The charred body of a 22-year-old engineer was found inside the campus of The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in Chennai on July 2. The IITs are autonomous public technical universities with campuses across India. This gruesome incident in its Madras campus has added to the crisis it faces after the recent resignation of one of its professors who has alleged caste-based discrimination. 

However, so far, the two incidents are unrelated and the cause of the tragic death by suicide of Unnikrishnan Nair, 30, who worked as a project associate at IIT Madras is now under investigation. According to news reports, citing preliminary police investigations Unnikrishnan had left a note saying he was “unable to cope with work.” The reports furth say that the victim’s body was recovered from a hockey stadium in the institute’s campus. It has been stated by the Institute that Unnikrishnan “joined the Institute in April 2021 and was living outside the campus.” Curiously, the statement has mentioned that he was a “temporary” staff, though it is not clear yet why or how that clause will matter in the investigation. 

Unnikrishnan, hails from Ernakulam and his father Raghu works in an ISRO unit in Aluva, Kerala stated news reports. He has reportedly left behind a 11-page suicide note which talked about stress in work place, police told the media. It has not elaborated what the “stress” was as written by the victim. News reports added that Unnikrishnan was last seen alive when he left his off-campus residence in Velachery on Thursday morning. His body was reportedly discovered on Thursday evening by some hockey players who were practicing at the grounds, and they alerted the authorities. Police told the media, “Unnikrishnan had removed and kept all his personal accessories safely before committing suicide.” Police found the reported “suicide note” at his Velacherry resident on Friday. 

 It is not the first death by suicide at this IIT 

In November 2019, news was ablaze with reports of death by suicide of Fatima Lateef, a student in IIT Madras coincidently also hailing from Kerala. She had alleged that one of the professors was the “the cause of my death”. The case is being probed by CBI. According to a report in India Today, her death had “shaken students at IIT Madras,” and the case “also acquired political dimensions.” The then senior politician Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin (now Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu) had tweeted in Tamil saying, “The death of IIT Madras student Fathima is not suicide. After interacting with Fathima’s father it is clear that there are many mysteries and questions around her death.” It is not yet known if he has made any official comment yet on the current crisis that seems to be unfolding at IIT Madras.  

A resignation that exposes bias 

IIT Madras states on its own website that it “is one among the foremost institutes of national importance in higher technological education, basic and applied research.” However, it has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons this week. On Thursday, a faculty member Vipin P Veetil, had resigned citing caste discrimination. A number of activists have been calling out the allegations of casteism at IITs, specifically IIT Madras, Kharagpur etc.     

Dr. Vipin Veetil resigned from IIT Madras because of caste discrimination.

Now can we ask how many of @iitmadras professors have published articles in @Forbes and @WSJ? How many have Ph.D. from top global univ and taught courses there?

They can’t tolerate a talented OBC. pic.twitter.com/qF0cinroFA

— Dilip Mandal (@Profdilipmandal) July 2, 2021

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by APPSC IIT Bombay (@appsc.iitb)

According to news reports, Vipin Pudiyath Veetil, who taught Economics at the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at IIT Madras, wrote an email to his colleagues and alleged that he had faced caste-based discrimintion ever since he joined the institute in 2019, and that the “discrimination came from individuals in positions of power irrespective of their claimed political affiliations and gender”.  

Vipin who hails from an OBC community in Kerala stated that he was leaving the IIT for another institution and that he would “pursue appropriate actions to address the matter.” News reports quoted his email that illustrated the alleged discrimination, “I’ve observed at the institute is that the Bayesian prior among many is that caste discrimination is rare occurrence. My own experience and conversations with members of SC and OBC communities, suggests that the Bayesian prior is far from true.” 

Ironic, because the IIT Madras in its mission statement proclaims to provide “a liberal; as well as a professional education so that each student acquires a respect for moral values, a sense of their duties as a citizen, a feeling for taste and style, and a better human understanding. All these are required for leadership.” It aims to “send forth men and women of the highest professional competence with a breath of learning and a character to deal constructively with issues, and problems anticipated in the next decade relevant to the programmes of development of our country.” 

