Community Round-Up

The union minister of state for finance, S. S. Palanimanickam, stated that the Islamic banking system or the interest- free banking could be a boon for the poor of the country. Speaking at an international seminar on Islamic banking here, he said that the aim of Islamic banking is to ensure equal and just distribution of financial resources. “In the age of globalisation, this system can bring happiness to all sections of the society”, he said. He also disclosed that the Reserve Bank of India was studying the different aspects of providing Islamic banking in branches of Indian banks abroad. The two-day seminar, titled, “Justice and Equity: the message of Islamic banking” was organised by the Jamaat-e Islami Hind, recently. Speaking on the occasion, deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha, K. Rahman Khan said that the Islamic banking system could play a major role in the economic development of the country. The chairman of the seminar committee, Dr. F.R. Faridi, who is also president of the Indian Association for Islamic Economics said that the seminar would usher in a healthy debate on the issue of Islamic banking in India. Among other topics that were discussed at the seminar include concept, values and objectives of Islamic banking, equity and justice in banking system at micro level and case studies of selected Islamic banks.

The Haryana-Punjab Sahitya Academy has instituted an Award in the memory of saint Baba Fariduddin Ganj Shakar for literary achievement. The award will carry a sum of Rs. 51,000 and a citation and will be presented annually to a distinguished writer. This was announced by Haryana Finance Minister, Birendra Singh at an international seminar held here on February 5. Academy chairman R. C. Mudgal said the Academy would organise a festival in the memory of Baba Farid which will bring together noted literary personalities.

With the approval of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) ambitious re-development plan by the Delhi High Court, the historical Jama Masjid is likely to emerge as ‘Asia’s Most Elegant Mosque’ soon. The MCD plan worth Rs.100 crore will revive the pristine glory of the historical mosque within two years. Not only the mosque, even the surroundings will be done up. The court had earlier ordered that a comprehensive plan be made for re-developing the historic mosque. A presentation on the proposed redevelopment and restoration was made before a division bench of Justice Vijender Jain and Rekha Sharma recently. Conservation architect, Navin Piplani, in his presentation, said the mosque was “decaying and there is heavy water seepage”. He said that a large number of constructions that have come up within the compound of the mosque will have to be removed.

The Andhra Pradesh Government’s Medical Education Department has sanctioned a medical college for Muslim women. It will have an initial intake of 36 girls. However it is not certain where the medical college will be started.


This was revealed here by Mohammad Ali Shabbir, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Public Relations and Information, Minority Affairs, Energy and Coal. The Minister said the attempts are in progress to seek allocation of Rs. 70 crore during this year’s budget for minority welfare. He said last year, the government sanctioned Rs. 19 crore for the scholarships to students from minority communities. Shabbir said the State had three medical and 39 engineering colleges being run by the minority communities. Representation has been given to individuals from minority communities in all marketing and agricultural marketing committees in the State.

There is no proposal under consideration of the government of India to introduce reservation of jobs for minorities on the basis of religion. This was stated by the minister of state for Social Justice and Empowerment, Subbulakhsmi Jagadeesan in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. The minister however said that a National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities has been set up to suggest the criteria for identification of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities.

A petition challenging the discharge of Tyagi and eight other policemen in the 1993 Suleman Bakery firing case, in which eight persons were killed, is likely to be heard by the Bombay High Court in the second week of March. The Bombay High Court recently gave the State government three weeks time to file a reply in an appeal filed by two persons accused of attacking the police in the 1993 Suleman Bakery case. The petitioners, Ashfaque Ahmed and Noorul Ahmed, moved the High Court challenging a September 2005 Sessions Court order, rejecting their plea to be discharged in the 1993 case. In 1993, the police accused 78 people of attacking them in the Suleman Bakery case. While 70 accused are untraceable, the two petitioners are among the eight facing trial. Justice R. S Mohite extended the stay on the ongoing trial.

The two-day Maharastra State Conference of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) held in Aurangabad on January 28 and 29, passed eight resolutions at the plenary session, expressing its concern over rising corruption, farmer suicides and terrorist attacks in the country. The conference regretted the alleged apathy of the Democratic Front government in fulfilling the basic needs of the people of the state. Referring to suicides by farmers and power shortage, the JIH said the State government had failed to honour its commitment to the people. The JIH has also sought details of the village development initiatives of social activist, Anna Hazare and expressed the desire to work together and undertake all-round development of villages. National president of JIH, Dr Abdul Haq Ansari said he had discussed with Hazare and sought details of his initiatives.