COMMUNITY ROUND UP

Prof. Iqbal A. Ansari, noted writer and human rights activist died here on Oct. 13. He was 74.
An indefatigable campaigner of human rights, Mr. Ansari served as a teacher in English department of the Aligarh Muslim University for nearly 33 years and retired in 1995. He was a member of the PUCL and Amnesty International, was founder and general secretary of Minority Council of India and edited a quarterly Human Rights Today from Delhi. He was a close associate of Justice V. M. Tarkunde, Justice Rajinder Sachar, Prof. Randhir Singh, Kuldip Nayar, N. D. Pancholi, Swami Agnivesh, Nanadani Sunder and Kavita Srivastava. He has been visiting professor at Centre for Federal Studies, Jamia Hamdard (2001-2003) and Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi (2003-2004). He was a regular contributor of lead pieces to the Times of India, The Hindustan Times and The Tribune.

Prof. Iqbal pursued the case of cases of killing of innocent Muslim youth at Hashimpura and Maliana by the notorious PAC consistently and was instrumental in the shifting of these cases from Meerut to New Delhi. An original thinker he was unsparing in his criticism of acts of omission and commission by Muslims and Muslim nations in matters of human rights violations. He criticized Pakistan Government for declaring Ahmadiya sect non-Muslims. This transparent sincerity and no-nonsense approach earned him respect of all communities and rights activists. When it came to gender rights, Prof. Ansari proposed several postulates whereby reservation could also be made on the basis of faith and gender. He wrote to Justice Mankandeya Katju on the unjustified remarks pertaining to growing of beard and Talibanisation and which helped the judge retract and apologise. His publications include Political Representation of Muslims in India (2006), Readings on Minorities: Perspectives and Documents, Vol. I & II (1196), Vol. III (2002); Communal Riots: The State and Law in India (1997); Human Rights in India: Some Issue (1998); Muslim Situation in India (1989) and Uses of English (1978). Readings on Minorities is a seminal work published by the Institute of Objective Studies which brought to fore the concepts and international covenants related to minorities.

Five Muslim politicians could make it to the Haryana Assembly this time. In a 90-member Assembly, it is an impressive figure as Muslims do not count for more than five per cent in the State.
The previous Assembly had just three Muslim MLAs.

Jaleeb Khan who contested from an independent from Hathin after Congress denied him a ticket as an independent, defeated the official Congress candidate by a margin of more then 6,000 votes.
Akram Khan won from the Jagadhri constituency which witnessed a triangular contest with sitting Congress MLA Subhash Chand and Kanwar Pal of the BJP fighting against him. Khan is a former minister.

Naseem Khan and Mohammed Ilyas contesting on Indian National Lok Dal tickets won comfortably from Ferozepur Jhirka and Punahana respectively.

District Congress President of Mewat, Aftab Ahmed defeated nearest rival Sanjay of BJP by a margin of 16,904 votes in Nuh constituency.

A notable loss for the community was in Sohna where Zakir Hussain of Bahujan Samaj Party lost to Dharambir of Congress by only 505 votes.

The NGO culture and Social Activism on their behalf are trying to help the Pathetic humanity to cherish the fruits which dignify the status of being human than just merely existing. In case of the Conflict zones the responsiblity of NGO's becomes immense and venues for Social Activism are diverse too. Though the case of Jammu and Kashmir is different as more than 3,500 NGO's are registered but only few are actively delivering as to what is expected from them. IRRT is one among the delivering ones.

The Relief and Research Trust(IRRT),Srinagar is a unique conglomerate, unique because rarely NGO's or Trusts amalgamate Relief with Research as they are poles apart from each other.I am acquainted by the Founder of IRRT, Hazim Rashid Hanjura a prominent Social Activist of the Valley about the purpose of creating this Trust in the year 2001 which was to provide humantarian assistance to poor, needy, destitute, orphans, widows, disabled in general and to the victims of Conflict in Kashmiri Society in particular regardless of caste, creed, religion, or sex and to generate social awareness about the need for such civic interventions and to have research on Islamic Philosophy, History, Knowledge as well as provide Islamic Literature to those who are in need of it and a space to be provided for learning.