Perhaps it is time for them to add the Preamble to the Constitution of India, for its students and faculty to remind themselves that India is a “SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC” and that all citizens have the right to: 

“JUSTICE: social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;

and FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;”

Vipin Pudiyath Veetil, has also suggested that the IIT sets up a committee to study the experience of the SC and OBC faculty and include members from the SC / ST Commission, OBC Commission and psychologists. According to a report in The Print, his resignation comes two days after the NCSC reprimanded IIT Madras for not hiring enough SC, ST, and OBC professors. Yet another marker in the allegations of such discrimination in IITs. A change.org petition has begun gathering momentum calling out the “rampant and unchecked” discrimination and backing Vipin’s call for the “urgent need for having permanent SC, ST, and OBC committees at IITs.” The petition may be signed here. 

Remember IIT Kharagpur Prof abusing Dalit students? 

In April this year Associate Professor Seema Singh’s humiliation of Dalit and PWD students exposed the class divide in elite institutions. A video that had gone viral for all the wrong reasons of an online preparatory English course held for students belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes as well as persons with disability, at IIT Kharagpur. The teacher’s language and attitude had once again exposed the class divide in elite institutions. The abusive teacher was soon identified as Associate Professor Seema Singh of HSS Department who was heard screaming and verbally abusing students. Singh, according to news reports, was later suspended until further orders and a fact-finding committee that was “instituted to look into the allegations” had also submitted its report. The institute had told the media that ‘an internal inquiry” had also begun.  It was also reported that after the videos went viral, Singh ‘apologised’ and said “it was never the slightest intention to be discriminatory towards any segment of the student community.”  

Normalising discrimination on campus 

There are many ways to ‘normalise’ discriminations too. Recently, in a blatant display of Islamophobia, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University ‘invited’ three students from every semester to ‘promise’ never to engage in any terrorist activities. The students protested an anti-terrorism oath taking ceremony organised on May 21, 2021, via a Google meet call. Student unions like All India Students Association (AISA) condemned the event for its “transparent display of Islamophobia.”

According to one of the attending students, who wished to remain unnamed, the college forwarded a circular by the Union Ministry of Education that instructed an anti-terrorism pledge-taking ceremony for government officers, staff. It also included subordinate / attached / autonomous bodies under their administrative control. Speaking to SabrangIndia, a student said that they received the notice from their co-curricular activity group, the English Literary Association.  

Intolerance of another kind is seen in Kerala  

The Central University of Kerala (CUK) suspended Assistant Professor Dr. Gilbert Sebastian on May 17, 2021 for calling the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its political party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a proto-fascist organisation during an online lecture on ‘Nazism and Fascism.’ University Vice Chancellor H. Venkateswarulu set up a three-member internal inquiry committee that deemed the International Relations and Politics department’s professor guilty of misconduct during the online class. During the April 19 class, Dr. Sebastain talked about how the ‘Sangh Parivar’ – the RSS and the BJP and other affiliated organisations – can be considered proto-fascist or people influenced by classical fascist organisations. He also asked students where India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule since 2014 is akin to other areas like Spain under General Franco, Portugal under Salazar and Argentina under Juan Peron.

Related

Dewas Adivasi family massacre: There’s more to it than a failed ‘love affair’

Cooption with denial of dignity & rights is the Dalit reality under BJP-RSS

Ahmedabad: Castist goons attack Dalit man for ‘sporting moustache’

Kolhapur’s Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj and his battle for Dalit-Bahujan communities

IIT Prof’s meltdown, abuse of students is a lesson on how not to teach

Why does UGC want herds of students to take ‘cow science’ exams?

JMI asks students to participate in anti-terrorism oath taking ceremony!

The post How do casteism, bigotry continue to thrive in IITs? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In a scathing letter to the Government of India, five senior officials of the United Nations have expressed regret at the lack of response from the government on previous communiques where they had highlighted concerns about instances of human rights violations taking place during the processes and procedures related to the update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.

The letter is written by Leigh Toomey (Vice-Chair of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention), David Kaye (Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression), Fernand de Varennes (Special Rapporteur on minority issues), E. Tendayi Achiume (Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance) and Ahmed Shaheed (Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief).

Mincing no words they have raised concerns about “the rising tide of bigotry, stigmatization and scapegoating of all those perceived as “foreigners” and “infiltrators”, most of whom belong to racial, ethnic, religious or linguistic minority groups in India.”
 

