Movement Against Triple Talaq

Transcription

1 RNI No. DELENG/2017/72740 Review of Urdu Press Vol. 1 Issue 14 ` 20 / December, 2017 Movement Against Triple Talaq Read More D-51, First Floor, Hauz Khas New Delhi Tel: Fax: indiapolicy@gmail.com Website: Ban on Sale of Animal for Slaughtering Lifted India Opposes the US on Jerusalem Propagation of Islam Ban in Uzbekistan Muslim Women Marrying Hindu Men

2 RNI No. DELENG/2017/72740 Vol. 1, Issue : December, 2017 Editorial Advisor Prof. Rakesh Sinha Editor Manmohan Sharma Editorial Assistance Ashish Rawat Circulation Sudhir Kumar Singh ( ) Office D-51, First Floor, Hauz Khas New Delhi Tel: Fax: indiapolicy@gmail.com Web: Printed and Published by Manmohan Sharma on behalf of India Policy Foundation published at D-51, First Floor, Hauz Khas, New Delhi Printed at Sai Printo Pack Pvt. Ltd., A 102/4, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi Dawat, Delhi 2. Daily Inquilab, Delhi 3. Daily Akhbar Mashriq, Delhi 4. Daily Sahafat, Delhi 5. Rojnama Rashtriya Sahara, Delhi 6. Daily Hindustan Express, Delhi 7. Daily Hind Samachar, Jalandhar 8. Daily Pratap, Delhi 9. Daily Munsif, Hyderabad 10. Daily Siasat, Hyderabad 11. Daily Hamara Samaj, Delhi 12. Weekly AlmiSahara, Delhi 13. Daily Aurangabad Times, Aurangabad (Maharashtra) 14. Weekly Jadid Markaz, Lucknow 15. Weekly Nai Duniya, Delhi 16. Daily Etemaad, Hyderabad 17. Daily Jadid Mail, Delhi 18. Daily Siyasi Taqdir, Delhi 19. Daily Urdu Action, Delhi 20. Weekly Chauthi Duniya, Delhi 21. Weekly Akhbar Nav, Dehil 22. Daily Milap, Delhi 23. Daily Qaumi Tanzeem, Patna 24. Daily Jadid Khabar, Delhi Review of Urdu Newspapers by IPF Please send your suggestions, information, news and views om Urdu newspapers to the foundation. Editorial Board would try to accommodate them as per our editorial policy in forthcoming issues.

3 Contents SUMMARY NATIONAL I. Movement against Triple Talaq II. Ban on sale of animal for slaughtering lifted III. Bedlam over killing in Udaipur IV. A new tactics to propagate Islam V. Court stays election proceedings of Muslim Majlish Mushawarat VI. 16 thousand Madarsa to be modernize VII. Gujarat Assembly elections in the eye of Urdu newspapers VIII. Brahmins behind Mumbai blast not Pakistan IX. Dangerous attempt to incite Army in the name of religion WESTERN ASIA I. India opposes the US on Jerusalem II. Historical change in Saudi Arabia III. Singer punished in Egypt IV. Riding cycle banned for women V. Former President of Yemen killed in an attack VI. Chabahar project inaugurated in Iran VII. Saudi Arabia decides to open cinema halls once again VIII. Soldier of Saudi Arabia to get training in Pakistan WORLD I. Propagation of Islam ban in Uzbekistan II. India to train women Afghan soldiers in the country III. Court orders not to give fatwa IV. Court confirms banning entry into the US V. US gift to Pakistan VI. Jihadies attack in subway of New York VII. 21 foreign NGOs closed in Pakistan VIII. Over 6000 Rohingya Muslims killed OTHERS I. Muslim women marrying Hindu men II. ISIS occupies 43 per cent area of Afghanistan III. Babri mosque to be built in Lucknow IV. Campaign against Hindu kings V. Police presented gift in Urs VI. Police came to arrest terrorist attacked VII. Aligarh Muslim University student union announced India Policy Foundation December,

4 Summary Summary Muslims across the world are opposing the decision of US President Donald Trump declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel. However, it was supported by the Muslims across the world the way Indian government opposed it at United Nations. The issue of Triple Talaq has once again started gaining momentum. All India Muslim Personal Law Board has refused to accept the proposed bill prepared by the Narendra Modi government and has demanded the government to withdraw it. The board has also requested other political parties to prepare agitation against this format of bill. Election controversy of one of the important Muslim organization All India Muslim Majlish Mushawrat took a serious turn and the matter reached the court which stopped election procedure. The court will hear the case on January 15 once again. This is to recall that Muslim Majlish Mishrawat has 16 organizations in it and it was constituted in 1964 but the organization was divided due to internal dispute. Both the faction got united once again with the help of Jamate Islami, but the organization was captured by the Congress after three years. According to the recent development, a Congressman Naved Hamid was opposed by another Congressman Aneesh Durrani. There was allegation and counter allegation after that the matter reached to the court. Some mischievous elements are trying to divide Army on the religious grounds. Earlier such attempt was made by Sachchar Committee when chief of the committee wrote a letter asking that how many Muslims are there in the Army. The then Army chief did not fall into his trap and answered that Army did not recruit people on the basis of their religion but on the basis of eligibility. Every Indian soldier is an Indian who is always ready to sacrifice his life for the country. Therefore dividing the country in the name of religion is not in the interest of the country and Army. Strange thing is that mischievous elements have started this once again. Uzbekistan is an Islamic nation but strange thing is that there is a complete ban on propagation of Islam there so much so that no such speech could be made nor any literature could be distributed. Even loudspeaker is not allowed during the Friday prayer. They say that this is important because this is not correct for secularism. India Policy Foundation December,