During the initial years of its formation the Trust concentrated on the areas of relief which was mostly provided to the widows and half-widows and also to orphan children whose education was supported and sponsered, as well as the Qurbani in different Poor and Underdeveloped areas undertaken on the eve of Bakr-Eid. The Major intervention of the Trust was made after the Uri-Earthquake,2005.Relief was distributed among the victims and others rendered homeless were provided the building materials. Among the innovative steps taken by the trust was establishment of Coaching Centres for students who had lost the tyrst and vigour to continue their studies further but due to the immediate intervention by the Trust the career of as many as 330 students was saved from ruin.

The Trust has also established five Crech Centres in Kashmir where kids below the age of 5 years are being trained for schooling along with nutritious food and healthcare is also provided to them. The Trust is also running Counselling Centres for helping out to settle family disputes and also to help the depressed overcome their anxiety. Besides it IRRT has also established a Zakat Centre for mobilising the Zakat, Sadqat as well as donation and fairly distributing it among the deserving. Along with these other schemes like Widow Welfare, Marriage Assistance, Emergency Relief and Scholarship Programs have been chalked out and implemented to do the needful for humanity. IRRT has also collaborated with various other NGO's for the relief programmes as well as facilitated the admission of poor and meritous students in different Professional Courses.

Deliberating about the Literary and Academic activities being pursued by the IRRT its Director Dr. Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi himself a scholar of International repute makes me familiar with various tasks undertaken for the serious research. To realize this noble goal a big reading room containing hundreds of books in English, Urdu and Arabic are present at the head office of the Trust for the use of research scholars. I am made aware of the fact that a series of Extension lectures have/are being organised by IRRT where scholars and Subject Experts of various academic fields lecture on contemporary issues relating to different fields of Knowledge. Besides it Natiya Mushairas, Seminars and Workshops too are organised to let the students, youth and interested be abreast with various upheavels and progress on different fronts of society and chalk out remedy for some burning issues. IRRT also publishes a monthly newsletter "The Intellectual" which provides writing space to students, activists, scholars and youth to debate, deliberate and discuss various Social, Cultural and Religious issues pertaining humanity as whole. The Trust also intends to bring out a series of books on Islamic Fundamentals and Teachings.

I m about to question the future course of action of IRRT when Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, a trustee confides that soon a Girl Orphanage is going to be set up by the Trust as well as more youth involved in its Humanitarian Efforts. With confidence, inspiration and radiating energy I left the Office.
IRRT has its branches at Anantnag, Chadoora as well as Jammu & it can be reached at www.irrt.org,The Intellectual can be reached at
www.theintellectualonline.info. H.R hanjura can be contacted at 09419075361

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Zakat Charitable Trust plans to set up an Institute of Excellence in Hyderabad to nurture talents of toppers from rural areas. Unveiling the plans, the latest report of the Trust points out that the Institute would follow the pattern of Rajiv Gandhi IIIT model. It said, during the last 15 years of work among the students in Andhra Pradesh reveals that most of the toppers among the minority community come from interior villages of rural Andhra Pradesh. Since they do not have access to quality education, they do not do very well in competitive exams and end up with ordinary careers. The proposed Institute will have residential campus for 11th and 12th standard classes. The talented students from rural areas would be identified and enrolled in the school.
The Hyderabad Zakat Charitable Trust (HZCT) disbursed scholarships to 26,671 students in the year 2008-09 among students in Andhra Pradesh. Of these 13,500 were boys while remaining 12,500 were girls. Total amount disbursed last year was to the tune of Rs. 8.06 crore. The amount came down a bit from the peak of Rs. 9.41 crore last year as the Central Government's merit cum means scholarship scheme also chipped in together with the enhancement of allocation from the State Government.
The latest report sent to the Islamic Voice by the HZCT states that the Trust also supported 3,566 orphans and 382 physically handicapped students. The Trust has also been conscious of providing impetus to excellence. The report states that during the last years at least 1,235 recipients were among those who had scored over 90 per cent marks while another 4,236 students were placed between 80 t 90 per cent bracket.
Of the total recipients, 703 were medical students, 3,868 were doing engineering, 1,697 were enrolled for Master's programmes, 861 were getting Teachers Training, 6,600 were doing various graduation courses, and 12,813 were at the Intermediate or school level.
The Trust is also managing 62 school with a students strength of 11,842 and 278 teachers. It is also running five English medium schools in and around Hyderabad along with 57 Urdu medium schools across Teleangana. The reports states that medium of instructions does not diminish academic potential of success. About 80 per cent of the recipients are from Telugu/Urdu medium school and yet they qualify for the scholarship.
1-8-353 To 355, Lane Opp. Begumpet Police Station, Beside U.S Consulate, Begumpet, Secunderabad - 500 003, A.P, India Phone: 27907680-27901426 Fax: +91-40-27901239

