He said that the split with AIMIM will not affect the performance of the party. Extending his best wishes to Asad Owaisi, he said every party has a right to spread its wings.

AIMIM and VBA had a few days back decided to part their ways due to the disagreement over seat sharing. AIMIM announced their first list of candidates.

In the 2019 ok Sabha elections the AIMIM and VBA alliance had contested from all the 48 seats but had registered victory on only one seat in Aurangabad which Imtiyaz Jaleel from AIMIM won.

State spokesman of VBA Farooque Ahmed told Twocircles.net a”Bala saheb has announced  that 25 Muslims will be contesting the polls from our party ticket and the list will be released in a week’s time.”

Farooque said, “People should keep in mind that our differences with AIMIM are purely political and  it is a split between two parties not two communities . One should not spread rumours or misquote leaders”.

Courtesy: Two Circles
 

The post After split with AIMIM, Vanchit Bahujan announces fielding 25 Muslim candidates appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Aaquib Altaf Hussain Khan ( featured above), is a computer science student and shared that he was very excited to be voting for the first time. ”  it is a national responsibility, voting should be a top priority of each and every Indian.” he said.

Afsana and Rukhsana Shiledar (above) are both sisters who voted for the first time and had come with their parents. Speaking to TwoCircles.net, they said they are expecting reservations for Muslim to enable them to join the mainstream society,  good education facilities for youths, drinking water and sanitation to keep our Bharath Swachh. Afsana and Rukhsana are  pursuing their bachelors degree in Arts in a city based college.

Courtesy: Two Circle

The post First-time voters in Solapur share their views appeared first on SabrangIndia.

MP Elections in Solapur are on 18th April and in Goa on 23rd. Here is what some of the voters feel which they shared with TwoCircles.net:

 

Asif Husain, 48 years old, is  a peace activist, attached with many social and educational bodies of Goa from Vasco. He couldn’t control his uneasiness and expressed him views about the performance  of the central government in the last 5 years as:
 

“Acche  din got lost in the  din,

Phir  ek  baar  galti  na  Kar mere yaar,

Is baar koi  aur  mere yaar”
 

According to Asif, It all started with Love jihad. But there could be no ghar wapsi after that, Soon we were  introduced to ‘lynching.
 

Criticising the role of the media, he says, “The 4 Senior  judges of Supreme Court tried to warn us but the Sold media buried the  threat.”

“Anyway constitution is the target, and universities became battle grounds, Dalits were skinned for riding horses, Farmers and soldiers betrayed,” He quoted further.
 

 

42 year old Parvez who has worked with corporate sector and is a progressive activist, from Solapur (Maharashtra), says, “My city Solapur is a mixture of all communities but painful to say that it is struggling for drinking water, good roads, employment, industries  etc. from decades. And this has resulted in migration and qualified youths  settling in other cities like Pune  in a large number.”
 

Stressing on the upliftment of marginalized Parvez Peerzade said, “It is the need of the hour. Strengthening Bahujan movement by voting for then  is the key which can help disadvantaged section to join the mainstream society.”

Courtesy: Two Circle

The post Pre-polling: What voters in Goa and Solapur feel appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On April 24, the slum near Ambedkar Nagar in Pune caught fire due to a short circuit and gutted around 74 homes in just a few minutes. Thankfully, due to the help of locals and fire personnel, no lives were lost but the residents lost all their possessions.

Bandhubhau Bhaichara Foundation (BBF), an organisation set up in 2014, was one of the first to come to the help of the victims, says Swati, a resident who lost all her belongings in the fire. “It was a horrible day…we were on roads with kids with nothing to eat…Members of BBF came to help and provided us with food,” she says in a conversation with TwoCircles.net.

