Quarterly Bulletin
of
All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat

Vol. VI: No. 1 Editor: Syed Shahabuddin January-March,
2010

CONTENTS

All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, D-250, Abul Fazal Enclave, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi-110025 Tel.: 011-26946780, Fax: 26947346 Email: mushawarat@mushawarat.com Website: mushawarat.com R.N.I.Registraion No.DELENG/2005/16885
Copy Price: Rs. 10

ORGANISATION

Notification, 8 January, 2010

Subject: Results of the AIMMM Biannual Elections of the AIMMM for the Period 2010 & 11

1. Election of President

   In accordance with the Report of the Returning Officer Mr. A. R. Shervani on 6 January, 2010, Janab Syed Shahabuddin has been unanimously elected as the President of the AIMMM for a 2 year term ending on 31 December, 2011.

   Dr Zafarul Islam Khan who was also validly nominated had withdrawn his candidateure and therefore then was no voting.

   Outgoing President Dr Zafarul Islam Khan has handed over charge and Janab Syed Shahabuddin has taken charge as President of the AIMMM with effect from 7 January, 2010.

2. Election to the MMA

   The Returning Officer received 47 valid nominations for 20 posts of members of the Markazi Majlis-e-Amla (MMA). The following members of the Markazi Majlis-e-Mushawarat (MMM) have been elected as Members of the Markazi Majlis-e-Amla (MMA), having received the 20 highest votes.

   1. Mr. A.R. Shervani
   2. Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan
   3. Mr. Akbar Jung
   4. Mr. P.A. Inamdar
   5. Dr S.Q. R. Ilyas
   6. Prof. Akhtarul Wasey
   7. Maulana Ejaz Ahmed Aslam
   8. Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umri
   9. Prof. Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman
   10. Dr. Arshi Khan
   11. Mr Saiyid Hamid
   12. Dr Abu Saleh Sharif
   13. Dr Abdul Haq Ansari
   14. Mr Amanullah Khan
   15. Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mehi Salfi
   16. Mr. K. M. Arifuddin
   17. Dr Syed Farooq
   18. Prof. Humayun Murad
   19. Maulana Mohd. Shafi Moonis
   20. Prof. S.M. Yahya

   In accordance with the Dastoor the President has nominated the following 10 members of the MMM as members of the MMA.

   1. Dr. Ahmad Sajjad
   2. Prof. Allauddin Ahmad
   3. Mr. Ishrat Aziz
   4. Maulana Mohd Jafar
   5. Hafiz Rashid A. Chaudhary
   6. Mr. Shahid Siddiqui
   7. Maulana Zeeshan Hedayati
   8. Prof. Umar Hayat Khan Ghori
   9. Janab Nusrat Ali
   10. Mrs. Nusrat Shervani
   (Abdul Waheed)
   Assistant Returning Officer
   For the Returning Officer

Nomination of the Office-bearers of
All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat

In accordance with the Dastoor the President has nominated the following members of the MMM as Office-bearers of the AIMMM.

Vice President

1. Janab Mohammad Jafar, Vice President
2. Mr. P.A. Inamdar, Vice President
3. Prof Humayun Murad, Vice President
4. Janab Hakim Irfan Al Husaini, Vice President

Secretary General

1. Vacant

General Secretaries

1. Mr. A.R. Shervani
2. Mr. S.M.Y. Nadeem
3. Prof. Akhtarul Wasey
4. Dr. Arshi Khan

Composition of Supreme Guidance Council

In accordance with the Dastoor the following Members of MMM have been nominated as Members of the Supreme Guidance Council.

1. Maulana Mohd. Shafi Moonis, Chairman
2. Dr. Abdul Haq Ansari
3. Mr. Ahmad Rashid Shervani
4. Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mehdi Salfi
5. Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari
6. Mr. Sayid Hamid
7. Maulana Nizamuddin Islahi
8. Mr. Syed Shahabuddin (Living Permanent Member)
9. Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan

AIMMM Organisation:Letter to Maulana Mohd.Shafi Moonis, Chairman, Supreme Guidance Council, 14 March 2010

I announced at the meeting of MMA held at 13 March 2010 that for the first time we have constituted the Supreme Guidance Council. I am sending you a copy of notification. It was also agreed by all present that as the senior most living member of the AIMMM, you should be first chairman of the Supreme Guidance Council.

I also attach a copy of the clause in the Dastoor relating the Supreme Guidance Council for your information. It was also decided that if necessary the meeting of the SGC convened by you as the Chairman be hold at your residence if convenient to you.

Minutes of the Meeting of the MMA on 13 March, 2010

A Meeting of the MMA was held at the AIMMM Central Office at 10:30 AM on 13 March 2010, with the President in chair.

The following members were present: Prof. Shafiq Ahmad khan Nadwi, Prof. Syed Mohd Yahya, Mr. A. R. Agwan, Dr N Rasul Siddiqui, Prof. Habibur Rahman, Dr Arshi Khan, Maulana Mohd Jafar, Prof. Humayun Murad, Dr. Z I Khan, Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari, Prof. Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Maulana Ejaz Ahmed Aslam, Mr S M Y Nadeem, Mr. Amanullah Khan, Mr A R Shervani, Mrs Nusrat Shervani, Dr S Q R Ilyas, Mr Mujtaba Farooq, Mr Mohd Sulaiman.

The meeting commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran.

The President then made a reference to the sudden demise of Maulana Hameeduddin Aqil Hussami, the eminent Islamic scholar of Hyderabad, the Founder-Rector of Dar-ul-ullom, Hyderabad and Amir-e-Sharait Andhra Pradesh, & described it as a great loss for the Muslim Community. The members prayed to Allah for his Maghferat. The President was asked to issue a Statement of Condolence and send a copy to the bereaved family. The minutes follow.

Item 1: Obituary: The Meeting condoled the demise of some eminent members of the Community between January and March, 2010, Maulana Hakim Mohd Maaz Salfi, Member Majlis-e-Shoora MJAH, Shaikh Abdul Mateen Salfi, Member Majlis-e-Shoora MJAH & founder of Tauheed Education Trust, Kishanganj , Maulana Naseer Ahmed Khan, Hadith Scholar & Former Vice Rector of Darul Uloom, Deoband,. Janab Mahfoozur Rahman eminent Urdu journalist, Maulana Syed Mashhudul Hassan, Shaikhul Hadith, Madarsa Aminia, Delhi & Janab Makhmoor Sayeedi, eminent Urdu Poet.

Item 2: In his welcome address the newly elected President referred to the All India Meet of Reservation Activists in New Delhi held on 10 February, 2010, the Joint statement issued by the JCMOE on the Communal Violence Bill, 2009, the announcement of 10 % Reservation for Backward Muslims by the Chief Minister of West Bengal, the rejection by the Andhra Pradesh High Court of the Andhra Pradesh Act for providing 4 % reservation for the Most Backward Muslim groups and also touched upon his recent visit to West Bengal & Bihar for initiating the re-constitution of the RMM’s.

The President informed the MMA about the names of 10 members of the MMA and the office bearers of the AIMMM & of the members of the Supreme Guidance Council. The MMA approved the nomination of Ml. Md. Shafi Moonis, the senior-most living member of the MMM, as the Chairman of the SGS.

Item 3: The outgoing President, Dr Z I Khan presented a brief report on the work of the AIMMM during 2008 & 2009. The President thanked Dr Khan for successfully steering the Mushawarat and expanding its activities in various directions.

Item 4: The Annual Account of the Mushawarat for year 2009-2010 upto 28 February 2010 along with the draft Budget form 2010-11 were discussed. The MMA reduced the budget on electricity and water by 10,000 and cut out the item of Rs. 7500 for municipal tax, bringing the total to 556,000 and forwarded it to the MMM for approval.

The MMA noted the fall in income from various sourcest. It decided that the Central Office should endeavor to collect the arrears of membership fees and CFM donations.

It was agreed that every effort should be made to increase the membership of the MMA and the CFM.

It was also agreed that to strengthen the MMM, the annual membership fee should be raised from Rs 500 to Rs 1000, with effect from 2010.

It was also agreed that systematically fresh RMM’s be organised in all major states of Muslim concentration states because most of them have an ad hoc existence have outlived their term and are dysfunctional. The President suggested that in every state initially an Ad hoc committee of thr RMM should be established with the membership of

• Members of the MMA form the state.
• Representatives of State branches of Markazi Jamaats-members of the MMM
• A few active and exprienced members of the past RMM;

The president may nominate our of the members of the committee as its Convener and allmembers of Ad hoc RMM be authorized to enroll suitable local members, both eligible individuals and representatives of eligible local Jamaats, within a prescribed period & deposit the fees col /lected with the Convener. The President should then nominate a Returning Officer to hold election of office-bearers & then notify the RMM.

The President was also authorised to propose necessary amendments to the Dastoor in accordance with the procedure laid down in time for the next meeting of the Markazi Majlis-e-Mushawarat.

The MMA also considered the progress made by the Mushawarat Trust and it was decided to hold a meeting of the Board of Trustees at an early dare to work out the mechanism for the MMA to secure financial assistance from the Trust for its relevant activities and projects. The MMA was informed that the income from rent etc was already being transferred to the Trust. The MMA in general discussed the proposed construction on the open terrace on the first floor and strengthen the building for the eventual construction of a second floor.

Item 5: After detailed discussion on the Programme of Activities to be undertaken during 2010-11, the MMA decided that the following events should be organised, as and when possible

1. A National Workshop on Electoral Reform & Muslims Representation in Legislatures.
2. A National Political Convention on Strategy for the ensuring Assembly Election during the year, specially in Bihar & West. Bengal.
3. Seminar on the Problems faced by Muslim Educational Institutions.
4. Seminar on the Status of Urdu in School Education particularly in Major Urdu- speaking states.

A Workshop of Mushawarat Workers of all states be held soon in Delhi for discussion on the objective and purpose of the Mushawarat, & the working of the RMM’s to take note of the problems and concerns of the community in the state and take remedial measures directly at the state level, through the state government local authorities as well as the media and subsequently, if necessary, through the Central Office and regularly report development to the MMM.

It was agreed that the MMA & the MMM should meet on the some day, once in 2 months, to review the work of the Mushawarat.

It was agreed that the Markazi Standing Committee (MSC) should meet regularly on the first Saturday of every month and the Office-bearers should devote on an average at least one hour every day to the Mushawarat & attend to the work of the Central Office, as assigned by the President, perhaps two or three days in a week & keep the President informed.

It was also decided that the Central Office should publish a Directory of the Mushawarat as on 30 June 2010 because the last issue of 2007 was out of date.

It was suggested that the President should maintain regular contact with Muslim journalists, advocates & academicians.

Item 6: The MMA considered draft Resolutions on National and International Development already circulated on the following subjects.

1. On Felicitation to Former President for Organising First ever International Dialogue between Islam and Oriental Religions,
2. On Women Reservation Bill Ignores Threats of Aggravating Muslim Under-representation
3. Progress of Muslim Reservation Movement
4. On Communal Violence Bill, 2009
5. On Muslims Indians Allergy to Taslima Nasrin’s Presence in India
6. On Muslims Youth’s Role in Census
7. On Official Visit by PM Manmohan Singh to Saudi Arabia.
8. On Resumption of India- Pakistan Dialogue
9. On Vacation of Afghanistan by the Foreign Forces.
10. On Media Campaign by Police & Intelligence orTerrorism being Both Anti–Muslim and Counterproductive.

In the Resolution on Prime Minister’s Visit to Saudi Arabia, the draft was changed to ‘express the hope of some significant reduction in the level of Indio-Israel co-operation in the field of defence and intelligence.’

The drafts were approved for consideration by the MMM.

Item 7: The President thanked the members for their participation.

Minutes of the Meeting of the MMM on 13 March, 2010

A meeting of the Markazi Majlis-e-Mushawarat was held 1.00 Pm on 13 March, 2010 at the Central Office with the President in chair. The meeting was attended by all the members who were present in the meeting of the MMA held in the forenoon. Draft minutes follow:-

Item 1: The MMM confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 12 December, 2009.

Item 2: The MMM approved the Draft Annual Budget for 2010-11 proposed by the MMA as well as passed the Annual Expenditure for 2009-10

Item 3: The MMM authorized the President to appoint the Auditor, in consultation with the members who had suggested various names. It is a fact that since the Mushawarat Annual Accounts have not been audited for several years, as far as possible, the past annual accounts may also be audited and the Auditor consulted on manner of maintaning accounts properly.

Item 4: All Administrative financial and organizational decisions by the MMA in the fore-noon were confirmed. Similarly all draft Resolutions approved by the MMA were adopted

Item 5: The MMM approved the Scheme for reconstituting the RMM’s and suggested that appropriate amendments to the Dastoor be placed on the agenda of the next meeting of the MMM for consideration.

Item 6: The President requested all members to contact the past members of the MMM and the CFM and suggest their names for formal invitation to revive membership. The President emphasied that the AIMMM must maintain its traditional character as a consultation forum which not mass Organisation, and consists of persons of knowledge, experience & influence.

Item 7&8: The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chair and Dua to invoke Allah’s blessings.

Condolence on Demise of Eminent Persons
MMM Resolution, 13 March 2010

1. Maulana Hakeem Mohd Maaz Salfi Member Majlis-e-Shoora (MJAH) and Principal Unani Medical College Laharya Sarai, Darbhanga, 2 January, 2010
2. Shaikh Abdul Mateen Salfi , Member Majlis-e-Shoora (MJAH), Founder Chairman Tauheed Education Trust Kishanganj, 16 January 2010
3. Maulana Naseer Ahmed Khan, Prominent Hadith Scholar, Former Vice Rector of Darul Uloom, Deoband, 3 February 2010
4. Mahfoozur Rahman, Eminent Journalist, 6 February 2010
5. Maulana Syed Mashhudul Hassan, Shaikhul Hadees, Madarsa Aminia, Delhi, 11, February, 2010
6. Makhmoor Sayeedi, Eminent Urdu Poet, 2 March 2010.
7. C M Abdullah Maulvi, Islamic & Vice President of Kerela
8. Dr S Mahmood Naqvi, Eminent Geologist, Hyderabad
9. Dr A Rahman, ex-Chairman of National Commission on Science Policy
10. Dr. Abrar Alvi Eminent Urdu Writer.

Condolence Statement on Demise of Jyoti Basu
17 January, 2010

The All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) expresses its profound grief at the demise of Shri Jyoti Basu, the former Chief Minister of West Bengal, and offers its sincere condolences to the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Jyoti Basu was a great national leader who, but for the inexplicable objection of his party would have formed a strong secular government at the Centre at a critical juncture in 1996.

Even as Chief Minister his great achievement was to maintain communal peace and harmony in his state and keep his state absolutely free from communal turmoil during Bangladesh Crisis, and also when Bengali-speaking Muslims were being harassed all over the country, particularly in Assam.

With his political acumen, his pan-national vision and his secular ideology, Jyoti Basu was ever respected by all political parties and consulted by successive Prime Ministers on issues of national and international importance. With his demise, the people of India have lost a great statesman and a point of reference, noted for his moderation, balance and unifying cceptability.

The Left Movement has an acknowledged place in national politics but the loss of anchor that Jyoti Basu represented. It has to evolve a new strategy to plough an effective course in national politics, and influence it beyond Kerala and West Bengal, in the turbulent waters that lie ahead.

Condolence Statement on Demise of Maulana Hameeduddin Aqil Hussami, 14 March, 2010

The MMM expresses its deep sorrow at the sudden demise of the renowned Islamic Scholar Maulana Hameeduddin Aqil Hussami at Hyderabad on 12 March, 2010 who rendered unparalleled service as the Amir-e-Shariat Andhra Pradesh, the Founder Rector of the Dar-ul-Uloom, Hyderabad, & Permanent Member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. As an eloquent speaker, he was invited by the Urdu speaking community all over the world.

The AIMMM offers its sincere condolence to the bereaved family and prays to the Almighty to reward him for his great services to Islam and to the Muslim Indian Community.

The Outgoing President’s Report
On his Term (January 2008-December 2009)

I assumed office on 12 January 2008 after getting elected unopposed as the President of the AIMMM for a two-year term (January 2008-December 2009). (For minutes of that meeting, excerpts from the President’s speech and the names of the new office-bearers, please refer to the Mushawarat Bulletin, Jan.-Jun. 2008, pp. 4-5).

Here is a very short account of the important steps and activities which were undertaken during this period:
Membership criterion was simplified and a number of eminent persons from various walks of life especially from the younger generation and ulama including those from Barielly were invited to join the AIMMM. A standing committee has now been designated to periodically look into new appropriate names of individuals and organisations to induct them into the organisation. Meetings of the Amla (Working Committee) and the Markazi Majlis (central committee) were convened in time wherein issues related to the organisation, millat, the country and the world were discussed and appropriate resolutions were passed which were later published by newspapers and websites and are reproduced in the Mushawarat Bulletin.

Statements were issued on milli, national and international issues from time to time and were carried by newspapers and websites and are reproduced in the Mushawarat Bulletin.

Letters were sent to the Prime Minister, President, concerned ministers, NHRC, NCM and to leaders of Milli organisations regarding problems and issues affecting the community. Letters were also sent to Urdu newspapers from time to time to invite attention to a certain issue, correct wrong reporting or insinuations regarding the AIMMM.

Dharnas and conferences were organised in Delhi with the cooperation of other milli organisations to press issues like reservation, condemning terrorism libel and decrying Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip, etc.

AIMMM representatives or fact-finding teams were sent to find out specific problems of reported persecution like the Kalalati village in Haryana and the press was informed about the results.

Receptions were held to honour some important visiting dignitaries like the US-based Palestinian activist Huwaida Arraf, the Malaysian human rights and consumer activist SM Idrees and his team and Prof. Mustafa Roshash, VC of Zanzibar University. AIMMM members in and around Delhi participated in such meetings alongwith leading figures of other milli organisations and Muslim mediapersons.

The President or AIMMM officials designated by him participated in conferences and meetings held by other milli organisations.

Mushawarat Bulletin was published during this period albeit in collected issues where all proceedings, letters, statements and important documents have been reproduced. Issues of the last six months are yet to be compiled and hopefully will be out within this month (March 2010).

Mushawarat Trust was formally registered during this period and started functioning with Maulana Jalaluddin Umari as its President and Janab Syed Shahabuddin as its managing trustee. Bank accounts related to relief and building have been transferred to this new entity which has been created to safeguard the properties and finances of the organisation.

Some state units like Western and Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal were reorganised. As a result of hasty and inept handling, the West Bengal unit faced discontent which was brought to the notice of the Amla and Markazi Majlis on more than one occasion. An ad hoc body under a convenor is at present functioning in West Bengal while a local group there is not cooperating with the new body, yet, despite serious provocation, I have refrained from taking any harsh step against this group in order to avoid any split in the state unit. Messages from the Gujarat unit during the early period of my term indicated that activation of the state unit there will not be desirable in view of the situation prevailing in the state but latest reports from the state suggest that activation is now not only possible but desirable. The new President should take an initiative in this direction.

Where need was felt, relief was offered out of the relief fund, like help to victims of the communal violence in Assam and victims of the Aila cyclone in West Bengal.

Finances of the Mushawarat worsened during this period. The total Mushawarat budget for the year 2008-09 was Rs 605000 but only Rs 499483 was spent, while the budget for the 2009-2010 is Rs 580,000 but until February 2010 only Rs 380492 have been spent which includes a large loan to one of our employees. This is a result of the frugal policy employed and also because of the President’s footing of certain bills where he had taken the initiative. One alarming development during this period was the dwindling payments by the Circle of Friends of Mushawarat. A search for a proper secretary for the President did not yield any result. An efficient and knowledgeable secretary is very much needed to assist the President in his responsibilities. I feel that due to the lack of material and human resources it was not possible for me to do justice to my responsibilities.

Reconstitution of all RMM’s
14 March, 2010

As you are aware, I have been elected as the President of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) for the two years term of 2010 – 11. Since most of our States units (RMM’s) have not been formally constituted and are not operational, we have decided to reconstitute Reyasati Majalis-e-Mushawarat (RMM) in order to make our organization more purposeful and effective.

