The popular vlogger hails from Udaipur and works in the Khupilong area of Tripura. NewsClick reported that one of the BJP leaders also went to a local police station and filed a complaint against Nandi. Following this, the police even called the vlogger for interrogation.

This incident has led to many citizens of Tripura questioning the move of the government. Nandi had reportedly made a video on Eid and also produced a song. The video asked people not to get divided along communal lines and to celebrate the festival of Eid in harmony.

NewsClick reported that once the video appeared on social media, he was summoned by BJP leaders. A woman BJP leader then grabbed him by the collar and thrashed him. She reportedly asked Nandi why he demeaned his Hindu origins by acting like a Muslim youth in the Eid video. The video of his assault, too, is also viral now. In the video, Nandi could be seen begging for mercy while he is surrounded by other people.

EastMojo, quoting, Nandi, wrote: “The elected Deputy Chief of East Gokul Nagar Panchayat called me to visit his place for some work. We know each other so I went there to discover that around 30 to 40 youths were waiting for me.”

“The Panchayat leader slapped me, thrashed me in front of everyone there. I kept asking what my fault was and explained that the video was produced by another channel and the casting was done by him only but no one was there to hear anything,” he added.

Nandi also said that he was not the producer of the Eid video. He merely acted in it – as did other people – and was paid for the job. He said he did not know why a case had been lodged against him. Quoting police sources, EastMojo wrote that a case against the vlogger was lodged at the behest of the rabid and supremacist, Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Two others who acted in the Eid video – Uma Debnath and Sneha Bhowmik – have also issued statements saying they did not think that acting in that video was problematic as it was part of their job. They, as other netizens, have also extended support to Nandi.

Related:

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Maharashtra: Hate Campaigns led by Raja Singh & Kalicharan continue to go unchecked

Hate Watch: BJP MLA demands demolition of Taj Mahal and Qutub Minar, willing to donate one year’s salary to have temples built on those spots

The post Vlogger Assaulted by BJP Leaders for Video on Eid: Tripura appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Festivals of different faiths falling together are often seen to be an occasion to encourage communal harmony. However, as recorded in recent times, it has often resulted in communal clashes, the after effects of which are felt long after the day itself has passed.

The situation is reportedly still tense in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur, which is also the hometown of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, following communal clashes on Eid. According to a report in NDTV, the police have so far arrested 52 people after the clashes. Around 45 others have also been detained in connection with the violence, and curfew remains in place in Jodhpur’s Udai Mandir, Nagori Gate and some other areas, stated the news report, adding that “internet remains suspended to stop the spread of rumours.” A three-day Parshuram Jayanti festival was in progress in Jodhpur when the clashes happened.

The confrontation reportedly erupted when a group allegedly hoisted “Eid flags” on the Jalori gate circle, on Monday night. Stones were then pelted and many were injured including five policemen. The crowds were dispersed by the police using “tear gas and batons”, stated news reports.

According to a report in the Indian Express, curfew was imposed in 10 police station areas of Jodhpur. After the two communities clashed late Monday night over the “hoisting of an Eid flag over the statue of a freedom fighter”, police told the media that on Tuesday morning, fresh clashes erupted between police and members of the Muslim community.

As Jodhpur is also the hometown of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and the area where the violence happened in Sardarpura, his Assembly constituency of Gehlot, the Opposition has directed all criticism towards him. Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)  have accused Gehlot of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, slammed Gehlot and said the violence was the result of his “politics of appeasement”.

स्वतंत्रता सेनानी स्व. बाल मुकंद बिस्सा जी की प्रतिमा पर लगे भगवा झंडे को उतारने की घटना से यह स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि प्रदेश में फैला यह मजहबी उन्माद कांग्रेस सरकार की तुष्टिकरण संस्कृति का ही परिणाम है।
सरकार चेते और तुष्टिकरण की नीति से बाज आए।
(2/2)#Rajasthan

— Vasundhara Raje (@VasundharaBJP) May 3, 2022

According to the IE, police have said that “the immediate trigger for the clash had to do with the hoisting of a flag on Eid on the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa near Jalori Gate in Jodhpur.” Vandita Rana, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jodhpur West, was quoted saying, “Preliminary investigation suggests that the reason for the escalation of tensions resulted from one community hoisting an Eid flag over the statue of a freedom fighter.” The DCP added, “There was a clash between police and people who had offered namaz on Tuesday morning. The people who had come to offer namaz started sloganeering and forcefully tried to go near the statue and remove a saffron flag that was put there after last night’s clashes. Police had to use force to disperse (the crowd). The clash this morning was with police, not the other community.”