New Party to urge reservation for minorities, rollback privatization, and push for agrarian reforms.

A new political party known as Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) was launched here on October 18. It is headed by Mr. E. Abubacker from Kerala. At its launching ceremony, it pledged to restore true democracy, socialism and secularism in the country.

At the first national convention of the party here recently the delegates also vowed to eradicate starvation, illiteracy, unemployment and homelessness from the country. It said that fascist groups and Zionist-imperialist forces are rapidly taking root in the existing scenario and the new party would strive to free the society from hunger and fear.

The party would also struggle for the implementation of the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission's recommendations on reservation for minorities and extension of SC benefits to those social groups among Christians and Muslims who are engaged in similar occupations. It also demanded full and proper implementation of the Right to Education Act and abolition of child labor to ensure the enrollment of all children in the school system. It has also decided to bring about pressure on the government for cancellation of the new criteria for defining families living below poverty line and reversal of privatization of public sector undertakings in order to protect the plunder of public property by private businesses.

Talking to Islamic Voice, party chief Abubacker said that 60 years of Independence could not turn the concepts of secularism and equality into practice, rather the attitude of governments towards minorities has become biased and unfair. He said the gap between haves and have-nots had been increasing rapidly. “Our society is witnessing various kind of discrimination, mainly on the basis of religions. The situation is so worse that a person of minority community is not in position to secure a flat in posh area of the cities”, he said, adding that the symbols of Muslim identity were being used to demonise the whole community. A common Muslim is urged to prove his innocence. “Muslim ministers and MPs are forced to keep distance from their community. They issue statements under compulsion against their own community as proof of their patriotism and secularism.

Rebuffing suggestion that his party had a South Indian tag and was trying to make inroads into North India, the SDPI leader said: “We are neither South Indians nor North Indians, we are only Indians. When Sonia from Italy and Advani from Sindh were given political space, why not we,”.

In a resolution passed at the convention, the party urged the government to re-investigate all encounter killings. It asked the government to give up the neo-liberal economic policies, return to the policy of non-alignment era, redesign the agricultural and land acquisition policies to benefit small farmers. It expressed solidarity with Bhopal gas tragedy victims and decided to launch a national movement for reservation.

Parsoli Motors, a car dealer here has gifted Rs. 79 lakh BMW X6 Activity Coupe (Xdrive30d) car to Bollywood film star Salman Khan.

Salman accompanied by his younger brother Sohail Khan and bodyguard Shera received the keys of the car at BMW showroom on SG highway in Ahmedabad. Due to chaotic crowd, media persons could not interact with Khan.

While receiving the keys, Salman in his address said, “I have been gifting things to others, but it feels nice that now I am at the receiving end. I like X6 very much and this gift has been a surprise for me. My papa and Mr. Sareshwala are friends and they go on morning walk together in Mumbai.”

About uncontrollable crowd in a small portion of show-room, Salman said, “Nowadays it happens that you people keep me away from you.”