From the records available in the Central Office, you were nominated as the Convener of the RMM but we have no information on the formal constitution of the RMM by the MMM or of the election of State Office-bearers or of its organizational activities since its formation. With the approval of the Markazi Majlis-e-Amla, we have decided to dissolve the exiting RMM, if any & nominate Ad hoc Reyasati MM, consisting of the Members of the Markazi Majlis-e-Mushawarat (MMM) who reside in your State, and are therefore ex-officio Members of the RMM, and the representatives of the State units of National Jamaats (Organization or Institution etc) which are affiliated to the AIMMM, and a few experienced members of the past RMM. The members of this committee shall contact suitable local Jamaats & individuals for the joining the RMM, from among the Representatives of local Jamaats (Organization or Social-Institution etc) of State eminence as well as eminent personalities from different fields of activities, whose association will be of use to and strengthen the RMM as well as former Members & who desire to be enrolled. We attach Enrolment Form for Jamaats & individuals.

This contact should be done at the earliest within one month of the receipt of this letter.

On hearing from you, the Central Office shall immediately notify the Ad hoc RMM & nominate a Convener for the RMM and authorize him to collect the annual membership of Rs.250/- from the members for 2010. Subsequently, the Central Office shall appoint a Returning Officer to hold a meeting of the RMM to elect the Riyasati office-bearers,.

Relevant extracts from the Dastoor of the RMMM are enclosed, along with the names of MMM members of the state.

I request you for your active and personal co-operation.

Letter to All Existing State Conveners,
9 March, 2010

As you are aware, I have been elected as President of the AIMMM of the 2 years term of 2010-11. From the available record of the central office you have been nominated as the convener of the Reyasati MM. We have no record of any formal notification of the constitution of the RMM, election of office-bearer or any organizational actively. It has been decided to request the members of Markazi Majlis-e-Mushawarat who reside in your state who is ex-officio members of the RMM along with the representative of the state units of the National Jamaat, which are affiliated the AIMMM.

According to the Dastoor the member of the RMM have to be enrolled from among local Jamaats, organizations or institutions, who are well known in the state as well as eminent individuals from different fields whose association will be of use to and strengthen the RMM.

To contact suitable persons for the reconstitution of the RMMM in accordance with Dastoor, we are requested them to send us the name of such persons with their profession, occupation, the name of the Muslims organization or association with which associated with their enrolment form duly filled. On hearing from them the central office shall first notify the convener for the RMM and authorized the convener to collect the annual member ship fee. Subsequently the Central office shall appoint a returning officer to hold a meeting of the RMM to elect the Reyasati office bearer in accordance with the Dastoor.
I request you to your personal and active cooperation.

BUDGET

AIMMM General Account for 2009-10

Budget Estimate for 2010-11 and Actual for Year 2009-10

Request for Donation for Construction

Letter to All Eminent Donors, 18 March 2010

As President of the All India Majlis-e-Mushawarat and of the Mushawarat Trust I recall with gratitude your financial support to the Mushawarat in 2005 to enable us to purchase the building we are today using as our office. I am advised that standing on 500 sq yds, its value now exceeds Rs 2 Crores!

To protect and preserve it, the AIMMM has registered a Trust in the name of Mushawarat Trust and now the building is the property of the Trust.

In order to utilize the building fully, we have developed a plan for converting the open terrace, about 200 sq yds in area, on the first floor into two small flats which can bring the Trust an income of about Rs 20,000 per month. The estimated cost is about Rs 1,000,000. We still have a balance Rs 400, 000 in the Building Fund. We need about Rs 600, 000 to complete the project. This should provide a permanent source of income for the Trust and, thus make the Mushawarat independent of vagaries of annual subscriptions and donations.

We have decided to approach only a few benefactors like you who donated Rs100,000 or more in 2005. We shall indeed be grateful if you would kindly fulfill our expectation and support this project through an act of munificence.

We pray to Allah Almighty to reward your noble gesture.
Mr. Nadeem Tarin
Dr. K A Mallick
Mr. Faisal Sayed
Mr. A R Allana
Mr. Abdul Majeed Quraishi

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS OF MUSHAWARAT

Members of Circle of Friends of Mushawarat (2000-2010)

Names

Office Memorandum

Monthly Meeting of the Markazi Standing Committee (MSC) on First Saturday of the Month
14 March, 2010

In order to monitor the working of the Central Office, it has been decided to hold a meeting of the Markazi Standing Committee regularly once a month. It is suggested that Markazi Standing Committee meet on the first Saturday of every month which should not normally take more than one hour.

The next meeting, it has been decided by the President, shall be held on 3 April 2010, at 10:30 AM in the Central Office.

All office-bearers are requested to attend the meeting.
According to the Dastoor, other members of the MMA who are living in Delhi should be invited. A copy of this OM is also sent to them for information.

1. All Members of the MSC
2. All other Members of MMA, living in Delhi

NATIONAL POLITICS

Identification of BPL Families

Letter to the MOS for Minority Affairs, 5 January, 2010

On 125 Anniversary of the Foundation of the Indian National Congress

Letter to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, President, INC, 6 Jan., 2010

I convey my sincere felicitation to you on the 125 anniversary of the Foundation of the Indian National Congress which led the freedom struggle and put the country on the path of Independence.

If has been noticed by some observers that there was no Muslim and no tribal leaders on the dais on the occasion. Both the Muslims and the tribal’s have historically supported the Congress this omission is bound to be taken note of by the communities. I suggest that the party spokesman should explain this in inadvertent omission.

Despite the adoption of the one-man, one-post rule, it appears that several members of the Council of Ministers also hold party posts. This blocks the entry of fresh blood which would nourish the party at this critical junction.

I would be grateful if any material has been produced and distributed on the occasion by the party. If so I would be grateful to receive the in English.

On Political System

Letter to Dr. Arshi Khan, AMU, 13 February, 2010

I thank you for giving me a copy of your paper on Federalism and Communalism in the Indian Polity. I might have missed it but I feel that your paper is situated on the real flaw in our system which arises from the electoral system based on first-past-the-post. This result is that almost no government, at the centre or in the states is based on the positive support of 50% of the voting electorate. In fact, most of them are based on support of just about 20-35%. Such governments cannot be termed as democratic and can not set up a truly federal system.

The majoritarian communalism in India is directed basically against the Muslims, the second biggest religious community which the Hindu majority continues to regard as its historic adversary and a target for retaliation and revenge for the misdeeds committed by rulers who had Muslim names, some are magnified through myths and legend. That is how I came to conclusion that to usher in true democracy and to install governments which at least enjoy the support of 50 % of the electorate, we should replace the first-past-the-post system by proportional representation system organized on a regional basis, with not more than 10-15 seats in each with a cut off of 5% votes for participating parties.

Secondly, in order to ensure social justice participation in governance and empowerment we must introduce reservation in all services and cadres at all levels in all states, not only in public recruitment but in post-school education and distribution of benefits of development. The quotas of reservation must be based on population of various groups at the operational/recruitment distribution level and their relative index of backwardness (with SC/ST=100). Thus, the salvation of our democratic and federal system lies in introducing both a new electoral system and all-round almost universal reservation.

To make my thesis complete, may I add that India cannot be a truly federal state with the existing disproportion between the biggest and the smallest state True federation subsists only among the states of comparable population and area. Therefore, the Rashiduddin Khan Plan, with suitable modification in the light of latest census and public demands, must be put into effect to re.

On Hinduisation of Administration

Letter to the Secretary, MHA, 22 February, 2010

The Dainik Jagran, Dehradun, has reported on 6th February, 2010 that on the occasion of Kumbh Mela under the leadership of Mela Officer and the DIG, Mela, 15,000 policemen and other officers and staff took oath for proper performance of duty in connection with the Maha Kumbh with Gangajal in hand, they were not only from the UP police, but included the personnel of RAF & CRPF.

Every public servant is expected to perform the duty allotted to him and the oath he takes in the name of the Constitution at the time of joining his service is adequate. This is the first time I have come a cross that 15,000 policemen marching in a procession starting from police line to Hariki Pidi took a purely a religious oath. For one thing this was an unnecessary exercise and on, the other hand, it reflects the religious streak which has permeated our administrative system. I would request you to kindly look into the matter.

GOVERNMENT

Ban on Cow Slaughter

Letter to Dr. M.S. Gill, Minister of Sports, 11 Jan., 2010

I have taken note of the controversy in the Delhi Municipal Corporation on whether beef should be served to the participants in the Commonwealth Games, 2010. It has been urged that service of beef will hurt religious sentiments of the majority of Delhiets. The Congress leaders in the Opposition have gone to the extent of saying ‘we worship cows; then, how can we allow them to be slaughtered & served to the beef eaters; we will support the BJP on the issue’. I do not understood what he means by ‘we’. In fact a majority of those who eat beet form a majority of the people. They are not only Muslims but a large section of Hindus.

What is important is to realize that having taken over the responsibility of organizing the Commonwealth Games, we are subject to the rules and regulations of the Commonwealth Games Federation, under which, I presume, beef should be served to those who want it just as alcohol is available for those who ask for it. Furthermore it is an open secret that beef is widely served in all hotels of Delhi, particularly those who belong to the 5 star category.

If we had any reservations, we should not have accepted or offered to host the exact.

Misuse of Prevention Detention

Letter to Ram Jethmalani, Senior Advocate, 14 Jan., ‘10

The widespread misuse of MCOCA in Maharashtra must have come to your notice. In this connection I draw your kind attention to the article ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, in Tehelka of 16 January 2010.

The main points of concern in MCOCA are evidence given by an accused to a police officer of high rank. What is more the confessions are admissible evidence not only against the confess or but against those whose name as collaborators appears in the course interrogation. The safeguards against such confessions under the Act are in adequate to prevent misuse you may recall that this was the basic flaws in TADA & POTA.

The second matter of concern is the stringent condition for grant of bail, it is said that in 11 years, not even 1 % of the accused under MCOCA have been given bail by the trial court.

Thirdly, the MCOCA was supposed to apply only to those accused who were the members of organized crime syndicates and guilty of continuing unlawful activities. In fact many innocent family members of the accused have been booked under MCOCA by the police and behind bars for years for years, in fact as long as possible.

The Mumbai Bar is crying out for repeal of MCOCA because the number of innocent people jailed or kept in prison for years has sky rocketed.

I am writing this to request you that a person of your stature should plead before the Supreme Court to make the police accountable for the misuse or abuse of the Act and also make the government liable to pay adequate compensation to the persons who are finally accused. Copy to Mr Ashoke Chauhan, CM of Maharashtra With the request that the gain and loss under MCOCA in the last decade should be assessed and the question of its repeal may kindly be considered.

On Admission of Muslims & Dalits in Intelligence

Letter to Home Minister, 17 January, 2010

We are glad to know the outlines of your plan for integrated and unified control of intelligence & counter-intelligence under the Home Ministry. It is an excellent idea to have a separate Ministry of Internal Security though it need not follow the American model nor should it focus only on counter terrorism. In fact, our present ‘obsession’ with terrorism should not blind us to the fact that apart from terrorism there are other violent threats to our internal security even in normal times.

Many of us feel that all inter-state crimes should be investigated and the accused prosecuted by a national agency. With this end in view, the charters of NCTC and MAC need to be reviewed to avoid duplication.

I take this opportunity to draw your attention to the fact that several sections of our people the Muslims & Dalits in particular do not trust the IB as constituted at present. It should cover a much wider national spectrum to select its staff and functionaries. There is also a suspicion that IB has been and is being used for political purposes. This role needs to be curtailed to raise its credibility in the democratic opposition.

On Representation of Muslims in Armed Forces

Letter to Dr. Omar Khalidi, MIT, USA, 14 March, 2010

I am grateful to you for your visit and for the copy of the second edition of your book “Khaki and Ethnic Violence in India”. As I mentioned to you, it is a much improved, more informative and better organized edition. I, however, feel that the long pending question of due representation of the Muslim community, after 60 years of independence in the Armed Forces, the Para-military Forces and the State Polices needs to be tackled in a manner which gives them an opportunity to serve their motherland and also by their pressure to change the communal bias in the Forces & therefore, their role in social conflicts including communal and caste violence.

I hope the next edition shall have more detailed information on their composition, mode of selection, promotion systems, & the implementation of the suggestions made in the Parliament and outside by various Commissions & by the Courts.

I may add that the Muslim community has long been long demanding due representation in all forces as well as intelligence machinery.

On Rectification of Omissions in Acts

Letter to Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, 20 March, 2010

I am writing this to draw your attention to the article in India Today ‘Acts of Omission’ ( 15 March 2010) in which it has been pointed out that several Acts which should have been notified as they were, after receiving the President’s assent, have been notified with several key sections and provision omitted. This, to my mind, amounts to intrusion by the Executive in the domain of the Legislature and violates the sanctity of the Acts.

You have suggested that the MPs should make use of the parliamentary forum and see the clarification from the Ministry concerned but to my mind this is an issue not for individual MPs to sort out but to be taken up by the Legislature.

I do not have to tell you that as Act should be notified within a reasonable period the framing of the Rules may be delayed for various reasons. But if the Government thinks the key provision of Act are not to be implemented or can not be implemented, it should seek necessary amendment by the Legislature.

I request you to discuss the matter with the Hon’ble Chairman & find a constitutional solution of the problem.

RESERVATION

National Meet of Reservation Activists, New Delhi, 10 February, 2010

Letters of Invitation to Dr. Syed Tahir Mahmood, Dr. Abusaleh Shariff and Mr. Zafar Saifullah,
18 Jan., 2010

Progress of Reservation Movement

MMM Resolution, 13 March 2010

The MMM endorses the Final Statement of the National Meet of Reservation Activists in New Delhi on 10 February, 2010 and calls upon the people, particularly the Muslims youth to mobilize themselves for a peaceful struggle to achieve reservation in government jobs, education, development benefits & bank credit flow.

The MMM also request JCMOE to hold an early meeting to formulate the future course of the Movement, in view of the coming Assembly election for guiding the Muslims voters.

The MMM expresses its profound satisfaction over the progress of National Movement of Muslim Reservation which has gained momentum all over the country to publicize the demand for implementation of the recommendation of the Mishra Commission. The MMM is convinced that the Muslims demand for reservation shall figure prominently in the coming elections, and bring out the need for development oriented Census of all identifiable social groups which will not only give their population but also other particulars on the basis of uniform parameters to measure their backwardness.

The MMM also calls upon the Supreme Court to revise the 50 % ceiling on total reservation. The MMM appeals to all secular parties raise both question in the Parliament and press the central government to have a discussion in Parliament on the Mishra Report after placing its our views on the table.

On Social Justice

Letter to Mr.Justice A. M. Ahmadi,
Former Chief Justice of India, 13 February, 2010

I have gone through your valuable & comprehensive Address on Pathway to Social Justice at the Constitution Club on 01 January, 2010, to mark the anniversary of our late lamented colleague Mr. Chandrajeet Yadav. I have come to believe that Social Justice shall remain a dream in our segmented and multi-layered society unless we have the courage and the will to change the electoral system which, we have installed under the Constitution, theoretically based on universal adult suffrage, in fact elects legislators who receive most of the time the bulk of the votes of their own groups but only a minority of the vote caste. Indeed, very few winners cross the 50% limit. This gives rise to another anomaly that nearly all the governments at the centre and in the states in our parliamentary system operate with an artificial majority which collectively represents only 20% or so of the voters. This is why our democracy is no longer representative....

You are well aware of the criminalization & that has crept into politics and its growing dominance of crorpatis. How can such legislators and governments are bank on their support introduce social justice which implies not only justice among individuals but among the various groups and sub-groups whatever their identity that inhabit our land.

Prime Minister never tires of dilating on inclusive development, power sharing, equitable development and partnership in governance. All these finally reduce to a compulsion to benefit the elite and the high income groups which are together come to 15-20% of the people. These beneficiaries use the government machinery to enrich themselves and empowers themselves. They are not bothered of about 80% of the people almost equal among SC/ST, the non-Muslim Hindu OBC and the Muslim minority.

I, therefore, feel that unless this pothole on the pathway to social justice can be filled through appropriate reform in the Parliamentary and electoral system as well as the creation of small state of comparable population and area we can never reach our destination.

Let me add that the Equal Opportunity Commission envisages by the Sachar Committee will not be of any use to the deprived masses who cannot pursue their case of injustice; five steps up to the Commission.

I, therefore, request you that as a person who is sympathetic and have the capacity to influence the national thinking you should enlarge the agenda for social justice and widen the pathway for the masses to move ahead.

On National Meet of Muslim Reservation Activists, 10 February, 2010.

JCMOE/NMMR Press Note, 12 January, 2010

The Core Committee of the National Movement for Muslim Reservation, formed in accordance with the decision taken by the National Conference on Muslim Reservation held in New Delhi on 1 February 2009, has decided to convene a Meet of Muslim Reservation Activists on 10 February 2010, at the India Islamic Cultural Center, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-3.

The Meet’s main purpose is to build a Muslim consensus which would contribute towards crystallization of political support for the implementation of the Mishra Report. It is anticipated that Report will be discussed by the Parliament in the early part of the Budget Session 2010.

Another purpose of the Meet is to formulate the Strategy and Programme of Action to press for the implementation of the Recommendation of the Mishra Report which was tabled in the Parliament on 18 December, 2009, following multiple representations, Muslim organizations, political parties and prominent opinion-makers since its presentation to the Prim Minister in May 2007.

The Meet shall inter alia consider various objections and excuses which are being raised to misguide the Muslim Community & thus to further delay the implementation & to expose their irrationality and untenability.

Since the New Delhi Conference, several state & town level conferences and rallies have been held throughout the country and many national and state political parties have expressed their support to Reservation for Muslims and Other Minorities and to Inclusion of Christian and Muslim Dalits in the Lists of SCs.

All Muslim Activists who support reservation for Muslims & Other Minorities & who worked at various levels for the last one year are requested to attend the Meet. In addition, Muslims opinion-makers such as Muslim, MPs and ex- MPs, journalists, academicians, members of Muslim organizations of national eminence, and the Muslim intelligentsia are also being invited.

The Meet shall be a one day affair beginning at 10 AM and closing at 6 PM.

The NMMR appeals to all Muslim political & social workers, irrespectively of party/NGO affiliation, particularly the Muslim youth, to participate in the Meet in order to carry forward our democratic battle for Dignity & Social Justice at this critical juncture.

On Alternative formula of Mishra Commission

Letter to Mr Zafar Saifullah, IAS( Retd.), 24 January 2010

I am sending you the text of recommendations of the Rangnath Mishra Commission.

I may add that we do not agree with the alternative recommendation under Reservation, of 6 % for the Muslims within 8 % of minorities out of 27 % for various reasons.

First, because it is inaccurate, in so far as the Mandal Scheme notionally provides only 2.95 % for Muslims. Secondly, raising Muslim share to 6 % is bound to create a conflict with non-Muslim OBCs. As it is 27 % was accepted by Mandal under legal constraint & is very small compared to the estimated Hindu OBC population of nearly 45 % not counting other forward backward castes like Jats which are clamoring for inclusion in the OBC list.

On Caste Census & State Specific Ceiling

Letter to Mukul Wasnik
Minister for Social Justice etc, 18 February, 2010

On behalf of the Executive Committee of the NMMR, I thank the Government for placing the Report of the National Commission for Religious & linguistic Minorities headed by Justice Ranganath Mishra in the public domain.

The National Movement for Muslim Reservation which came into existence as a decision of the National Conference on Muslim Reservation held on 1 February, 2009 has been active in promoting the cause of Muslim reservation in public employment, higher education & benefits of social & welfare development.

The Recommendation of the Mishra Report have been enthusiastically received by the Muslim Community and other Religious Minorities all over the country. Several rallies and many public meeting have been demanding their expeditious implementation. In this connection, a National Meet of Muslim Reservation Activist was held in New Delhi on 10 February 2010, whose objective was to build up a consensus in the Muslim Community on various aspects of the Report as well as to workout a Strategy and Plan of Action for its early implementation. The Meet also adopted a Final Statement whose copy is enclosed for your information.

Our immediate request is that Discussion on the Report should be included in the agenda of the Parliament during the Budget session to help develop a national consensus on its implementation.

The Reservation Movement as well as the Meet of Activists have also come to the conclusion that the Reservation quota for social groups or sub-groups, which are educationally, socially and economically backward should be based on population and relative level of backwardness, compare to SC/ST.

To obtain relevant data the next Census 2011 should be development-oriented so as to give not only the population of all identifiable social groups and sub-groups but their levels of backwardness in terms of uniform easily accessible parameters.

Secondly, there is a surge of demand for reservation all over the country. Apart from the Muslims and Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes whose population has risen beyond the constitutional limit of 22.5 %, many intermediate castes as well as higher caste which have a backward core are also demanding reservation. These demands can not be accommodated within the existing ceiling of 50 %. Therefore our second request is that the Government should approach the Supreme Court to relax the restriction and introduce state-specific ceilings in place of a uniform national ceiling, as the number of Backward Classes and the levels of backwardness vary from state to state.

