The Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind has advised madrasa authorities to cooperate fully with Uttar Pradesh government officials tasked with conducting an upcoming survey of madrasas in the state. The survey had been proposed to get details of unauthorised madrasas in the state.

The survey that began today purportedly aims to ascertain not only the sources of funding, but also aims to take stock of the syllabus taught at such institutions, as the UP government claims it wants to modernise the madrasa curriculum.

According to Amar Ujala, there 16,500 authorised madrasas in UP, of which 558 are aided and 7,442 offer modern education. The total number of students at such madrasas is upwards of 19 lakhs.

The move has been viewed as contentious by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi who has dubbed the survey as the “next NRC” comparing it to the National Register of Citizens. “It’s not a survey, but a mini-NRC. Some madrasas are under the UP madrassa board. The government cannot interfere with our rights under Article 30. They just want to harass Muslims,” a news agency had quoted him as saying earlier this month.

But the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind and even the Darul Uloom, have advised madrasa authorities not to oppose the survey. On Sunday, Maulana Arshad Madani, the president of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind chaired a conference of the principals and managers of prominent madrasas. The Times of India quoted him as saying, “There is nothing hidden… Doors of madrassas are always open for everyone. We’ve been asking madrasa directors to support the government’s decision.” He further advised them to “fully cooperate with officials during the government survey of madrasas.”

Similarly, the Darul Uloom too urged all madrasa authorities to make the survey process smooth and said that it had “no objection” to the UP government’s survey. Abul Qasim Nomani, the Darul Uloom Vice Chancellor was quoted by TOI as saying, “We are not opposed to the survey. A detailed manifesto has been issued for madrassas in this regard.” He further advised them to “provide correct and true information to the survey team so that there is no problem later on,” and also “maintain transparency in the financial system and get accounts audited annually.” The Darul Uloom urged, “Keep all the ownership documents of madrassa land and property, the society or trust running the institution in good standing and get the property registered as per legal requirements.”

As per a Jagran report, the survey is expected to be completed by October 15 following which a report will be submitted to the state government. The survey will look into the following 12 elements:

1.      Name of the madrasa

2.      Name of the organization that is running the madrasa

3.      Year of establishment

4.      Details of madrasa premises (owned or rented)

5.      Details of adequacy of madrasa premises, availability of resources, and structural integrity of madrasa building

6.      Number of students

7.      Number of teachers

8.      Details of curriculum

9.      Source of income

10.   If students have been enrolled in any additional schools

11.   If any non government organization is connected with the madrasa

12.  Remarks of the surveyor

Related:

Discrepancy in reason for Madrasa demolished in Kabaitary: AAMSU 
Assam developing SOPs for Imams coming from ‘outside’

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The Archbishop of Bengaluru has reacted strongly to the reports of Karnataka’s Backward & Minority Welfare Department’s survey of “Christian missionaries and places of worship”. The Church leader has stated that such a decision can lead to targeting of Christians, especially their religious places and leaders, as incidents have already been reported from North Karnataka.

On Friday, Archbishop of Bengaluru Archdiocese Peter Machado wrote, “We are sad that the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Basavaraj Bommai, whom we regard highly as a broad-minded and enlightened person, succumbs to pressures from fundamentalist groups, who wish to indulge in disturbing the peace, harmony and peaceful co-existence in society.” 

The Archbishop said that the proposed survey of the Christian missionaries and places of worship was a “futile and unnecessary” exercise “no good will come out of it”. He reminded the authorities that “in the background of the conversion bogey and anti-religious feelings that are being whipped up, it is dangerous to make such surveys. With this our community places of worship as also pastors and sisters will be identified and may be unfairly targeted. We are already hearing of such sporadic incidents in the north and in Karnataka already.”

