Community Round-Up

The conspiracy to brand Muslims without any concrete evidence is still going on. The conspiracy reached its heights recently when cops raided the home of a Muslim man in Delhi who died two years ago, for involvement in the recent Samjhauta blast. Failing to arrest the real culprits involved in the Samjhauta train blast, the Haryana police and the GRP backed by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) have now found ‘dead Muslims’ involved in the blast. The Haryana police and GRP men came to Nazma’s home in Salimpur area of east Delhi and wanted to arrest her husband ‘Ghulam Rasool’.


Rasool had already on April 24, 2005. Despite Nazma’s insistence that her husband died two years back, gun-totting policemen forcibly entered her house and searched for Ghulam Rasool. Nazma also showed police the death certificate and receipt of the Qabristan where her husband is buried, but police paid no heed to her. Observing the atrocities on a widow and her seven children, local people under the leadership of local councilor, Zamir Ahmad gathered and prevented police from further harassing Nazma and her family. According to the FIR dated 19/2/07, Haryana Police and GRP have imposed section 302, 307, 124 A, 438, 440, 150 151 , 152 and 3/4/6 and under explosive Act, to arrest ‘dead’ Ghulam Rasool.

The 16th conference of the Islamic Fiqah Academy (IFA) will be held between March 30 and April 2 at Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. More than 200 Ulema, Qazis and Muslim intellectuals from India and abroad are likely to participate in the three- day conference. General secretary of the IFA, Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani said the 16th seminar would discuss issues related to euthanasia, brain dead, polio, networking business and other issues. Maulana Rahmani said that new inventions and latest gadgets have confused the society and increased problems. “It is the duty of the ulema to guide the society in a proper religious manner,” he said. It is encouraging, says Maulana Rahmani, that Indian ulema have already started studying issues related to modern science and medical technology in the light of Islamic Fiqah.

The Dawoodi Bohra Community here inaugurated its new mosque called Al-Masjid ul Burhani in Gottigere off Bannerghatta Road. It can accommodate 1500 namazis and has a carpet area of 5000 sq. ft and an additional space of 2400 sq. ft for use during bigger congregations. It was inaugurated by Bohra chief, Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin who paid a visit to the city in the last week of February. The mosque is styled in Fatimid architecture of Egypt. Bangalore has a 3750 strong Bohra community. A colony of nearly 400 houses is also coming up in the vicinity of the mosque on a five acre land. The community runs the M. S. B. Education Institute in J. P. Nagar area of Bangalore.

Muslim groups in Mumbai held a peaceful protest seeking implementation of the Sachar Committee report.


Several Muslim groups in Mumbai held a peaceful protest on March 10, at Azad Maidan, seeking implementation of the report of the Sachar Committee constituted by the Central government to probe the social, economic and educational status of the Indian Muslims. The morcha, marked two years of the seven-member Sachar Committee which was formed on March 9, 2005 . This committee, spearheaded by Justice (Rtd) Rajindar Sachar, collected compiled and analysed data from various governmental and non-governmental sources across 13 states and submitted a report to the Parliament on November 30, 2006. The report, the first of its kind to be presented to the Parliament, highlights a dark and dismal picture of the social, educational and economic conditions of Indian Muslims, positioning them as among the most backward of all communities in India. “The proposed recommendations by the Sachar Committee have not been implemented yet,” said Feroz Mithiborewala, media secretary, Movement for Peace and Justice (MPJ), one of the organisers of the morcha. The report had suggested policies to deal with the relative deprivation of Muslims in the country, focusing on inclusive development and ‘mainstreaming’ of the community while respecting diversity.


“The protest on March 10 was our plea to the government to consider and act upon the suggestions of the committee at the earliest,” added Mithiborewala. Among those who addressed the peaceful demonstration were prominent social and political personalities including MP and CPI (M) Leader Sitaram Yechury, several Muslim MPs and MLAs from Maharashtra. It was being supported by various prominent organisations, like EKTA, All India Milli Council, People’s Media Initiative, Arakshan Bachao Samiti and many more.

The final sentencing in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case is likely to begin on April 19. Special Tada judge, P. D Kode has fixed April 16, when all the pending applications will be decided by the TADA court and on April 19, the court has called all the 123 accused including 100 convicts including those acquitted in the case. If that is any indication, P.D. Kode is likely to announce the order on April 19. However, the judge declined to commit, saying he cannot declare the date beforehand. Reading out the sentences is likely to take at least ten days since the judge has to deliver separate sentences for each of the offences and sections for each accused—many have been convicted on five to six separate counts


There are eleven applications still pending before the court as on March 14. These include two applications of Sanjay Dutt, one seeking probation and the other for extension of bail. There is an application by 67 out of 100 convicts seeking parity with Sanjay Dutt as far as removal of charges under TADA is concerned. Also, there are three other applications from Yususf Nalwala, Rusi Mulla and Kersi Adajania, seeking benefits under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958.