Shabbir Sheikh, the president of BBF, says that this effort is in line with the teachings of Islam. “Our religion teaches us humanity, and to help the poor. After visiting Ambedkar Nagar slums post-fire, we decided to build the homes. We announced our intentions in some of the mosques in Pune City and stood outside the mosques to collect charity. Alhamdulillah, we received a very good response. Our community donated cash and cement, sand and other construction material. Seeing our efforts, many people volunteered as labour also while others made several anonymous contributions. Within a very short period, we met our target and it is because of the community’s efforts that we managed to hand over the keys of all the 74 homes within seven months of the fire,” Sheikh adds.

Meena Shinde, another resident, said she had lost all hopes after the fire. “But thanks to the help of our Muslim brothers, I am happy to have returned to my home after seven months,” she adds.

The efforts of BBF has also helped changed the image of the Muslim community in the eyes of some of the residents.

Swati adds, “Earlier, I had misconceptions about Muslims as I used to here many negative things about the community. But the generosity of BBF during a period when we lost all everything and their commitment to give a roof to us once again has cleared my mind…I shall never think bad about the community again.”

Courtesy: Two Circles
 

The post Funds collected outside Pune mosques help rebuild 74 Dalit homes in Pune appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Dr.Roshanara Sheikh

After her accident, she was left bedridden for over three months but dropping out of school never occurred to her or her parents. Her mother started taking her to school to attend important practical classes and examinations on a wheelchair and by the next year, she had completed her Class 12 with impressive marks. She also achieved a stellar rank of 3 in the handicapped category for the state medical exams, but a legal technicality almost stopped her from enrolling. “The existing law allowed only students with “up to 70% handicap” to study medicine but I was 90% handicapped post the accident, so I was not allowed to take admission,” Roshanara told TwoCircles.net during a conversation. Following the advice of Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Sanjay Kotharia, she knocked the door of the Bombay High court with help of advocate PB Patil in 2011 and won the case and took admission in KEM (King Edward Memorial) Medical College, Mumbai.

Advocate Patil, who fought the case of Roshanara without charging a single rupee, informed Twocirlces.net that as per the Disability Act 1995, Roshanara was denied admission. “But during case proceedings, I gave two examples of people who were more than 90% disabled and yet achieved astonishing things. Arunima Sinha, a disabled lady who climbed Mount Everest and athlete Oscar Pistorius, who took part in London Olympics with artificial legs. I tried to convince the court that 90% disable Roshanara is also fully fit to become a medical practitioner. I showed the court that she could travel for court proceedings every time from Jogeshwari on a train. The honourable court served her physical activities and considered her disability at 70% and gave the decision in her favour,” he said.

Speaking with Twocircles.net, Roshanara said, “We stay in a rented 10×10 feet home. Our financial condition was in a bad shape as my father was a vegetable vendor. But Allah helped us in his own ways. When I met with an accident and news came out in media, many good people and NGOs came forward and helped us in meeting the hospital expenditures and prosthetic limbs which cost Rs 6 lakh 10 years ago. When media highlighted court case around my MBBS admission, Congress MLA Amin Patel came to visit my house and promised to pay my medical course expenses. Finally after the court order when I got admission in MBBS, Amin Patel kept his words and fulfilled all my education expenses during the course duration and continues to sponsor my MD education.

“I must also thank Member of Parliament Kirit Somayya because again there were some hurdles for joining my PG course. But Somaiya took special efforts and within two days, a 20-year-old law was amended for my PG admission. Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda himself called and gave this welcome news,” she added.

Dr Roshanara with MP Kirit Somayya

But Roshanara pointed out, getting admission was just one of the many hurdles she had cleared. “During the medical course, I faced some difficulties due to my disabilities. Practical lessons are conducted in different buildings located at some distance which also involves long duration standing for about six hours. In my second counselling after the court order, I was informed about these hardships but there was no alternative for me except to move forward. During my MBBS course, I discharged 30 hours non-stop duty, attended emergencies…everything that fully-abled people did. I tried to set an example that people with disability can also achieve anything if they have the passion and determination,” she said.

