Just Media

Tumhar Nam Koina:

2010-10-03T22:58:00.000-07:00

Amar Singh is still in Samajwadi Party, Janeshwar Mishra is living leader : SP website

2010-10-03T03:06:00.000-07:00

Mualayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh are still friends and leaders of Saamajwadi Party. If you don't believe you should visit Samajwadi Party's official website which has not been updated for a long time. Leaders are busy in other things and office managers are like always busy in non party affairs. They don't have time to update the informations. The website include Amar Singh, now a biggest critic for Mulayam Singh, as important leader of the party. Not only that, Janeshwar Mishra the late veteran SP leader is still a living leader according to party website. It seems that party is not keen to reach out people through computer and internet as party has been opposed to computer education and English language. It seems that the website was last updated in January 2010.

http://www.samajwadipartyindia.com/leaders.php

List of Member parliaments of SP which includes Amar Singh and Janeshwar Mishra

http://www.samajwadipartyindia.com/parliament.php

Urdu News Papers in India

2010-05-18T21:45:00.000-07:00

http://www.etemaaddaily.com/

http://www.munsifdaily.com/

http://www.sahafat.in/

http://www.siasat.com/urdu

http://www.hamarasamaj.com/

http://www.sahafat.in/lucknow/

http://www.avadhnama.com/epap.aspx?loc1=Lucknow&chk=Y

http://www.urdusahara.net/aboutus.aspx

http://dawatonline.com/

http://rafeeq-e-manzil.blogspot.com/

http://zindgienau.com/

http://www.inquilab.com/

http://urdutimes.in/

http://www.milap.com/

http://www.dailyroshni.com/

http://www.akhbaremashriq.com/

http://www.sahilonline.org/urdu/

http://www.urdunet.com/

http://www.dailyaftab.com/1952010/default.asp

Muslim Candidates of UPSC: Press Release

2010-05-06T05:23:00.000-07:00

Shah Faisal of Jammu and Kashmir has topped the UPSC exam this year. List of 21 selected Muslims is as follow.

Sl. No.	Rank	Name	Roll. No.
1	1	SHAH FAESAL	025085
2	55	MOHAMMED Y SAFIRULLA K	080934
3	74	MOHD SHAHID ALAM	271879
4	80	YUNUS	275973
5	118	AHMED IQBAL	095813
6	124	RAYEES MOHAMMAD BHAT	044701
7	135	MD SADIQUE ALAM	272377
8	144	ABID KHAN	124046
9	209	ABU IMRAN	090920
10	249	ASHIQUZZAMAN	093001
11	256	SHOWKAT AHMAD PARRAY	340881
12	288	TAMANNA ALAM	161562
13	325	ANSARI SOHAIL M SHAFI	034418
14	331	MOHAMMED YUSUF QURESHI	082815
15	368	MIR UMAIR NABI	005619
16	409	DANISH ASHRAF	011141
17	451	FARAZ AHMAD QURESHI	009107
18	556	RIZVI SARAH AFZAL AHMED	042017
19	569	AHMED MUYEEN FAROOQI	026098
20	610	K ASIF HAFEEZ	025629
21	741	RIZWAN AHMAD	109040

Most of the selected candidates have received their coaching from Hamdard Educational Society. The number of selected candidates has significantly dropped from 31 to 21 only. Despite the fact that several Muslim institutions are facilitating the coaching and assistance to the UPSC aspirants like Jamia Millia Delhi, Aligarh Muslim University, Hyderabad and India Islamic Cultural Centre, Zakat Foundation of India, the dropping numbers show that their efforts need to be focused and target oriented. Many of these institutions could not reach out to many deserving candidates from small cities. Due to costly fees of Delhi and Allahabad based UPSC coaching centres Muslim aspirants find it difficult to bear the expenses. I have talked many friends in Allahabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, some other places who complained many Muslim institutions do not announce their programs properly. Even some of them do not maintain transparency in their selection process. It is learned that these institutions are receiving hundreds of lakh rupees from government and non governmental funding agencies as well as from common Muslim donors in order to provide better coaching to Muslim candidates. A group of Muslim research scholar from Jawaharlal Nehru University will soon prepare an evaluation report of these institutions, their process and efforts and will also recommend them how to make their efforts result oriented.