He asked why was the government interested in surveying the religious personnel and places of worship only of the Christian Community? He stated that the government can instead count the educational institutions and health centres run by the Christian missionaries and “that will give a fair idea of the service that is rendered by the Christian Community to nation building.” He also raised crucial questions on the allegations of conversions, asking, “How many people are converted in these places and institutions? If, as alleged by some, Christians are converting indiscriminately, why is the percentage of Christian population reducing regularly when compared to the others?”

The Archbishop shared that Christians are “always against forceful, fraudulent and incentivised conversions and we repeat that we are lawfully abiding by the prescriptions of the Constitution of India, which for us is supreme and sacred. Does not the Constitution in Article 25 (also 26, 29 & 30) ensure the freedom of every citizen to profess, practice and propagate his/her religion without fear or force? Why do we need any anti-conversion laws when there are enough safeguards enshrined in the Constitution and the legal system of the country to punish the guilty? Further laws will only be tools in the hands of a few to hound and persecute the innocent. Just a few days back the Madras Court declared that merely going to church and displaying Christian symbols does not mean that a person has converted. The Christian Community is patriotic, law abiding and would like to be foremost in the service of the poor and downtrodden in the country.”

The full text of the Archbishop of Bangalore’s statement may be read here: 

What is this survey about?

According to multiple news reports, the  legislative committee on Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare in Karnataka has reportedly “ordered a survey of authorised and unauthorised churches, their priests and registering cases wherever complaints arose regarding forcible religious conversion.” Hosadurga BJP MLA, Gulihatti Shekhar, a member of the committee, told the media on Friday that the district authorities have already been asked “to furnish a detailed report on the number of authorised and unauthorised churches and Christian priests.” The committee is chaired by Dinakar Keshav Shetty.

The district authorities, especially in Yadgir, Chidradurga and Vijayapura have been asked to conduct the survey and it has been alleged that “religious conversions are rampant” here. According to Gulihatti Shekhar, “We have also instructed police to accompany the officials during the survey as the officials were attacked on many occasions,” and police have been told “register a case on receiving complaints and conduct a fair inquiry.” 

Shekhar told the media that the last meeting of the committee also discussed denying “double benefit” to those belonging to the scheduled castes who have converted to Christianity. He said, “You cannot avail the benefit of SC and also a minority. You can have only one. Due to these practices, the actual scheduled caste people are not getting the benefits.” He claimed that “religious conversion was rampant among the socially weaker sections, especially Bovi and Lamani communities”.

Related:

Karnataka: CM Bommai normalising ‘moral policing’, gets schooled by ex-CM Siddaramaiah
Hate Watch: Was Sri Rama Sena Hindustan member allegedly paid Rs 5 lakh to kill 
Mangaluru: Protests by Hindutva groups force College to cancel naming park after 

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The Pew Research Center’s recent survey on India revealed that most Indians prefer to marry a partner of the same religion as them. The report concluded that 99% of the married people surveyed said their spouse was of the same religion. This included “Hindus (99%), Muslims (98%), Christians (95%), Sikhs and Buddhists (97% each)”. However, while Indians didn’t really need such a survey to confirm what they have always known, it was interesting to note that “less than 1% of all Indian marriages are with spouses who were raised in a different religion (but may have since converted).” More alarmingly it added that “most Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Jains strongly support stopping interreligious marriage” as did some Christians and Muslims.

(table from:pewresearch.org) 

On the ground in India, these numbers translate into something even more dangerous: threats, abuse, attacks, ostracisation, and in many cases murder, often by the family members of one or both partners of a mixed marriage.

To the Pew survey’s question if Indians felt it was  “important” to stop such marriages, an “overwhelming shares of Indians say it is at least “somewhat” important to stop people from entering into interreligious marriages, and most say it is “very” important to stop such marriages,” stated the report with “about two-thirds of Indians (65%) say it is very important to stop men from marrying into another religion, while roughly the same share (67%) say stopping interreligious marriage of women is a high priority.” This was the refrain from the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains and a relatively small number of Christians and Buddhists.