We annex with this letter a summarized version of the Working Paper circulated among the delegates.

On Implementation of Mishra Recommendations

Letter to All Secular Political Parties Leaders,
24 February, 2010

As you are aware, the Government of India finally tabled the Report of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities, headed by Justice Ranganath Mishra, former Chief Justice of India in Lok Sabha on 18 December 2009. However, for reasons best known to the GDI, no ATR was placed on the table.

All minorities particularly the Muslim Community have welcomed the recommendations of the Mishra Commission. For the first time a National Commission has recommended 15 % reservation for the minorities in government employment and higher education and fruits of social & welfare development programmes with 10 % exclusively for Muslims under Articles 15 (4) & 16(4), read with Article 46 of the Constitution. Since then to expedite implementation by the Government, rallies & meetings has been hold all over the country. Several secular parties have explicitly supported the recommendation for Muslim reservation, while the BJP and Shive Sena, not unexpectedly have opposed such reservation. The Mishra Commission has also recommended that the Presidential Order of 1950 be amended to open it to all religion & thus add Muslim & Christian Dalits in the SC list.

The National Movement for Muslim Reservation which was founded on 1 February 2009, organized a National Meet of Reservation Activists in New Delhi on 10 February 2010, which was attended by nearly 500 delegates from 12 major states. The participants adopted papers on Consensus on Recommendations, Strategy and Plan of Action as well as Final Statement which, inter-alia, called upon the Community to seek support of all secular parties.

On behalf of the Executive Committee, with due respect, I enclose the documents mentioned above as well as the Resolution of 1 February 2009 & request you to kindly raise the question of action on Mishra Report during the Budget session. The minority communities particularly the Muslims shall appreciate you positive response to their request.

The Government also needs approach the Supreme Court to relax the 50 % ceiling on total reservation and make the ceiling state-specific, so that the surge of aspiration of the deprived groups and sub-groups can be reasonably fulfilled.

It may be added that in order to identify the Backward Classes & the Weaker Section, the coming Census 2011 should be conducted in a manner so as to give the population of all conscious and identifiable social groups & sub-groups as well as their relative levels of backwardness and deprivation, under uniform parameters, so that they can be identified their quota & sub-quota can be scientifically determine.

To sum up, we request your support to the Recommendation of the Mishra Commission as well as request you to propose relaxation of 50 % ceiling on reservation and a Deprivation Census in 2011.

Mrs Sonia Gandhi, President, Indian National Congress
Kumari Mamata Banerjee, President, AITC
Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav, President, Samajwadi Party
Thiru M Karunanidhi, President, DMK
Shri. Laloo Prasad Yadav, President, RJD
Shri. H.D. Deve Gowda, President, Janata Dal (Secular)
Mr A B. Bardhan, General Secretary, CPI
Mr Sharad Pawar, President, NCP)
Mr Prakash Karat, Secretary-General, CPI (M)
Kumari Mayawati, President, Bahujan Samaj Party

Mistake in Alternative Formula

Letter to Dr. Syed Tahir Mahmood, Former Member of Mishra Commission, 24 March, 2010 The Mishra Report (Para 16.2.17) says ‘As an alternative we recommend that since according to the Mandal Commission Report the minorities constitute 8.4 percent of the total OBC population, in the 27 percent OBC quota an 8.4percent sub-quota should be earmarked for the minorities with an internal break-up of 6 percent for the Muslims (commensurate with their 73 percent share in the total minority population at the national level) and 2.4 percent for the other minorities – with minor adjustments inter se in accordance with population of various minorities in various States and UTs’

2. The recommendation is based on the assumption that under the Mandal Report, minorities constitute 8.4 % of the total OBC population which, as computed by Mandal Commission comes to 52 % of the national population and gives the following distribution of the related castes.

I. SC/ST 22.5%
II. Non Hindu religious community
Muslims 11.19 %
Others 4.97%
Total 16.16 %
III. Forward Hindu Caste
IV. Backward Hindu Castes & Community 43.70 %
52 % of religious groups under section II 8.40 %
The approximate population of OBC including non-Hindu OBC 43.70+8.40= 52 %
Thus it will be seen that according to Mandal Muslims form 5.8 % (52 % of 11.19) and Other Religious Minorities form 2.6 %
The Mandal Report says in Para 13.11 that is view of legal restraint it recommended reservation of 50-22.5 i,e 27 % OBCs for the non-Hindu share comes to 4.20 % of which Muslim share is 2.9 %.
Thus it will be seen that the according to Mandal Commission, Muslim count for only 11.19 % of the total national population, only 5.8 % of the total OBC population and only 2.9 % of total OBC quota.
Thus the Mishra recommendation is far fetched and inaccurate in providing reservation of 6 % out of 27 % for the Muslims or of 2 % for other minorities.
I would be grateful for your comments at your earliest convenience.
Copy to:- Mr A R Ansari Ex- Secretary Mishra Commission.

On Rising West Bengal Muslim Quota from 10 to 24%

AIMMM President’s Letter to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, 21 March, 2010

You were the first to announce 10% reservation for Backward Muslims under the Mishra Recommendation. But since then we have examined the situation in depth and came to the conclusion that this was basically an inadequate political gesture in order to stop the outflow of the Muslim votes.

To begin with, Muslims in West Bengal form about 27% of the population. They are the most backward Muslim community of all states in the country. In the light of Sachar Report and the Mishra Report they are almost as backward as the SC/ST. Therefore, they should have full weightage for their population in reservation or at least 90%. This amounts to 24.03%, if not 27%.

We realise that the Muslim community in West Bengal is not able to throw up enough candidates who fulfill minimum conditions of eligibility except perhaps in the lower jobs (Groups C & D) but announcement of their due quota shall give an impetus to the Muslim youth to seek post secondary education. Therefore, justice demands that you raise the quota from 10% to 24%.

We also do not understand your distinction between Backward and Forward Muslims. We think that forward Muslims will be largely eliminated by the application of the creamy layer. Also for the historical situation of West Bengal the percentage of non-Backward Muslims (whom we prefer to call ‘Ashraf’) will not be more than 10%, largely consisting of those who claim descent from foreign migrants or lineage. So we would not object, If apart from the creamy layer, you also exclude those Muslims who claim to be Ashraf except those who economically come within the backward classes, for example, those whose per capita income falls below BPL or a certain multiple thereof.

The second objection that we have is that you have not announced reservation for education and for development benefits which largely relate to the rural sector Identifying and counting the eligiable persons for any scheme is no problem in any Panchayat or Block or urban mohalla or municipal ward.

As for education, so long as a candidate has the minimum qualification he should be admitted. Only in cases where a competition test is necessary those who do not make the grade within 24% limit, may be disregarded.

The third objection we have relates to the procedure for identification of groups and individuals. The Government to the best of our knowledge has not issued a notification or laid down the procedure. But you have announced that the cases of some more Muslim sub-communities shall be processed by the West Bengal Backward Classes Commission. We think that the non-identification of Backward Muslim groups as OBCs over the last two decades or more is as much as fault of the State Government as of the community. But since it is a question of mass reservation, this is not a function of the Backward Classes Commission which is meant to go into the cases of inclusion or exclusion. It is our considered view that reservation for the Muslims should be introduced by means of an Executive Order as in the case of the Central Government on Mandal Report.

We realise that the provision of 24% for the Muslims will mean that total reservation shall reach nearly 60% As you are aware, several States particularly Tamil Nadu, have already exceeded the unrealistic ceiling of 50% imposed by the Supreme Court. We feel that your Government should follow the example.

We have separately asked the Central Government that in view of the fact that the number of Backward Classes and their level of backwardness vary from state to state in our vast country, the imposition of a common uniform ceiling on total reservation throughout the country is not only unrealistic but unjust. The total reservation should be state-specific and the State Government should determine the individual sub-quotas of eligible groups and then work out the total. We would like to clarify that the Mishra Commission has gone beyond Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution and also considered Article 46 and has laid down that groups which form the minorities in any state are per se a weaker section and therefore the state must promote and protect their interests.

We are sending a copy of this letter to Shri Prakash Karat, General Secretary, CPM and to Sri AB Bardhan, General Secretary, CPI. We also propose to release the letter to the press after waiting for your response.

Notional Mandal Quota for Muslims only 3-4%

Letter to Shri Digvijay Singh,
General Secretary, INC, 28 March, 2010

Some Congress leader have proposed splitting up the existing OBC quota of 27%, to provide reservation to religious minorities. A cursory look at the Mandal Report will show that in the calculation of OBC the Mandal Report has concluded that 44 % are Hindus and roughly 8 % are religious minorities with only 6 % Muslims a total of 52 %. But the reservation could not get the weightage of 1:1 limited to 27 % under the Supreme Court Ceiling of 50 % since 22.5 % was already reserved for SC/ST, the Mandal Commission accepted the offer of 27% under legal compulsion. This implies that out of 27 % notionally the religious minorities have a share of only 4 % of which the Muslims may claim 3 %.

Apart from the political implication of the proposed split-up of 27 % among Hindus, Muslims and Christians it will lead to a serious conflict between the Hindus and Muslims on one hand and the Christians on the other hand.

AIMMM looks upon the suggestion as a Congress strategy to split anti-Congress votes. In any case, the Muslim community throughout the country is now campaigning for the implementation of Mishra Commission recommendation which gives 10 % to the Muslims in a country as whole. In states where Muslim population substantially exceeds 10 % as in West Bengal, Assam, U P & Jharkhand, their share will be higher.

How can Muslims accept the proposed split of the Mandal quota which will, if at all give them, a separate sub-quota of only 3 to 4 %.

On PFI’s National Conference on Muslim Reservation

Letter to the President PFI, 7 January, 2010

I have just received your e-mail I am glad that PFI is organizing a National Campaign on Muslim Reservation. I shall try to come to Pune for inaugurating the Campaign on 31 January 2010. Please let me know whether PFI will be in position to arrange air travel.

You may recall that the National Conference on Reservation in New Delhi in February 2009, it had been decided to launch a movement under the title National Movement for Muslim Reservation. Since PFI is a member of the JCMOE & was one of the sponsors of the Conference, I feel that you should link your National Campaign with the National Movement. I leave it to you to decide the manner in which you create this linkage in the public eye. This is important because at this end we are also planning an intensive programme during February- April, particularly in UP, Bihar and West Bengal. Inter alia we are thinking of having a National Meet of Activists of Muslim Reservation, from all part of the country, most probably on 10 Feb in the IICC.

We request you to ensure that the PFI is well represented at this Meet. You may perhaps ask all office bearers in various states to join the Meet with their supporters as well as bring large contingents from Karla and Karnataka. Regards & New Year Greetings.

Letter to Prof. Humayun Murad Secretary General
Centre of the Backward Muslim of India, 15 Feb., 2010

I thank you for participating in the National Meet of Reservation Activists in Delhi on 10 February, 2010 I was told that you are now heading the Markazi Momin Conference but I found that you are the Secretary General of the Centre of the Backward Muslims of India which in 1967 held a conference in Aligarh and demanded separate quotas for backward Muslim.

As you are aware both the Sachar Committee and Mishra Commission have now concluded that the practically the entire Muslim community constitutes a Backward Class within the meaning of the Constitution. However our National Movement for Muslim Reservation stands by the Resolution adopted in 1994 and confirmed in 2009 that notified backward class should enjoy the preference and first priority in the distribution of benefits of any Muslim quota. We have also suggested various ways in which to promote and protect the interest of the so-called ‘Ajlaf’ who according to my calculation constitute 75-80% of the Muslims in the country. Unfortunately all of them not yet recognize as Backward Class, as they should be.

I am writing to suggest we should meet some time after you have gone through the Working Papers and clear any doubt and suggest any improvement.

Proposed Change in Resolution

Letter to President, PFI, 13 February, 2010

1. Muslims, as the biggest religious minority, be declared Socially, Educationally and Economically Backward Class for the purpose of admissions to educational institutions and employment in government service and earmarked a quota of at least 10%.
2. All Muslim and Christian Dalit groups who are an ……. of community and occupationally on par with Hindu Scheduled castes included in the lists of Scheduled Castes.
3. The Parliament must enact a law, if necessary, to abolish the Supreme Court ruling that total reservation should not exceed 50% after the review petition fails.
4. A caste & community census of each household is undertaken in the Census 2011
5. The Constitution of India must be amended so as to stipulate ‘representation in proportion to population as an explanation to the term ‘adequate representation’ envisaged in Part III of Fundamental Rights.
6. All political parties which claim to be secular must take a position stand on the question of providing reservation to Muslims throughout India.
7. All Muslim organizations, institutions and community leaders at all levels should reach a consensus and mobilize support of for reservation.
8. All depressed & deprived groups including Adivasis & other Dalits, Backward Classes and Religious Minorities should build a social coalition and alliance in order to achieve the goal of social justice and proportional representation.

Reservation-only Panacea for Equal Opportunity

Letter to the Editor, Tasveer-e- Hind, 19 January, 2010

Clarification by Movement

Letter to Shri Diwanji, on Reservation, 25 February, 2010

I have received your questionnaire but I do not have the time or the energy to give you or detailed reply. I wish we could meet. I suggest that you study the working papers more carefully and you will get all the answers.

Briefly, our line of action is based on the conclusion of the Sachar Committee and the Mishra Commission that the Muslim community as a whole is almost as backward as SC/ST and more backward than non-Muslim OBCs and as a minority, it constitutes a Weaker Section. We recognize the disparities within the Muslim community. That is why, we have suggested many safeguards to protect the backward sub-communities and to promote the interests of non-Ashraf Muslims, who constitute nearly 75-80% of the Muslim community.

I cannot speak on the Christian institutions but as far as the Muslim institutions are concerned, they reserve some seats for the disadvantaged students, who meet minimum eligibility requirements. Secondly, the total capacity of Muslim institutions is far too small to make any difference to the Muslim community.

Regarding your third question, we have not asked for reservation in non-minority private institutions but the minorities have a claim on Government-funded and aided institutions. In the aided minority institutions the management should definitely set aside some seats for students from disadvantaged Muslim groups which are otherwise eligible.

Your question No.4 is already replied. Nobody has asked for any reservation for the so-called Ashraf. What we have said is that in any reservation quota the first beneficiary by priority and preference, should be the disadvantaged sections subject to eligibility and only if some quota remains unutilized by the non-Ashraf then the Ashraf may be admitted on merit.

You may not have noticed that we favour the elimination of the creamy layer, which will drastically reduce the number of Ashraf in the Muslims quota.

Letter to Mr. Iqbal Ahmed Engineer, 7 March, 2010

I thank you for letter 13.02.2010 proposing the establishment of All India Muslim Tahafuzat Front.

I share your view that today the Sachar Committee and Mishra Commission have created a climate of opinion in which it is possible to take effective step. That is why under the banner of the Joint Committee of Muslim Organizations for Empowerment, a National Conference on Muslims Reservation was held in Feb 2009 which initiated a National Meet for Muslim Reservation. Following that, a National Meet of Muslim Activists was held on 10 Feb, 2010. I enclose a copy of Final Resolution of the 2009 conference and the two Working Papers and, the Final Statement of the Meet of 2010.

I think that NMMR created in 2009 needs to be strengthened instead of establishing a new Board. In this movement as you will see nearly all Muslim organizations are their while the door is open for more organizations to joint, if they are active in the field of reservation.

You will of course notice that we have emphasizes social, economic and educational safeguards and deliberately avoided the question of persistent Muslim under-representation in the legislatures. But our state/district units are free to add the question of Muslim Reservation in Legislatures and other elected bodies.

We had prepared five documents for 2009 conference. In case you are interested we can send you a complete set.

On Central & State OBC List

Letter to P A Inamdar, President, Maharahtra Cosmopolitan Education Society, 15 February, 2010

In your intervention in the National Meet you mentioned a very pertinent point which, we would like to take up that the governments, discrepancy between the central list of the OBC and those of various states. I request you to put one of your colleagues on the job to work out the discrepancies, state-wise in both ways; 1) which are in the Central List but not in the State Lists and 2) which are in the State lists but not in the Central list.

Secondly, despite several reminders to you as well as to our colleague Shabbir Saheb I do not yet have the complete lists of Muslim sub-communities which have been included in the Maharashtra OBC List and their total estimated population and the proportion they constituted of Muslim population in Maharashtra, as well as their representative in Maharashtra civil & public service and many medical & engineering grant.

I would be grateful for this information at your earliest convenience.

Reservation in Andhra Pradesh

Letter to Prof. Ahmadullah Khan, 22 February, 2010

As you are aware, the AP High Court has rejected the AP social, educational Muslim backward classes Act 2007. We have noted that the Government of AP is planning to approach the Supreme Court. This is the third time that steps taken by the State Govenrment has been flopped by the Judiciary. I have gone through the majority judgement. While they raised many extraneous issues and questions the minority in which the AP Government and the AP Backward Classes Commission have handled the matter. I noticed that they had not said that reservation for Muslims per se is unconstitutional but I do not understand one thing. Why should the Government have appointed Mr Krishnan as its Advisor and submitted his report before the Backward Classes Commission. The picture would have been different if the Backward Classes commission itself had appointed as consultant. Secondly, the AP High Court has asked the AP Government and the Commisison for data which do not exist namely the population of each sub-community and its relative level of backwardness in terms of common and unified parameters. I wonder if these data have been provided by the State Government to the Commisison in any State to support for its request for reservation for a particular sub-community.

I also find that the AP Government has acted hastily without taking into account the findings of the Sachar Committee and the Mishra Commisison. We also wonder why the AP Government took the legislative route rather than issue of executive instructions and why it did not follow the Karnataka pattern in which were recognized as backward classes irrespective of religion and in addition a separate quota was allotted to the Muslim community as a backward class.

I feel that the best legal minds of AP must consider/examine this debacle and work out a suitable strategy and advise the Government accordingly. For some time, an argument has been put forward in AP only recently the Muslim form the ruling class but it is never the Muslim masses who benefited and the upper classes who benefited can be placed outside the realm of reservation insisting with a suitable level of creamy layer.

Letter to Mr Atique Qureshi, Convenor Abul Kalam Azad Day Seminar, United Student Association, 22 Feb., 2010

I thank you for inviting me to your 19th Annual Session to celebrate Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Day. Towards the end of his life Maulana Azad had become very conscious of the under-representation of the Muslim community, especially the Urdu speaking community, in public life education and public employment. I notice that none of your speakers have highlighted the educational, economic, social and political backwardness of the Muslim community during the last 60 years. It is time that the Muslim youth and students took note of this phenomenon.

We have now the benefit of the Sachar Committee which has declared that the Muslims are almost as backward as SC/ST and more backward than non-Muslim OBCs. While the Sachar Committee has diagnosed the malaise the Mishra Commission has suggested the remedy 10% reservation in public employment, higher education and benefits of the Social & Welfare development schemes.

I am writing this to suggest that the United Students Association should actively participate in the Reservation Movement that has been launched. I am enclosing for your information a copy of the Resolution adopted by the National Conference on Reservation in February 2009 and a copy of the Consensus & Statement adopted by the National Meeting of Reservation Activists in February 2010. Let me add that Reservation is to benefit the younger generation and unless they take interest it will not known a reality.

COMMUNAL VIOLENCE BILL

On Deficiencies in Revised Draft Bill 2009

Letters to All Eminent Muslim Community Leaders, 25 February & 1 March, 2010

I

As you might recall the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of vitims) Bill, 2005 was introduced in Rajya Sabha on 5 December 2005. Then it was discussed in the National Integrations Council and at a Seminar organized by the National Commission for Minorities. In addition a number of Muslim organizations including the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, the All India Milli Council, the JUH & the JIH issued statements which were highly critical of the Bill. At the National Integration Council almost all Muslims members present opposed the Bill and Justice A.M Ahmadi went to the extent of saying that it would be ‘better to have no bill at all rather than this bill’. The government had originally planned to have it enacted before the 2009 elections with an eye on the Muslim vote but the criticism by the civil society and particularly by the Muslim Community forced it to defer the Bill.

On reconsideration they have proposed 59 amendments, which are now in the public domain and have been incorporated in the 2009 version of the Bill. It is understood that the Government plans to introduce the new Bill in the Budget Session and have it passed.

These amendments, though the numbers looks impressive, do not make any substantial difference to the structure or content of the Bill or address any major objections voiced by the victim communities, which are basically the Muslims, the Christians and the Sikhs, in that order.