Over four million people have been left out of the NRC draft, most of them from socio-economically backward communities. Now CJP, drawing from its previous experience in providing legal aid in Gujarat, will step in with a multi-faceted team of lawyers and volunteers to ensure that these people receive a fair chance while filing claims across 18 of the worst affected districts. Your contribution can help cover the costs of a legal team, travel, documentation and technological expenses. Please donate generously here.

The UN officials refer to their previous communications dated June 11, 2018 and December 13, 2018 and say, “We deeply regret that to date your Excellency’s Government has not yet responded to these communications, and therefore it has not provided us with any additional information and/or clarification to the substantive observations and questions.” The point out the Indian government’s callous attitude to the human rights crisis saying, “We deeply regret your Excellency’s Government absence of engagement in a dialogue with our mandates on a process with significant implications for the human rights and legal status of millions of individuals, and in particular of those belonging to minorities and living in remote and marginalized areas, most of whom may face statelessness, prolonged detention and forced return to countries in which they may have never lived in the past.
 

CJP highlights NRC authority’s apathy, harassment of people

CJP has been highlighting how the apathy and harassment of people has continued and that NRC authorities have remained painfully apathetic in face of this huge humanitarian crisis. We had highlighted how staff at Nagrik Seva Kendras (NSK) were clueless about when to accept corrections applications. This later led to a deadline extension for the same. However, did little to address the predicament of economically backward and uneducated people who were unable to download the online forms.

We had also reported instances of bureaucratic apathy, for instance when 300 people left helpless and waiting at a hearing center for NRC claims finally got a hearing only due to CJP’s intervention in ensuring an official was made available for the hearing. We also showcased how people were being harassed by fixing hearings in locations far away from where they live. CJP has also brought to light the nefarious agenda of chauvinistic forces to keep people of certain ethnicities or religious backgrounds out of the NRC by filing false objection applications against them.
 

UN Rapporteurs list instances of rights violations

Echoing many of these concerns, the latest communique from the Special Rapporteurs also highlights several fresh instances of marginalisation, intimidation and harassment since the December 31, 2018 deadline.

The letter says,

“According to new the information received:

As of 31 December 2018, a total of 3.62 million individual revision claims have been filed, out of the total of 4 million people who had not been included in the draft NRC, released on 30 July 2018. Therefore, approximately 400,000 people, most of whom belong to ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, appear to have failed to request the review of their application and were not in a position to further substantiate their initial application with additional documents.

“In addition, it is reported that until 31 December 2018, more than 200,000 objections were filed against people who were already included in the draft NRC of July 2018. Allegedly, Assamese nationalist groups filed the majority of these objections, just hours before the expiry of the 31 December deadline, and most of these objections may not have been supported by relevant documentation or specific reasons for such an objection, whereas “objectors” may have in some cases provided authorities with false names and/or addresses in order to avoid attending the objection hearing.

“On 8 May 2019, during the latest Supreme Court hearing on Assam Public Works v. Union of India & Ors., the NRC State Coordinator informed the Court that many of those who had objected to the inclusion of certain individuals in the draft NRC of July 2018 had not come forward before the appropriate panels dealing with such objections. In its response, the Supreme Court stated that “The State Coordinator is free to deal with all incidental issues that may arise, in his wise discretion and in accordance with law.”

“Despite the reported complex NRC modalities, including with regard to the verification of List A (legacy) and List B (linkage) documents, the reported inconsistencies and errors during the application and registration process, as well as the significant number of revision appeals and objections, on 24 January 2019, the Supreme Court maintained that the deadline for the publication of the final NRC list would remain 31 July 2019, and it would not be extended. In its 3 judgement of 8 May 2019, the Supreme Court stated again that “the process of preparation of the final NRC shall continue to ensure that the publication of the final NRC is made on or before 31.07.2019.”

“On 15 February 2019, the verification of the 3.62 million revision claims has started and it is expected to be completed within a period of only 4 months, on 15 June 2019. This new verification process does not, however, include those who have been already declared as “doubtful voters” by the Election Commission and thus excluded from the July 2018 draft NRC, or those who have been declared as “foreigners” and “descendants of declared foreigners” by the Foreigners’ Tribunals in Assam. District and sub-district officers functioning as authorised officers of the District Magistrate (District Registrar of Citizens Registration) will undertake the hearings for both the revision claims and objections, as per Section 6 “Level of Disposal of Claims and Objections” and Section 7 “Holding of Hearings” of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
“However, it is reported that there are significant challenges with regard to the staffing of the review panels, and officers handling revision claims and objections may lack sufficient training, thus increasing the likelihood of revision errors, which in some cases may be also due to prejudice and bias against the claimants. In addition, it is reported that no changes can occur at the revision stage in the socalled “legacy person” or in the family tree declared by the applicant at the initial application stage.”