Zafar Sareshwala of Parsoli Motors said, “We are gifting this car to Salman for being a nice human.”

Salman was to give a ride to underprivileged children in his new car, but due to chaotic crowd, this event was cancelled. Even the lunch at the venue and scheduled giving away of BMW keys to five buyers could not take place due to unprecedented crowds. Salman had brought an abstract painting painted by him from Mumbai with him. This painting was auctioned and one of the BMW customer brought it at a cost of Rs. 10,000. This sum will go to charity, according to Talha Sareshwala, owner of Parsoli Motors.

Salman's BMW X6 Activity Coupe will be delivered to Mumbai in a trailer truck from Ahmedabad soon.

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah announced setting up a Department of Renewable Energy at the Aligarh Muslim University. The announcement came while addressing the students and the teaching community at the Sir Syed's birthday on October 17. Dr. Abdullah exhorted the students to concentrate on achieving excellence in every walk of life and work towards shaping the destiny of India. He hoped that AMU will produce a Nobel laureate.

Speaking at the occasion, AMU Chancellor and former Chief Justice of India Justice A. M. Ahmadi conferred the prestigious Sir Syed Ahmad Khan International Award-2009 on Prof. Syed Zahoor Qasim the scientist whole took the first Indian expedition to Antarctica and molecular biologist Prof. Obaid Siddiqi who currently heads the Institute of TIFR National Centre for Biological Sciences at Bangalore.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis said that the University is on a resurgent track. The University has been able to get Rs. 185 crores for various development initiatives during the 11th Plan. The Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College will undergo upgradation at a cost of Rs. 150 crore. The Government of India has sanctioned Rs. 50 crore for starting two special Centres of AMU in Wes Bengal and Kerala. A residential Civil Services Coaching Academy at a cost of Rs. 14 crore is to start soon. The Schools under the AMU are on a modernization drive. The University is expecting support to the tune of Rs. 85 crore for creating facilities including appointment of 120 teachers, badly needed at these Schools.

He claimed that the Aligarh Muslim University is ranked 8th among the Indian universities in terms of research publications. The Government of India has granted a sum of Rs. 9 crore for the promotion of advanced research in the University, he added.

Well-known Muslim NGO of Bihar, the Rahmani Foundation will soon set up a centre for producing scientists among the Muslim community in India. It recently registered remarkable success in sending about 30 student to the IITs under its Rahmani-30 coaching scheme.

According to a press release issued by Maulana Wali Rahmani, chairman of Rahmani Foundation, the step has been taken to provide guidance and opportunities to go ahead in the field of science.
The centre would start with Muslim students who have done their Masters in Physics and would like to be scientists. Later other science subjects would also be included in the centre's scheme.

The centre will be set up in Delhi under the guidance of professors of Delhi University especially Dr. Mohammad Naeemuddin who has been working as scientist in the US. The training will be given to selected students for one year and they will be provided with free food and lodging.

Maulana Wali Rahmani said that for centuries Muslims ruled the field of science and the scenario might be revived if proper facilities and guidance are provided to the aspirants.

A new enterprise, Robosoft, started by four Muslims, has attracted the media attention and doing well. The firm has come out with a unique industrial product that could clean up air conditioning ducts that gather dust over time and nullify the efficacy of the system. Few had any idea as to how to clean up the interiors of the duct that simply cannot be reached by human hands.

Fahad Azad, Managing Partner, Robosoft Systems was in final year of engineering in 2004 when the seed of the company were sowed. That year he was approached for a project on a problem of air conditioning duct cleaning. Since then he and his four friends have been doing this.

The firm, incorporated in 2008, is producing Robots used by firms in the business of AC duct cleaning services. Robosoft System produces a camera-fitted mobile robot that could go into air-conditioning ducts and spot dirty areas inside.

Today Blue Star, a leading air conditioning and commercial refrigeration company, uses over 20 robots for its duct cleaning services which have been bought from Robosoft Systems.