On February 11-12, 2010 a National Consultation was organize by two NGOs in Delhi which also came to the conclusion that the Bill of 2009 is still inadequate and lacks the legal frame-work to allow the victims of communal violence to seek & secure justice. The National Consultation was also of the view not only the proposed Bill is weak in relation to local administration and state governments, which are often guilty of collusion and encouragement, but dangerous and, in many ways, counter-productive, because it will strengthen the culprits who plan, sponsor & organize communal crimes. This Consultation included such well known personalities as Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer, Mr. Colin Gonsalves, Advocate, Prof Harsh Kapoor, Mr Harh Mander, Justice KK Usha, former Chief Justice Kerala High Court, Justice Rajinder Sachar, former Chief Justice Delhi High Court, Justice Sardar Ali Khan, former Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, Prof Roop Rekha Verma, former Vice-chancellor, Lucknow University, Prof Ram Puniyani, eminent columnist & former professor of IIT, Mumbai, & Shabnam Hashmi of Anhad. They have stressed their basis concerns & urged the Government to revise the Bill. In addition, I feel that the Bill has a basic flaw; it does not provide a role for the Central Government, the National Human Right Commission, or the Supreme Court to intervene when the situation so demands ( as in Gujarat, 2002) and leaves investigation & prosecution of culprits totally in the hand of local police and state judiciary and grants more power to the local administration to detain, prosecute and punish the victim community. It also gives no role to the Central Government or any national authority in the matter of relief, rehabilitation and resettlement of internally displaced victims ( eg 50,000 shall in Gujarat).

We have to act fast before the Bill is turned into Law to serve a political purpose. I therefore, suggest that all Muslim organizations and institutions of national eminence meet at 4 PM on Monday, 1 March 2010, to discuss this situation and issue a Joint Statement calling upon the Government not to act in haste but to convene a National Conference, with due & responsible representation of the three target communities and make necessary changes in the proposed Bill in the light of their apprehensions & observations.

II

This is with reference to my letter of 25 February, 2009 suggesting that Muslim leaders study the proposed Communal Violence Bill, 2009, and urge the government in view of its inadequacies, flaws and defects to revise it in consultation with representatives of the civil society and the targetted communities, before introducing it in the Parliament.

The meeting today was attended by the representatives of the Jamaat Islami-e-Hind, All India Milli Council and Jamiat Ulama Hind (Arshad Madni group). I have also been intimated by some other leaders of the community that endorsed the views contained in my letter.

This draft statement is based largely upon the Consultation held in Delhi on February 11-12 2010 by civil societies groups. I am forwarding a copy of the Draft which was endorsed by those present. The idea is that it should be signed by about 10-12 top leaders of the community, presented to the government and the political parties in the form of a memorandum and also released to the press.

This has to be done very urgently. I request you to suggest any change that you deem necessary and authorize the Joint Committee of Muslim Organisations for Empowerment to issue it on your behalf. You may also like to suggest some names to be approached for endorsement.

Mr. Justice A.M. Ahmadi, former Chief Justice of India
Mr. Saiyid Hamid, Chancellor, Jaia Hamdard
Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari, Amir, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
Maulana Arshad Madani, Leader, Jamiat Ulama-e- Hind
Dr. Md. Manzoor Alam, General Secretary, AIMC
Maulana Syed Nizamuddin, Amir-e- Shariat, Bihar and Orissa
Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mehdi Salfi, SG, MJAH
Mr. Zafar Saifullah, IAS (Retd.) former Cabinet Secretary,
Mr. E. M. Abdur Rahiman, Chairman, Popular Front of India
Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, Editor. Milli Gazette
Mr. P.A. Inamdar, President Maharashtra Cosmopolitan Education Society
Dr. Mufti Mukarram Ahmad, Imam, Masjid Fatehpuri, Delhi
Mr. Abdul Khaliq, GS, LJP
Mr. Shahid Siddiqui, ex-MP, President, Hindustani Awami Morcha, Editor, Nai Duniya
Kunwar Danish Ali, General Secretary, Janata Dal (Secular)
Prof. Humayun Murad, President, Markazi Momin Conference
Maulana Mohd. Jafar, Naib Amir, JIH

Letter to Madam Sonia Gandhi, President, INC, 5 March, 2010

The Ministry of Home Affairs has placed the draft Communal Violence Bill, 2009, on the internet substituting the earlier Bill introduced in 2005. It is anticipated that the new Bill may be introduced and discussed after the parliamentary recess.

As you are aware, the Muslim Community is the most regularly targetted community and the memory of the Gujarat Genocide is still fresh in its mind. It had found the earlier Bill of 2005 wanting in many respects. Some eminent leaders of the Community have now studied the new Bill and find that the changes are merely of a cosmetic nature and their main objections have not been addressed. Indeed, the Bill further empowers and strengthens the hands of the local police the district administration & the state government, which are often involved in or collide with the rioters, Above all, the Bill and does not provide any role for the Central Government to intervene in case violence is prolonged and spreads.

The Community leaders have, therefore, formulated the basic deficiencies in the proposed Bill in a Joint Statement and request that the Government should not act in a hurry but convene a Conference of the leaders of targetted communities and revise the Bill in the light of their observations and suggestions.

On behalf of the Joint Committee of Muslim Organizations for Empowerment, I have the honour to place before you, for your kind perusal gracious consideration, a copy of the Joint Statement, with the names of the signatories who already number more than 25, while some more leading members are expected to endorse it.

We request you to reconsider and revised the Bill.

We hope that the and when the Bill is introduced by the Government and discussed your party shall oppose it in its present form and seek relevant changes & wider consultation .

CC: Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India,
Shri Laloo Prasad Yadav, President, RJD
Kumari Mamata Banerjee, President, AITC
Shri M Veerappa Moily, Minister of Law & Justice
Mr. P Chidambaram, Home Minister of India

We hope that the and when the Bill is introduced by the Government and discussed your party shall oppose it in its present form and seek relevant changes & wider consultation

Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav, President, Samajwadi Party
Kumari Mayawati, President, Bahujan Samaj Party

On Communal Violence Bill, 2009

MMM Resolution, 13 March 2010

The MMM endorses the JCMOE’s Statement on the draft Communal Violence Bill, 2009 and supports the request that the government should not introduce the bill in a hurry without undertaking organised consultation with the Muslim, Sikh and Christian communities, and then revising the draft Bill the light of their observations and suggestions.

The MMM particularly suggests that the Bill should provide for accountability of the government machinery& the state government, if they fail to restore law & order immediately and for intervention by the Central Government, the National Human Rights Commission and the Supreme Court, if necessary, if violence is prolonged & extends to other areas.

The MMM is of the view that the new legislation should not, in any sense, strengthen the hands of the local police & administration and the state government which often collude with the culprits and show little sympathy for the victims in relief operation & assessment of losses & payment of compensation, on one hand, and apprehension and prosecution of the culprits, on the other.

Joint Statement of Muslim Community Leaders

Draft Communal Violence Bill, 2009 is Inadequate, Counter-productive & Unacceptable
Govt. should Convene Conference of Leaders of Targeted Communities and Revise the Bill
Letter from Convener, JCMOE on behalf of the signatories, 5 March, 2010

‘The undersigned who represent Muslim organizations and institutions of national eminence, assembled in Delhi on 1 March, 2010, have considered in depth the draft Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2009, in the light of the original Bill of 2005, the proceedings of the National Seminar organized by the National Commission for Minorities and the subsequent meeting of the National Integration Council and innumerable statements issued by the civil society, in general and the Muslim community, in particular, as well as the 59 amendments which are said to have been incorporated in the new draft by the Government.

The undersigned have concluded that the Bill of 2009 is no better than the original bill and the amendments have only given a superficial cosmetic touch to the original Bill without changing its basic concept or structure or objective and that the Bill of 2009 does not serve the basic purpose i.e., anticipation, prevention and control of communal violence, effectively and promptly, provision of adequate relief and rehabilitation measures to the survivors and due compensation to the next-of-kin for the loss of life, honour and property and identification of and punishment to the culprits, as well as those in the law and order machinery which acted as spectators and colluded with the rioters.

The undersigned strongly feel that the Bill of 2009 does not make police or administration or state authorities accountable and provide for timely and effective intervention by the National Human Rights Commission, if the communal violence spreads or continues for weeks, or by the Central Government under Articles 355 and 356 of the Constitution, duly modified. On the other hand, ironically, the undersigned believe, the Bill grants more power to the local police and administration which, more often than not acts in league with the rioters by declaring the area as ‘communally disturbed area’.

The undersigned strongly urge the Government to first define ‘communal violence’ in a comprehensive manner which includes sex-based crimes and religiously targeted murder, destruction and looting and thus it need to be differentiated from the ordinary crimes under the IPC. The undersigned feel that the Bill should in fact propose special penalties, apart from the penalties available under the IPC, including disqualification for public life, expulsion from professional bodies and for feiture of property.

The undersigned call upon the Government to provide for prompt registration of communal crimes, their urgent investigation by special agencies and prosecution of identified culprits, including policemen, administrators and politicians, in Special Courts with Special Prosecutors, who are acceptable to the victims and in such cases the provision of prior sanction of the government should not apply to such culprits.

The undersigned also demand a uniform scale of compensation for the whole country, irrespective of religion of the victims or the culprits or the venue of communal violence, for loss of life, honour and property and as well as destruction of and damage to religious places with the provision to revise the scale every 10 years and assessment of losses and damage by a Special Commissioner from outside the state occurrence.

The undersigned also call upon the government that the relief camps should not be wound up arbitrarily, unless and until all victims are in a position to return to their places of origin and resume their normal life in security and dignity.

The undersigned, for the reasons mentioned above do not find the Bill of 2009 acceptable and request the Government not to introduce it in a hurry without consulting the representatives and leaders of the civil society, particularly the communities which are generally targetted and to revise the Bill in the light of their suggestions and observations.

The undersigned also requests all secular forces, the civil society and the political parties represented in the Parliament to press the Government to revise the Bill before introduction in order to remove the inadequacies, defects and flaws which have been pointed out and objected to by the targetted communities, in order to assure them of absolute Equality before Law and guarantee their Security and Dignity.’

Signatories:- Mr. Saiyid Hamid, Chancellor, JH, New Delhi
Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari, Amir, JIH
Maulana Arshad Madani, President, JUH, New Delhi
Dr. Md. Manzoor Alam, GS, AIMC, New Delhi5
Mr. Syed Shahabuddin, President, AIMMM, New Delhi
Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mehdi Salfi, SG, MJAH, Delhi
Mr. Zafar Saifullah, IAS (Retd.) former Cabinet Secretary,
Dr. Syed Tahir Mahmood, former Member of Law Commission
Mr. E. M. Abdur Rahiman, Chairman, PFI, Bangalore
Mr. Asaduddin Owaisi, MP
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman Burq, MP
Dr. Ejaz Ali, MP
Mr. Sabir Ali, MP
Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, Editor. Milli Gazette, New Delhi
Mr. P.A. Inamdar, President MCES, Pune
Mr. K.M. Arifuddin, Secretary,MESWS, Hyderabad
Dr. Mufti Mukarram Ahmad, Shahi Imam, Masjid Fatehpuri,
Maulana Mohd. Jafar, Naib Amir, JIH
Mr. Abdul Khaliq, GS, LJP, New Delhi
Mr. Shahid Siddiqui, ex-MP, Editor, Nai Duniya, New Delhi
Kunwar Danish Ali, General Secretary, Janata Dal (Secular)
Prof. Humayun Murad, President, Markazi Momin Conference
Dr. M.H. Jawahirullah, President, TMMK‘
Syed Shariful Hasan Naqvi, General Secretary, AISC
Mr. Suhail K.K., President, Student Islamic Organisation
Hakim Mohd. Irfan Al Husaini, Vice President, AIMMM
Prof. Alauddin Ahmed, former Vice Chancellor, Jamia Hamdard
Maulana Ejaz Ahmed Aslam, Editor, Radiance Weekly
Mr. Parwaz Rahmani, Chief Editor, Dawat Urdu Seh Roza, N.Delhi
Mr. Tariq Anwar, MP, President, All India Qaumi Tanzeem
Mr. Shabbir Ali Ansari, President, FMBCA

GUJARAT GENOCIDE

On Discrimination by Muslim Relief Organisation

Letter to Prof. J S Bandookwala, 13 January, 2010

It has been reported by Communalism Combat that Muslim victims-survivors of the Gujarat Carnage who had been rehabilitated by the UK-based NRI charity named Muslim Relief Organization (MRO) in Detral village in Bharuch district have received a notice that unless they wear beards, perform Namaz in the local Masjid, banish TV sets from their homes & prohibit music they must vacate the colony. It is indeed sad that those who were at receiving end of Hindu fascism are now being oppressed by custodians of Muslim orthodoxy, who have taken over the privilege of judging whether a person who bears Muslim names is the true Muslim.
Since you live close to Bharuch, I request you to investigate the report and let me have your conclusions.

On Compensation for Places of Worship Damaged in 2002

Letter to Chairman, Islamic Relief Committee,13 February, 2010

I understand that your petition for compensation for the destruction of damage to Muslim places of worship during the genocide of 2002, filed in 2003 is now being heard by the Gujarat High Court and that the High Court has ask the Government to submit an affidavit on the petition.
I would be grateful if you kindly send me the list of places of worship in your petition.

URDU

On Selection of Urdu Teachers by Common Test

Letter to Media Advisor of the CM, UP, 11 January, 2010

The Government of UP has done well not to recognise the certificate of Moallim Urdu Issued by Jamia Urdu, Aligarh & equate with B.Ed. The government had made some arrangement for the training of Urdu teachers in the District Training Institutes, but they are not likely to fill the existing and future vacancy.

I would like to reiterate my earlier suggestion that, the Government should Appoint a Urdu Teachers Selection Committee which should conduct an examination of objective-type to which, those holding Degrees of B A (Hons) in Urdu & B A with Urdu, Sanads of Fazilat from well known Madarsas, and also the Certificate of Moullim Urdu from Jamia Urdu, Aligarh and the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad may be admitted. The total numbers of vacancies of Urdu teachers in government schools should be announced in advance and appointment should make in order of merit. Those who do not trained should be given 5 years to take the course after appointment.

I request you to convey my proposal to Government at the appropriate level.

On ASI’s Obstruction to Fatiha On Poet Zauq’s Mazar

Letter to GS, Anjuman Taraqqui-e-Urdu Hind, 17 Jan., 2010

In your second article on the use of the Yadgar-e-Ghalib as a ‘shadighar’, You have mentioned that the ASI has prohibited Fatiha on the Mazar-e-Zauq by demanding 50,000 as fee and another 50,000 as security ! I would be grateful to have a copy if you made a written request and of the reply received from the ASI. I would like to take up the matter at the highest level.

On Teaching of Urdu in UP

Letter to Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, 20 January 2010

On Urdu Education in Maharashtra

Letter to Mr. Mohammad Ayub Wakif, 28 March 2010

I have seen your two articles on the promotion of Urdu in Maharashtra. I would like to seek some basic information whether Urdu, apart from Marathi, Hindi and English, forms a part of the Syllabus of Class X and Class XII, whether Urdu is the medium of primary instruction in government Schools irrespective of the numbers of such students in a Class or in a school as a whole. And in higher classes, whether Urdu is available as a compulsory language for Urdu speaking students. I would also like to have the established percentage of those who pass out of the higher secondary schools, either through the medium of Urdu or by offering Urdu as a compulsory language and are admitted in various professional courses where the medium of instruction is either English or Marathi. To best of my knowledge there are no professional colleges in Maharashtra with Urdu as medium of instruction.
I would be grateful for an early reply.

On Jamia Urdu Certificates

Letter to Secretary, Personnel, MHA, 13 February, 2010

I draw your attention to the OM No. 14021/2/78-Estt (D) dated 28 June, 1978 regarding recognition of the holders of Certificates from Jamia Urdu, Aligarh for recruitment as Urdu teachers Since 1997 the Jamia Urdu has lost all academic credibility. It is now purely a commercial enterprise which sells admission to examination, auction examination centre as well as supplies its certificate to those who can afford it.

Several states and universities have black listed and derecognized Jamia Urdu. I have been suggesting that those who holds the certificate from Jamia Urdu should be selected through objective competitive examination in which those who have passed higher secondary with Urdu as a subject or obtained B.Ed degree as one of the principal subjects or Urdu honurs or which hold certificates from renowned Madrasas like Darul Uloom, Deoband or Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow.

I have been pressing all state governments for appointment of Urdu and Urdu medium teachers in accordance with the Constitution but I would not like my children to be taught by illiterate teachers.

On Hindi-English Bilingualism Killing Urdu

Letter to Chief Editor, Hindustan Daily, 24 Feb., 2010

I have read your article in the Outlook of 1st February on bilingualism. English now has the upper hand practically all over the country. The states are planning to introduce English from Class I. In all States, Hindi is losing to English and even ordinary speech is laced with English words and the working don wishes to send its children to ‘public’ schools.

However, the purpose of this letter is not to lament this loss of Hindi’s status in independent India but to point out that all minority languages in various states like Urdu in UP, Bihar, A.P, Maharashtra and Karnataka where it is the second most spoken language, has not only lost ground but has been virtually exiled from schools. Even the students of the AMU write to me in Hindi. The irony is that while or Urdu-English mix is increasingly becoming the lingua franca throughout the country, Urdu script is dying and with it Gandhiji’s vision of developing Hindustani written in two scripts.

Because of your high stature as a litterateur, broadcaster and analyst, I am drawing your attention to the fact that your ignores the plight of minority languages in various states.

Linguistic Diversity in India

Letter to Secretary, CWC, 24 February 2010

I thank you for sending a copy of your paper on linguistic diversity in India. Linguistic diversity is natural in a sub-continent of our population, area and history. But I do not see why we should shed any tears if a language dies a natural death. This is a part of the phenomenon of diversity. Old diversities die and new are born. What is important is that those languages which have a substantive existence in any part of this country are recognized by the State and the State makes every effort to preserve and promote it as it should.

What I am more concerned about is the facts that the language envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi – Hindustani in two scripts – has died unlamented, unwept, unsung in the last 60 years. Given proper Constitutional and Government support it could have become the lingua franca of the country. Whatever we may think, Urdu script is dying perhaps less slowly than Urdu speech. No doubt, it shall continue to influence Hindi & other languages. But, I see no real effort to develop written Urdu. In a decade or two, it is likely to be subsumed in Hindi with a mispronounced & ill-written.

Urdu in Primary Curriculum in West Bengal

Letter to Mr. Abdul Aziz, Kolkata, 28 March, 2010

I understand that the Government of West Bengal plans to recognize Hindi, Oriya, Urdu, Santhali & Nepali as minority languages in the State. However, according the latest Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in West Bengal the percentage of population who speak Hindi is 6.58, Santhali 2.43, Urdu 2.14, Nepali 1.26 and Oriya 0.25 %. However, the number of people speaking these languages varies widely from district to district.

Whether the speakers of any language other than the principal language of the State, scheduled or unscheduled, form a linguistic minority is a question of fact. The government should decide which minority language it should recognize as Additional Official Language for the State as a whole or in various districts. Recently, the Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu, West Bengal submitted a memorandum to the CPM, I would be grateful to have a copy of that memorandum at the earliest convenience.

The basic question is not the status as second or additional official language but the use of the mother tongue as medium of primary education and its teaching as a compulsory language right upto class X as well as the question of submitting petitions to the authorities and receiving a reply in the mother tongue.

As for Urdu, keeping the situation in all states, we have generally requested the State Governments to recognize Urdu for official purposes, if it exceeds 10 % in the State as a whole and 5% in any district or even municipality.

We have also demanded that in education there cannot be a numerical cut-off (so many in each class & so many in school) because it is the constitutional right of every child. But response depends upon the vigour with which the community pursues its demand. Please let me know the names of districts and municipalities of Urdu concentration .The fact is that there are very few government primary schools in Urdu-speaking areas.

GOVERNMENT

For Guidelinse for Identification of Backward Classes and
Determinetion of Relative Backwardnes

Letter to Minister of Law & Justice, 28 March 2010

As you are aware, there are no guidelines by the Government or the Supreme Court for identification of the Backward Classess and of citizens who belong to them, primarily because there has been no ‘caste’ census since 1931 and the census parameters are not development-oriented. So far, except in the case of SC/ ST our reservation quotas have not been scientifically determined because neither the population of a given Backward Class is known nor are relevant data available to determine its relative level of backwardness as compared to SC/ST. The quotas are largely ad hoc and looked up on as on exercise in political charity rather than a matter of constitutional duty.