The UN Special Rapparteurs also raise concerns about Foreigners’ Tribunals. They not only highlight the problematic practice of disposing of cases ex parte, but also talk about the inadequacy of not only the number of such tribunals, but also the recruitment of judges who conduct the hearings. They say, “There are concerns regarding the composition of the new Foreigners’ Tribunals, including with regard to judges and prosecution members.” They also add, “Those declared as “foreigners” have slim chances of appealing the Foreigners’ Tribunals’ decisions to the Gauhati High Court. It has been reported that, to date, almost all contested cases have been dismissed by the High Court and only some of them have been remanded back again to the Foreigners’ Tribunals for a rehearing.”

The letter also raises concerns about the fast approaching July 31, 2019 deadline given how lakhs of claims are still being processed and nearly 2 lakh objections were also filed at the nth hour. The officials say in their letter, “We are concerned at the tight schedule which is set for the processing of approximately 3.62 million revision claims and the reported decision of the Supreme Court not to extend the deadline for the release of the final NRC, beyond the 31st of July 2019, despite the alleged procedural irregularities and inefficiencies, in particular with regard to access to relevant documentation and the insufficient capacity of the reviewing bodies and panels.”

They add, “Furthermore, concern is expressed over the filing of a significant number of objections against individuals included in the draft NRC of July 2018, many of which may not have been substantiated through the submission of evidence material. Such objections may place all those individuals who were initially included in the draft NRC, as well as their families, into a critical situation to prove their citizenship before the Foreigners’ Tribunals, with the risk of being declared as “foreigners”, face de facto statelessness, and without having the opportunity to appeal the Foreigners’ Tribunals’ decisions. They could be sent to one of the six detention facilities currently operating in Assam for this purpose (Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Silchar, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Tezpur), or “pushed back” to their “country of origin”, as indicated in the State of Assam’s affidavit of 28 January 2019, in the case Harsh Mander vs Union of India & Anr.”

The UN officials end the communique with nine questions and requests for clarification. The entire letter may be read here.
 

Annexure on international conventions

There communique also has an annexure that shows which international laws and conventions are being violated by the Indian government’s failure to prevent a crisis in Assam. These include, article 27 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by India on 10 April 1979. This establishes that in those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities have the right, in community with the other members of their group, “to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion, or to use their own language”. The annexure also refers to article 19 of the ICCPR that guarantees “the right of “everyone” to seek, receive and impart information of all kinds, through any media and regardless of frontiers. In this connection, we highlight that the right to access to information constitutes a fundamental component of the right to freedom of expression.”

It further says, “We would furthermore like to appeal to your Excellency’s Government to take all necessary measures to guarantee their right not to be deprived arbitrarily of liberty and to fair proceedings before an independent and impartial tribunal, in accordance with articles 9 and 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and articles 9 and 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).”

It also reminds the head of the Indian government of certain obligations due to international conventions ratified by them, saying, “We would like to remind your Excellency’s Government of its obligation under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), ratified by India on 3 December 1968. Article 1 (1) defines racial discrimination as “any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life”.
 

The question of nationality and statelessness

And in what could potentially affect not just the NRC, but also the BJP government’s agenda with respect to granting citizenship to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs etc. fleeing persecution from other parts of the world but excluding Muslims, the annexure highlights, “We would also like to draw the attention of your Excellency’s Government to the right to nationality as enshrined in various international legal instruments ratified by India. The right to nationality entails the right of each individual to acquire, change and retain a nationality. Article 5 (d) (iii) of ICERD is particularly relevant as it explicitly obliges States parties to guarantee the right of everyone to equality before the law, including in the enjoyment of the right to nationality, without discrimination on any prohibited grounds. In this connection, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has reiterated that the deprivation of citizenship on the basis of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin violates States parties’ obligations to ensure non-discriminatory enjoyment of the right to nationality.”