We congratulate all successful candidates of UPSC and ask Muslim candidates to be inspiring light for other aspirants from their areas and cities. We also request all Muslim organizations to have specific budget for Muslim aspirants of all competitive exams and follow a transparent and efficient system to deliver benefit of their schemes to the last person in the line. We also congratulate Hamdard Study Circle and its chairman Syed Hamid whose consistent efforts have helped Indian Muslims to dream a better future through education.

Omair Anas
Convener,
Just Media Group

Centre for West Asian Studies, JNU
9811848651

S Raghib
CWAS/SIS JNU
9958870985

What will happen if Rahul Gandhi marries in a Dalit family?

2010-05-05T03:11:00.000-07:00

Some times we ask to change only one part of our social machine. Parts have no independence actions; they are dependent on big Machines. Honor killing is just one bad product of that social machine of India. First Say Get Lost to Caste system! If champions of social changes in our country start marrying Dalit families to break the taboos, picture will change. That is what Rahul Gandhi can not do. He can visit to condole every devastated family, he can distribute thousands of rupees, government jobs but he can not understand the social pressure under which Brahmin and Dalit families are living. Can Rahul Gandhi, Varun Gandhi, Son of Rajnath Singh, and sons and daughters of our political leaders and RSS leaders come to marry Dalit families? Many upper caste people are enjoying social celebrity status speaking for social problems on Televisions, writing in News Papers. This is like championing social reform from dead, burned and raped bodies of Dalits. They can not on Television after they break taboos in their own homes. They can not allow the change which they proclaim on television. No social reform can be delivered without recognizing Dalits as respectable Human beings. Give message to society from your homes first, not from TV Shows and New Papers. If big Mishrash, Sharmas, Bajpayees, Pathaks and so on all upper caste start marrying Dalit families, it will be greater than what Raja Ram Mohan Roy had done in his period. Rahul Gandhi and Varun Gandhi and sons of Brahmin political leaders, media pundits, business tycoons and Bolywood set an example by marrying in Dalit familes. The change will happen across the society.

There are many bright matches from both sides but they are divided in two borders of social vertical and horizontal hierarchy. If common Brahmin families find heavy weight people of their society marrying Dalits and all castes without any castiest considerations, they will not fear to be condemned by their relatives. It is the fact that many Brahimn and upper caste families are willing to allow their children to marry whomever they wish to do regardless of caste and creed but they are under immense social pressure. If heavy weight of Brahmins and other upper caste from politics, business, academics etc have Dalit spouses and brides in their homes, the social stigma will gradually go away. It is irony that people still love to tag their caste tags (Sharma, Warma, Pandaey, etc) with their names. Can they not get rid of it so that other persons of lower caste tags feel it easy to talk and interact with on equal basis? Why these people want to make them feel that he/she should take care of his/her caste tag. Once you tell him you are Sharma, the other person fells in inferiority complex. If we are any more civilized people we must throw out t these tags. Our degrees, talents, performance, social achievements are enough to be our identity. (see comments on Ashutosh Ashu's Fave Book wall. below. curtsy to Ashu)

I agree with individual liberty. But how can you ensure individual liberty when individuals are chained in a rigid caste system? I am talking about why marrying a lower caste person is still an stigma. If champions of social changes in our society, who have large following across the caste do initiate, things will change. Parents of Nirupama would have allowed her, had they found it a 'common thing' which is being practiced people like like Ghandhis, Bajpyees, Sharmas, Pathakas and so on. To break the stereotypes, change will come from the society, not from the laws. If Brahimns do not feel it easy to marry in Dalits, no Dalit, however is he educated or wealthy, will remain untouchable.