5 National I Movement against Triple Talaq According to Inquilab (December 25), after studying Triple Talaq bill in the emergency meeting of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board in Lucknow, it demanded the Modi government to immediately withdraw it. AIMPLB s Maulana Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani said that the board studied every words of the bill and reached at the conclusion that the bill targets the entire divorce system and conspiracy is hatched by making it illegitimate on legal grounds. President of the board Rabbe Hasan Nadvi sent a letter to the PM Narendra Modi saying that this was prepared without consulting Muslims so it should be withdrawn. The definition of Triple Talaq provided in this bill is that any one expresses divorce to his wife either by words, spoken or written, electronic or any other medium. So every Talaq comes under this making the ill intention of the Modi government clear. The spokesperson made it clear that during the argument in Supreme Court public prosecutor demanded every kind of divorce by Muslim Personal Law must be banned and the government would make law in this regard. Expressing astonishment to the fact that generally the police take action on complains of aggrieved but new the bill has made a provision that even if the neighbor complains on issues related to divorce, the police would take action. Emergency meeting of AIMPLB at Darul Uloom Nadva decided that it would also be demanded from the Narendra Modi government if anyone was really concerned about Muslim women then it must consult experts from Sharia, AIMPLB and organizations working for right of Muslim women must be consulted before law was made. It was claimed in the press conference that this bill would intensify woes of Muslims and it would be direct interference into Sharia. Most of the Muslim leaders are blaming politics for this law. Maulana said that by this bill the government wanted to snatch right of divorce from Muslim men which was against the law and Constitution. AIMPLB secretary and lawyer Zafaryab Zilani said there were several mistakes in the bill like three years jail terms and fine but it is not specified who will be given the fine. The Board believes that fine should be paid to aggrieved women. The Bill also says children would go to mother while old law tells that they would remain with the father where they would get better upbringing. If husbands goes to jail what would happen to children? Zilani claimed that this bill was also against the Supreme Court decision of August 22. The Board requested all political parties to oppose this proposed bill. Sahafat on December 25 complained that no suggestion was sought before preparing this bill. The same edition published the write up of Maulana Ahmed Nadvi in which it was articulated that proposed law was against Sharia. Hamara Samaj on December 25 published a report as the lead news saying that this proposal was not accepted to All India Muslim Personal Law Board. As ruled by the court, when divorce had not taken place what for the provision of punishment? Roznama Rashtriya Sahara on December 25 published a news report with the headline Tripple Talaq vehemently opposed; the proposed law of the government against constitution and against high court judgment. Union cabinet approved making law on Triple Talaq. Under this proposed bill violation of this law could fetch three years imprisonment. This law will be applicable on Triple Talaq only and woman impacted by this law could approach court for alimony for her and her children. This proposed law has been welcomed by several Muslim organizations. A Muslim woman Naise Hasan said that this law had been the result of the efforts made by Muslim women. She said that they would welcome any justice system based on social justice. She said that the law prepared during the British Raj in 1937 was anti-women. When this law was prepared, Muslim scholars were assured amendment in it but they failed to do so. BJP leader Romana India Policy Foundation December,

6 Siddiqui said that she supported the proposed bill and hoped it would have provisions for alimony. Saista Amber said that there must be a Muslim Marriage Act in the line of Hindu Marriage Act. On the other hand Muslim Personal Law Board opposed Triple Talaq on its website and said that we Muslims keep faith in Islamic Sharia and Talaq is inseparable part of Islam. Banning this is interference into the legal matters of Muslims which we would oppose. President of Sufi organizations Syed Mohammad Ashraf said, We accept Triple Talaq but there is scope of improvement. We are trying to make people understand that whenever divorce, do it before the maulvi. The Congress decided to oppose the proposed law. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that if any law was made on the basis of Supreme Court decision they would welcome it but the bill proposed by the government was against the Supreme Court ruling. Leader of opposition in Telengana Assembly Mohammad Ali Shabbir said that attempt made by the Centre was anti-islamic. The Narendra Modi government was thrusting Hindutva agenda on the country and we would not tolerate it at any cost. According to Pratap (December 21), despite the Supreme Court ruling against Triple Talaq the practice is continuing in the Muslim society. A Muslim woman in Saharanpur district claimed that her husband not only divorced her for dowry but eloped with her younger sister. Noorjahan Begum of Pathanpura police station of Deoband lodged a complaint in which she complained that she was married off to a person called Arshad Ahmed living in her neighborhood for around three years ago. They have a daughter also. On December 7 her husband had beaten her up and had tried to set her on fire. After that he pronounced Triple Talaq, took all jewellery and fled with her younger sister. SSP Saharanpur said that the matter was being investigated and once investigation was complete action would be taken. II Ban on sale of animal for slaughtering lifted The Centre announced withdrawal of selling of animal for slaughtering. According to Siyasat (December 4), the Centre withdrew the decision of banning sale of animals for slaughtering. This is to recall that earlier on May 23 amending animal atrocity law ban was imposed on buying animals for slaughtering. West Bengal Kerala and Tamil Nadu government had opposed it while this was not applicable in Goa and north-eastern states. This government decision was challenged by some people in Tamil Nadu on which Madras High Court stayed it. But Madras High Court decision was imposed across the country by the Supreme Court on January 30, The Centre promised to make amendment in this law but the government did not make any amendment instead withdrew it. Siyasat in its editorial on December 5 welcomed the government decision of withdrawing it and said that this would benefit dairy farm businessmen, leather traders and beef exporters. According to the newspaper, the Narendra Modi government decision rendered lakhs of people jobless. The BJP government took this decision as they got less number of votes in local body elections in Uttar Pradesh and the government revisited the decision looking at it. The newspaper claimed that the government decision was to strengthen its position in the Gujarat elections. The newspaper said that the government first took indiscriminate decisions and later that unpopular law is withdrawn to give the message that government works for people s interest. The newspaper also said that the decision of the Modi government was opposed by several states like Kerala, West Bengal and Meghalaya. The government changes its decision looking at pressure from several quarters. Maximum numbers of Muslims were influenced by this controversial law and they had the threat of cow vigilantes too. The government plan was to take animal trade from Muslims to hand it over to Hindus but they failed in their design therefore they were forced to withdraw it. III Bedlam over killing in Udaipur According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 10), the person Afrazul killed in the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan for alleged Love Jihad was buried in his village in West Bengal. According to the newspaper, thousands of people were present at the time of his burial demanding death sentence for the killer. India Policy Foundation December,