Additional Director General (Law and Order) Hawa Singh Ghumaria told the area that the area is adjacent to the Eidgah and  it was while dispersing, that “tension escalated and there was stone pelting. There were flags of Lord Parashuram near the area where namaz is offered. There was a dispute about removing flags. The local Muslim community puts up a flag on the occasion of Eid.” 

Chief Minister Gehlot chaired a high-level meeting at his office; he also made a public appeal for peace and brotherhood. He added that the BJP was fuelling the unrest in Rajasthan, and that the riots were in fact prevented and there were no casualties. “You know what communal riots have resulted in…in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat…” adding that even on Ramnavmi when riots broke out in seven states, there was peace in Rajasthan. “They [BJP] cannot digest peace…. They have orders to create unrest.”

कल जोधपुर में जो कुछ हुआ कोई ऐसा मुद्दा नहीं था कि जहां दंगा भड़कने की स्थिति आए, ये तो हम लोगों ने दंगा कहीं होने नहीं दिया, न करौली में, न राजगढ़ में, न जोधपुर में, इसीलिए कोई कैजुअलिटी नहीं हुई, कोई बड़ी घटना नहीं हुई। pic.twitter.com/pQqyMuMjKi

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) May 4, 2022

However, according to news reports, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat accused the ruling Congress of “doing the politics of appeasement”. He also threatened to “sit on a dharna at Jalori Gate circle if the rioters were not arrested.” He alleged that rioters “entered houses, thrashed people, pelted stones at houses and shops, damaged vehicles,” and added that “the police took no serious action after the tension last night” and that resulted in “the kind of ‘tandav’ that happened today has never happened in Jodhpur.”

कल देर रात हुआ मजहबी उपद्रव मेरे जोधपुर की तासीर नहीं है। यहां ये कृत्य स्वीकार्य नहीं।

मैं सभी अपने जोधपुरवासी भाइयों -बहनों से कहना चाहता हूं कि हमें उकसावे में नहीं आना है। #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/Z9OMqsZa0J

— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) May 3, 2022

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The post Jodhpur: 57 arrested, 45 others detained after communal clashes on Eid eve appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Eid is a holy celebration to fasten the resolve to maintain the spiritual purity and impeccable faith gained through month long fasting from adulterations and contaminations. It is a social event to cement stout human bonds of love and affinity transcending religious and social considerations.

Eid announces the auspicious culmination of month long fasting. Fasting is a crass reminder of hardships of hunger and asks the faithful not to forget the God in times of prosperity. Eid presents a happy occasion for celebration for the believers without indulging in carnal desires and satanic temptations. This is a ‘gift day’ for Muslims after enduring pangs of hunger during fasting to heed to the commands of divine instructions.

Islam is a social religion which allows celebrations and festivities subject to refraining from the forbidden and encouraging virtues in society. Two Eid celebrations, viz. Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha, are celebrated by Muslims every year across the world. Eid-ul-Fitr is observed at the end of fasting whereas Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated simultaneously to Haj Pilgrimage. The core messages of Eid celebrations are of happiness and divine remembrance.

Eid celebration is associated with two important themes; divine and humane. Not to forget Allah and steadfastly abide by his instructions are essential to divine understanding of Eid. The celebration beginning with divine exaltations and special prayers has spiritual contents. It exhorts the faithful to submit themselves to divine pleasure and not to stomp the earth haughtily.

The humane aspect of Eid adds glitter and wafts of scent to the celebration. It is an occasion for family unions, neighborhood visits, outings with family and visiting friends. The tradition of inviting all neighbors to the house to delicious feasts without religious considerations adds more happiness to the occasion. Non-Muslim friends and neighbors visiting my home for Eid celebrations was highly anticipated for in my childhood which is reciprocated during Onam and Vishu festivals by vising their respective homes.