For long I have been pressing the Government that the Census should take into account all identifiable and conscious social groups and sub-groups and collect data on carefully selected and easily accessible social, economic, educational and even political parameters which would give their level of backwardness. I note that the Backward Classes Commission in Karnataka had once taken into account more than 20 parameters. That need not be replicated. Perhaps 10 parameters which can be easily accessed should be adequate. I am heartened by a statement attributed to you that sub-quotas in Women’s Bill cannot be provided to the OBC’s & Muslims because sufficient data are not available.

Some years back, the Ministry of Rural Development had made a rural survey. The SSO conducts sample surveys from time to time. I do not see anything unconstitutional if the Census collects data not only on population but also on some selected parameters for each group/sub-group and publishes them as in the case of SC/ST.

I therefore request you that since the preliminary work relating to 2011 Census is to begin shortly, the Government may give clear instructions to the Registrar General of India / Census Commissioner to collect data on not only population of major religious groups but all social groups or sub-group. We need not call it fast Census but Development Oriented Census of all Social Groups.

MUSLIM PERSONAL LAW

MP High Court on Ban on Local Qazis

Letter to tth President, AIMPL Board, 18 January, 2010

It might have been brought to your notice that the MP High Court has restrained further action by the Masajid Committee of Bhopal from hearing cases on divorce and maintenance by the local qazis appointed by the Masajid Committee continue to deal with the divorce and maintenance cases. The details facts are not clear to me but you may like to ask a senior member of the Board in MP to a report to you.

In any case, what was prevalent in Bhopal but not in the rest of MP, was a relic of the princely era. In the final analysis, the continuous of this practice in Bhopal will depend on the decision of the Supreme Court in the pending case on the legitimacy of the Darul Qaza.

Proposed Ban on Honour Killing

Letter to Ministry of Law, 13 February, 2010

I welcome your decision to amend the Indian Penal Code to define ‘honour killing’ as murder and making those who commit it or who are accessory thereto equally liable.

I also suggest that the IPC should also be amended to include foeticide whose incidence is reportedly rising and more cases coming to light. Not only foeticide but killing of girls after birth. In Bihar, I am told, many families which do not want a girl child or addition thereto engage in a conspiracy with the traditional dai (midwife) to kill the child at birth by strangulation or by putting salt on the tongue or some other poisonous substance. Obviously, such killing whatever the means, must be rampant in all States where the female-male ratio is below the national/natural average. In such cases, not only the father and the mother but even some elder members of the joint family are involved.

On Burqa and Freedom

Letter to Mr. Khushwant Singh, 18 February, 2010

A brief comment on your latest column which relates to the Burqa, I fully agree with you that except small minorities of Muslim women in the sub-continent, who come form the lower middle class, almost no Muslim women anywhere wears the Burqa.
But I would like to made two brief points for your consideration there is a difference between Hijab & Burqa, Hijab is a sign of modesty prescribed by Islam; it does not mandate the covering of face or the wrists. In the USA many Muslim women are studying & teaching in universities & working in research centers with Hijab. The second aspect is that we are living in the age of freedom; there is no reason at all why any government should prescribe what people should wear or not wear. In the wide spectrum lying between nudity & Burqa, just as, between marriage and promiscuity, the people should be left free to choose their way of life bond only by their own conscience.

Bombay HC on Prohibition of Muslim Child Marriage

Letter to the President, AIMPLB, 18 February 2010

A case relating to the marriage of a girl of 14 years by her mother in Mumbai has been challenged and the girl has been placed in remand. Her mother has filed a petition in Mumbai High Court. The case involves the question whether the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act applies to Muslim girls. The All India Muslim Personnel Law Board may like to intervene in the case.

On Multiplicity of Ill-conceived Fatwas

Letter to the President, AIMPLB, 21 February, 2010,

As you are well aware almost every Madarsa has one or more Muftis on its staff and runs a Dar-ul-Ifta. It issues all sorts of Fatwas at the request of individuals some of whom ill-motivated including the member of the media who are ever prepared use any stick to beat the Muslims with. Mostly the Fatwas are ill-conceived and create controversies on which the A. I. M P L Board generally remains silent.

At one stage in Majles-e-Amla I had suggested that the Madarsas of national eminence that the Darul-Uloom and the Nadwatul-Ulema should consider setting up a suitable machinery to regulating the issue of Fatwas on matters of family life and even on issues which have the potential for our adversaries to malign us. I was silenced by the observation that all Muftis have the right to issue a Fatwa.

However, it is my considered view that Fatwas issued by a Mufti who is an employee of a Madarsa should be reviewed by the head of the Madarsa and should not be issued without endorsement. At a higher level, the Fatwa may be examined by a committee of at least 3-7 well known Muftis, attached to various Madarsas, Jamias or Imarat-e-Sharia, if the matter is of public importance. A Mufti who’s approached should place his opinion before the Committee and issue it only after obtaining its prior approval.

I fully appreciate that Fatwa is the personal opinion of a Mufti and has no legal force. But, it often becomes a matter of public concern.

You might be aware of Arun Shorie’s book on ‘Fatwas’ in which he has collected many Fatwas including some by eminent scholars, of the past, with the purpose of projecting Islam in a bad light. It is necessary, therefore, that the individual freedom of the Mufti attached to an institution should be reviewed and possibly modified.

There is also the factor of human weakness. When a Mufti is approached for an opinion on a real or hypothetical situation he is often happy to see his name & if possible his photograph in the print or electronic media. This is a serious matter which has in the recent past created many ugly situations. I request that the All India Muslim Personal Law Board should take the initiative to consult other senior members of Board and convene a meeting of the heads of the leading Madarsas & eminent Muftis to evolve a machinery to screen Fatwas on sensitive matters before issue publication.

On Branch Benches of Supreme Court

Letter to Minister of Law & Justice, 25 January, 2010

It is a matter of satisfaction that the UPA government is seriously considering the recommendation of the Law Commission to set up four Benches of the Supreme Court in various parts of the country with territorial jurisdiction, apart from the Federal Court in Delhi which would deal with constitutional cases.

As far as I can recall this proposal dates from pre-independence days. With more and more commercial and financial cases coming before the Supreme Court, it is also suggested that each Bench of the Supreme Court should include some judges with expertise in such matters.

On Ineffectiveness of Darul Qaza

Letter to Secretary, AIMPLB, 22 February, 2010

I have received your letter of 16.2.2010. I totally disagree with your view that through its meetings of the Board and the Amla the Muslim society has changed for the better or that the Darul Qaza has reduced the quantum of Muslim family disputes going to the judiciary. I doubt if any katheeb speaks on some aspects of the shariat in their Juma qutba. One additional point about giving religious instruction to children in the age group of 6-11 a vast majority of the Muslim children go to normal government schools and as in Kerala they can also be enrolled in the local Madrassa.

My personal feeling is the cases relating to Muslim Personal Law at in various levels are not being monitored or even at the High Court or Supreme Court level nor has the movement of educating the Muslim lawyers in matters of shariat made any much headway. To the best of my knowledge the Personal Law Board has done almost nothing to counter the anti-Muslim propaganda in the media. In these circumstances, I feel that the Board should cut down the expenditure particularly on the sessions which cost lakhs and divert the savings towards more effective central organization.

Formation of Islamic Law Council
for Codification

Letter to the President, AIMPLB, 24 February, 2010

Recently a body of Muslim lawyers have formed an Islamic Law Council, whose first objective is to endeavour for the codification and enactment of the Muslim Code. On their request I have agreed to become one of its patrons. Since the AIMPLB is totally opposed to the idea of codification despite the commitment it had made to the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in December 1985, I feel morally obliged to offer to dissociate myself from the Board.

You may kindly recall that I had raised the issue in the Working Committee meeting in Calicut. I have also suggested that this question be placed on the agenda of the Board for a detailed discussion but the Agenda I have received from the General Secretary is nothing but a repeat of the previous agendas.

You may kindly recall that I have been writing to you and the General Secretary on various aspects of the working of the Board but I have not received any substantive reply. The meetings of the Board and even of the Amla are overcrowded with invitees and it is not possible to have a frank discussion in the presence of outsiders. There are usual aspects of the working of the Board which have left me unhappy. I drew your attention to the fact that one of the Vice-Presidents had expressed views in public which amounted to ‘shirk’ but the Working Committee did not take any notice, although you had informed me that you had written to him but had received no reply.

I am preparing a detailed note on the working of the Personal Law Board. Even if, I shall send it to you, the agenda of the Lucknow session is so heavy that it cannot be taken up.

I have been actively associated with the Board, since I entered public life. It pains me to think of severing this long association. But perhaps a moment has come to make a new beginning for the sake of Muslim Codification.

On Islam Does not Mandate Covering of Face
Supreme Court’s Observation on Surrender of Voting Right for Parda
AIMMM Press Statement, 1 February, 2010

The All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) deplores the unnecessary and avoidable controversy over the requirement of facial photographs to establish the identity of a Muslim female elector.

The AIMMM notes, on one hand, that a facial photograph is a universal requirement of all identity documents including the Special Haj Passport.

According to religious authorities the Islamic purdah does not mandate the face to be covered by veil or burqa. Indeed, the customary burga is specific to the subcontinent and is not universal because in many places Muslim women do not wear it, particularly those who work. In many Muslim countries women do not cover their face even in public places.

However, the AIMMM objects to the observation of the Hon’ble Supreme Court that such Muslim woman who are reluctant to obtain prescribed identity cards need not to vote and feels that a procedural requirement cannot erode or abolish a substantive right. The AIMMM considers that the Hon’ble Supreme Court should have seriously examined the plea of a conscientious objector in the light of the Islamic principles and practices in the Muslim world and then either reject the plea or instruct the Election Authorities to work out an alternative mode to ensure that such women who do not possess prescribed identity card and are genuine voters are able to exercise their right to vote.

On Publication of AIMPL Directory

Letter to the President, AIMPLB, 7 March, 2010

On various occasion, I have suggested to some of your colleague that, the All India Personal Law Board should publish a Directory. This should give the brief history and objective of the Board, the text of the Dastoor of Board names & addresses & other details of the current office-bearers, of the other members of the Majlis-e-Amla and other members of Board, with their occupation profession, present designation, address, state of origin & state of domicile. The Directory should also include the names addition their composition of various committee of the Board with the name and particulars of their chairmen/conveners. Names of the past presidents & past General Secretaries of the Board may also be included as well as the venues of the sessions of the Board since 1972 and the venues of the Majlis-e-Amla.

In the first edition it may be difficult to include the important decisions, resolutions, and statements issued by the Board and the Amla at various sessions but if it is agreed to publish a Directory in 2010 the documents since the Kolkata meeting may be included. During this period text of letters and memoranda submitted by the Board to the PM and other ministers as well as the affidavits filed in the Supreme Court or High Court on various matters by the Board may also be incorporated.

Latter the Directory can be improved to reflect the important decisions and achievement of the Board since its formation.

I hope that the 2010 edition can be compiled without many difficulties by the Central Office.

Suggestion on Composition of Board

Letter to the President, AIMPLB, 11 March, 2010

Since I may be not coming to the Board session, I request you to convey my recommendations for the membership of the Board to the Committee constituted for suggesting fresh name.

I suggest the names of
1. Maulana Ataur Rahman Quasmi, Chairman Shah Walliullah Instititute and eminent historian, presently a teacher in the historic Madarasa Aminia, Delhi.
2 Maulana Abdul Aziz, eminent Journalist and for years Genral Secretary of MMM of West Bengal and member of the Shura of Jamaat-e-Islam Hind.

Both have been associated with the Board for many years and were promised membership on several sessions but they remain Special Invitee.
This is first time I am recommending any names. I request you to be kind enough to support them, if the matter is placed before you.

On Weakness of the Board

Letter to the President, AIMPLB, 25 March, 2010

For years, I have regularly writing to you on the working of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, and given many suggestions. I also made some suggestions at various meetings of the Working Committee recently in Kozhikod & Lucknow.
I regret to say that none of my suggestions have received any positive response.
The composition of the Board continues as lopsided as ever.
There is increasing pressure for Codification but the Board is not prepared to take a fresh look.
The Central office is dysfunctional and not very productive.
The social and legal campaigns of the Board have all failed to make any impact on the society.
I have been associated with the Board since early 80’s and I have participated actively in all its sessions & meeting and I feel sorry to find that the prestige of the Board has gone down consistently.
I have now written an article which is indeed very critical of the working of the Board. I am sending a copy, I would be grateful if you correct any factual errors or inaccuracies.
In the circumstances I did not attend the Lucknow session as the General Secretary totally ignored the suggestion, I made for the agenda.

Use of AIMMM Auditorium

The AIMMM has a small auditorium with capacity of 50.which can be used for small seminars and working groups & Round Table discussions. Bonafide Muslim Organizations may utilise this, facility, with prior arrangement, and on payment of nominal charge of Rs. 200/ for 4 hours & Rs. 500/ for the whole day.

The interested Organisations may contact the under-signed on phone No. 26946780/ 26941341
Email: mushawarat@mushawarat.com
AC is available on additional payment.

Why Lucknow Declaration on Non-Shariah Matters

Letter to the President, AIMPLB, 23 March, 2010

I have seen the press reports on the Lucknow Declaration released by the Board on 21 March, 2010 the press has head-lined the stand Board has taken on the Communal Violence Bill.

It is unfortunate that the Board has, against the advice of several members including myself plunged headlong into a new & unfamiliar terrain which has nothing to do with the original object and purpose of the Board. The Common Violence Bill pending since 2005 has been handled seriously by several Muslim organizations of national eminence, like the AIMMM, the AIMC, the JIH & the JUH & prominent individuals including Justice Ahmedi, not to speak of official bodies like the National integration Council and the National Commission for Minorities which had rejected its earlier version.

The real object and purpose and, therefore, the legitimate function of the Board is the defence of the Shariat. That is why, though communal violence has been rampant in the country since right after independence, to my knowledge it had not taken up this question so far.

I feel sorry that while the Board has not successfully carried out the campaigns which it had legitimately launched, while the Board had not implemented its resolutions to a successful conclusion, while it has not presented the questions related to defence of the Shariat and Muslim personal Law which it had taken up, including even the major question relating to Maintenance of Muslim divorcees ( Shah Bano Case), it has been paying attention to other areas in which its lacks knowledge and experience. At same time the Board also duplicates the work being done by other Muslim organizations. It has also neglected its major responsibility since 1985, the Codification of Muslim Personal Law and its statutory recognition. Indeed this great responsibility has not been touched so far. The new enterprise is nothing but a confession of failure in its real tasks and a diversion to cover them.

For the Board to take up the legal work relating to the Babri Masjid title suit in 1993 was a need of the hour, as the Babri Masjid Movement stood divided and the community felt demoralized.

Let me add, in all seriousness, that any expansion of the Board’s field of operation and activity can only further dilute its performance in any campaigns it has launched on problems connected directly with Shariat and Muslim Personal Law.

Please forgive me, but I am forced to say that the Board appears to have lost its way in the thick jungle of problems that the Community faces and that the Board must confine itself strictly to the questions related to the Shariat, social reform & alternative adjudication.

Similarly, what the Declaration says on Israel or on Terrorism has been repeatedly & forcefully said by other Muslim Organizations & spokesmen I wonder what purpose it serves for the Board to take up the questions connected with foreign affairs & national security. COPY TO:- Ml. Abdul Karim Madani, Naib Amir, MJAH
Maulana Arshad Madani Saheb, President, JUH
Dr. Mohd. Manzoor Alam, Secretary General, AIMC
Maulana S. Jalaluddin Umari, Amir, JIH.

EDUCATION

On Rise in Muslim Enrollment at Elementary Level

Letter to HRD Minister, 12 January, 2010

We are all glad to notice from the statistics published by the National University of Educational Planning and Statistics about the rise in the enrolment of Muslim students, particularly girls, at the school level. This is naturally attributed to the rising demand for education of their children in the Muslim Community. Unfortunately the demand is not being met as it deserve to be, because the state governments have largely ignored the mohallas and villages of Muslim concentration in establishing primary and upper primary schools. If such school were available in according to the nation norms in the Muslim areas, Muslim parents will switch their children from the local Maktabs and the Madarsas to the school.

I request you to kindly advise the 12 states of high Muslim concentration to concentrate on Muslim bastis, villages and urban mohallas and give priority to opening primary and upper primary schools in these deprived areas.

On Establishing Wakf-based Universities

Letter to MOS for Minority Affairs, 18 January, 2010

I was very glad to learn from you at the last meeting of the Central Wakf Council that the project of establishing Wakf-based universities has made considerable progress and is taking shape. While they will not be Central universities or minority institutions they shall not be purely private either (wholly financed by private body or individuals). Whether based on central or state legislation, the proposed universities will be established within the framework of public- private partnership.

Since the private partner is the Wakf estate or the state Wakf Board and since Muslims are to be counted among the weaker section (under Article -46) such universities should give preference and priority in admission the Muslim students. As you are aware surplus Wakf income can be used for purposes considered charitable in Islam. But that does not mean exclusively for Muslims. Considering the educational backwardness of the Muslims, I feel on the whole that 50 % of the seats in such institutions may be reserved for the Muslims, who posses minimum eligibility.

However, I visualize one problem government may face. Similar requests for partnership may emanate from other communities or community-linked institutions, even those which are not backward. The government should therefore prepare a general framework for such educational partnership which should emphasize the aspect of backwardness, to meet the requirement of Article-46. Copy to:- Dr M R Haque, Secretary, CWC.

On Hinduisation of Education in MP

Letter to the Minister of HRD, 13 March 2010

The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Sri Shivraj Sihgh Couhan, proposes to introduce Gita Gyan in the school syllabus and therefore to prescribe Bhagwad Gita from Class I to Class X. We regard this yet another step towards Hinduisation of the school system and, school culture. Such an innovative will alienate Muslim parents & motivate them not to send their children to school. Since school education is financed largely by the Central Government, we request you to monitor the school syllabus & course.
We request you to advise him not to go ahead with his scheme.

Rules under Right to Education Act should Bar RSS Schools

Letter to HRD Minister, 24 January, 2010

The Ministry of Human Development is in the process of formulating and finalizing the Rules and Regulations under the Universal Education Act. In dealing with recognition of private educational institutions, particularly school, the Rules should provide for recognition being subject to the approval of the text books and additional reading material prescribed as well as the culture promoted by the school. Every now and then one comes across cases of objectionable text books & reading material and propagation of communal ideology as well as propaganda against other religions whose impact on young impressionable minds cannot be overestimated. Educational institutions established by religious organisation propagate their religion, but students belonging to other religions must be excluded.
In particular, I would like draw your attention to the RSS- affiliated Vidya Bharati which is said to manage nearly 18,000 educational institutions throughout the country.
Apart from the initial review of the text books teaching material and culture, there should be a National Authority under your Ministry for annual review as well as whenever the institution introduces a new text book in the field of General Studies and Social Sciences.

Objection to Super-Commission on Higher Education & Research

Letter to HRD Minister, 3 March, 2010

I have seen the draft of National Commission for Higher Education and Research Bill, 2010. I am also aware of the various objection raised to this Bill particularly from the point of view of centralization and elitalization I fully endorse the general view that centralization would undermine the autonomy or a vast majority of the universilies which are established under state Acts.

Secondly, I feel that in a country of continental dimension like ours it is not physically possible nor desirable to make a small, largely nominated, body address all regulatory, administrative and financial aspects. Essentially it will a body of seven experts of whom four shall be full time or salaried. The Collegium of Fellows and Co-opted Fellows will play only a marginal and advisory role and shall generally meet once in a year. As Mr Thosmas Josheph Member-Secretary Kerala Higher Education Council has pointed out that even if all seven expert happen to be Noble-laureates cannot run the super-structure, you envisage.

My third basic objection is that the national education order that you envisage creates a new caste system. The alumni of the universities at the top will occupy the apex positions not only in administration but in the public & private sectors and various associated bodies of the university. At the bottom shall be half-literate semi-educated products of the mofussil universities which are at present unable to secure any jobs and largely remain unemployed or underemployed.

I strongly urge you that before you finalize the idea of a Super Commission to control all aspects of Higher Education, you should convene a National Conference on. Education to which not only the states but major organizations associated with primary, secondary and higher education as well as various educationally backward classes & social groups are invited to express their views.

On Clarification of Statistical Data

Letter to Secretory,( SE & L) HRD, 2 February, 2010

With reference to the advertisement issued by the Department to mark the Republic Day, there is a long list of achievements as well as proposals in the field of education. However it is not clear whether the achievements relating to access to primary school, opening of new schools, appointment of teachers, construction of school buildings and class-rooms, provision of drinking water and toilets in schools, supply of Mid-day Meal to school students, and financial support to Madarsas for appointment of teachers, relate to actual performance during 2009. This may kindly may be classified.