7 According to police, tough measures have been taken to keep peace and tranquility in the region. Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee announced Rs 3 lakh compensation and promised government job to one of the family members. Trinamool Congress also provided Rs 2 lakh to the family of deceased. A BJP leader said that Mamata Banerjee was racking up the matter to garner Muslim votes. Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that linking the killing in Rajasthan with a particular religion was wrong. He said that the state government was taking tough actions against the culprit and they have been nabbed. Looking at the murder with the glass of religion was wrong. He claimed that 50 lakh Muslims got employment with the help of Hunar Haat. Three lakh scholarships have been given under Begum Hajrat Mahal Scholarship. According to another news report, different organizations protested against this killing outside Bikaner House and demanded the Centre to sack the Rajasthan government. Siyasat in its editorial on December 9 criticized the killing in Rajasthan by saying that not a single state was spared where Muslims were not targeted by communal elements. But the government of the day was in deep slumber. The Vasundhara Raje government has become puppet in the hands of communal elements and killers. It claimed that any action taken by the government has the only objective of covering up such ghastly acts. According to Pratap (December 14), Human Right Protection Committee demanded that the matter of killing in Rajsamand must be transferred to Kolkata High Court because if the matter was heard in Rajasthan, there was very little chance for justice. Akhbar Mashriq in its special editorial on December 17 alleged that the RSS was creating an environment of hatred across the country whose influence was increasing by the day. The hatred campaign unleashed by the RSS could be guessed from the fact that a particular community was being targeted and instead of criticizing the matter killers are provided with financial assistance. Roznama Rashtriya Sahara in its editorial on December 10 criticized the incidence under the headline Murder of Humanity by saying that incidence of killing in the name of Love Jihad continuing and every day some or the other Muslim was targeted. A 50-year-old Muslim man from West Bengal was killed and its video was made. The newspaper alleged that the Rajasthan government was deliberately allowing hatred to spread in the name of Love Jihad. A protest campaign started in West Bengal against this. This is confirmed that influential people are supporting him and campaign against Love Jihad was deliberate so failure of the government could be hidden behind communalism. IV A new tactics to propagate Islam Siyasat claimed on December 9 that such Kar Sevaks who had demolished Babri Mosque in 1992 in Ayodhya are being punished by God (Khuda) so 27 such Kar Sevaks converted to Islam leaving Hinduism aside. The newspaper published a picture of this so-called Kar Sevak Balbir Singh. The newspaper claimed that Balbir Singh belongs to Panipat and this former leader of Shiv Sena was the first to climb Babri Mosque to demolish it but he apologized from the God for his sins due to wrath of Allah on him. He became Muslim in 1993 and rechristened himself as Mohammad Aamir. During his visit to one of the Madarsa in Mehmoodnagar district in Telengana he got enlightened. He said addressing a gathering of Muslims that he climbed the dome of Babri mosque to demolish it but he did not like his action but he continued with it. Later his health deteriorated and his friends took him home. He was welcomed at Panipat and he took along two bricks of Babri Mosque which is kept in the local office of Shiv Sena. But Balbir s father who is a teacher had shut his doors for him and said that as a teacher he was talking about unity of all religion and message of brotherhood but his son had ashamed him. He claimed that after this incidence my mind was out of control and my health started deteriorating. Doctors said that he would survive maximum two-three months. Aamir also claimed that health of one of his friend Joginder Pal Singh also started deteriorating who used to tear his cloths after seeing woman. People used to beat him so his family members confined him to his house. He was given all possible treatment but of no avail then he was taken to a local Maulana Kaleem Siddqui and narrated the entire story. Maulana asked him to apologies from the God for his sins. Joginder s father India Policy Foundation December,