The virtuous liturgies of the day wrapped in spiritual sobriety prod the Muslim community to work for a brighter future in tandem with societal expectations. Prophet has religiously prohibited the faithful from fasting on this day. The message of Eid is that no one should be left with empty stomach wriggling with hunger. To ensure this, Islam calls for distribution of Fitr Zakat, (compulsory donation for financially eligible Muslims) prior to attending the Eid prayers. This charity donation ensures no one is bereft of food at this day and reminds the faithful of the eternal moral obligation to tend to the needs of the poor.

Bringing home a destitute child found at a roadside, Prophet Muhammed offered him dress and food and said to his wife Ayisha, “Today the happiness of this child completed our happiness.” This is the message of Eid to lend helping hands to those in distress. Fitr Zakat is a mere jurisprudential rendition of social responsibility to tend to the needs of people in need.

Eid heralds the noble messages of unity and brotherhood. It entails messages of compassion, empathy and benevolence. It sends strong messages against violence and communal discord. It is a gentle reminder of love prevailing hatred. In practice, Eid is not an exclusive festival of Muslims alone, but it is a celebration of all who values affection and friendship.

The festival should be used to weld together social relations. When the communal wedges are seeping dangerously deep inside into the time-tested social harmony, Eid should be an occasion to celebrate beauty of coexistence and religious pluralism. Gestures like inviting neighbors to join the Eid festivals, offering ‘Eid Thuhfa’ (token gifts) and sending social media greetings will definitely help bring people together and fight cynics and messengers of doom. Social interactions like on Eid will come a long way in foiling the bids to keep hate simmerring.

*The author is a journalism student at IIMC, Delhi and is interning with SabrangIndia.

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The post Eid is an occasion to celebrate humanity and brotherhood appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Till last year, in the last week of Ramazan, every year, senior school students of different religions, financial backgrounds, both boys and girls of Dayapuram Educational and Cultural Centre in North Kerala, run by Al Islam Charitable Trust, formed a semi-circle on the school’s stage. The centre’s patron, C. T. Abdurahim handed over small white sack-full of food items to be distributed in the households around the campus. These were the kits of Zakath- the mandatory 2.5% financial contribution Muslims are required to give to the poor during Ramazan. The symbolic event was to avoid exhibiting the recipients.

The centre has been collecting and distributing Zakat among the needy irrespective of religion for the last 36 years, a majority of recipients being socially and economically backward Hindus. Seeing the inclusive nature of the Zakat in Dayapuram for decades, in the last few years Hindus and Christians also have been contributing to the Zakat fund. Last year, out of the 475 Hindu and Christian families who study in the school, 312 of them made contributions to this fund, making it a shared platform of kindness, harmony and mutuality. 

In an interview the Islamic scholar, the chief architect of Dayapuram and author of a dozen books in Malayalam, C. T. Abdurahim talks about Dayapuram’s new Zakat amidst the Coronavirus crisis:  

Question: This year due to lock down the Zakath distribution ceremony could not be held. What was done this year?

C.T. Abdurahim: As we wanted to make sure there are no hungry ones in the village, we arranged funds from our Zakat for the community kitchen run by our Grama Panchayath to meet the expenses of dinner for a month. We also provided subsistence allowance to the families of students who we educate freely, more than 300 of them. But a major part of our Zakat funds this year is kept aside for providing laptops, tabs, phones, internet connectivity and inverter hubs for the orphans, destitute, socially and economically backward students we educate. 

Question: Zakat for digital gadgets? 

C.T. Abdurahim: Zakat should be seen as a means of social development. The socio-economic disparity in society is maintained and reproduced by giving people who are orphans, lower class, lower caste and women poor quality education. The biggest and fair criticism against online classes is that all students don’t have digital gadgets or internet connectivity.  We want to address that issue and use this fund to create equality in terms of digital access when the school goes online. 