Roshanara said that her mother was the most constant source of inspiration. “She studied only till 4th standard as women education was not considered important at that time in Azamgarh, UP, her native place. Despite receiving flak from family members and facing numerous hardships, my mom decided to educate her daughters. After a lot of efforts somehow my elder sister completed class 12. It was only then that the family members realized the importance of education but due to the financial condition, she was forced to quit her studies. Currently, she is working as a paramedical staff with Millat hospital. My younger sister is doing Master’s in Textiles so our mom is our real inspiration,” she said.

BJP MP Kirit Somayya told TwoCircles.net that Roshanara’s strong determination and learning spirit was extremely impressive. “After going through her case I immediately swung into action and went to Delhi to amend the Law and get it done within three to four days,” Somayya added.
Amin Patel, the Congress MLA who also sponsors Roshanara, said “When I read about Roshanara’s train accident in a local Marathi newspaper, I personally went to meet her. During our discussion, I found her to be very confident and a girl with a vision. Despite losing both legs, she didn’t lose her hopes. So I decided to provide all assistance to her.

Disclosing her future plans, Roshanara said, ‘I will try for civil services examinations to become an IAS officer after completing my MD (Doctor of Medicine). In future, I have plans to work for people with disability through some NGO or through my profession when I will have enough sources,” she added.

Dr.Roshanara Sheikh with her parents

First Published on Two Circles

The post How double amputee Roshanara Sheikh battled laws, prejudices and hardships to become a doctor appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Apart from fasting, the pious month of Ramadan is also seen as an ideal time to spread the messages and teachings of Islam and Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). In an attempt to promote the same, Muslims of Maharashtra are celebrating the month of Ramadan with other fellow marginalised communities. Yavatmal-based activist Subhan Ali and his team of volunteers, under the banner of “Prophet Mohammed for All”, are collecting funds to provide new clothes to nearly 10,000 Dalit and Adivasi children of Maharashtra.

Speaking with Twocircles.net, Subhan Ali said, “Prophet Muhammed was sent by Allah as a Rahamatualameen (Cherisher of the Universe). During his time, he spread the message of peace, brotherhood and communal harmony. He set an inspiring example before us. He used to maintain good relations with other communities and also donate his Zakat (compulsory charity) and Sadqa (voluntary charity) to the people of other religions as well. This is a small effort on our part to help and include Dalit and Adivasi children also in our celebrations.”

Ali added that the initiative had received a very good response from members of all communities, especially Muslims. “Apart from clothes, we also aim to provide ‘Sheer Khurma’ party to about 1 lakh Dalit and Adivasi brothers and sisters,” he added.

According to Subhan, Muslim activists from Pune, Baramati, Solapur, Karmala, etc. have started working aggressively to make this mission a huge success. “We have already received commitments of about 2,000 clothes. Maratha and Dalit activist are extending their cooperation equally well,” he added.

Babu Rao Ghongde, a social activist from Hingoli District warmly welcomed this initiative. Speaking with TwoCirlces.net, he said, “We usually celebrate our festivals with our relatives, we invite high-profile people to our home but these Muslim youths are inviting downtrodden people. I have no words to thank these youths. This initiative will surely help to spread the real character of Prophet Muhammad Saheb and his teachings.”

Dr Ravindra Rathod, a practising Ortho surgeon in Parbhani city, said, “I am quite sure that this move will help boost brotherhood, social relations among Muslims and marginalized and eliminate misconceptions about Islam and Muslims. People will understand that the political system which divides us is the main culprit here.

Subhan Ali and his state-level team have also been running the Danga-Mukt Maharashtra Campaign (Riot-free Maharashtra) since the last two years. This team has successfully organised Shivshahi Sankalp Melava at Raigad on September-27 in 2016 which was attended by thousands of Muslims.

Editor’s note:
If someone wants to help Subhan Ali and his team in their endeavours, please contact Subhan at 9511222211.
 

The post In Maharashtra, a unique attempt to bring a smile to the faces of Dalit and Adivasi children during Ramadan appeared first on SabrangIndia.