8 took him to mosque where he started apologizing every day and his health started showing better. Now Joginder has been named as Mohammad Umar. Joginder narrated this story to Balbir Singh who too visited Maulana and became a Muslim. He claimed to have attained peace after becoming Muslim. They said 27 Kar Sevaks have converted to Islam so far. They claimed that to get apology from their sins they resolved to built 100 mosques and have built 35 so far. Aamir claimed such Muslims who had demolished Babri mosque either had gone mad or died due to some ailment. Only such Kar Sevaks are alive who had converted to Islam. Comment: Different sources in Panipat and residence of the city claimed on being asked that the socalled Kar Sevak Balbir Singh aka Mohammad Amir does not belong to Panipat neither his family lives in Panipat. There is no any such Maulana known as Kaleem Siddiqui therefore the entire story of Mohammad Amir aka Balbir Singh is fake and the only objective of this was to fleas money by narrating such stories. Urdu newspapers publish such stories and lies so maximum number of Hindus are converted to Islam. This is the reason that Urdu newspapers are publishing false stories everyday with the only objective of converting non-muslims to Islam. Muslim organizations intensified conversion drive and propagation of Islam across the country. In the past three months over 100 Tablighi programmes were organized in which over two crore Muslims participated. These programmes were started from Haryana after that they were organized in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telengana, Gujarat and Rajasthan. According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 10), one such programme was organized in Muradabad in which more than 50 thousand people participated. People participating in this programme get free food and lodging. It is said that earlier these programmes were organized by Tablighi Jamaat but now several other organizations became active. These organizations are kept away from the glare of national media. According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 13), one Tablighi conference was organized in Mewat in which lakhs of Muslims participated. V Court stays election proceedings of Muslim Majlish Mushawarat Controversy over the election of All India Muslim Majlish Mushawarat took a new turn. Hamara Samaj on December 24 published a news report that Saket court stayed election of All India Muslim Majlish Mushawrat. The process of election will be closed till the next hearing that will happen on January 15. According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 14), Muslim organization called All India Muslim Majlish Mushwarat had differences as a senior leader of Majlish Anish Durrani alleged that election of organisation was done with highhandedness. Durrani served a legal notice to the present president Naved Hamid. Another leader of Majlish and former Rajya Sabha MP Mohammad Adeeb also decided to boycott elections. He appealed that these elections must be boycotted because they are against the rules. Anish Durrani said that he had the copy of resignation of former president of Majlish Syed Shahabuddin in which highhandedness of present President Naved Hamid was mentioned and financial bungling was alleged. Durrani alleged that organization like Jamate Islami was interfering unrightfully. Jamate Islami wants to use Mushawarat as its puppet. Comment: All India Muslim Majlish Mushawarat was established in 1964 in Lucknow at the centre of Islamic education Darul Uloom Nadva. For the first time Muslim organizations participated in it burying their differences. The organization was represented by 16 organizations that included Indian National League, Jamate Islami, Indian Union Muslim League, Jamiat Ulama e Hind, All India Majlish e Qureish, All India Shia Conference and Uttar Pradesh Rafta Committee. The first president of this organization was elected former external affairs minister Dr Syed Mehmood. All India Muslim Personal Law Board and Aligarh Muslim University action committee, Babri Mosque coordination committee and some important organization participated in it. The first meeting of Majlish was participated by Mufti Atiqurahman, chief of Jamate Islami Maulana Abdul Lais Islahi, chief of Darul Uloom, Deoband Qari Mohammad Tayyab, Shia leader Maulana Kalbe Adeeb, Maulana Minnatullah Rahmani, Mohammad Muslim, Maulana Jaan Mohammad and Ibrahim Suleiman. There had been nine India Policy Foundation December,

9 presidents so far. Mushawrat was divided in 2007 during elections but later in 2010 with the efforts of Muslim leaders it was united once again and Dr Zafrul Islam was elected president. But differences cropped up in 2015 elections once again. In this election Salman Khurshid was defeated and another Congress leader Naved Hamid was elected president. It is said that Jamate Islami played important role in Naved getting elected its president. Allegation and counter allegations were leveled during the election and amid all this former president of Majlish resigned from its primary membership. Now once again there are differences among leadership of Majlish on elections. As per the recent development, convener of the minority cell All India Congress Committee Anish Durrani alleged Naved Hamid and announced boycotting the election. VI 16 thousand Madarsa to be modernize According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 10), the Uttar Pradesh government decided to modernize 16 thousand Madarsa. In the first phase 8000 Madarsa would be linked to science and modern education. Besides that Islami education will be given. Registrar of Madarsa Board Rahul Gupta said that around 30 lakh students were getting education in these Madarsa. He said that the government was trying to implement NCERT education system in these Madarsa. Chauthi Duniya on December 4 said that it was not easy to implement modernization campaign of Madarsa that was underway in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Hurdle in implementing this campaign was lack of Urdu-medium books. There are over 2000 Madarsa in Uttar Pradesh that are not even registered. They are linked to Darul Uloom Deoband and Darul Uloom Nadva. The newspaper claimed that the state government earmarked Rs 1700 crore for minorities in the state. The committee that was set up for reforming curriculum recommended teaching English, Hindi and other subjects in Urdu. But the problem is that there is dearth of teachers of knowing Urdu. This is the reason Urdu is slowly disappearing. President of Jamiat Ulama Syed Arshad Madni said that the BJP government was deliberately focusing on Madarsa instead of providing them employment. It is an attempt to keep Muslims away from religion. VII Gujarat Assembly elections in the eye of Urdu newspapers Etemaad claimed on December 19 that the claim made by the Bharatiya Janata Party was wrong that people of Gujarat completely supported it. Had this been the case number of seats of the BJP would not have declined and Congress seats would not have gone up. The BJP got success only in urban areas. Had the Congress started its campaign three years ago instead of enthusiasm shown by the party just four month before elections, the result would have been different. Rahul Gandhi had the opportunity of defeating the BJP this time round because every section of society and youth was with him. Statement of national BJP president was very strange that the success was due to politics of Narendra Modi. The hatred campaign that is unleashed in Gujarat had sown seeds of a new partition. Siyasat on December 19 mentioned in its editorial that election results were not in the line of picture presented in the exit poll. The BJP and Amit Shah targeted the Congress and mentioned interference of Pakistan in these elections. But strange thing is that the BJP talked about issues of Hindutva instead of development issues of Gujarat. How people could be fooled around, Gujarat elections are the best example. Will such scheme work in other states as well? People of Gujarat wanted change therefore the Congress got the maximum seats. Now Karnataka elections are very important for the BJP. Pratap said in its editorial on December 22 that credit of the victory in Gujarat was more to Narendra Modi than the party. The newspaper wrote that there was no doubt over the victory of the BJP in Himachal Pradesh. There has been the history of Himachal Pradesh that alternative government comes after every five years. There is an importance of victory of the BJP in Gujarat as the party was ruling the state for past 22 years. Patidar movement was against the government. Businessmen were angry over GST and demonetization especially in Surat and several other parts of the state still the BJP has been able to sail through. India Policy Foundation December,