In 1984, Dayapuram started Kerala’s first invisible and inclusive English medium orphanage. The idea then was to shift the focus to empowerment from subsistence: poverty can be and needs to be eradicated through quality education (including equal treatment in stay, food and clothing). 36 years later, equality also has to mean access to and control over technology. That is why we utilise Zakat fund in this way. Moreover, it is a commitment to the inspirational scholar and philanthrope from Qatar, Sheikh Abdullah Ibrahim Al Ansari, whose inaugural words for Dayapuram were “Dayapuram should grow to become an asylum to all those who  suffer without food, medicine or education, irrespective of their region or religion”. 

Donations and Social Development: The Case of Dayapuram

Question: You seem to present Zakat as a project for economic equality. But it can also be seen as a means of maintaining economic equality: rich can pay Zakat and feel they are entitled to be rich, even when many of them exploit.

C.T. Abdurahim:  True, a lot of the rich do exactly that. I think when a person has been giving Zakat for ten years to the same person, it is clearly inadequate. When you give, give education or means of livelihood, so that you are equipping the person. Through a socially sensitive and imaginative mechanism, Zakat can be used for social transformation. 

Let us take Dayapuram’s case: 

In 1984, we collected money for an orphanage and a school as charity largely from the Gulf countries. As a former student of a University there and a former employee of the Qatar Police department, I had connections and some wonderful mentors and friends both abroad and in Kerala. With those contributions, we bought 40 acres of land. Well off students were paying for their education and orphan and destitute children were educated by us. The revenue was not enough.   

For the first ten years, the organization had to be run on donations and even the education was of those who paid was subsidised by these donations we received for the poor. In the next ten years, once it became viable, we constructed buildings required. From the 25th year onwards, we started reinvesting this money in the education of the socially and economically backward. We get to save a lot of money because the entire management team is volunteers who take no remuneration and we get a lot of expert help for free as this is a social cause. So now, the income over expenditure of 2600 fee paying, largely middle class students, is largely enough to fund the education of 320 students and give 65 patients. 

So in a way, middle class students fund poor students directly and poor students fund middle class ones indirectly. That is a cycle created by donation, right? I think we just need a vision of social justice and communal harmony. Originally Zakath was the tax, collected centrally and distributed to the poor. Zakat was to be given for creating harmony between communities also, as per The Quran. 

Question: What do you think should be the concern of Zakat (mandatory charity) and Sadaqah (voluntary charity) in this Corona time and afterwards?

Answer: What has been disrupted is a cycle and a world order we are used to. I think the task should be to create new cycle of economic activities- charity should be aimed at creating livelihoods and establishing self-sustainability.  

The Role of Religion Ahead

Question: There can be a criticism about bringing in what is a religious concept into a plural society?

C. T. Abdurahim:  When things that have religious origins become part of an inclusive social mission of mutuality and empowerment in such a transparent manner, it celebrates plurality. But we are already a scared and diffident society. So doubts are natural. The question, along with a sense of justice and fairness, should be about aim and social impact. 

Question: What do you think can be done to undo the culture of fear, insecurity and resultant violence?

C. T. Abdurahim: We have had a world order which tells us to accumulate, to brag and thus to be selfish. This world view has created a lot of insecurities and hollow, antagonistic political discussions. Questions of social development and cultural synthesis have been completely discarded. 

Question: What would be religion’s role in all this?

C. T. Abdurahim: Religion historically has had two kinds of roles: one, as a source of spiritual and ethical guidance. We forget that things we ask of the government today, education and healthcare, were all initially done by the Catholic Church in Europe. Or look at the work of Gurudwaras in North India. Two is the dangerous, diffident and un-empathetic side: religion as a complete system with political control as its agenda. This is the basis of religious/theocratic state such as Hindurashtra, Islamic State or Nazi state, which rejects historical changes or technology. It is built  on dogma. 

 In giving away, in self-interrogation and in praying for the good of all, religion has both the theoretical potential and the base among. We need to capture that ethical, collective aspect and work ahead is my feeling. 

(N. P. Ashley teaches English at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi). 