However, in many states in India, especially in Uttar Pradesh where an ‘Anti-Conversion law’ is in place, and communities feel empowered to treat women as community and step in, often violently if she dares to marry outside her faith, or even caste.

Recently, in Gorakhpur, the home of UP Chief Minister Adityanath, the news of the gruesome murder of a Dalit Panchayat officer who had married a Brahmin woman was reported in the local media, however all but missed in the mainstream news media. Was it because such news is nearly normalised especially when it comes from a state like Uttar Pradesh?  However, the victim Anish Kumar Chaudhary, the Dalit man who was murdered on July 24 was an ‘empowered’ citizen. In fact, as seen in some social media photos show him posing with the CM himself. According to news reports, his family has alleged that the family of  Anish’s wife Deepti Mishra who were against  this marriage are behind the murder.

According to BBC Hindi, 17 people have been accused, out of which four have been arrested by the local police. The couple met as post graduate students and were eventually  selected for the post of Gram Panchayat Officers, and a romance blossomed. However, according to Deepti, “As soon as I got to know about this relationship, my family members started harassing me.” However she and Anish decided to get married hoping that her family will stop fixing her match elsewhere. They registered their marriage in court in 2019. However Dipti told the media that her family started torturing her mentally. The couple eventually decided to live together and recorded video statements detailing the harassment they faced from, Deepti’s Brahmin family including filing false allegations of abduction and even rape against Anish. Deepti dismissed all such allegations and in another video statement confirmed that she married and was living with Anish of her own free will. Anish’s family celebrated with a religious ceremony on May 28 this year and hosted a reception too. 

Anish’s family were reportedly affluent in the Unauli Dubauli village of Gorakhpur, which has a high population of Dalits and Backwards according to BBC. His elder brother Anil Chaudhary was the village head for a decade and was succeeded by his wife. However, none of that mattered to Deepti’s family, who only seemed to recognise caste. Anish was hacked to death on July 24 stated in news reports. The local police registered a case under Sections 302, 307, 506 and 120-B of the IPC as well as Section 3(2)(V) of the SC-ST Act. According to a news report the FIR names Deepti’s father Nalin Mishra, brother Abhinav Mishra, among others. However, apart from reports in Amar Ujala and BBC the incident seems to have been missed by the so called prime time ‘news’ debates. The omission is rather telling.

सवर्ण लड़की से शादी करने पर दलित युवा अनीश कनौजिया की गोरखपुर में दिनदहाड़े हत्या। आखिर योगी के राज में दलितों-पिछड़ों का नरसंहार होता रहेगा? कब तक ये जातिवाद वाले आतंकवादी समाज में रहेंगे।#Justice4AneesKanojia

— Prashant Kanojia (@PJkanojia) July 24, 2021

Despite being a Hindu devotee, Yogi’s follower and a staunch supporter of the RSS, Anish Kanaujia (SC) remains a lower caste in Hinduism. He was killed by the brahmins after marrying with a brahmin girl in Gorakhpur. #CrushTheCaste pic.twitter.com/oxeutcr03o

— Mission Ambedkar (@MissionAmbedkar) July 26, 2021

In contrast, what did make recent news from Uttar Pradesh was the forcible halting of an interfaith marriage, by Hindutva mobs. The bride, an 18-year-old woman was then “handed” over to her parents, till she makes a statement in court.

The interfaith wedding was stopped, allegedly by members of Karni Sena, who landed up in a local court in Ballia district. The mob alleged that this was a case of “forced conversion” and so called “love jihad” a term the right wing invokes to harass interfaith couples, especially if the man is a Muslim. While the mob allegedly “forced the woman to go to Kotwali police station”, it was the local police who “handed” the 18-year-old woman over to her parents. 