10 Akhbar Mashriq in its editorial on December 20 said that despite the fact that the BJP had won the election in Gujarat but a new lease of life was generated in the Congress with these elections exposing the BJP president who was claiming to win 150 seats in these elections. The media claim for the success of the BJP through exit polls was also proved to be wrong. Had the Congress taken services of local leaders of Gujarat along with Rahul Gandhi, the result would have been different. Rahul Gandhi emerged as a powerful leader after the Gujarat elections. The Modi government has failed to generate employment. If employment were not generated, time to come would be difficult for the BJP. Weekly Nai Duniya on December 25 reported that several special reports were published regarding Gujarat Assembly elections and it was made cover story of the newspaper. Headline of Gujarat results was Modi wins Gujarat, Rahul wins heart. Breach in the fortress of Modi. The newspaper analyzed Gujarat elections in four write ups. It is mentioned in the analysis that the Congress could have won 12 more seats with little more efforts. It is also mentioned that the Congress could not get as much Patels and Dalit votes as it was expecting. The BJP kept dominating urban seats. Muslim population in Gujarat was around 10 per cent and there are 60 such seats where they play an important role. In another write up it was suggested that Gujarat election gave a lesson that if Congress capitalize on them Modi could be defeated in Editor of the newspaper Shahid Siddiqui suggested that victory of 2019 for Modi is not certain. Second Modi is popular in cities and this time round the BJP has won election on urban voters. Third there is no regional leader in the Congress. Had Congress had a regional leader in Gujarat, the party would have won the election. Fourth interesting thing was the Congress should have aligned with regional political parties for victory that it did not do. Fifth till the time Modi was not in the election arena the BJP was losing election but Modi polarized election by starting politics of hatred. Modi dragged even Pakistan for polarization. Sixth and the most important thing is that the Congress has the vote but not the organization in the state. Seventh a new Rahul Gandhi was born out of Gujarat elections. Eight the Congress and opposition must refrain from attacking Modi directly. Economic policies and ministers of Modi must be targeted. When the Congress attacks Modi he gets benefited. According to Siyasat (December 19), three Muslims have been elected in Gujarat Assembly this time round, however, there were just two in the last election. The BJP did not field any Muslim candidate while the Congress fielded six. The candidate who have won the election included Javed Pirzada (Bankaner), Gayasuddin Sheikh (Dariyapur) and Imran Khedawala (Jamalpur Khadia). There are 10 per cent Muslims in Gujarat and by this parameter 18 candidates should have been elected. However, none of the Assembly had more than seven MLAs in the Assembly. As per another news report, Siyasat claimed that the Muslims were sizable from where Congress got seats in Gujarat elections. Muslim and Dalit alliance has been successful in Gujarat and Muslims voted for the Congress. VIII Brahmins behind Mumbai blast not Pakistan According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 4), former director general of Mumbai police S M Mushrif alleged that Mumbai blast on November 26, 2011 was executed by Brahmins and not by Pakistan. This former police officer said that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has always inimical to Dalits and majority people therefore they have been instigating them against Muslims. Mushrif was addressing Save Religion, Save Tradition programme in Mumbai. Munsif alleged the RSS for spreading communalism and said that the RSS was against Constitution and Ambedkar. He threw light on works of terror suspects Dayanand Pandey and Colonel Purohit. He claimed that Abhinav Bharat was working across the country from that included public rallies in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Nasik. Mushrif said that between 2003 and 2008, bomb blast took place across the country in which Muslims were attacked and they were defamed as well. This conspiracy had the hands of Intelligence Bureau. Brahmins in the media too support terrorists. He said that saffron terrorism was exposed by Hemant Karkare after Malegaon blast and Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and others were arrested in this regard. Hemant Karkare was killed in the guise of Mumbai bomb blast. Intelligence Bureau had all the information regarding this. He said that Abhinav Bharat was involved in the several bomb blasts in India. India Policy Foundation December,