The post Eid Eve Thoughts: The Zakat of Digital Gadgets appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Hundreds of young Kashmiri students, living in Delhi, alongside members of the civil society, fellow students and common citizens observed the occasion of Eid- Al- Adha at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, while the valley remains under a lockdown. Students who participated in the event said that they are dejected, but not defeated and that this event should be viewed as a silent protest against the government.

Courtesy: News Click

The post Dejected But Not Defeated: Young Kashmiris Observe Eid in Delhi appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Two towns in election bound Madhya Pradesh had communal tensions flaring over the week end, Prithvipur in Tikamgarh and Shajapur, both in Madhya Pradesh. Section 144 was imposed to prevent assembly of people following a clash between two groups in Shajapur. According to the administration, “despite police officials’ request, the sound of DJ music was not decreased by either side and the stone pelting began randomly soon afterwards.”

Meanwhile, the day after Eid, communal tension gripped Prithvipur town in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday following the reported death of a man, whose daughter alleged that a Muslim man with whom she had eloped sometime ago was behind her father’s death.
 

Communal tension gripped Prithvipur town in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday following the death of a man, whose daughter alleged that a Muslim man with whom she had eloped sometime ago was behind her father’s death, police said. There was arson and rioting and policemen were targeted by a mob. Police had to cane-charge the mob to bring the situation under control. Over 50 persons have been booked, police said. This incident comes within a day of communal tension in Shajapur. Police said Maniram Kushwaha, 46, was found hanging from a tree near his house, but his daughter and locals alleged that he had been killed by Saif Khan, 24, and his family. Locals set fire to Khan’s shop, house and car and also beat up an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of police and two other police personnel who tried to intervene in the matter, police said. Heavy police force has been deployed in the area.

Communal tension persisted in the Maniharwadi area of Shajapur district on Saturday (on Eid) after members of two communities clashed over volume of the sound of DJ which led to stone pelting in the area. The promptness of police intervention, however, prevented a major communal clash and no casualty was reported until a day after the incident. City police arrested 30-35 people in connection with the incident on the basis of CCTV footage, and booked them under relevant sections of the IPC.

According to Shajapur police, a few Muslim youths, who were celebrating Eid by playing DJ music at Maniharwadi Market square of the city on Saturday afternoon, allegedly pelted stones at a procession being carried out by the Rajput community on the occasion of Maharana Pratap birth anniversary, following an argument over lowering the volume of the DJ music.

Reports indicated that about half a dozen people received minor injuries during the clash. One of the two policemen who were injured lost his sight. In addition to that, around 10 vehicles were set on fire and a number of shops were vandalised, according to the police. Heavy security forces have been deployed in the area and section 144 of the CrPc has been imposed, prohibiting the assembly of four or more people.“Tension erupted after an argument between the Rajput community, (organiser of Maharana Pratap birth anniversary procession) and Muslim youths over lowering the sound of DJ music,” said Shajapur superintendent of police Shailendra Singh Chauhan.

He further said, when the procession was passing through Nai Sadak, a Muslim-dominated area, some people requested them to decrease the volume of music being played in the procession. “When the volume was not decreased, some Muslim youths allegedly pelted stones at the procession. Situation turned ugly when both the groups started hurling stones on each other,” said Chauhan.

 The situation is under control now and Section 144 of the CrPc has been imposed in the area. “Police is making arrests on the basis of CCTV footages and videos of the incident,” he added.
When asked about the fake news stories of the incident being circulated on the social media, he said, “We are closely monitoring the social media and have advised people to keep away from rumors. If such a situation emerges, we would not hesitate to shut down the internet.”   

Town inspector of the area Alok Parihar said that police personnel were marching with the procession, but they had no information about the DJ music played at Nai Sadak by Muslim youths on Eid. “They had no permission to play DJ, when we urged to stop it for a while, they overruled the orders which led to the clash between the groups,” said Parihar.

Eye-witnesses
According to eye-witness Pawan Biyani, who runs a shop on the Nai Sadak, said that at the time of incident, he was at his shop dealing with the customers. “Some Muslim youths were playing DJ music in the corner of the market and a procession of Maharana Pratap was coming from the main road. Everything was normal, before both groups started pelting stones on each other and there was mayhem in the area within a minute.”

