum Mufti to one of the terrorist killed

during the Akshardham attack. What was intriguing is that although the slain terrorist was completely drenched in blood due to multiple bullet injuries, the letter was without any stain of blood and “completely clean.”

When the defense had raised this question, the Gujarat HC had noted that sometimes “truth is stranger than fiction,” Advocate Qureshi told TCN. Qaiyum has gone on record saying, “The police tortured and forced me to write the letters…for matching the handwriting.”

Advocate Qureshi shared another interesting instance of the case saying that the Forensic Expert who was called to match the handwriting has said in the Court that he had no knowledge of the Urdu language.

So the only evidence now left was confessional-statements, the Apex Court reprimanded the investigating agencies for not following the set-procedures even as the POTA was sanctioned and acknowledged that the statements might have been recorded under pressure. Moreover, as the accused had retracted the statements and the prosecution failed to corroborate it independently.

The Apex Court noted that there is “absolutely no independent evidence to implicate the accused persons for the crime,” adding that “the story of the prosecution crumbles down at every juncture.”

The SC hence not only acquitted all the five appellants but also “set aside the conviction and sentence awarded to that A-1 (Altaf Malek)”, who had already undergone the 5 years sentence and hence had not appealed in the Apex Court.

In a press-conference on Monday in Mumbai organized by JUH, they unitedly demanded compensation, rehabilitation and punishment to officials who falsely implicated them in the case, including the Gujarat government and then chief minister Narendra Modi - who headed the home department.

Speaking to TCN, Advocate Qureshi said that in all such cases of false implications, often the acquitted persons are too scared

The Times of League - English Monthly - R.Dis. No. 1765/10 published by Mohamed Ismail on behalf of Muslim League Publication Trust, published at 36, Maraikayar Lebbai Street, Mannady, Chennai - 600 001 and printed by K.A.M. Muhammed Abubacker at Madras Media Press No, 36, Maraikayar Lebbai Street, Mannady, Chennai - 600 001.

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to challenge the might of the state administration and investigating agencies and hence sit back lest they might face harassments or another legal battle. Adam Bhai and others in this case are, however, consulting their lawyers and exploring options to take this battle forward, he informed.

Although he was not hired by the Jamiat e Ulama Hindi, which helped reach this case its logical conclusion, but Advocate Qureshi had all the praise for JUH. “If it were not for Jamiat (JUH), these innocent persons might have been prosecuted already,” he said.

TCN spoke over phone with Advocate Qureshi, who has been seeing this case from very inception. “I knew some of the accused personally and hence even when I was a student of law in 2003-04, I helped the senior lawyers in several ways,” he told TCN. As the case reached the High Court, he got involved with the case more actively and was one of the counsels in the Apex Court along with Advocate Khalid Sheikh and others.

All the six accused were convicted by the POTA court and later the conviction was upheld by the HC. In such hostile situations, how did they manage to keep their heads high and continued their struggle? “We were hopeful that if we are heard properly we would get the judgment in favour,” Advocate Qureshi said, adding that they were pinning hope on the HC, but unfortunately that was reduced to “copy and paste judgment,” of the special POTA court.

“We had full confidence in the motto of our Judiciary Satyamev Jayate (truth alone triumphs), and hence we continued our struggle for justice,” he says.

Towards the end of the conversation, Advocate Qureshi appeared concerend and said that many friends advised him to seek security from the state. “State administration seems to have some grudge against us, we are on constant surveillance. Our phones are tapped,” he added rather worried.

By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,

President : Md. ShahzadGeneral Secretary: Modasir ul HaqueTreasurer: Ahamed SajuVice President: Rizwan Hayat Khan Secretaries: (1) Asif Iqbal (2) Md. Shahid (3) Saleel C. (4) Zahid AnsariAsst. Secretaries: (1) Maulana Rashid Iqbal (2) Shabbir Raza The elected office bearers of South-East

Delhi District committee are as follows:President: Jawed AbbasGeneral Secretary: Md. Asim aliVice President: Syed KhalidSecretary: (1) Abu Talha

BJP ideologue and Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had fully endorsed article 370 of the constitution which guarantees a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the state’s ruling National Conference said Thursday.

“How can they wish away this historical fact while generating passions over the issue?” Devender Rana, the party’s provincial president, said at a media conference here.

He was referring to debates in the Constituent Assembly where Mukherjee in his capacity as member never opposed article 370 and became a signatory to the constitution.

Article 370 was a bridge between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India, Rana said, following the union government’s statement with regard to initiation of the process of scrapping this article.

“National Conference opposes any such move which jeopardises the legitimate guarantee enshrined in the constitution for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,” he said.

He said his party would appreciate a debate, which has already been stated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah with any political party.

“We are not shying away from deliberating over this issue,” Rana said.

The National Conference leader had recently participated in a seminar in Jammu on the issue which was attended among others by BJP Lok Sabha member Meenakshi Lekhi.

Article 370 was part of the Constitution and came into force after detailed discussions by stalwarts like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, National Conference founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, Gopalaswamy Ayyengar, Mukherjee, Mirza Afzal Beg and Moti Ram Baigda.

Rana urged people “not to get carried away” by the “mischievous propaganda by proponents of abrogation of article 370 on the plea that it was coming in the way of development of Jammu and Kashmir”.

“This is an erroneous perception spread with malicious intent,” he said.

He also sought to remove the misconception on interlinking article 370 with State Subject Laws, saying the latter was conceived by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1927 to safeguard the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

On being informed that the union minister backtracked from the statement on Article 370, Rana said it was limited only to the extent of the mention of the prime minister.

Shyama Prasad Mukherjee endorsed article 370: NC

(2) Amjad KK (3) Md. IqbalChandni Chowk District:District Convenor: Md.Munavvar Ali

The newly elected office bearers of MYL, Delhi State committee!

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