COMMUNITY ROUND UP

At a time when Muslim youngsters across the country are being targeted for wrong reasons, a 14-year old Muslim boy from Delhi has negated the perceptions about the community’s youth in India. Sahil Khan, the computer whizkid, has done what others of his age group can rarely dream of.

The whizkid Sahil has stepped into a field that for many is an unfamiliar terrain. In fact, he has developed the idea and devised a way to crack online hackers. At this tender age, Sahil has got published the second edition of his book Hackers and Crackers.

The book was released by Minister of Women and Child Welfare, Renuka Chaudhary at India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi recently.
Renuka Chaudhary while admiring Sahil’s genius said: “It is a matter of great pride to have such brilliant children in our country. The vital information from Sahil’s book can be thought about being incorporated in the national policies of our to safeguard the vital national networks.”

Sahil, who used to chat on internet says, “I used to face problems while chatting on net, because of different viruses. So, I used to experiment and fiddle. The results of my experimentation have made me develop what I have done today”.
Young Sahil also launched a monthly magazine Gadget Guru for computer and internet users. He says, “I am an ethical hacker and use my skills to fight cyber crimes”.

Sahil’s idea to write a book cropped up when he thought of creating awareness about the science of hacking among net users and the general public. “In my book, I have tried to explain the difference between a hacker and a cracker,” says young computer master.

He started learning computers as a second grade student to chat with his father who was in Mumbai. Some of his achievements include assembling a computer at the age of 13.

Sahil is also making his own news website without any professional help. He has also made nine computer games without knowing any programming language. Sahil dreams of developing his own window system soon.
His name is also recommended for the Limca Book of World Records. It has to be seen how the community and country help a whizkid like Sahil in developing his talent and efficacy.

The issue of holding admissions tests outside Aligarh Muslim University has generated a controversy in the campus and among Muslims. A section of Executive Council members of the University has challenged the idea of holding entrance tests outside Aligarh saying the change in the status quo could weaken the university’s case to retain its minority status.

AMU’s executive council on January 17 passed a resolution by majority to conduct the Common Entrance Tests for admission to MBBS/BDS, B.Tech./B.Arch. and Class XI/Diploma Engineering for the academic session 2008-2009 at five centers, Bhopal, Kolkata, Pune, Kozikode and the AMU campus.

The members opposed the idea of holding the test outside campus, citing the AMU Act, to drive home the point. They are of view that holding entrance tests outside AMU is a direct contravention of the law that clearly states that “All examinations of the university shall be held at Aligarh on such dates as may be fixed by the academic council”. They have demanded that the matter be first discussed in the academic council.

Justice (retd) S. Saghir Ahmed, an EC member, has written to the AMU vice-chancellor, bringing to his notice the Supreme Court’s 2006 order by which the University was directed to maintain the status quo in all respects as existed when the petition was filed in the Allahabad High Court challenging its minority status.

Wasim Ahmed, an EC member, has even threatened to take up the matter with President Pratibha Patil and HRD minister Arjun Singh.

Meanwhile, keeping aside objections to its January 17, 2008 decision regarding holding admission tests at other centres the AMU administration has made it clear that admission tests would be held at those centres as scheduled. However, to avert any legal tangle it has also approached the Supreme Court, seeking its clarification on the matter.

A press release issued by AMU says that the objections raised by some members of EC over the decision did not carry any force in the light of the Ordinances (Academic) as amended up to 2007. No violation of any sort is involved in the decision to conduct admission test at centres outside Aligarh. Hence, the Executive Council, with a majority vote, upheld its decision taken on January 17.
Meanwhile, the University is preparing detailed contingency plans for both the situations. It is getting ready to conduct the admission test at five centres if permitted by the Supreme Court or else to conduct the tests at Aligarh campus itself. Vice-Chancellor Prof. P. K Abdul Azis clarified that the administration was taking all steps to conduct the admission tests in the best tradition of the AMU and assured candidates that there was no need to panic.

This is one plot made in Pakistan that the Gujarat police did not want to probe too deep.

On Thursday, at least 200-odd police officers training at the Karai police academy in Gandhinagar watched Khuda Kay Liye, the Pakistani film that is drawing a huge audience, and returned impressed.

A few days ago additional DGP (training) Kuldip Sharma watched Khuda Kay Liye and was impressed by the storyline. Sharma felt that it was a must-watch for police officers, especially those who are being groomed for a career in khaki in communally charged Gujarat.

Sharma issued a directive to 171 police sub-inspectors training at Karai academy to watch the film as a part of their training. Nearly 200 policemen saw the film at a multiplex on SG Highway at a special show. Sharma said: “When I saw the film I was impressed by two aspects — what is going on in the name of jehad and how naive Muslim youths are being involved in devilish plots. The other important aspect in the film was not all Muslims are terrorists, there are many who are law abiding and good citizens.”