11 IX Dangerous attempt to incite Army in the name of religion According to Weekly Nai Duniya (December 25), communalism was being incited in the name of recruitment in the Army. The newspaper claimed that representation of Muslims in Army is very less. Is it just a co-incidence or Muslims themselves are responsible for it? Then why is there religious discrimination with Muslims in India? Why there is no Muslim Regiment in India? Several such questions crop up when one tries to gather information and look for right participation of Muslims in Indian Army. This is also a truth on which neither Muslim thinks nor India. As per an estimate there are 21 lakh personnel in Indian Army and out of that just 19 thousand are Muslims. Sikhs are just two per cent of the population but they are 8 per cent in the Army while Muslims are 18 per cent of the population but they are just 2 per cent in the Army. A survey done by a news channel concluded that just 3 per cent Muslims were there in Army despite 10 per cent population. Muslims are 17 crore out of 150 crore population of the country but just 19 thousand in the Army. The question is why this? If there could be Sikh, Gorkha and Rajput regiment why not a Muslim regiment of the Army? Are Muslims keeping themselves away from Army or they are educationally backward? The author claimed that though Muslims have been minimal in the Army but they did reached higher positions. Interestingly when George Fernandez was the Defence Minister he was asked to provide information about Muslims number in the Army then he answered that calculating number of Muslims in the Army was enemy of the country and this will in no way help the Army. When Pranab Mukherjee became Defence Minister in 2006, he answered that qualification for Army recruitment should be eligibility not caste and religion. So no such survey will be allowed that how many jawans are there belonging to which religion. Interestingly Pakistan has been propagating about thin presence of Muslims in Indian Army. It is using social media platform to instigate Muslims in this regard however the very purpose of this game plan is not to awaken Indian Muslims but misguide them. Pakistan questions that what is the reason that Indian Army does not give proper representation to Indian Muslims? Sometimes ago a write up was very much in discussion in which it was claimed that till 1965 there was a Muslim regiment but it was discontinued later on as 20 thousand Muslim Army men had refused to fight against Pakistan. There are several such things that Pakistan was spreading to misguide them. Why there is Sikh, Jat, Dogra, Gadhwali, Kumayuni, Mahar, Naga and Gorkha regiment? Why there is no Muslim Regiment? The answer to this question is that after the partition majority of Muslim officers and soldiers migrated to Pakistan due to that the number of Muslim personnel declined. Former Lt General Syed Ata Husnain said there was no need to have Muslim, Budhdhist and Christian Regiment actually there was never ever Muslim regiment in the country. Muslims always served the country being part of it. Husnain said that an atmosphere must be created against the campaign unleashed by Pakistan that whenever anyone is recruited in the Army he is an Indian and he does not have any religion. Comment: This is very sad that some mischievous elements are trying to divide Indian Army in the name of religion. It is said that when Sachchar Committee was constituted one of its member sought data that how many Muslim officials and soldiers are there in the Army. It is a matter of contentment that the then Army chief refused to provide any such information. He said that everybody in the Army was an Indian. The moment one dons uniform of the Army, the person no more remains to any particular caste or community and only remains a patriot Indian who considers sacrificing his life for the country as his religion. This is also very pertinent to mention that Indian Army never constituted regiments on the basis of religion. Therefore Muslim Regiment had neither been a pre partition fact nor a post partition reality. So it is not in the interest of the country to instigate Muslims in the name of Muslim regiment. India Policy Foundation December,

12 Western Asia I India opposes the US on Jerusalem The meeting of General Assembly of United Nations that took place against the US decision in which India participated was welcomed by Muslim leaders in India. Most of the Urdu newspapers published it as the main news report on the front page. Inquilab on December 23 said that Indian Muslims welcomed the decision of the government voting against the US move. President of Jamiat Ulama e Hind Arshad Madni said that India was rock solid on principal of Mahatma Gandhi despite such a bad situation. Pakistan was speechless due to Indian stand. Shahi Imam Syed Bukhari termed the Indian decision correct. Chairman of All India Millat Council Maulana Tauqir Raza also praised the government decision while Mufti Mukarram Ahmed also welcomed it. Roznama Rashtriya Sahara on December 23 gave a headline to this news report The US baffled on its defeat on Jerusalem. Another headline Israel loses its temper. Sahafat had the headline US threats ineffective. Urdu newspapers published reports about demonstration against the US prominently. According to Inquilab (December 22), United Nation s general council accepted the proposal of the US in which it was said that the US must withdraw the decision in which it recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. As per another news report of the same newspaper, imam of the Fatehpuri mosque said that due to differences among Muslims the US has been able to capture Jerusalem. He criticized to the fact that countries like Unite Arab Emirate, Saudi Arab and Kuwait were puppets of the US and Israel. Jamate Islami organized a meeting to criticize the US decision and appealed to Muslims of the country that they would oppose the US vehemently. According to Inquilab (December 12), European Union too opposed the decision of the US government of declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The EU made it clear before the Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it would support the worldview on Jerusalem. Netanyahu said after meeting the chief of the foreign policy of the EU that peace was established in the middle-east with the decision taken by US President Donald Trump and accepting this truth is the basis of peace. Dawat in its editorial on December 13 criticized the decision of Donald Trump by saying that it has shaken world peace. The editorial said that though Security Council criticized this decision but it did not take any step to stop it neither used veto to stop it. Kuwait convened meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council but it ended in two hours which was boycotted by Saudi Arabia and UAE. This has made the situation of gulf countries very bad. According to Inquilab (December 12), violent demonstration started after US President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem capital of Israel and shifting US embassy to Jerusalem. President of Malaysia Nazir Razak said that the decision of the US president declaring Jerusalem as capital of Israel as unconstitutional. This will through the entire world into fire. Violent protests are taking place in countries like Pakistan, Turkey, Malaysia, Jordan, Lebanon, Indonesia and India. Protestors burnt effigy of the US President in front of the US embassy. Demonstrators took to the street and shouted slogan. Etemaad on December 7 claimed in the main news report that the announcement made by Donald Trump declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel that was being opposed by the Islamic organization Hamas. Chief of Hamas Ismail said that this decision of Trump was a war cry and we would take tough measures against Israel. On the other hand foreign minister of the US Rex Taylorson said that announcement of Trump was based on facts and that cannot be withdrawn. Saudi Arab announced that India Policy Foundation December,