He further said, as the situation turned ugly, police resorted to lathicharge and lobbed tear gas shells to control the situation. “Within an hour, police controlled the situation. The city police did a great job.”

While another eye-witness, who did not wish to be named, said, “When the Shaurya Yatra procession reached Nai Sadak, Eid celebration was also in progress in an open space near Mahadev temple. Despite police officials’ request, the sound of DJ music was not decreased by either side and the stone pelting began randomly soon afterwards.

”

Tikamgarh
Tikamgarh collector Abhijeet Agrawal speaking to the Hindustan Times, said, “Maniram Kushwaha’s daughter eloped with Saif Khan, son of Karim Khan, two months ago and married him. But Saif abandoned her. Maniram was unhappy with this incident. On Sunday morning, he was found hanging from a tree. Maniram’s daughter and local residents alleged that he was killed by Saif and his family, which resulted in an angry mob torching Saif’s house, shop and car.” Saif and his family managed to save themselves by fleeing from their home.Police said when ASI Nathuram Kaul and other police personnel reached the spot to control the mob, they too were beaten up by the enraged residents.The angry crowd also staged a demonstration by keeping Maniram’s body on the road. Police resorted to cane charge and also lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the mob.
 

Two years ago, an objectionable WhatsApp post had triggered communal tension. Police have booked one person for sharing objectionable content on WhatsApp and also arrested nine persons for disrupting communal harmony in the region.

Reportedly, an objectionable content against a particular community was posted on WhatsApp, spreading communal tension in the area.On the complaint of Suresh, Ummed and some other local residents, police have registered cases against Shahbaz, Firoz, Rashid Khan, Riyaz Khan, Naushad, Bittu, Farmhan, Shafique, Shakir under various sections of IPC and arrested them. Police have also registered a case against Ritesh Rathore for the objectionable post under IT section 295-A.
 
 
 
 

The post Communal tension in Two MP Towns as Eid passes & Elections approach:Shajapur & Tikamgarh appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The systematic and ongoing targeting of Muslims, including three incidents of lynching in the last week and one killing by a policeman in Jharkhand, triggered a wave of protests in the social media. Flooded with hashtags like #StopKillingMuslims, #BlackEid, #StopLynchingMuslims and #EidWithBlackArmBand, the campaign called upon Muslims to wear black bands on their arms on Eid Day to protest against what looks like an unrelenting ‘Lynch in India’ menace.

Heeding the call, the brothers of 15-year-old Hafiz Junaid who was murdered by a lynch mob in the outskirts of Delhi last Friday and others from his village Khandawli in Faridabad, Haryana wore black bands on Eid. So did a large number of Muslims elsewhere.

Also read: On Eid ul Fitr, a Poem for the Late 15-Year-Old Hafiz Junaid.

The Indian Express reports: "As Muslims across Mewat observed a ‘black Eid’ to protest the violence against their community members, 23-year-old Irshad joined them with a black band on his arm. Irshad is the son of cattle farmer Pehlu Khan, who was lynched by a mob of alleged cow protection vigilantes in April. Almost two months after his father succumbed to his injuries, Irshad is disappointed that some of the accused are still free. Eid festivities in this region, populated by Meo Muslims, were dampened by the memory of that incident. “Tyauhar ki itni khushi nahi hai jitna in baaton ka gham hai (The joy of the festival has been dampened by the sorrow caused by these incidents),” said Irshad.

The proposed protest was backed by top officials from the Darul Uloom, Nadva, All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarat; Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Jamiatul Ulema Hind, Jamiatul Ulema and prominent Muslims, including retired judges and civil servants, from across India.

Now, documentary film-maker and activist Anand Patwardhan has called upon all citizens to wear black badges for “at least a week”. “By itself the black ribbon is just a piece of cloth… [but] it is also a way to awaken the sleeping who think everything is fine”, reads Patwardhan’s message on Facebook.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Khurshid Alam, a lawyer from Kolkota urges Indian Muslims to go beyond “pointless protests”.