The annexure ends with a call to the Indian government to “take specific steps to end statelessness, including by putting an end to the practices and policies identified [in the report] that render persons stateless and in doing so, make them vulnerable to extreme human rights violations.”
 

Related:

UN questions ‘statelessness and disenfranchisement’ of ‘minority groups’ in Assam
UN raises concerns over exclusion of people from NRC in Assam and subsequent ‘statelessness’
Alarming Rise in Racism and Xenophobia
UN raises questions about NRC Claims and Objections process
 

The post NRC Assam: UN demands GOI response on Human Rights crisis appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Maulana Batin the Shehr Mufti of Banaras has issued a strong appeal fr calm while also making available a helpine phone number to ensure that rumours are dispelled. Bascally he has told his followers not to let emotion govern their actions. Similarly the prominent Shankracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati has clearly deleneated the religious and secular by stating that no government or state should concern itself with building a Mosque or Temple or Gurudwara as these are religious acts that should be left to the communities concerned.

Maulana Batin’s statement can be read here:

Swami Swaroopanand’s statement can be read bwlow. he has made a strong argument for separating religious business and the state arguing that the building of temples, mosques gurudwaras and churches was not the business of the state. He has also cautioned stating that the failures of the central government on the socio-economic front is the reason the ‘Ram Manditr’ issue has been raised, so suddenly. Significantly the polls in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are also round the corner: in both states the ruling BJP is facing anti-incumbency of a strong kind.

The post Muslim & Hindu Clerics Appeal for Reason, while Hate rules Politics: Ayodhya-Faizabad appeared first on SabrangIndia.

I am an Indian Muslim.
I’ve been living in this country for past 1000 years or so,
Yet you consider me an outsider.
.
I have adopted many cultural practices of yours,
Be it in marriages, in costumes, in language or in food.
I’ve even adopted your caste system,
Your Sindoor, Your Mangalsutr, Your rituals,
Yet you feel that your culture faces a threat from me.
.
My dietary habits are same as yours,
Yet you consider me a beef eater, and insolent towards the cow you worship.
Even though the Govt of India is the largest beef exporter of the world.
.
I am an Indian Muslim.
.
I’ve played Holi with you,
Visited Puja pandals with you
Sported the Tilak as well.
Yet you consider me an orthodox proselytizer.
.
My literacy rate is at par with SCs and STs,
My representation in bureaucracy is mere 3%,
Same is the situation in other services,
Be it police, judiciary or the army,
Yet I’ve never demanded any special treatment in recruitment process.
.
I am an Indian Muslim.
.
Polygamy in my community is lower than among tribals and Hindus,
My population growth rate has been declining,
Yet you feel threatened by political demagoguery of “Hum Paanch Hamaare Pachchees”
.
I’ve painted your homes,
Welded your grills,
Tailored your clothes,
Woven your textiles,
Served your culinary tastes.
.
I pull the rickshaws,
Weave your carpets,
Repair your punctures,
Service your vehicles,
Do all menial jobs.
I constitute the largest community living Below Poverty Line,
Yet you consider me an unduly privileged class thriving at the cost of others.
.
The Hajj subsidy given in my name,
Goes to Air India,
Yet you feel that I’ve been pampered by ‘secular’ parties.
.
I’ve borne the brunt of riots,
Orchestrated by virtually every party,
In every nook and corner of the country,
Yet you feel that I’ve been a beneficiary of ‘minority appeasement’.
.
I am an Indian Muslim.
.
I have my own share of faults,
I am not an angel,
Neither am I a devil,
I am as mortal as you,
As vulnerable to vices as you,
As compassionate as you.
.
It pains to give an explanation of misdeeds committed by ruffians in the name of my community.
It pains when I am asked to apologize for inhuman deeds over which I have no role or control.
I am struggling to get out of the clutches of orthodox mullahs,
To clear the image of my community
Painted black by the unscrupulous media.
To live in harmony with you all,
To enjoy the diversity of this land and its culture.
However lack of education and control of orthodox mullahs are an impediment in my way.
.
But you are educated.
How did you fall victim to political demagoguery?
What eroded the trust? The bonhomie we used to share, since ages?
Can’t you see that bigotry today is a worldwide phenomenon?
Engulfing human lives?
Threatening Love and Trust?
What is stopping you from rejecting hate embracing love?
.
I am an Indian Muslim.
And I need you.
And I believe,
You need me too,
As much as I do.
.
Coz I believe –
Peace doesn’t come of its own.
Those who love peace must learn to organize themselves as effectively as those who love bigotry.

