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June - 2014

National Unity
Communal Amity
Cultural Identity
Social Justice
Rule of Law
Dignifed Democracy Volume : 4 Issue - 6 SHAABAN - 1 June - 2014 Pages - 8 Monthly Price : Rs. 10/- Annual Subscription : Rs. 120/-
THE TIMES OF LEAGUE
Postal Registration No : TN/CNI GPO / 051 / 2012 to 2014 / RNI No. TNENG/2011/40521
Modi, Sharif discuss terrorism; hope for new page in ties
Indias 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 frst 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
Indias concerns on terrorism
at the meeting which was
described as a good,
substantive and constructive
meeting by Indian offcials.
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 Pakistans 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 Indias
prime minister. He met Modi
Tuesday for what was called a
courtesy meeting by offcials.
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 Modis
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 others 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
Indias concerns on terrorism
were clearly articulated but
did not confrm 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 fxed
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
2
THE 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 Mumbai
Pathan 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.
Ma 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 LEAGUE
3
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 partys 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 fow 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 partys 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 partys 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 Mondays meeting also
recalled the DMK founder
C.N. Annadurais advocacy for
proportional representation.
Now many national parties
are also advocating the idea,
the DMKs 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 Hamdulays
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 Hamdulays 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 todays youth its
the cool and style quotient.
Being a cardiothoracic surgeon
to Lilavati, Breach Candy and
Prince Aly Khan hospital, Dr.
Hamdulay said fve 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 fnd it preach
and dont 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
4
THE TIMES OF LEAGUE
Steps to promote secular outlook
Mr. 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
fnd that he speaks and swars by
secularism, almost everybody in
our country accepts secularism.
The diffculty is that everybody
gives his own interpretation to
the word secularism and creates
serveral difculties. 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 fd-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
unoffcial data, there are less than
a dozen Muslims including one
Class I offcer, two Class II Offcers
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 fled by
Mata Sundari College seeking exemption from the OBC quota as it
was minority-run institution.
The order will beneft 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 Universitys 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. Banathwalas Parliamentary Speach - April 23, 1982
June - 2014
THE TIMES OF LEAGUE
5
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 frst 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
governments 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.
Doesnt 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 dont agree
with the view that Atal Behari
We must have an umbrella Muslim outft
Asaduddin 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 dont 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 signifcant 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 Bengals Churulia
in 1899 and died in 1976 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
He is regarded the national poet of Bangladesh.
June - 2014
6
THE TIMES OF LEAGUE
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 frst 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 Sens 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 fndings 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 ffth 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
Muslims not accepting the modern
health facilities, the feld 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 suffcient
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 food-prone, while another
21 percent reported to be regularly
hit by drought. In only 7 percent
of the total food 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
THE TIMES OF LEAGUE
7
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 fndings 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
fnger 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 benefts.
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,
fve 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 offce 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 Ministers 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 Offcer. 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 fction, 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 fve 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
offcials 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.
Editor : Prof. K.M. Kader Mohideen,
8
THE TIMES OF LEAGUE
Published : 4th of Every Month.
No. 54/4, Dr. Muthulakshmi Road, (L.B. Road), Adyar,
Chennai - 600 020. Tel : 2491 7071 / 7072
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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 confdence 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. Shahzad
General Secretary: Modasir ul Haque
Treasurer: Ahamed Saju
Vice President: Rizwan Hayat Khan
Secretaries: (1) Asif Iqbal
(2) Md. Shahid
(3) Saleel C.
(4) Zahid Ansari
Asst. Secretaries: (1) Maulana Rashid Iqbal
(2) Shabbir Raza
The elected offce bearers of South-East
Delhi District committee are as follows:
President: Jawed Abbas
General Secretary: Md. Asim ali
Vice President: Syed Khalid
Secretary: (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 states ruling National Conference said
Thursday.
How can they wish away this historical fact while
generating passions over the issue? Devender Rana, the
partys 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
governments 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. Iqbal
Chandni Chowk District:
District Convenor: Md.Munavvar Ali
The newly elected offce bearers of MYL, Delhi State committee!

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