We reproduce below his article first published on Two Circles:

Amidst blaring Bollywood numbers doing a surgical strike through my windows, I am trying to pen down my thoughts on the proposed Black Band Protest against mob-lynching of people in general and Muslims in particular. Agreed, protest is vital to democracy but is there any point in protesting just for the sake of it?

Among those who would be protesting with their black bands on Eid, there will be such anti-socials who extort money from people to decorate the streets with stolen electricity and make the lives of their neighbours hell with loud music for all the three days of Eid and there will also be those good Muslims who choose to remain silent on every social issue of the locality but they will be very content with their Black Band Protest because they believe – “Kuch nahi karne se achcha kam se kam patti lagakar protest zahir to kiya!” (protesting with black bands on arms is better than not doing anything at all).

Quran says, “Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good , enjoining Al-Ma‘roof and forbidding Al-Munkar (all that is bad). And it is they who are the successful.” Our protests lack spirit because we are selective and if not self-centric then at least community-centric or caste-centric or region-centric or ideology-centric. We do not invite to all that is good and neither forbid all that is bad. A life of a Communist or a Sanghi or a Hindu or a Dalit or any human being is as precious as that of a Muslim. In theory, there is no caste system in Islam but in practice there are places where upper caste Muslims don’t hesitate to ruin the lives of low caste Muslims and they cry foul when non-Muslims mistreat them.

Just because some Pratapgarhi or any visionless leader has appealed to Muslims to sport black bands on Eid Day, emotional fools that we are rush to such gimicks. What about the sanctity of Eid? It is human nature to adopt the easy way out. Sporting black band is one of those easy way out. Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil is obligatory upon all the Ummah, men and women, each according to his or her circumstances.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever among you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand [by taking action]; and if he cannot, then with his tongue [by speaking out]; and if he cannot, then with his heart [by feeling that it is wrong] – and that is the weakest of faith.” Why are we satisfied and content with the weakest display of our faith? Let’s not forget that good is the enemy of great. Ghalib has aptly said, “Haq to yeh hai ke haq ada na hua.” (the Truths is that we did not fulfill the rights).

We are in one of the best democracies of the world. Our democracy gives us the options like filing of PILs, complaint to NHRC or SHRCs, representation to the Executives, getting politically conscious of our rights and holding our elected representatives accountable for their breach of duties. Let’s ask ourselves that have we ever tried to change any evil by our actions first or we have limited ourselves to coffee table discussions and black band protests only! In spite of various cases and allegations of corruption in the Judiciary, it is still dispensing justice to the people of India. Why don’t the Muslim organizations include in their long term plans to encourage and support the entry of right minded youth in the Judiciary and Administration of the country? We need much more likes of Zakat Foundation of India.

These pointless protests will not lead us anywhere. The regime which has leased reign of terror will not be moved by our black bands. It has taken them more than 60 years of hardcore preparation to occupy the throne of Delhi and our able leadership should have the vision to prepare such efficient roadmaps to sail us through. In order to follow the teaching of our beloved Prophet to exhibit the highest level of faith, we need to empower ourselves likewise. Black band or No band, Eid Mubarak to all.

Sheikh Khurshid Alam is a Kolkata-based advocate.

This article was first published on Two Circles.

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Victims, shocked and injured received no response from the Emergency Police and Helpline numbers and have further alleged that the GRP (railway police force) at Ballabgarh railway station stood by and refused to help

India will soon need to develop it’s own Lynch Calendar. Who is killed When in which City. Identities will probably always be Muslim, sometimes Dalit. But the ideological identities of the killer will escape public knowledge. Deliberately.

Three days before Ramzan Eid, on the last Friday of the Holy Month of Ramzan, a Muslim family was attacked in a local train on the outskirts of Delhi, India’s capital leading to the death of Junaid, a 15 year old student and serious stab injuries to his brother 22 year old Shakir. The third brother Hashim was also injured. The men who led the slogan shouting mob attacked them with large knives.

India Today reports that young Junaid was lynched and 3 others brutally thrashed over rumours of beef eating on Delhi-Ballabhgarh train routeThe four had come to Delhi from their village in Haryana for shopping ahead of Eid.