Image: Business India
 

The post I am an Indian Muslim (Poem) appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Aims:
Raise awareness within British Muslims and the wider public, of democracy particularly ‘secular democracy’ helping to contribute to a shared vision of citizenship (the separation of faith and state, so faiths exert no undue influence on policies and there is a shared public space).

• Encourage religious understanding and harmony, respect for different systems of beliefs, and encourage an understanding and celebration of the variety of Muslim cultures, values and traditions which are present in British society.

bmsd will achieve this by:

• Facilitating discourse and raising awareness of democracy particularly ‘secular democracy’ and its benefits.
• Facilitating broad and enlightened theological discourses, to enable British Muslims and the wider public to be better informed about the Islamic faith.
• Raising awareness of religious influence on UK domestic and foreign policies, particularly those which may lead to undue effect on civil liberties.
• Addressing Islamophobia and prejudice against Muslims and Muslim communities.
• Working with UK and global Muslim and other organisations, opposing radicalism and intolerant beliefs.
• Ensuring that politicians and community leaders encourage and practise transparency and ensure legitimate voting practices are followed.
• Engaging with marginalised Muslim communities, helping to identify root causes of deprivation and social exclusion, and help work towards a solution.
• Providing a lively and interesting social/educational programme which showcases the variety of Muslim histories, cultures, values and traditions in the UK today.
• Be responsive to the changing needs and pressures on succeeding generations of British Muslims and adjust and add to its programmes and projects accordingly.

About bmsd: bmsd was founded in 2006 by Nasreen Rehman and Yasmin Alibhai-Brown. We bring together a diverse group of Muslim democrats from a variety of ethnic and social backgrounds. We want to challenge perceptions, ideas and current thinking about British Muslims as a collectivity and the issues that affect the wider society. bmsd is not a theological group but one that advocates civic engagement and good citizenship. We are not concerned with judging or being judged on the basis of religious practice. If you call yourself a ‘Muslim’, you are most welcome to be a part of our movement. If you are non-Muslim, we equally welcome your association.

bmsd is about social inclusion, co-existence and harmony. Together we can all make a difference. It is now time to work towards this goal. bmsd aims to:
Raise awareness within British Muslims and the wider public, of democracy particularly ‘secular democracy’ helping to contribute to a shared vision of citizenship (the separation of faith and state, so faiths exert no undue influence on policies and there is a shared public space).

Encourage religious understanding and harmony, respect for different systems of beliefs, and encourage an understanding and celebration of the variety of Muslim cultures, values and traditions which are present in British society.

Contact: Not available on website

Website: http://bmsd.org.uk/

The post British Muslims for Secular Democracy (bmsd) appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Manifesto
We, non-believers, atheists, and ex-Muslims, are establishing or joining the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain to insist that no one be pigeonholed as Muslims with culturally relative rights nor deemed to be represented by regressive Islamic organisations and ‘Muslim community leaders’.

Those of us who have come forward with our names and photographs represent countless others who are unable or unwilling to do so because of the threats faced by those considered ‘apostates’ – punishable by death in countries under Islamic law.

By doing so, we are breaking the taboo that comes with renouncing Islam but also taking a stand for reason, universal rights and values, and secularism.

Whilst religion or the lack thereof is a private affair, the increasing intervention of and devastation caused by religion and particularly Islam in contemporary society has necessitated our public renunciation and declaration. We represent a majority in Europe and a vast secular and humanist protest movement in countries like Iran.

Taking the lead from the Central Council of Ex-Muslims in Germany, we demand:

1. Universal rights and equal citizenship for all. We are opposed to cultural relativism and the tolerance of inhuman beliefs, discrimination and abuse in the name of respecting religion or culture.
2. Freedom to criticise religion. Prohibition of restrictions on unconditional freedom of criticism and expression using so-called religious ‘sanctities’.
3. Freedom of religion and atheism.
4. Separation of religion from the state and legal and educational system.
5. Prohibition of religious customs, rules, ceremonies or activities that are incompatible with or infringe people’s rights and freedoms.
6. Abolition of all restrictive and repressive cultural and religious customs which hinder and contradict woman’s independence, free will and equality. Prohibition of segregation of sexes.
7. Prohibition of interference by any authority, family members or relatives, or official authorities in the private lives of women and men and their personal, emotional and sexual relationships and sexuality.
8. Protection of children from manipulation and abuse by religion and religious institutions.
9. Prohibition of any kind of financial, material or moral support by the state or state institutions to religion and religious activities and institutions.
10. Prohibition of all forms of religious intimidation and threats.

