Figuring Out

Of the 23,768 candidates who appeared in the High Madrassa examinations of West Bengal, 6,674 belonged to SC and ST communities. This constitutes 28 per cent of the total. This was disclosed here by Dr. Shamsul Alam, spokesman of the Madrassa Examination Board on May 29. High Madrassa represents a blend of curriculum with elements of religious and secular sciences. It was set up by the British Government. It is funded by the state government. Currently, 12 per cent of the students in these madrassas are stated to be Hindus.

2006 has been designated as the ‘Year for fight against desertification’ and nearly 70 per cent of the world’s deserts fall under the Muslim countries. Recent studies say that 500 million people who live in the desert regions may find the living increasingly difficult in years ahead as sub-terranean water is depleting. It opines that sub-soil water has been unwisely used in several desert countries. Salinisation of the soil is growing in deserts in Middle East, India, China and Pakistan. Not only water table is going down, but even climate change is a vital threat. Dasht- e- Kavir in Iran has seen 16 per cent decline in rainfall in the last quarter century. But deserts’ potential to tap solar power has emerged as a big hope. For instance, 803 lakh sq. km. area of Sahara desert can supply vast amount of electricity to the world.

There are nearly 600 mosques all over the country, 53 in Delhi alone, where Muslims cannot pray because they are seen as historical monuments. There are at least 53 ancient mosques in the Indian capital, some lie inside the 17th century Red Fort, one across the road near Jama Masjid, in the Safdarjung Tomb, in Lodhi Garden and at the imposing Qutub Minar complex. Muslims are also prohibited to pray in Khairul Manazil mosque opposite to the Old Fort as well as other mosques located inside the Delhi Golf Club grounds and near Wazirabad bridge, near the Yamuna River. The ASI (Archaeological Survey of India ) says these are historical mosques and they need to be preserved as part of history.