These young men boarded a local train at Delhi around 5 pm for Ballabhgarh, Haryana. Junaid and his younger brother are students in a Madrassa in Surat and were home on their annual visit during Eid. ‘Some men’ who got on at Tughlaqabad started abusing them using filthy communal language. When they protested they were brutally attacked amidst shouting of communal slogans.  Junaid was beaten to death in the train.

Where were the Railway Police?

The four men have been identified as Junaid, Hashim, Shakir Mohsin and Moin of Khandavali village in Ballabgarh. They had boarded a train from Tughlakabad in Delhi. They were later thrown out of the train at Asavati railway station as train left for Mathura. They were taken to Palwal hospital where Junaid was declared brought dead. Shakir and Hashim are still in hospital.  

Mohsin in his statement said that all of them had gone to Delhi for Eid shopping. They boarded a passenger train.  According to Mohsin's statement, soon after they boarded the train some passengers started abusing them. When they resisted, they were beaten up. A huge crowd attacked them.

Two suspects were carrying knives with them and stabbed the four, Mohsin said in his statement. They called police and emergency response number but to no avail. Mohsin further claimed that they tried to pull the chain to stop the train but failed. He also said GRP personnel at Ballabgarh railway station refused to help them when they told them what happened on the train.

‘The mob’ then tried to pull out Shaikr’s beard. He was stabbed in three places The badly injured victims were not allowed to get off at Ballabhgarh. They were literally thrown off the train. Some people later found them and took them to the hospital.

The CPI-M has issues a strong statement condemning the incident stating that ‘this communally motivated crime shows that the BJP-RSS rule is leading to communal mob actions.’ The statement also says that there’ have been earlier incidents of violence against Muslims on trains but Government has not acted to uphold the law of the land, thus directly encouraging the growth of such communal hate crimes.’

CPI(M) Polit Bureau members Brinda Karat and M.P. Md. Salim and DelhiSecretariat member Asha  Sharma met the family in hospital in Delhi this morning. The statement says it all. ‘It is shameful and condemnable that the Government and specifically the Prime Minister and the Home Minister have maintained a deafening silence and not a single officer has been deputed to even visit the family.’

Not only should strict action be taken against the guilty. The CPI-M has demanded adequate compensation for the family. It calls for strong protest actions against such
communally motivated crimes, especially in public spaces.
 
 
 

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The hosts were traditional brahmins who lived in a grand house, the uncle – who would have been around 50 then, was tall, dignified with a booming voice and his wife was one of the few brahmin women I had seen who actually wore a madisaar, the traditional 9 yard saree, everyday.

I was grubby and sweaty from playing in the street that evening, was introduced to the hosts as “Benazir”, daughter of the neighborhood doctor. But before they could even welcome me properly, I dashed off to the colorful figurines and started playing with them with my grubby hands (I did not know it was a religious thing, I simply thought they were dolls). The neighbor who took me there was understandably embarrassed and told me “dear, please look without touching”. I did not even deign to turn back, but I still remember vividly the host uncle’s voice booming from behind me “paavam, kozhandhai,,.. (poor thing, she is just a child), let her touch and play”

“paavam, kozhandhai,,.. (poor thing, she is just a child), let her touch and play”

Now I do not know how many muslim kids visit hindu households during religious ceremonies these days…or vice versa… but growing up in the 90s, it was taken for granted that we would pop into each others houses – we lived in a primarily Christian neighborhood with a fair number of Hindu and Muslim households as well.

Today, when I see Muslim women take to wearing burqas when their mothers and grandmothers did not bother to and getting brainwashed by Wahhabism, when suddenly cliched images of Hindus and Muslims hugging each other have to be circulated in social media to remind us of brotherhood- I think of the time when a brahmin uncle allowed a muslim child with grubby hands to play with the golu dolls without a second thought because all he saw was a child – and it makes me very very very sad…

India was no utopia in the 90s, but the depths to which we have been polarized today is heartbreaking.

Apologies for the probably too sappy (for some) post…funny how googling the recipe for white channa sundal (the navratri staple) can trigger so many bittersweet memories…

(Courtesy: Benazir’s post on a social networking site)

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