Fahad and his team came up with a unique concept to provide the duct-cleaning services to their customers. During the final year engineering project, when he was conducting the research on the Robots, he learned that Robots can be used to clean AC duct. Over a period of time dust gets accumulated in these ducts and makes the air polluted.

Al-Ameen Award for Prof. Sheik Ali
Bangalore: Prof. Sheik Ali, historian, educationist, writer, and former vice chancellor of Mangalore and Goa Universities was conferred the Al-Ameen All India Community Leadership Award October 11 at a function organized in the college campus. Prof. Ali has established several institutions including a residential school and a degree college in Mysore. He has authored several books on personalities like Tipu Sultan and Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.

35th position for the HKBK College of Engg.
Bangalore: The H.K.B.K. College of Engineering here has been ranked at 35th place in the list of 'Engineering Colleges of Excellence' in India in a survey conducted by the Competition Success Review published in its September 2009 issue, says a press release from College Administrator Abdul Hameed.

Minority Girls School Inaugurated
Sira (Karnataka): Morarji Desai Residential School for Minority Community Girls was inaugurated here on September 8 by Sira MLA T. B. Jayachandra. The school which currently has sixth standard, has enrolled 30 Muslims girls. Its intake will be 50 every year. Mr. Jayachandra said Government has allocated Rs. 5.5 crore and a land has been identified for the purpose of construction of its building. It may be recalled that the Government of Karnataka has sanctioned 13 Morarji Desai Residential Schools in the state. There were five earlier set up in 1993.

Urdu to be taught in all schools of Bihar
By A Staff Writer
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has promised to appoint Urdu teachers in every state-run school to enable the students learn the language. Addressing a seminar on Urdu language and National Unity organised by the Cabinet Secretariat here, he said that special preference would be given to those Urdu teachers who are well-versed in other subjects as well.

Subhani is Principal Home Sec. in Bihar
Patna: Amir Subhani has been appointed new principal home secretary of Bihar. Subhani has also been given the additional charge of minority welfare and excise department. The minority welfare department till now was headed by Afzal Amanullah. There is no full-fledged Minority Welfare secretary in the State after the retirement of Rasheed Ahmad Khan on March 31, 2008. Amir, the topper in 1987 civil services exam is relatively a much junior officer and has also been holding the excise portfolio before the new excise policy came into effect in the state on July 1, 2007.

Three volumes of the Urdu translation of Fiqh Encyclopedia titled as Mausuah Fiqhiya (or Encyclopedia of Jurisprudence) was released here at the India Islamic Cultural Centre on Friday, October 23 by vice president of India Dr. Hamid Ansari. The volumes have been published by Genuine Publications, associated with the Institute of Objective Studies.

To run into 45 volumes, the Encyclopedia is Urdu translation of Al-Mausuatul Fiqhiya, published by the Ministry of Awqaf, Kuwait. The Islamic Fiqh Academy here took up the translation work in 1998 under the stewardship of noted scholar Maulana Mujahidul Islam. According to Fiqh Academy spokesman, all 45 volumes have been translated and remaining volumes will be published in instalments in year ahead.

Mausuah Fiqhiya is alphabetically arranged rather than topic wise. For instance, all books of hadees begin from the niyyah (intention) and followed by (taharah) cleanliness. But Mausuah has been arranged alphabetically for better access by modern users. Each volume comprises 400 pages. It is being distributed to libraries and institutions free of cost.

Jamia Millia Islamia will hold an international seminar on “Negotiating and Accommodating Religious Identity in Public Arena: Comparing Indian and European Experiences with Special Reference to Muslim Minorities” on Februrary 10-12, 2010.

The major goal of the seminar is to bring together prominent scholars from different parts of the globe, and to to undertake a comparative examination of Indian and European perspectives and policies dealing with the issues related to religious minorities, particularly their Muslim populations. Scholars wishing to participate can email 300-word abstracts by November 15, 2009 to Dr. Konrad Pedziwiatr at k.pedziwiatr@gmail.com.

The seminar will look at features of the current politics of Muslim identity in Europe and India. n