Contact: exmuslimcouncil@googlemail.com

Website: http://ex-muslim.org.uk/
 

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Objects: Exposing deviant ideologies, extremism, terrorism and their proponents

About: No details provided on the organisation’s website

Contact: Message box provided on the website

Website: http://www.islamagainstextremism.com/
 

The post Islam Against Extremism appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
Mission:

10 Principles:
Collective Identity
We accept as Muslim anyone who identifies as such. The veracity and integrity of that claim is between the individual and God, and is not a matter for the state nor an issue which other individuals can or should judge. We welcome all who are interested in discussing, promoting and working for the implementation of progressive values – human rights, freedom of expression, and separation of church and state – as well as inclusive and tolerant understandings of Islam.

Equality
We affirm the equal worth of all human beings, regardless of race, sex, gender, gender identification, ethnicity, nationality, creed, sexual orientation, or ability. We are committed to work toward global societies that ensure social, political, educational, and economic opportunities for all.

Separation of Religious and State Authorities
We believe that freedom of conscience is not only essential to all human societies but integral to the Qur’anic view of humanity. We believe that secular government is the only way to achieve the Islamic ideal of freedom from compulsion in matters of faith.

Freedom of speech
We support freedom of expression and freedom of dissent. No one should be legally prosecuted, imprisoned or detained for declaring or promoting unpopular opinions whether political, artistic, social or religious, even when that expression may be offensive and that dissent may be considered blasphemous.

Universal Human rights
We are committed to social, economic and environmental justice. We believe that the full self-realization of all people, in a safe and sustainable world, is a prerequisite for freedom, civility, and peace. We support efforts for universal health care, universal public education, the protection of our environment, and the eradication of poverty.

Gender equality
We support women’s agency and self-determination in every aspect of their lives. We believe in women’s full participation in society at every level. We affirm our commitment to reproductive justice and empowering women to make healthy decisions regarding their bodies, sexuality and reproduction.

LGBTQI Inclusion
We endorse the human and civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) individuals. We affirm our commitment to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and we support full equality and inclusion of all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, in society and in the Muslim community.

Critical analysis and interpretation
We promote interpretations that reflect traditional Qur’anic principles of tolerance, inclusiveness, mercy, compassion, and fairness. We call for critical engagement with Islamic scripture, traditional jurisprudence, and current Muslim discourses. We believe that critical thinking is essential to spiritual development.

Compassion
We affirm that justice and compassion should be the guiding principles for all aspects of human conduct. We repudiate violence, whether on an individual, organizational, or national level.

Diversity
We embrace pluralism and the diversity of inspirations that motivate people to embrace justice. We affirm that one’s religion and belief system is not the exclusive source of truth. We engage with a diversity of philosophical and spiritual traditions to pursue a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.

Contact: info@mpvusa.org
Website: www.mpvusa.org/
 

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Motto:

Declaration:

PREAMBLE
We are Muslims who live in the 21st century. We stand for a respectful, merciful and inclusive interpretation of Islam. We are in a battle for the soul of Islam, and an Islamic renewal must defeat the ideology of Islamism, or politicized Islam, which seeks to create Islamic states, as well as an Islamic caliphate. We seek to reclaim the progressive spirit with which Islam was born in the 7th century to fast forward it into the 21st century. We support the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by United Nations member states in 1948.
 
We reject interpretations of Islam that call for any violence, social injustice and politicized Islam. Facing the threat of terrorism, intolerance, and social injustice in the name of Islam, we have reflected on how we can transform our communities based on three principles: peace, human rights and secular governance. We announce the formation of an international initiative: the Muslim Reform Movement.
 
We have courageous reformers from around the world who have written our Declaration for Muslim Reform, a living document that we will continue to enhance as our journey continues. We invite our fellow Muslims and neighbors to join us.
 