13 the US decision was unprovoked and irresponsible. According to another news report by the same news paper, all religious organizations in Jammu and Kashmir opposed the decision of Donald Trump and claimed that Trump backstabbed Muslims. According to the newspaper, protest day was organized in the entire Kashmir. According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 11), the US formed a gang of his associates to retain his hegemony and the US takes care of their needs. For the first time the US is alienated in the world. This is clear that Jerusalem has always been disputed and solving the matter was possible under United Nations resolutions and decisions by talks between Israel and Palestine. The US associates in the United Nations Britain, France, Sweden, Italy and even Japan criticized the decision of Trump and said that it was against the United Nations resolutions. The decision was threat to the peace process of the region. Akhbar Mashriq on December 11 claimed that UN Security Council in its convention criticized the US President by saying that this would start bloody clashes in the region and tension would increase. The decision of the US President was not good for the international peace. Siyasat in a special editorial on December 9 with the headline Concern for Islamic World wrote that the US President by announcing Jerusalem as capital of Israel shaken the entire world. After this announcement of Trump President of Palestine Mehmood Abbas visited Saudi Arabia suddenly and had words with the Crown Prince over this announcement of the US President. There is a sensation in the entire West Asia over the announcement of Donald Trump. The US President made this announcement when Palestinian Authority and Hamas were getting united and there was a possibility of Central government in Palestine. The United Nations is requesting Israel to immediately vacate those areas that it had forcefully occupied. Still no action was taken against Israel as the US is part of the Security Council with veto power. The newspaper claimed that it was proved from Mehmood Abbas s visit to Saudi Arabia that Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia was inclined towards Israel. According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 12), European Union made it clear that Jerusalem should be the joint capital of Israel and Palestine state constituted in the future and the matter could be solved through dialogues. Spokesperson of the European Union said that Jerusalem should not be capital of Israel but it should be capital of both the countries. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Jerusalem had always been the capital of the country. French President Emmanuel Macron criticized the decision of the US President and said that this would deteriorate the situation. According to Etemaad (December 9), Pakistani Parliament criticized the decision of recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and demanded the US to take its decision back. According to the newspaper, chief of All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen Asaduddin Owaisi convened a conference of Islamic scholars in which Donald Trump was unanimously criticized. According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 9), Majlish e Ulama e Hind criticized the US decision of recognizing Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. The same news report attributed Darul Uloom Deoband calling this decision against Islam. Darul Uloom Deoband expressed astonishment to the fact that Arab nations are keeping silent over it while they should have opposed it the most. Pratap on December 13 reported that the announcement made by the US President had shaken the Islamic world. None of the Islamic world was supporting the US. Jerusalem is a very sensitive matter. This city is important for Muslims, Jews and Christians and they all consider it a Holy city. Etemaad wrote in its editorial on December 12 that Donald Trump s decision of announcing Jerusalem is a genuine concern for Islamic world. The newspaper said that Israel has been illegally occupying Jerusalem. The newspaper expressed satisfaction over the fact that the US became aloof in the Security Council and European Union also refused support to the US on this. The newspaper alleged that there are over 200 crore Muslims across the world and Donald Trump is hurting sentiment of 200 crore Muslims for two crore Jews. The newspaper appealed to the Arabic nations to put pressure on the US to withdraw the decision. India Policy Foundation December,