According to the news report, the Ballia Superintendent of Police, Vipin Tada, told the media that the police had “lodged a case on a complaint from her father that his daughter had been kidnapped. We will present her in a court soon, where she will record her statement. Further action will be taken based on her statement, as the woman is an adult.”

He clarified that while “some people alleged that illegal conversion was taking place but nothing of that sort was found.” When heckled by the mob, the woman was purportedly heard in a video that she was getting married  to Dilshad Siddiqui, 24 willingly, stated a news report. The heckler, a man, who purportedly identifies himself as a Karni Sena worker, was heard asking the woman, “What is your name… What caste are you from? Which caste does the boy belong to? Is he Muslim? Why are you getting married to him?” The woman apparently said that she comes from a Dalit community, is an adult, and is willingly getting married to the man, stated the news report.

Even the Supreme Court has observed that youngsters are choosing their life partners while departing from societal norms of caste and community and perhaps this is the way forward where caste and community tensions will be reduced by such interfaith marriages. However, such reports from the ground seem to show a completely different reality.

Related:

UP: Inter-faith couple found dead in Bareilly
Bill against ‘love jihad’ to be tabled in Gujarat Assembly
Love Jihad bogey derailed in Mangaluru
Intimacies of marriage private, can’t be affected by matters of faith: SC
No central “love jihad” law on the cards: MHA
SC issues notice in CJP’s Love Jihad Petition

The post Till death do us part? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A high-profile online survey in 23 countries, including India, claims that 63% Indians, one of the highest among the countries surveyed, insist on the need to to prioritise stopping terrorism over protecting civil rights. While the average for the 23 countries is 45%, interviewees from only two countries feel so more strongly about this – Serbia 73% and Turkey 69%.

The countries selected for the survey, carried out by Ipsos-MORI, the second largest market research organisation in the United Kingdom, are – Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States.

The countries which refuse to give much priority to terrorism over protecting civil rights include – US 37%, Brazil 37%, Italy 35%, Mexico 34%, Canada 31%, Spain 31%, Argentina 30%, and Japan 25%.

In all, 16,597 adults aged 16-64 across the 23 countries were interviewed between October 21 and November 4, 2016. Between 500 and 1000+ individuals participated on a country by country basis via the Ipsos Online Panel.

In a related response to the statement, “To fix the country, we need a strong leader willing to break the rules”, 65% Indians answered in the positive, which is higher than all but six countries – France, Israel, Italy, South Korea, and Turkey (80%, 69%, 68%, 66%, 66%, and 65% respectively).
 

While the world average is 49%, the interviewees of the countries which feel the least for such a need are Japan, Argentina, Spain, Sweden, and Germany (39%, 36%, 35%, 23%, and 21% respectively).

Despite the need for a strong leader willing to break rules, India has the least percentage of people interviewed among 23 countries who believe that society is “broken” – just 32%. Just one country, Japan, has a higher percentage than India on this score (31%).

While the average of 23 countries is 58%, the people of the countries where people strongly feel their society is broken are Poland 79%, Spain 78%, Brazil 77%, Mexico 76%, and South Africa 74%.

Providing answers to seven different queries on what people think about seven different issues, the survey, whose results were released on January 31, 2017, found that 56% of Indians support prioritising jobs for national citizens, as against the world average of 43%, again one of the highest among the 23 countries surveyed.
To the question, “To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statements – Your country is on decline?”, least percentage of people surveyed from India, 22%, answered in the positive, as against the average of 57% among 23 countries.

The countries where the highest percentage of people thought their nation is on decline are South Africa, South Korea, Italy and Brazil, with 77%, 73%, 73% and 72% respectively.

In yet another question, whether they felt that they have the least confidence in government, just 35%, lowest among 23 countries, agreed. While the average is found to be 71%, the countries where the confidence level in their governments is worst are Mexico, Spain, South Korea, Poland and Hungary (90%, 89%, 84%, 82% and 82% on an average).

Courtesy: Counterview.net

Download survey results HERE

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