A. Peace: National Security, Counterterrorism and Foreign Policy

1. We stand for universal peace, love and compassion. We reject violent jihad. We believe we must target the ideology of violent Islamist extremism in order to liberate individuals from the scourge of oppression and terrorism both in Muslim-majority societies and the West.
2. We stand for the protection of all people of all faiths and non-faith who seek freedom from dictatorships, theocracies and Islamist extremists.
3. We reject bigotry, oppression and violence against all people based on any prejudice, including ethnicity, gender, language, belief, religion, sexual orientation and gender expression.

B. Human Rights: Women's Rights and Minority Rights

1. We stand for human rights and justice. We support equal rights and dignity for all people, including minorities. We support the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
2. We reject tribalism, castes, monarchies and patriarchies and consider all people equal with no birth rights other than human rights. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Muslims don't have an exclusive right to "heaven."
3. We support equal rights for women, including equal rights to inheritance, witness, work, mobility, personal law, education, and employment. Men and women have equal rights in mosques, boards, leadership and all spheres of society. We reject sexism and misogyny.

C. Secular Governance: Freedom of Speech and Religion

1. We are for secular governance, democracy and liberty. We are against political movements in the name of religion. We separate mosque and state. We are loyal to the nations in which we live. We reject the idea of the Islamic state. There is no need for an Islamic caliphate. We oppose institutionalized sharia. Sharia is manmade.
2. We believe in life, joy, free speech and the beauty all around us. Every individual has the right to publicly express criticism of Islam. Ideas do not have rights. Human beings have rights. We reject blasphemy laws. They are a cover for the restriction of freedom of speech and religion. We affirm every individual's right to participate equally in ijtihad, or critical thinking, and we seek a revival of ijtihad.
3. We believe in freedom of religion and the right of all people to express and practice their faith, or non-faith, without threat of intimidation, persecution, discrimination or violence. Apostasy is not a crime. Our ummah–our community–is not just Muslims, but all of humanity.

We stand for peace, human rights and secular governance. Please stand with us!

Launch: In the early morning of Friday, Dec. 4, 2015, courageous Muslim reformers from Europe, Canada and the United States stood at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., announcing the formation of a new initiative, the Muslim Reform Movement, each one reading a precept from the movement's Declaration of Reform.

In each one of their communities, from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Phoeniz, Arizona, each one of these reformers have been fighting against violent Islamist ideologies, social injustice and political Islam, motivated by a vision for an Islam of peace, human rights and secular governance. 

A group of the reformers piled into a Kia Rodando and a yellow taxi to journey west on Massachusetts Avenue, to the Islamic Center of Washington, a mosque largely run by the government of Saudi Arabia. There, the brave group posted the Declaration of Reform on the doors of the mosque and, after the pleas of men to the mosque managers, three women from the Muslim Reform Movement prayed in the main hall of the mosque, otherwise forbidden to women on the Muslim holy day of Friday. 

Muslim reform has begun. The revolution has begun. We invite you to join us!

Founding signatories: 
1. Tahir Gora, Author, Journalist, Activist, Toronto, Canada
2. Tawfik Hamid, Islamic Thinker and Reformer, Oakton, VA, USA
3. Usama Hasan, Imam, Quilliam Foundation, London, UK
4. Arif Humayun, Senior Fellow, American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Portland, OR, USA
5. Farahnaz Ispahani, Author, Former Member of Parliament, Pakistan, Washington, D.C., USA,
6. Zuhdi Jasser, M.D., President, American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Phoenix, AZ USA
7. Naser Khader, Member, Danish Parliament, Muslim democracy activist, Copenhagen, Denmark
8. Courtney Lonergan, Community Outreach Director, American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Professional facilitator
9. Hasan Mahmud, Resident expert in sharia, Muslims Facing Tomorrow, Toronto, Canada
10. Asra Nomani, Journalist, Author, Morgantown, WV, USA
11. Raheel Raza, Founder, Muslims Facing Tomorrow, Toronto, Canada
12. Sohail Raza, Vice President, Coalition of Progressive Canadian Muslim Organizations
13. Salma Siddiqui, President, Coalition of Progressive Canadian Muslim Organizations, Toronto, Canada

Contact: MuslimReformMovement@gmail.com
Website: http://muslimreformmovement.org/
 

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