The advertisement also states that 1 lakh selected students are to receive National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship. It may kindly be classified whether 1 lakh students are to receive awarded every year and that the scholarship will be awarded to any school student for 3 years.

Thirdly, it mentions opening of new IITs, IIMs, IISCRs, SPAs, NITs and Central Universities, one in every state. But there is obvious disparity between demand & supply; number of such institutions and the state populations, taking into account the existing institutions. Some smaller states may not be in position to feed their Centers of Excellence. This may be reviewed. I would be grateful for your kind reply.

Progress of Muslim in Primary Education

Letter to VC, NUEPA, 20 March, 2010

I thank you for sending me a copy of the publication Elementary Education in India: State Report Cards-2007-08. I found it very useful. But every state, apart from its principal (majority) language has other National languages spoken by linguistic minorities for which safeguards are written into the Constitution and are to be monitored by the Commissioner of Linguistic Minorities.

The primary safeguard is that a student should receive his primary instruction through the medium of his mother tongue and learn his mother tongue as a compulsory language through the school under the Three Language Formula. I notice that several states have decided to introduce English as a compulsory language from Class I is addition Hindi; some have introduce Sanskrit for Class I. Since all student must learn his Mother tongue, the principal language of the state and the national link language ( Hindi) even at the primary stage it becomes an unbearable load in non-Hindu states. In Hindi states M. T slot is occupied by Sanskrit.

The State Card amended to give the state population by mother-tongue and also give the number of primary and upper primary schools with break-up by medium of instruction but also by the numbers of minority language & minority language medium teachers. I request you kindly to consider the suggestion.

Why More Madrasas and not Schools in Muslim Areas?

Letter to Chief Minister, West Bengal, 20 Jan., 2010

We have seen an announcement by your colleague Shri A Sattar that the Government of West Bengal is planning to set up 300 more Madarsas in 2010 and, apart from that, 250 English medium Madarsas.

We do not see why he should use the word Madarsas when they are in fact secondary schools, with only one additional subject carrying 100 marks for religious education. There are many private & government Madarsas in the state. But, as you are aware, areas of Muslim concentration in West Bengal continue to be deprived of adequate number of Government primary, middle and high school. It is suggested that the Government should divert the available funds to open more schools in those areas in accordance with the national norm.

As for English-medium Madarssa, we do not understand the term in the Indian context. It is suggested that teaching through English medium may be introduced not in madarsas but in all high school of the state. We believe that your government has decided to introduce English at the primary level itself. But learning mother-tongue at school should also be compulsory. This is a constitutional mandate as well as demand of educational psychology. All children should receive their primary education through the medium of the mother tongue.

But you have to devise a way for Urdu- speaking children to learn Urdu as a compulsory subject up-to class X, perhaps by introducing a composite course of Hindi & Urdu, as suggested by the Gujral Committee for non-Hindi states I request you to consider these suggestions.

Copy to Mr. Abdus Sattar Minister for Minorities and Development, Deptt. of Minorities Welfare & Madarsa Education, West Bengal. : Azad Hind and Akhbar-e-Mashriq, Kolkata.

Alia University is not a Minority University

Letter to The Editor, Eastern Post, 13 February, 2010

Please refer to the letter by Meraj Ali in your issue of 15 January, 2010. The Vice-Chancellor of Aliah University sent me details of the departments as well undergraduate and postgraduate courses they propose to introduce in due course. I requested him to let me know the provision of the Aliah University Act under which Muslim applicants shall receive special consideration as the Act has no clause, which recognizes the minority character for the University. I also wanted him to let me know the admissions to the University in all courses for 2010-2011 and the number of Muslims in each Course. He has not cared to reply to my letters. I sent a copy of my letter for publication but you did not publish it. I enclose another copy.

Subsequently, Mr. Meraj Ali is not correct in thinking that appointment of teachers to AMU or the JMI, New Delhi ‘strictly by considering community affiliation’. I may add that minority character should reflect in the admission of the students but need not be reflected in the appointment of teachers because as a community we want the best available teachers for our children irrespective of religion, language, domicile. There is no doubt that every University have a soft corner for its own products but now the UGC have laid down that at least in all Central Universities like AMU and JMI every Lecturer should pass special test even though he holds a doctorate.

WOMEN’S RESERVATION Bill

Bill will Increase Muslim Under-Representation

Letter to Prime Minister of India, 5 March 2010

We understand that Government propose to pass the Bill on Reservation for Womens in Parliament next week. We reiterate our objection that the Bill will increase under-representation of Muslims in Parliament from the present level of 50 %. We, therefore, request you to revise the Bill to provide for sub-quotas for Muslim & Non-Muslim OBC Women as Weaker Sections, in proportion to their population within the general quota. Muslims are bound to suffer, if with Muslim concentration constituencies (say, above 25 % in the electorate) are in General Quota within such reservation,

Copy to: Shri Laloo Prasad Yadav, President, RJD
Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav, President, Samajwadi Party
Shri Sharad Yadav, President, Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))

Letter to Eminent MPs, 9 March, 2010

On 5 March, 2010 I addressed a letter by e-mail to the Prime Minister on the adverse impact of Women Reservation Bill on Muslim representation in the Lok Sabha. I stated that Muslims are already underrepresented and if 1/3 seats are reserved for women, they will become more underrepresented, I attach a copy.

At present the Muslims are less than 50% of what they should be in the Lok Sabha. They may go down to 30 % of their due. Their situation will be worse if Muslim-winnable seats are reserved for women.

We request you not to vote for the Bill, when it comes to the Lok Sabha and demand that atleast 4-5 seats are reserved for Muslim women, apart from 14-15 Non-Muslim OBC women.
Shri Asaduddin Owaisi, President, AIMIM
Shri Badruddin Ajmal, MP, President, AUDF
Shri E. Ahamed, MP, President, IUML

Why Support Bill without Sub-quotas for OBC’s & Muslims?

Letter to Shri R. V. Paswan, President, LJP, 10 March, 10

We are surprised by your statement that the LJP shall support the proposed Women’s Reservation Bill though you had always favoured that the Bill should provide sub-quota for Muslims and Non-Muslim OBCs. As far as the ST and SCs are concerned, 1/3rd of their existing quotas are being reserved for their womenfolk.

I am writing this to suggest that the LJP should issue a clear statement that the Bill is not acceptable in the present form and that it shall oppose it where it is taken up by the Lok Sabha.

Women’s Reservation Comes to Only 40.5, not 55

Letter to Editor, Wahdat-e-Nau, 27 March, 2010

I appreciate your editorial on the women reservation. I have been pleading for the Muslim women quota of 4% since 1996. I fully agree with you that if Muslim winnable seats are reserved for women, Muslims who are already under-represented in the Legislatures by about 50%, shall become more under-represented.

However I find a mistake in your analysis – the total reservation as proposed in the Bill comes to only 1/3rd to 22.5+3+33 which means 40.5 and not 55 as you have suggested.

For your information I am attaching a copy of my recent statement on the subject.

Bill Ignores Aggravation of Muslim Under-representation

MMM Resolution, 13 March 2010

The MMM is convinced that the Women Reservation Bill 2010 as approved by the Rajya Sabha on 8 March 2010 shall further reduce Muslim representation in all legislatures in which since 1952 Muslims have been consistently under-represented. The demand of reservation for OBC/ Muslim Women has been rejected on the ground that they do not enjoy reservation

The MMM takes the opportunity to reiterate the demand for Reservation for Muslims & OBCs in all legislatures in proportion to their population & for urgent reform in the electoral system and replacement of the first-past-the-post system by proportional representation system.

The MMM authorizes its President to initiate discussion with all secular parties on the question and to organize a Working Group for holding a National Conference on Electoral Reform & Political Representation.

Muslims Demand Sub-quota Since 1996

Letter to the Editor, Milli Gazette, 17 March 2010

It is being falsely asserted by some commentators that Muslims are now demanding a sub-quota for Muslims women within the proposed women’s quota in legislatures. This is not correct. When the question of reservation for women first time appeared on the national scene, Muslims leaders had formed a Committee for Reservation for Muslim Women in Legislatures. Muslims India had published an editorial on the subject in its issue of Oct 1996.

This year many of us have reiterated the case of Muslim women’s sub-quota of 4 - 5 %, when the bill was to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha.

However, I personally support the alternative that all registered parties should be mandated by law to include 1/3 women, state-wise, in their lists of candidates.

In any case the editorial of Oct 1996 had raised issues which are relevant today in the ongoing discussion. I also include my Statement of June, 1997.

I would be grateful if you kindly publish them in the Milli Gazette with a brief introduction.

On Reservation for Muslims & Muslim Women

Letter to Smita Gupta, Outllook, 29 March, 2010

I have seen your article on Women’s Reservation Bill in Outlook of 22 March, 2010 I almost fully agree with your analysis except your statement that the Constitution duos not permit reservation on religious ground. A careful reading of Article 15 (1) will bring out the emphasis on the word ‘only’ the Constitution can not permit reservation on ground of caste either. But as you know 15(4) defines ‘backward classes’ entitled to reservation. The term ‘backward classes’ covers groups/ sub-groups with different characteristics in terms of caste, religion, language, domicile etc, so long as they are found to be backward by a competent authority under uniform criteria.

Many suggestion have been made for insuring that the women’s quota does not become a preserve of well-connected women of the political elite or the wealthy. But I still consider that the best solution is the Gill formula that all contesting parties may by law be mandated to reserve 1/3 of their candidature for women. As Karan Thapar has pointed out this should be done state-wise.

MUSLIM UPLIFT-FARCICAL AD

Full Page Advertisement (18 February) by Ministry of Minority Affairs
Misinforms Public & Hoodwinks Muslims without Community-wise &
Year-wise Statistics

AIMMM Statement, 14 March, 2010

‘The full page Advertisement by the Ministry of Minority Affairs on 18 February, 2010 on its achievements under Prime Minister’s 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of the Minorities has been designed to misinform the public and to bluff the minorities and particularly hoodwink the Muslims. Indeed, the Advertisement conceals more than it reveals.

Religious minorities constitute clearly 20 % of the national population, of which nearly 15 % are Muslims. The Advertisement speaks repeatedly of ‘minority concentration districts ( MCD) but to cover up poor performance in Muslims concentration districts or their proportionate under-coverage the Advertisement gives no information about Muslim concentration districts. This deliberate omission is evident from the following item-wise analysis.

1. Bank Branches: 1562 public sector bank branches are claimed to have been opened since 207-08, but neither their location nor the community-wise break-up of the number of accounts and credit flow are revealed.
2. New Schools: 8764 new schools are said to have been opened upto 30.09.09. But whether they are primary/ middle / secondary schools is not mentioned nor their number in Muslims areas nor the extent to which they cover school deficit compared to national norms.
3. Institutional Allocation: Increase in the Share capital of NMDFC and the corpus of Maulana Azad Education Foundation are given. But actual disbursement year-wise are not.
4. Multi-sectorial Devolvement Programmme: 807.01 Crores are said to have been released to States/ UTs up to 01.01.2010 for 90 MCDs but readers are not informed of how much has been actually utilized and the programme taken up, district-wise.
5. Increase in Plan Provision for Ministry: It is well known that every year the Ministry has failed to utilize the allocation fully.
6. Earmarking of 15 % of Outlay for Muslims, Scheme-wise allocation and the number of total & Muslim beneficiaries are not provided.
7. Awards of 22, 23,841Scholarships to Minority students: The status of awards to Muslim community, state-wise, is not given nor the number of scholarships & amounts which have been actually disbursed.
8. Indira Awas Yojana: 9,29,141 Minority BPL families are said have benefited but district-wise or community-wise break-up is not given.
9. Swarn Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana: 1,46,090 beneficiaries form minorities are claimed but the number of Muslims is not given.
10. Swarn Jayanti Garam Swarojgar Yojna: 4,75,253 persons form minorities are said to beneficiaries but the number of Muslims is not given.
11. Free Coaching: 14,966 students have been coached at the cost of RS 20.75 crore but the break-up, course-wise, state-wise or community-wise are not given.
12. Recruitment of Minorities Government: The advertisement claims advance to 9.18 % share in recruitment in 2008-09 over one year but does not give the numbers total & of total & Muslim actually recruited in government or public sector, level-wise, Moreover, the cumulative representation of Muslims in any department or paramilitary force is not revealed nor their current % in the total.

The net impact of the advertisement confirms the doubts in the mind of the Muslims that they have made no real progress nor received their due share of development benefit or place in governance.

To remove the credibility gap, the AIMMM urges the Government that the statistics should be transparent and give both the overall picture of total& Muslim share representation, as well as the increase recorded in given year over the last year.

It is also suggested that to establish its credibility, the Ministry should publish brochure on progress made by community in 2009-10, under UPA II.

As it is, this advertisement only serves to provide material for anti-Muslim propaganda by the communal forces. That Muslims are being appeased.’

No Monitoring of Muslim Employment

Letter to the MOSfor Minority Affairs, 8 January, 2010

The agencies have reported that the most of the ministry and department of the Government of India are not submitting data about the employment of Muslim. Another minorities at various level either to the department of personnel or to the Central Committee that monitoring 15 points programme of the Prim Minister, I advise there has been some, limited improvement in the question of employment of Muslim. But this needs to be projected to the public this will not only add to the goodwill for the government among the Muslim but also give them hope for the future.

I request, you that your ministry should also monitor the situation of public employment of minority and press the responsive ministry and department to do the needful filling that you should take-up the matter with Prim Minister so that personally remind his cabinet colleagues.

Proposed Equal Opportunities Commission

Letter to MOS for Minority Affairs, 28 March, 2010

With reference to our recent conversation regarding the proposed Equal Opportunities Commission, I feel that its ambit, if addressed to group rather than individual grievances, should not be limited to Muslims or religious minorities but cover all deprived groups who are equally entitled to constitutional protection. However, a selective approach will not be of any help to the individual who suffers from injustice or discrimination at the grass root level. Therefore, apart from the Equality Opportunities Commission the Government should provide adequate staff and funds to enable various National Commissions to take necessary action to secure justice for the individuals.

The EOC should devise appropriate means for addressing group grievances with a well calibrated index coupled with a system of incentives and disincentives applicable to Government departments as well as public and private institutions.

BABARI MASJID

Factual Inaccuracies in Article on Babari Masjid & Liberhan Reports

Letter to The Editor, Mainstream, New Delhi, 1 January 2010,

I have read Sri Shankar’s article on the Babari Masjid controversy and Liberhan Report in Mainstream dated December 25, 2009. Permit me to correct some factual inaccuracies in his article.

The controversy did not revolve around whether the site of the Babari Masjid was the birth site of Lord Ram. Nor has this question been subjected to judicial adjudication. The question pending before the Special Bench of the Allahabad High Court, whose hearing is nearly over, is whether a Hindu Mandir, perhaps one dedicated to Lord Ram, stood at the same site before Babari Masjid was constructed either by destroying it or over its ruins or remains & whether adverse possession in 1949 can blot out the fact.

It is also not correct to say that the excavation has ‘established’ that the Babari Masjid was built upon a Vishnu or Budhist Mandir. The excavation report is also before the Special Bench and there has been no order as yet although the proceedings are over.

The pending civil cases relating to title to the Babari Masjid site were consolidated at the request of Government of UP by the Allahabad High Court and taken up by the Special Bench for adjudication; This proceeding began in 1987 or so much before the Demolition when it was abated by an Act related to acquisition of the entire area by the central government. After Demolition the Supreme Court by its order of October 1994 revived the proceeding. In any case, the Liberhan Commission Inquiry was not concerned with the rival claims on the Babari Masjid site but only with the Demolition of Babari Masjid on 6 December 1992. Thus the ambit of the Commission of Inquiry & judicial proceeding are quite distinct from each other.

Later in the article, Sri Saran has mentioned that he spoke to the BJP leaders Vajpayee and Advani as an authorized ‘emissary’ the All India Muslim personal Law Board. I have been a member of the Board since the early 80’s and was a member of the 15 member committee formed by the President of the Board Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, when it took up the question of Babari Masjid in the wake the Demolition. But I was not aware that the Board had appointed him as an emissary or formulated 4 options for the dispute.

I am not surprised that Vajpayee and Advani both accepted the 4th option which would have meant that the Muslims surrender their claim to the Babari Masjid and the site thereof and in effect hand it over to the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas, which had already built the plinth for the proposed Ram Janamabhoom Mandir in front of the Babari Masjid.

The BJP has on a number of occasions offered in exchange to withdraw any Hindu claim on any other Masjid, except those at Mathura and Varanasi. The Muslim Community has always rejected the offer, before or after Demolition, because once a precedent is established, no one can guarantee that in future no other Masjid shall be claimed or demolished. The Muslims were right because already the Sangh Parivar is converting the Baba Budagiri shrine in Karnataka into a Mandir. Also the Muslims had the experience that the Agreement they signed on the Mathura Masjid under which they surrounded all land to the north, west and south of the idgah Masjid to the Krishna Janmasthan, has been repudiated and the Masjid is again facing a threat.

Sri Saran have mentions a meeting in Gandhi Bhawan, Lucknow for negotiations. I would like to know who else from the Muslim side was present at the meeting or whether he was the sole emissary to represent the Board.

Both before and after the Demolition there have been many negotiations between the two sides but without any results. The reason lies in that the Muslims refused prepare to surrender one square inch of the Babari Masjid proper, although they were quite prepared to let a Mandir be constructed on Ram Chabutra situated in the outer campus of the Babari Masjid. The Hindu side was adamant on surrender by the Muslims of the entire Masjid for building the proposed mandir and the Muslims were offered an alternative Masjid, even a bigger and more magnificent, outside Ayodhya.

Another aspect of the matter is that the title suit in its last phase and the Supreme Court has already laid down a road map for the construction of both a Masjid and a Mandir in close vicinity of each other in the Acquired Area, with the party which is awarded the title to Babari Masjid site building a place of worship on the Babari Masjid site.

The problem is that at various levels & on many occasions the Muslim community has declared that they shall accept the final judicial verdict (presumably at Supreme Court level), whatever it may be, while no leader or organization representing the Hindu community has made a parallel declaration. Indeed the VHP spokesman has repeatedly said that they will accept the judicial verdict only if it is in their favour, and launch another Andolan if it is against them. The government whose duty it is to accept and execute the final judicial verdict has not made clear declaration of intent on the floor of the Parliament or outside, that it shall execute & implement it whatever it be, irrespective of political consequences. Whether Government takes any action as the Liberhan Report is immaterial as far as the question of to that is concerned. What is important the will of the state to stand by the Constitution and the Rule of Law.

On Ground Outlines of Mandir & Original Masjid

Letter to Khaliq Ahmed Khan, 1 January, 2010

I forget to ask you for a favour. I would like to have the outer outlines of the Babari Masjid, the base for the proposed Ram Janambhoomi Mandir and the make-shift mandir built after the Demolition, in the same scale, superimposed on each other on the same paper.

We should also keep an eye on the changes that have been made in the make-shift mandir to record our protest against any violation of the status quo as on 8.12.1992.

I am also awaiting your detail report of the victims of the communal violence in Ayodhya on 6 December 1990 which you promised particularly those whose bodies were burnt.

Budhist Claims on Babari Masjid

Letter to Mr Khaliq Ahmed Khan,Faizabad, 28 March 2010

It has been reported that a court in Faizabad heard a petition by Bhartiya Buddh Darshan Saar, filed by late Sweta Ambedkar and issued notices to various parties for the next hearing.

The date of the hearing is 12th March is already behind us and I would be grateful if you kindly find out where the matter stands. Also, the Budhist organizations are organizing a yatra from Nagpur to reach Ayodhya on 6.12.10. I am afraid the CM may be inclined to give it informal support.

If you could meet the Advocate concerned in the Faizabad you could inform that the rival claims to the disputed site are under order of the Supreme Court being heard by Special bench of the Allahabad High Court and therefore his organization should approach the Supreme Court.

WAKF

Restoration of a Masjid in Punjab

Letter to the Secretary, CWC, 7 January, 2010

You may have seen the report in the Urdu Times Mumbai that a Masjid which had been closed for 62 years in Jaswal Town in Moga district in Punjab has been restored to the Muslim community in presence of a mixed gathering. Since you must be aware of this Masjid I request you to ensure that on restoration it is not taken over by any religious group like the Ahrar but is managed by a suitable Committee, nominated by the State Wakf Board.