IPS officer Fazal Guard and police inspector P. G. Dharaiya led the team to the multiplex. And, the viewers came out impressed. Krutarth Dave, a cadet at the academy, said: “This film gave me an idea on how I should act as a police officer and also reasserted my conviction to ensure that nobody in my custody is harassed in any way. And I will not come to a conclusion without learning the whole truth is what I learnt from the film.”

Another cadet, Mohammad Sadiq Sumrah, said: “I congratulate the Pakistani director who had the courage to make this film, that too in Pakistan. This path-breaking movie shows how the portrayal of religion before the common man is important. If it is portrayed in the right perspective it does good, otherwise it can cause destruction.”

Meenaba Jhala, another cadet, said: “Religious fanaticism was showcased well in the movie. As a police officer, I won’t allow pre-conceptions affect me in the line of duty and will go only by facts and evidence.”

The Bangalore Hotel Academy has launched a certificate course for hotel employees. It has been designated as a certification agency by the Directorate of Apprenticeship Training, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. The Academy is currently conducting an inaugural pilot course at Patels Inn, R. T. Nagar for the purpose. All hotel workers who are well versed in chores at hotel like cooking and serving, as waiters and butlers can now acquire certificates which will enable them to land better jobs in the expanding hotel sector and even abroad. The course is being conducted in collaboration with Siraj Shabeer Trust, a non-profitable organization. According to Mr. Mazhar Nawaz, vice president of the Trust, this is a Modular Employable Skills (MES) programme for the hospitality sector.

Unqualified hotel personnel like cooks, waiters, receptionists, housekeepers working in any category of hotel or restaurant or Darshinis having job experience but not possessing a certificate are eligible to join the Course. Education qualification and age are no bar. This is a unique programme which is being taken up for the first time in India. This programme is mooted by the Karnataka State Minorities Commission and hence all candidates belonging to Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsees already employed and who desire to upgrade their skills and get a Government of India certificate may apply.
The current classes are on since April 24 but will be conducted on a regular basis in future too. Being a pilot project, concessional course fee at Rs. 1500 per candidate is charged, which includes Government of India registration charges of Rs. 800.

Low paid hotel employees may avail of this opportunity. They may contact: Mr. S. Mazhar Nawaz, vice president, Shabbeer Siraj Trust, Mobile: 98803 81886

Muslim organisations in Mumbai have protested against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) proposal to shut down the Deonar abattoir during various Hindu festivals coming up in the next few months.

The issue is more related to economics rather than communal in nature. “This closure will affect the livelihood of about 600,000 workers in the state who are working in abattoirs, retail and wholesale meat shops across the state,’’ said Farid Batatawala, president of the Muslim Front.

Muslims are also perturbed over the unhygienic conditions in the Deonar abattoir. What is worse is that Deonar, being a municipal slaughter house, comes under the purview of the BMC. Mumbai’s municipal slaughterhouse, Deonar, has been the subject of complaints for many years for its failure to meet humane, hygiene and legal standards for animal handling and slaughter.

Muslims are therefore, demanding to either modernize the Deonar abattoir or construct new one. This will assist in producing safe and wholesome meat.
Gujarat is the only other state which has banned meat-slaughter during Hindu festivals. Abraham Mathai, Vice Chairman of the State Minorities Commission, said the Corporation should stop deciding people’s diet and should concentrate on other projects which require attention. The Minority Commission has also written to CM Vilasrao Deshmukh to nullify the BMC proposal.

Dr Khalid Hameed, Member of House of Lords, UK, released an important book on Indian plants entitled Dictionary of Indian Plant Gums, Resins and Dyes authored by Dr. M. I. H. Farooqi, retired scientist of NBRI in a meeting organized by Sir Syed Scientific Society.

Lord Hameed lauded the efforts of Dr. Farooqi and hoped that the book will help in greater uses of Indian forest wealth. According to Dr. S. K. Jain, former Director of Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata, the book is comprehensively catalogues information on numerous aspects of gums, resins and dyes and will not only benefit the researchers of plant products but also the industry at large.

Addressing the members of Sir Syed Scientific Society, Lord Hameed stressed the need to acquire modern scientific knowledge by all Indian youths in general and Muslims in particular. Dr Shakir Hashmi, Member of the Steering Committee, Planning Commission, informed the Members that the Government is taking various steps towards upgrading the education standards of Muslims.
Well known cardiologist and President of the Sir Syed Scientific Society, Dr. Mansoor Hasan also spoke on the occasion. Others who were part of the discussions included Dr. Jalil Kidwai, Dr. F. I. Zuberi, Dr. Hafeez Khan and Dr. Javed Farooqi.

The J. N. Medical College under the Aligarh Muslim University has been designated as the premier centre that has completed its target under DOTS programme for the eradication of TB. The Department of Chest Diseases of the University treated 1000 patients during 2007, the highest in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The DOTS programme is conducted by the Union Ministry of Health in collaboration with medical colleges. According to Dr. Zubair Ahmad, Head of the Department of Chest Diseases, the toll of death due to TB has come down from 5 lakh to 3.7 lakh during the last two years in the country.