14 According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 10), President of All India Majlis e Ittehadul Muslimeen Asaduddin Owaisi criticized Donald Trump for recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. They criticized the fact that the entire world was keeping silent on the mischief of the US. He said that he would take every step to save Islam whatever the result could be. II Historical change in Saudi Arabia Famous columnist Hasan Kamal writes in Etemaad on December 10 that the changes that are taking place in Arabic world will have serious repercussions. There have been several reforms in the field of women education. The present ruler established a university in which there is a provision for coeducation. Besides that women have been allowed to drive vehicles and picture halls are being open across the country. The newspaper wrote that if any big change takes place in Saudi Arabia it impacts the entire Islamic world. Saudi Arab came to lime light when its king Shah Faisal was shot dead. It is said that there was hand of the US intelligence CIA behind his killing. Shah Faisal was killed by his nephew Faisal bin Mussaid on the instigation of US intelligence agency CIA who was studying in the US. Condition of Saudi Arabia changed after 1950 when oil was found there which was discovered by the US and it started oil exploration. Ruler of Saudi Arabia did not know that how oil will change their fortune. They were also not aware that how it would influence the international politics. The US took benefit of their ignorance and formed a company that had American dominance. Though it has shares of members of the Royal family but it was controlled by the Americans. This company was deciding the oil prices. When Shah Faisal became King of Saudi Arabia then he realized that what role oil of Saudi Arabia could be in the world politics. Shah Faisal got educated in the US, so he was well aware about the world politics. He started emphasizing that oil prices would be decided by the Saudi Arabia not the US which was a jolt for the US which felt that Shah Faisal was going out of his hands. After his death the name of Saudi Arabia was taken only for Haj. Now Saudi Arabian rulers have started a major overhaul in its economy. Recently when Salman Bin Mohammad was nominated Crown Prince then he said that he wanted to start an era of neo-liberalism in the Arabic world. He wants to end this very conception that terrorism is supported by Islam. Saudi Arabia started campaign against lslamic organizations i.e. Al Qaida, Islamic State and Boko Haram but a section of Arabic World looks at him with suspicion due to his friendship with Donald Trump. So for the course correction, it has started improving its relations with China and Russia. He attacked corruption among royals immediately after taking over reigns and got several people arrested in this regard. The biggest test for Mohammad bin Salman was controlling civil war in Yemen. III Singer punished in Egypt According to Akhbar Mashriq (December 14), the Egyptian police arrested 25-year-old Shyma on obscenity charges and court sentenced two years jail for her. The reason for his arrest was a music video and director of the video too was sentenced two-year jail term. There were several pictures in this video in which she was in night dress. Egyptian newspaper supported her sentence and said that artists spreading obscenity cannot be tolerated. IV Riding cycle banned for women According to Sahafat (November 30), the top leader of Iran Ayatollah Khomeini banned cycle riding for women. He said women riding cycle in front of men was anti-islamic. This is to recall that news was published in western media that riding cycle was banned for women declaring it sinful act. This is to recall that around two weeks ago Iranian police banned cycle competition at Tehran because women had to participate in it. Thousands of cycles were confiscated by raiding houses in different cities. India Policy Foundation December,

15 V Former President of Yemen killed in an attack According to Etemaad (December 5), former president of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh was killed in the attack of al Habbasi rebels. It is said that former president was killed by rebels when he was trying to flee from Sannah. This is to recall that thousands of people have been killed in the civil war of Yemen so far. The reason for this war has been the rivalry of Saudi Arabia and Iran. The newspaper Etemaad expressed concern over the condition Yemen in its editorial and said that the war that was going on in Yemen for two and half years claimed over ten thousand people. It is said in the editorial that Habbasi rebels claimed killing former president Abdullah Saleh and Iranian news agency sent a detailed report in this regard. Akhbar Mashriq on December 3 claimed that Habbasi have Iranian missile. Expert of Unites Nations said in their reports that the recent four missile attack on Saudi Arabia were made in Iran. It was said in the report that these missiles were sent to rebels secretly. Earlier spokesperson of military organization of Arab released picture of these missiles. He said that Iran and Hijbullah are supplying arms and ammunition to experts of Yemen. As per another news reports, opposition party of Iran released a booklet in which it was alleged that rulers of Iran killed thousands of opposition people that included men, women and children as well. VI Chabahar project inaugurated in Iran According to Inquilab (December 4) port built in Iran with the help of India and Afghanistan has been inaugurated. President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated it. Representative from 40 countries including India and Afghanistan participated in it. Chabahar has the way for India, Iran and West Asia in which India was investing $500 million. On this historical occasion P Radhakrishnan of India was present. This new port is considered to be an answer to the Gwader port built by China in Pakistan. Chabahar free zone port is politically and economically very important as it connects north-south corridor to sea. President of Iran said that with the development of this port products from Iran could be sent to neighboring countries. This port connects north-eastern countries including Afghanistan and middleeast strengthening relations of Islamic democratic country with other countries. Just a day before the inauguration of this port External Affairs minister of India Sushma Swaraj spoke to her Iranian counterpart. Once Chabahar port is built Indian ships will enter Iran. Recently India sent a ship loaded with wheat to Afghanistan. This is to recall that at present the entire trade with Afghanistan happens through Pakistan. VII Saudi Arabia decides to open cinema halls once again According to Inquilab (December 12), Saudi Arab government decided to open cinema hall. The first cinema hall will be open in March after 35 years. A media organization announced that next year in the month of March permission letters would be issued to run cinema halls in the country. The government claimed that this would increase economic development and multi-culturalism. This is to recall that cinema had been banned in Saudi Arabia in Information minister of Saudi Arabia claimed that common people would get a new mode of entertainment. It is said that change in policy was due to liberal attitude of crown prince Mohammad bin Salman. According to the government sources, over 300 cinema complexes would be built by 2030 that would have over 2000 cinema houses. According to Siyasat (December 14), chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti welcomed the decision of opening cinema hall while Ali Shah Gilani opposed opening cinema hall in Saudi Arabia by calling it against Islam. India Policy Foundation December,