Mismanagement of Delhi Wakf Board

Letter to Chief Minister of Delhi, 11 January, 2010

As you are aware, the Delhi Wakf Board and its Chairman have both completed their term on 30th October 2009. But so far the new Committee has not been constituted and new Chairman has not been elected. The Board is therefore defunct, particularly it has no full time Chief Executive Officer. The net result is that the Board’s income has fallen and it is not in a position to pay the Imam and Meuzzins of the mosques in its in its custody or the pension to the widows. I am told that even the salary of the employee of the Board has fallen into arrears and they receive no bonus on Id as they used to.

Apparently your government had promise an Annual Grant to the Board which is yet to be fulfilled. Several states not only pay a grant-in-aid regularly to the Wakf Boards but some have raised it to the level of crores.

My personnel request to you is that government of Delhi should bear the administrative expenditure of the Wakf Board so that the money it earns form the Wakf properties is wholly utilized for payment to the Imams and Muezzims etc and grant to the widows & other charities.

I also request you kindly take urgent steps to reconstitute the Wakf Board so that it elects its Chairman immediately. Also the Board needs a fulltime executive officer. A Muslim official of seniority at least of a Deputy Secretary may be appointed on a full time basis at the earliest.

Encroachment on a Masjid in Delhi Cantonment

Letter to the Minister of Defence, 11 January, 2010

I am writing this letter to bring your notice the sad fate of a mosque in village Basant Vihar in Delhi Cantonment, whose foundation stone was laid in 1880 and which is recorded it the Survey of 1913 under Khasra number D-99. It originally occupied more than 14 acres of land but over the years, much encroachment has taken place, issue by the Army. I regret to say that the Cantonment authorities have not been fair, supported encroachment and come in the way of vacation and restoration.

On your way to the air-port, you may notice a small mosque on your left near the turning towards Dhaula kuan. It is used by the defense staff who work nearby. It was going to be demolished as it was included in construction of living quarters for defense personnel. I appealed to the then Defense Minister Shri R. Venkataraman who later become the President of India. He assured me that the mosque shall stay & it did.

I request you to kindly look into the relevant documents and instruct the Cantonment authorities to restore the Masjid and its land, in accordance with the Survey of 1913.

On Omission in Minutes of CWC

Letter to Secretary, CWC, 11 January, 2010

Thank you for sending me the draft of the agenda for the 56 the meeting of the Central Wakf Council scheduled for 13 January 2010.

You may recall that 2 item I had dropped from my supplementary list at the last meeting held on 5 October 2009 for lack of time. I request you to kindly include these in this agenda along with the following items,

• Discussion on Long-term Plan for the Territorial Reorganization of the Wakf Boards.
• Request to the Government of Punjab, to Recognize the Existing Registration of Wakf Properties and, incase of doubt, to obtain Necessary Information from the Wakf Department of Government of Punjab in Pakistan
• Question of Regular Grant-in-aid by State Governments to the Wakf Boards for Meeting Administration Expenditure, exclusion of Expenditure of Charities.
• Advice to the Wakf Boards for a Census of Religious Places, which are de jure Wakfs, but which are under unlawful occupation and used for other purposes including Masjids, Idgahs, Qabristans etc & properties pertaining to them.
• Request to State Government for full & continuous support to Wakf Boards/ Motawallis in the Vacation of Wakf Properties under Illegal Occupation.

Request to Examine Draft Direct Tax Code from Wakf Angle

Letter to the Secretary, CWC, 19 January, 2010

As you are aware the Finance Minister has proposed a draft Direct Tax Code Bill 2009, which is under consideration. As compared to the IT Act, 1961, its provisions appear to be some what detrimental to Muslim Wakfs & Charities.

Section 10 of the DTC provides that persons specified in Schedule 7 shall not be liable to Income Tax under section 3. Clause 38 of Schedule 7 provides that any association, authority, institution or trust may be registered under any law for the regulation of religious endowment. This creates an impression the all religious endowments may be exempted from I T, even though they do not require registration. Clause 38 may be open to diverse interpretation and conflicting judicial verdicts. It is therefore essential that the DTC should make an explicit provision about exemption of places of religious worship even if they are not open to the general public. The question arises whether religious trusts and endowments like wakfs which are confined to the benefit of a particular religious group, will be entitled to registration under provision of DTC Section 96(d) defines non-profit organization in which the phrase ‘general public’ is used in several places.

I am writing this to request you that the DTC may be examined form the point of view of the Wakfs so that they do not lose the benefit of exemption from I T.

Ancient Mosque & Mausoleum in Patna

Letter to Aftab Ahmed, 19 January, 2010

The Islamic Voice, Bangalore, has reported that the wakf estate in Patna which includes Hebat Jung Masjid, Palace, Mausoleum and graveyard are under encroachment by antisocial elements and the State Sunni Wakf Board is unable to stop it. Hebat Jung was the Mughal Governor of Bihar from 1716 to 1734. The property lies in Begumpur. It is registered as a wakf estate with Mr Syed Ausuf Imam as the Mutawalli. He is reported to have requested the Board for intervention. But has been advised it is for the Mutawalli to take legal action to begin with. The Board has the power to dismiss the Mutawalli and to make alterative arrangements if he is not able to perform his duty.

I would request you to kindly visit the place, and speak to both Mutawalli and the CEO of the Board Mr. Abul Hasan to save this heritage.

Secondly, you have to come here for the National Reservation Meet on 10 February, 2010 perhaps with a few other activists.

On Avoiding Time Gap in Wakf Council

Letter to MOS for Minority Affairs, 13 February, 2010

As you are aware that the current Central Wakf Council completes its term on 17 March 2010. There is no provision in the Rules to permit it to continue in office until the new Council is constituted. You are also aware that the council is currently seized with many matter of long term concern which will innovate the entire working of the Wakf administration in the country. There have been periods in past when there long after for 12-18 month.

I request you to avoid a gap for the wake of continuity and, therefore, urge you, and through you the government to constitute the new Council before the term of current Council expires so that it can meet soon after its appointment to take stock of what needs to be done urgently.

Need for Allocation of Land for Graveyards in Maharashtra

Letter to Chief Minister of Maharashtra, 22 Feb., 2010

Because of scarcity of real space and non-allocation of land for Muslim cemeteries at Juhu, where many well-known personalities from the field of culture, literature, films were buried, have been dug up. These personalities include Ali Sardar Jafri, KA Abbas, Talat Mahmood, Mohd Rafi and Madhubala. It has been stated that the request supported by Dilip Kumar for allotment of land is pending with the administration.

We realize that there is shortage of space but the qabristans were dismantled to stones and disposed of the bones and skulls without informing the families or seeking their consent. Perhaps if not in Mumbai proper in the outlying but accessible areas land should be made available to the Muslim community.

It should not be a religious mandate in Islam to maintain, to build structures in the graveyards but they deserve a respectability and it does hurt sentiments of the people particularly their relatives to see their graveyards desecrated. The Late King Abdul Aziz, father of the present King of Saudi Arabia captured Makkah and Madinah which is between troops the graves of well known religious personalities in the neighbourhood of the Holy Mosques had desecrated and that caused an uproar throughout the Muslim world particularly in India. Perhaps, we are less sensitive today but the fact remains that in many states a regular allotment of land is made to the Muslim community for graveyards. The graveyards may be regulated by the Municipal authorities so that they are managed properly and when it is full a new layer of earth can cover the existing graves for further use.

CENSUS

Need for Development Census of All Social Groups

Letter to, Minister of Law, 28 March, 2010

As you are aware, there are no guidelines by the Government or the Supreme Court for identification of the Backward Classess and of citizens who belong to them, primarily because there has been no ‘caste’ census since 1931 and the census parameters are not development-oriented. So far, except in the case of SC/ ST our reservation quotas have not been scientifically determined because neither the population of a given Backward Class is known nor are relevant data available to determine its relative level of backwardness as compared to SC/ST. The quotas are largely ad hoc and looked up on as on exercise in political charity rather than a matter of constitutional duty.

For long I have been pressing the Government that the Census should take into account all identifiable and conscious social groups and sub-groups and collect data on carefully selected and easily accessible social, economic, educational and even political parameters which would give their level of backwardness. I note that the Backward Classes Commission in Karnataka had once taken into account more than 20 parameters. That need not be replicated. Perhaps 10 parameters which can be easily accessed should be adequate. I am heartened by a statement attributed to you that sub-quotas in Women’s Bill cannot be provided to the OBC’s & Muslims because sufficient data are not available.

Some years back, the Ministry of Rural Development had made a rural survey. The SSO conducts sample surveys from time to time. I do not see anything unconstitutional if the Census collects data not only on population but also on some selected parameters for each group/sub-group and publishes them as in the case of SC/ST.

I, therefore, request you that since the preliminary work relating to 2011 Census is to begin shortly, the Government may give clear instructions to the Registrar General of India / Census Commissioner to collect data on not only population of major religious groups but all social groups or sub-group. We need not call it caste Census but Development Oriented Census of all Social Groups.

On Wakf Character of Notified Masjids

Letter to Secretary, Central Wakf Council, 10 March, 2010

Earlier, the Delhi Wakf Board was not reportedly co-operating fully in the survey of the Wakf properties of religious importance in Delhi which are claimed by the Archeological Survey of India. But, according to the newspaper reports, the Delhi State Archeological Department has issued preliminary notification under the provisions of Delhi Act of 2004 in respect of 39 Wakf monuments in July, August and September, 2009 and January, 2010 & the Delhi Wakf Board has, however, claimed that these monuments already stand notified as Wakf properties.

Whether it is the question of the ASI or Delhi State Archeological Department, the historical and heritage character does not erode or nullify, the religious character of such monuments which are Wakfs by definition that is why we have been insisting that so called Protected Masjids should be open for regular or occasional prayer as the case may be.

The point is to find out from the Delhi Wakf Board, the expenditure they have been incurring on the maintenance of these religious structures. Obviously, under the letter of the law, any religious activity on the date of notification as a historical monument cannot be stopped and will continue.

What I suggest is that as Secretary of the Central Wakf Council, in the light of the resolutions we have adopted, you aid and assist the Delhi Wakf Board in maintaining the management of such wakfs monuments under its control under a suitable MOU.

ANTI-ISLAMIC BLASPHEMY

On Muslim Allergy to Taslima Nasrin’s Presence

MMM Resolution, 13 March 2010

The MMM is surprised by the return to India of Taslima Nasrine, a Swedish citizen of Bangladesh origin. The so-called liberal and progressive elements in India equate Muslim protest with religious fundamentalism and fail to understand that Muslim Indians are allergic to her presence basically because of her persistent misrepresentation of Islam & vilification of the Holy Prophet. More over, the MMM feels that in view of improvement of our relation with Bangladesh, there is no reason for us to embrace a person who is persona non grata in the country of her birth, who is not a stateless person and have been accepted & glorified in the West because she bears a Muslim name, in an expression of its increasing Islamophobia, and since her pressure in India is an irritant, causes group tension and creates problems, her current Visa should not be extended.

Anti-Islamic Literature

Letter to Mr. Yusuf H. Muchala, Senior Advocate, 7 Jan., 2010

I am glad that you intervened in the Mumbai High Court case relating to the ban on ‘Islam- A Concept of Political World Invasion by Muslims’, the ban has been upheld by the High Court However the order is so worded that the existence of malice in the author is likely to become contentious and lead to protracted litigation.
I would be grateful for a copy of the text of the Mumbai HC order.

Protest Against Taslima Nasrin wthin Democratic Limits

Letter to The Editor, Nation and the World, 13 Feb., ‘10

I agree with the article of Mr.Aijaz Zaka Syed that the manner of protest against Taslima Nasreen in Hyderabad is not only a counter productive but also gave an opportunity to anti-Islamic forces who always attributes Islam with violence and anti-feminism.

Muslims all over the country have protested against the fulmination of Taslima Nasreen against Islam and the Holy Prophet. But, there are ways of registering protest both judicially as well as publicly which must fit in with the spirit of time. We can learn a lesson from the manner in which the Zionist in all over the world and particularly in the USA registers an effective protest against a word spoken against the Jews or Israel. But, Mr. Syed has also equated those who defend Islam from deliberate vilification that the violence in Iraq or in Afghanistan. The existence of Muslim militants who believe in violence cannot absolve of our responsibility to utilize the civilized option open to us either in India or elsewhere to defend ourselves. Secondly, he should not believe that all leaders of the Muslim community including the Ulema accept the violence perpetrated by Muslim militant in the name of Islam. Many Muslim all over the world not only condemn and criticize the meaningless violence and try to present the true message of Islam to the non-Muslims.

In India, the Muslim community has been at the receiving end for more than half a century but it has never adopted revenge and retaliation as its response. We have tried to place our case before the people of India, before the government in administration and before the law courts and before the media. Unfortunately the media which prompted before us anything derogatory to Islam will not touch our protestation and clarification with a barge goal.

No Extension of Residence Visa for Taslima

Letter to the Minister of Finance,13 February 2010,

As you might be aware the Bangaladeshi writer, Taslima Nasreen who had left India in August 2009 has returned to the country. Because her current visa expires on 16 February 2010, she is anxious to obtain an extension as well as if possible, of permanent residence.

I would sincerely plead with you, that her visa should not be extended in view of the continuing revulsion against her for her anti Islamic writings & for her willingness to be exploited by the Islamophobes all over the world because she bears a Muslim names. I am addressing this latter to you because you are aware of the whole situation and request you to advice your colleague in the Ministry of Home Affairs & External Affairs.

HAJ

Comments on Working of Haj Committee

Letter to CEO Haj Committee of India, 25 January, 2010

I have seen your report on measures by the Haj Committee to improve its work during the last three years. Under item 5, you have mentioned the computerization and linkage of all State Haj Committees with the Central Committee. I hope that I shall now be able to receive district-wise data in respect of Haj pilgrims, who performed the Haj this year.

Under item 6, I am glad about the core banking system but I do not understand why the prospective pilgrims should pay their charges in advance including the value of foreign exchange. I feel that foreign exchange should be separated from payment to Haj Council and the pilgrim should be free to take foreign exchange from the core banking in the district to the extent he needs it.

Under item 7, you have mentioned district lot for the selection of pilgrims but you should further and ensure that all pilgrims from the district and other neighbouring districts fly by the same chartered flight, with a common Amirul Haj and common medical team. Under item 9, it is impossible to cut out those who go to Haj from year to year unless you have a complete record for the last ten years on your computers.

Item B(1), I am surprised that as CEO of the Haj Committee, you did not have the power to transfer your staff from one section to another. If this has been conceded by the Ministry, you should overall the entire Office and shift all staff who have been on the same seat for five years.

Under item C, in my view the Haj House Trust may have come under your occupation and control but strictly speaking what is needed to finalize the Haj Trust and to utilize it with the promotion of the Trust.

Under item D, the Haj Committee should not, repeat not, take over the selection of Haj accommodation in Mecca. It would only burn its fingers. The formal demarcation of duty between the Haj Committee at this end, and the CGI, at the other, must continue, with the responsibility being separate & specific for each of them.

With regard to E, I am glad to know that the Government is thinking of handing back the management of Haj Charter to the Haj Committee for which it should introduce a global tender based on your minimum requirement.

Complaints of Haj Pilgrims, 2009

Letter to Foreign Secretary, Govt of India, 27 Jan., 2010

There have been many complaints from Haj pilgrims about the basic services provided in the Haj accommodation in Mecca leased or rented by the Consulate General of India, Jeddah.

There is a recurring complaint that the rent agreement is treated as a classified document & is not made available to the interested pilgrims or their representatives, or Khaddamul Hajjaj particularly as regards the payment of advance installment of rent. We are not aware whether the Consulate General of India signs accommodation agreement with the Saudi Arabian Haj Organisation for Saudi Arabia or with individual owners, after the facilities provided therein have been checked by the Haj Organization and by the Consulate General of India, particularly in terms of per capita space allocation number of pilgrims per toilet, 24 hour water supply and lift operation if the building has many floors.

It is being alleged that in checking the facilities as well as in finalizing the agreement, the Consulate General of India has underhand dealings with the owners.

I would request you to institute high-level inquiry in the matter.

On Haj Reform in Haj Management

Letter to Smt. Mohsina Kidwai Chairperson, 25 March 2010

Please accept my sincere felicitations on your election as the Chairperson of the Haj Committee of India. You are indeed the first Muslim woman to be so elected. I wish you a very successful tenure, which would reduce if not eliminate totally the common grievances of the Indian Haj pilgrims in India as well as Saudi Arabia. I would like to see you at your convenience at an early date because I have been associated with Haj work for more than 45 years in my capacity as Haj Officer in Jeddah, the Joint Secretary in the MEA and a member of the Haj Committee for many years sometimes as acting Chairperson.
As I see it, the major problems are as follows:-

1. The office of the Haj Committee of India operates from Mumbai which is no longer the major port of exit and but which the Haj Committee shall be in regular touch with all Ministries and Departments in Delhi.
2. The second problem is that the Haj quota decided by the Saudi Arabia is not wholly available to the pilgrims who apply to the Haj Committee but part thereof is diverted arbitrarily to private haj tour operators. This has led to scandalous underhand dealings apart from depriving some genuine haj pilgrims of their chance. This must be stopped and the entire haj quota should be distributed among the Haj applicants in proportion to the Muslim population in the states and the unutilized quota in some states among the states with deficit in allocation, in the ratio of the unserved applicants.
3. The third and the most important national problems arises from the present system of giving a monopo;y of haj flights to Air India, which does not have necessary air crafts of its own but hires them from other airlines. By virtue of monopoly Air India fixes the Haj fares arbitrarily, while it should not exceed 2/3rd of the Reform IATA point-to-point Fares in US Dollars. This leads to a drain on the exchequer in the form of Haj subsidy. Government has taken the first step this year to remove subsidy which was suggested by the Standing Committee of Parliament during the 1990s.
   I understand that the Haj subsidy has now crossed Rs.400 crore market. This can be reduced by (a) by selecting the haj carrier through a global tender; (b) intensive negotiations in the light of IATA fare (c) raisng the charter fare by the pilgrims by another slab.
4. The fourth grievance relates to accommodation which is the responsibility and should remain the undivided responsibility of the CGI in Jeddah, as the Haj Committee has no role outside India except in a supervisory sense. Many complaints have been received both by the Haj Committee and the Government and it has been alleged that crores were made through underhand dealings with the agents of landlords for haj accommodation.

Allegation against E. Ahamed former MOS for MEA

Letter to the Minister of External Affairs, 13 Feb., 2010

It have been reported the young-wing of the Left Front in Kerala DYFI has alleged that the then Minister of State in-charge of Haj, Mr. E Ahmed had misused his position and connection to hand over a substantial part of the Muslim Haj Quota to Haj Tour Operators which was distributed among private tour agencies, including the Al-Hind Tours, whose head is related to him. The Left Front asked for Mr. E Ahmed’s resignation. It has also been reported that you have already taken cognizance of the charge and has asked for the matter to be enquired into by a judge of Supreme Court.

In the meantime, the Ministry may be instructed to place the facts in the public domain, including total number of Haj Pilgrims agreed to by Government of Saudi Arabia, the total quota handed over to private tour operator names of the private tour operators in the approved list of the Ministry for Haj 2009 and the sub-quotas assigned to each of them.

KASHMIR SITUATION

On Media Campaign by Police & Intelligence against Muslim

MMM Resolution, 13 March 2010

The MMM takes note of the continuing police campaign in the mass media to identify suspected terrorists detained by it with the Muslim community, and feeding the media with information collected during interrogation. Quite apart from the low evidentiary value of such confessions which are often rejected by the courts they are not helpful in indicting, the accused but the deliberate publicity creates negative impressions in the mind of the Hindu masses and gives rise to anti- Muslims sentiments and even generates communal tension.

The MMM feels that the police and intelligence authorities should desist from such premature disclosures until the charge sheet is in the public domain and taken cognizance of by the court. Till then the police should not pour oil over a raging fire and disturb relation between Hindus & Muslims

Moreover, from a professional angle, a silent investigation, MMM feels, is more likely to produce results because public statements attributed to suspects may help their associates to take cover.

Regional Autonomy in J&K

Letter to the Teja Singh, IAS (Retd.,4 January 2010

Please refer to your brief note on Kashmir in Mainstream December 25-31, 2009. Your suggestion in fact belongs to two categories of actions, those which are in the hand of the Government of India & those which can only be implemented with the concern with the government of Pakistan.

The first category can only be implemented if there is a meeting of mine between Central Government and the political parties represented in the legislature, or otherwise in the state. There is a good case for providing a model regime in the Indian parts which will have an impact over the people in the other part as well but this would also imply that we accept the sovereignty of Pakistan over the areas under its occupation. The question is in mind is to why both the Central Government and the people of Jammu & Kashmir totally ignore the areas which are under Chinese occupation.

Secondly I doubt whether the two parts of the state can have a common super structure. The core problem in Kashmir is that, we are averse of any division of Kashmir among the three geographical, ethnic & linguistic units of which it is composed. Even under the Mogals, Kashmir Valley was a separate province while Jammu formed part of the Lahore Province. I sense a deep sub-stratum of alienation among Kashmir, Jammu & Laddakh which been growing and will grow to make division in as capable. I once asked a top Kashmiri Journalist as to why Kashmir was averse to separation of Jammu. His answer was very interesting. He said that for more than 100 years the people of Jammu have loaded over the Valley, now democracy has come and we have an opportunity to dominate them!
I remember my conversation with you when you visited Delhi with the group setup by the Kashmir Assembly.
I request you to consider the points I have raised.

Mass Graves in J&K

Letter to Chief Minister of J&K, 5 January 2010

The International People’s Tribunal on Human Right, and Justice in Kashmir, has released a report entitled ‘Buried Evidence: Unknown, Unmarked & Mass Graves’

This allegation has been repeatedly made since Mufti Sahebs’ Chief Ministership whose government gave contradictory reports. Now that many unmarked graves have been discovered, I request you to establish a Commission of Inquiry under a retired Judge of the J & K High Court and to announce that the Government shall grant a suitable compensation to the next-of-kin those whose remains are identified.

Orphans & Orphanages in J&K

Letter to Chief Minister of J&K, 7 January 2010

I was sorry to see the Times of India report that there are nearly 100,000 children in the orphanages in the Valley, not counting those who are living with their extended families. The report also said that nearly 3-5,000 NGOs’ run orphanages but only 20-30 are genuine. In any case all registered orphanages are receiving considerable donation but the children are not being treated well.

I request you to consider putting into effect a general scheme that all orphans who are living with their widowed mothers or with their extended family and are enrolled in schools shall receive a suitable maintenance allowance from the government.

I also request that your government should inspect the orphanages as well as check their accounts.

On Batla House Encounter Inquiry

Letter to Home Minister India, 25 March 2010

The publication of the post-mortem reports of Atif Azmi and Mohd Sajjad, the two Muslim youth killed in the police encounter in Batla House, has once against re-opened, the question of the genuineness of the encounter and the correctness of the police version. The post mortem reports must be analysed carefully and in their light the Government should decide whether to appoint a Special Commission of Inquiry irrespective of the position that the Government has so far taken.

There is also some suspicion about the cause of death of Inspector MC Sharma who is reported to have died out of bullet received in his stomach but surprisingly while the wounds on his shoulder were medically attended to, the injury in their stomach was not. Also the question has already been raised why he was not taken to the AIIMS but to a private hospital and whether he was provided with full security when he was in the hospital.

He had no perceptible wound in his stomach when he left Batla House. The suspicion is being articulated whether he was killed subsequently.

On both counts we request you that you should immediately order a Commission of Inquiry to go into the entire episode. Copy to : Shri Digvijay Singh, General Secretary, AICC.

HINDU TERRORISM

Plea to Investigation Karkare’s Killing

Letter to the Home Minister,14 January, 2009

The killing of Karkare, then Chief of the Maharashtra ATS on 26/11/09 currioser & curioser. There have been several demands by the civil society for a separate inquiry in this circumstances leading to the killing of the 3 senior police officers.

The important fact is that the Pakistan national who is under prosecution Ajmal Qasab has denied that he participated in the terrorist attack in the CST and subsequent killing of these officers. As you must be aware Qasab was not identified by the lady who identified the other 6 terrorists who came ashore on 26/11, she was interrogated.

Secondly, the Civil Society is asking many question who directed Karkare to go to the CST and then to the Cama Hospital, why Karkare wore a defective bullet proof vest, how many bullet he received, whether these bullet came from an AK 47 or from a 9 mm revolver, why he did not receive any reinforcement in the Cama Hospital and above all when he and his colleague were allowed to bleed to death for 40 minutes why the Central warning about terrorist attack by Bombay police. The Police in backing on the evidence of only one police constable Arun Jadava who was in the vehicle in which Karkare was travelling who survived to identify the killers. But the identification is vague as he describes them as emerging from behind the trees and spraying the vehicle with bullets. How could be identify them in darken?

The wives of the police officers are not satisfied with the story spun by the Mumbai Police. Through his untiring effort Karkare had, within a few months exposed the network of Hindutva Terrorism which involved Sadhus, Sants, Sanyasins, Army personnel, Professionals and politician and give a new direction to the bomb blasts in Nanded (April 2006), in Malegoan, in the Mumbai Local Train, Thane(June 2008) and even the explosion in the Samjhauta Express. As a result he was subjected to public attacks, by Hindus communal parties like the Shiv Sena, which called for a bandh in Mumbai. He received many telephonic threats. It seems that during the entire ordeal neither the state government nor the Central Government defended Karkare. He was, therefore, under depression and yet he continued to perform his duties.

It has been suggested that the killers at the CST and the Cama Hospital and subsequently of Karkare, Kamte and Salaskar were not the terrorists from Pakistan who invaded Mumbai but were killers planted by highly placed sympathizers of Hindu terrorist organizations who might have been stalking him and in the dust & din raised by the Pakistani terrorist eliminated him those with him.

Since many question have been raised about the veracity of the Police account and considering that the pace of investigation against Hindutva Terrorism has obviously slackened since he died there is need a clear scope for detailed inquiry by an independent authority. Since the officers belonged to the IPS, the Central Government must take the initiative to restore the morale or the service & intelligence agencies.

Plea to Investigation Hindutva Dharmayudh

Letter to the Home Minister, 17 January, 2010

I am glad that you have clarified your use of the word ‘jihad’ in your speech to the IB officials. I agree with you that the word ‘jihad’ is used in common parlance particular in the West. The Muslim community should accept your assurance that you have had no intention to hurt its sentiments but may I suggest that you may use less loaded words keeping in view that the Muslims of India form the second or the third largest Muslim community in the world and the biggest religious minority in the country & are sensitive about community profiling.

I take this opportunity to draw once your attention to the fact that after the killing of the Late Shri Hemant Karkare all investigations against Hindutva terrorist network exposed by him has not only slackened but taken off the agenda. I feel that the ‘Hindutva Dharmyudh’ should also be investigated in depth and taken to its logical conclusions, if inter-community peace and national integration are to be promoted.

Clarifification Needed on Mushrif’s Book

Letter to The Editor, Milli Gazette, 13 February, 2010

The Milli Gazette and you personally had very courageously published Mr. S.M. Mushrif’s book “Who killed Karkare?”.I observed some lacunae in Mr. Mushrif’s presentation particularly about the only alleged terrorist now on trial Kasab; if he was arrested earlier in Kathmandu and handed over by the Nepal to India and brought to India, was he released to go back to Pakistan and return to India, either by Samjoutha Express or by sea along with other terrorists? He now claims that he was arrested by the Mumbai Police in early Nov., 2009.

Secondly, according to Mr. Mushrif the terrorism havoc at the CST and subsequently at the Cama Hospital was a stage-managed by some elements in the IB or Mumbai Police but he has not clarified what happened to those four persons who were put on the job. Two of them are reported to have been killed but what happened to the other two? Were these Hindu terrorists on a suicide mission or was their objective to kill Karkare and disappear?
Incidentally Mr. Mushrif did not reply to my letter despite reminder.

Letter to Shri Akash Bisht, Editorial Coordinator,

Hardnews Media, 15 February, 2010

I have read your article on the Hashimpura Massacre in the Hardnews of February 2010. In the article you have mentioned the recommendations of Justice C D Parekh Commission. I have not seen the Report. I would be grateful if you would kindly send me its recommendations. To the best of my knowledge, the government of UP had appointed another Commission on Meerut Riots headed by a form CAG This Report was kept confidential but submitted to the Court in a sealed cover.

Hashimpura is not the only black incident in the history of independent India. There were worst massacres; Moradabad (1980), Nelli, Assam (1983), Bhagalpur (1989), to name a few.

I suggest that given an occasion this should also be investigated and highlighted.

Pakistan Lashkar-e-Tayyeba’s Hand

Letter to Home Secretary, 17 February, 2010

It has been reported that a Pakistan based terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Tayyeba Al Alami has claimed responsibility for the recent terrorist strike in Pune. It has been highlighted by the press as ‘a new group’. This is wrong the phrase Al-Alami means ‘global’. So it need out be taken as a separate organization. The name nearly indicates that it is a division of work within the existing Lashkar-e-Tayyeba assigned with the responsibility of organizing terrorist acts outside Pakistan.

UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN ISLAM & HINDUISM

On Authoritative Material on Islam in Hindi Scriptures

Letter to Editor Afkar-e-Milli, 9 January 2010

Two article in latest issue of Afkare Milli once again deal with the question of Hindu Holy book being divine revalism and be Avatar prophet. There are two defect in the presentation whenever the Vedas or Uprash, Pavan are quoted no body detail of edition name of publisher, the name of the translator, the name of the place of publication etc are not mention so that there can be no check on whether the refrence is correct. I have since the holy quran silient about the name of prophet outside the Arab Panisulla at best one can presume that there must have been prophet & revalism for the guidance of the people living in such historaical areas like India or China which are sheets of ancient civilization.

I do not understand why you are anxious to recognize the Ram, Krishna are prophet why you are equally anxious to prove that Hindu holy books mean the holy prophet when mention Kalinki Avatar.

To my mind it appears that it is path of universal tribe to obliterate the dividing line between Islam & Pre-Islamic religious. This does not need that we do not respect those who people of other religion respect.

Letter to Dr Zakir Naik, President, IRF

29 March, 2010

Recently I wrote to you to on an edited version of a speech by you on comparative study of Islam and Hinduism by Dr M Khurshid Akhtar, published in the Journal of world Muslim League. I requested you for the particular of the publications which are the source of your information on Hinduism-the Vedas, the Upanishad and the Puranas with their particulars giving the name of the publisher/ translator, the year of publication and page number on which reference is made to Holy prophet and Arabia I regret to note that you have not responded to my request. Such incomplete references only serves to misguide the people.
I would be grateful for you kind reply.

90-95% Muslims Descend from Converts, Not Invaders

Letter to Mr. H. R Bhardwaj,Governor of Karnataka, 11 Jannuary, 2010

I have been hoping to see you since you took over as Governor of Karnataka but I have not been able to I was reminded of your presence in Bangalore when I saw the report on your speech at the Southern Regional Centre of the Indian Council of for Historical Research.

I am aware of your liberal & positive views on Islam or on Muslims but I would like to make a little correction if you do not mine. Not all muslim rulers were invaders. Babar may have come from outside but all his successors from Akbar to Bahadur shah Zafar were Indians. I wonder whether Zafar had even 5 % of non- Indian blood in his veins. The fact of matter is that 90-95 % of Muslim Indian are descendants of local converts; only 5 % are those who came from outside as soldiers, artists, poets, Sufis etc. Moreover Islam reached India during the life of the Holy Prophet.

These facts must be projected widely to dispel the anti- Muslim propaganda that all Muslim rulers were foreigners or invaders. In fact all Muslim rulers settled in India & were buried here (except Babar) & none exploited the country or took away its wealth like the British lid.

Felicitation to Former President for Organising First ever
International Dialogue between Islam and Oriental Religions,

MMM Resolution, 13 March 2010

The MMM of the AIMMM cordially felicitates, its former President Dr Z I Khan, Editor, the Milli Gazete for successfully organizing the International Dialogue between Islam and Oriental Religions in Delhi on 20-21 February 2010 with the cooperation of the international Union of Islamic Scholars, Doha.

The MMM is convinced that the Dialogue shall lead to greater understanding and more cooperation & reduce mutual bias in a multi-religious country like ours.

MUSLIM WORLD

On Official Visit by PM to Saudi Arabia

MMM Resolution, 13 March 2010

The MMM welcomes the visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Saudi Arabia and the Riyadh Declaration issued at its end which has not only strengthened bilateral cooperation in many fields but also brought back into focus India’s traditional policy on the Question of Palestine. Above all, the Declaration has endorsed the ‘two state solution’ and described the illegal Jewish settlements on West Bank as a major obstacle.

The MMM hopes that the visit shall lead to more intensive economic & academic corporation between India and Saudi Arabia and to some significant reduction in the level of Indo-Isreal cooperation in the field of defense & intelligence.

On Resumption of India- Pakistan Dialogue

MMM Resolution, 13 March 2010

The MMM welcomes the resumption of India-Pakistan Dialogue and reiterates its conviction that other than Dialogue there is no option for the people of the two countries to achieve progress & development. The MMM expresses the hope that the two government shall take up all outstanding bilateral issues & eventually resolve them and also come to a consensus on regional problems.

The MMM strongly recommends that cultural and commercial exchanges as well as personal visits should be encouraged by both countries. The MMM also requests the Government of Pakistan to take effective steps to stop all operations by the terrorist groups based in Pakistan on the Indian soil.

On Vacation of Afghanistan by Foreign Forces

MMM Resolution, 13 March 2010

The MMM considers that continued presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan has served to intensify the civil war & terrorist activities which destabilize the country and cause immense suffering to the people. The MMM, therefore, feels that at the earliest all foreign military personnel should vacate Afghanistan, all friendly countries should generously contribute to its development through loan and grant and all nationalist political element should promote national recanciliation and the formation of representative government.

On Use of Word Allah by Christians

Letter to High Commissioner for Malaysia,12 Jan., 2010

We are surprised by the violent reaction in Malaysia to the use of name of Allah by Christians in their scripture translated in Malay and in their places of worship, and that some sections of the Muslim Community have reacted angrily and violently.

As Muslims we all believe that that Allah is the creator & preserver of all humanity. Allah has the same meaning as God in English & Ishwar in Sanskrit, It is not related exclusively to any particular faith. We would like to add that this situation in Malaysia is not only besmearing the liberal image of Malaysia but also confirming the fanatical view of Islam among the islamophobes of the west.

I request you to convey our feelings to your Government with the hope that if may strengthen their fight apart extremism.

On Alleged Persecution of Bahais in Iran

Letter to Ambassador of Iran to India,14 January 2010

You may have taken note of the Joint Statement issued by some eminent Indians expressing concern over the alleged persecution of the Baha’i community in Iran with particular reference to the trial of seven former leaders of the community which began on January 12. They were arrested in early 2008.

They have also referred to reports of the Baha’is being arrested form time to time and to the allegation that religious as well as ethnic minorities in Iran suffer various handicaps, they are not free to practicing their religion; some not allowed in certain trains or enroll themselves for school or college education; they are not allowed in government jobs.

As the biggest religious minority in India we have our grievances but we feel that Muslim States must treat their minorities well to set an example. That would benefit us and help us in fighting against disabilities and difficulties that we face. We hope that Baha’is & other minorities in Iran will not suffer any systematic harassment and those under trial shall receive a transparent and fair public trial.

Wanted Relation of Equality & Reciprocity with Muslim World

Email to Mr. Fareed Zakaria, 22 February 2010

I have read your article reproduced from the Washington Post News Services in which you have stated that moderate Muslims are winning the ideological war against Islamic Extremism. Towards the end you had mentioned the situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen but you have totally omitted the issue in the reference to Palestine, which is the root cause of Muslim antipathy to the West and for motivating ‘jihad’. I dare say that even if al-Qaeda is totally destroyed but the Palestine impasse is not resolved for which 99% of the Muslims hold USA responsible. As you called the jihad is the ideology to continue to influence Muslim psyche. Jihad may take different forms but it cannot be outlawed by Saudi fatwas. I may add that beyond the question of Palestine the American policy makers must think of developing a relationship of equality and reciprocity with the Muslim world and stop supporting and aiding those in power who are not seen as democrats or liberals but as American agents/stooges.

On Muslim Situation in India

Letter to Dilip Padgonkar, 17 January 2010

I have just read your article on ‘a new vision for Indo-Pak ties’. You have mentioned that to develop a new relationship we need to arrest the alienation of the Kashmiris and the social and economic backwardness of the Muslim community, apart from showing empathy for the mess in which Pakistan find itself.

But when it comes to remedial measures you omit any mention of the Muslim situation. Indeed I consider that the historical role of the Muslim community is to act as a bridge between the two parts of the sub-continent. But they can do so only when they live in dignity and enjoy equality.

I agree with you that there is a growing consciousness in Pakistan that division did not solve the communal problem of the sub-continent and perhaps the Muslim community of the sub-continent as a whole would have gained much more in a united stated but with due safeguards to remove their apprehensions about the pressures of majoritarianism. Even the UPA Government is not serious about this aspect looking at the manner in which they have treated the Sachar Report and the Mishra Report. I wish that you draw the attention of the people to these omissions.

On Ban on Minarets in Switzerland

Letter to Editor, Milli Gazette, 31 January, 2010

I have read Mr. AMA Pira’s letter in your latest issue protesting against the ban on construction of minarets in Switzerland. While I agree that there should be no discrimination against any religious group neither in the allocation of place for community use nor in publicly displaying religious symbols, I do not endorse his view that a minaret, or, for that matter, a dome, is a ‘fundamental religious symbol of Islam’. In fact, a mosque is nothing more than space reserved for Namaz, basically a hall which allows people to line up in rows behind the Imam all facing towards the Holy Kaaba. Islam does not lay down any architecture for Masjids, although different countries & peoples have developed their own style for designing their Masjid.

It may be noted en passant that the anti-Islamic forces in India denied that Babari Masjid was a mosque, on the ground that it had no minarets! We also have the well known example of a senior Hindu leader publicly wanting to bring down the minarets and domes of the Jama Masjid Delhi, because their very sight shot blood to his eyes!

We need not take an extreme view so long as there is freedom to profess, practise and propagate Islam in any state and so long as there is no overt discrimination against the Muslims in access to education, livelihood and all service the state provides to the people, not to speak of exercise of political rights. A Muslim minority should not act in a manner which would further accentuate anti-Islamic sentiments or generate hostile emotions, or take a strong stand except when its basic freedom of religion is at stake. Even in registering his protest against vilification it must act within the democratic norms of the country he lives in.

On Management of Bodh Gaya Temple

Letter to the Home Minister, 7 January, 2010

I find that the National Commission for Minorities has requested you to take note of Bodh Gaya Management Act 1949, which places the Temple under the joint control of Hindus and Buddhists, thorough it is a Buddhist shrine. I was a member of the Management Committee as a representative of the Ministry of External Affairs in the late 70’s I had pointed out to the Government of Bihar even then that the existing arrangement was not fair and in effect turned the Temple into a joint shrine. The Buddhists are particularly unhappy about the installation of a Shiv Lingam in the sanctum sanctoram. They are also unhappy about the idols of five Pandavas in a neighboring structure a few yards away. For long the property belonging to the Temple or whatever remains of it is managed by a Hindu Mahant. But what is important is that the Management Committee has a clear Hindus majority.

All religious communities want excusive control of their shrines. I, therefore, urge you to advise the Government of Bihar to amend the Act of 1949 so that the management is in the hands of the Buddhist community, through their representative organizations and institutions. The Committee may also have representation of the Government of Bihar, the Department of Archeology and Ministry of External Affairs.

Indo-Pakistan Relations

Email to Mr. Vir Sanghwi, 22 February, 2010

I have read your article in the Hindustan Times of 14 February, 2010 on Negotiation with Pakistan. It is not Pakistan and India are obsessed each other but they are both obsessed with Kashmir in particular the Valley. There can be and there shall be no substantive progress on the Kashmir question unless India and Pakistan come to an agreement on a viable compromise which would satisfy both sides as well as the people of Valley. I have come to the conclusion that no Indian Goernment can hand over the Valley to the Pakistan and no Pakistan Government can solve the problem and the Kashmir which does not have a say in the affairs of the Valley. One form it can take is that the Valley be treated as suo generis in which the people of the Valley houses the rural poor, call it autonomy or independence under the joint control of India and Pakistan. The Valley can be neutralized. Its defense can be a joint responsibility of the two countries, so can be its development. Negotiations howsoever one qualifies them, shall not yield any results, and both countries shall continue to divert development resources to continue with the game of upmanship.
Counterpoint@hindustantimes.com

‘Secret’ Agreement with Bangladesh

Letter to the Foreign Secretary, 29 March, 2010

A section of the press has brought out that during the recent visit to India, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh signed a ‘secret’ agreement which would allow India to use their ports for trade through connection with the Indian rail system. Such an agreement though under discussion for many years with reciprocal rights for Bangladesh has not been reported officially. It would be useful to remove the misunderstanding in an appropriate manner.