Ashutosh Rana of Aaj Tak walled in his Face Book following question. People from media fraternity commented widely on the question. Curtsy to Ashutosh.

Ashutosh Ashu क्या आप सरनेम हटाना चाहेंगे ताकि आपकी जाति किसी को पता ही न चले ?

12 people like this.
50 of 74
Vivek Vajpayee
फिलहाल ये काम संभव नहीं एक बैंक एकाउंट खुलवाने में ना जाने कितने चक्कर लगवाते हैं अगर सरनेम हटा दिया तब तो बड़ी मुशीबत हो जाएगी आजकल बैंक अकाउंट खुलवाने में लगा हूं क्योंकि आर्टिकल के चेक लगाने हैं।
Yesterday at 19:15
Latikesh Sharma
सर ,यह समाधान नहीं है ..
कही यही वजह तो नहीं है की मीडिया के कई टॉप बॉस ने अपने सरनेम हटा दिए है .
जैसे -आशुतोष आशु , उदय शंकर , अजीत अंजुम , दिबांग , राहुल देव और याद नहीं आ रहा है ...किसी को याद आ रहा हो तो बताएं
Yesterday at 19:24
Kuldeep Bhardwaj
अगर शुरुआत की ही बात हो रही है तो सरनेम और नेम की क्या आवश्यकता है .... आइडिया वालो का एक ऐड था " नाम नहीं अब नंबर से सब जानने जायेगे "..AN IDEA CAN CHANGE ....

नाम से और सरनेम से कुछ नहीं होगा ..... सोच बदली होगी ... कपडे से और आधुनिक साजो सामान से नहीं .... विचार को आधुनिक बनाना होगा ..
Yesterday at 19:30
Vickas Gupta
Any OBC person earning 20,000/= per month is considered poor and get all the monetary benefits and relaxations by our Govt. While a General Category person even being jobless has to pay more even to appear and qualify any exam or interview . so what is the benefit of having surname.
Yesterday at 19:42
Rajat Chawla
gud...very gud...very very gud!!!
Yesterday at 19:50
Mohit Bhardwaj
its totaly useless.still lots of intellctual's blv in castism..or netao ki baat to alag hai.behan ji jaB sarkar ayi to UP main sare yadav police ofiicres ki jAGHE PANDEY YADAV MISHRA DUBEY,SAGAR AA GAYE...SOCH BADALNE KI JAROORAT HAI SIR
Yesterday at 20:00
Rina Pandey
g nahi kabhi nahi ................jo aap hain usi ko apni pahchan banaiye .
Yesterday at 20:33
Dheeraj Singh
सरनेम के इस बहस में लोगों ने अपने विचार तो रखे हैं लेकिन सबसे बड़ा सवाल ये हैं कि क्या वो इस (जातवादी) मानसिकता से बाहर निकल पाए हैं।
Yesterday at 20:49
Jitendra Narayan
Jaatiye pahchaan ko mitaanaa desh aur manavataa ke hit mein hai.Mere pitaa Late Jagat Narayan ne hi jaatiye pahachaan ke surname hataa diye the.
Yesterday at 20:53
Dheeraj Vashistha
हीनता जिनके भीतर हो वो हटाने की सोच सकता है...
Yesterday at 20:57
Samir Abbas
Its Hi-Time to change our mindsets....but to sm extent i agree with u , ''agar ye surname na hota to shayad halaat itne badtar na hote''
Yesterday at 21:00
K King Singh
hindustaan mai jaativaad insan k jeene ki dincharya ka bada hissa hai lagta nahi log isse hatane ko teyar ho jaay
Yesterday at 21:04
Vartika Tomer
maine 10th class se he surname lagana chode diya tha...mai chahti hun ki koi bhi apna surname na lagaye ..mai nahi chathti kisi ki jaati ko janana..insaan ko jaanana jyaada important hai...
Yesterday at 22:05
Sunil Dogra
अफ़सोस! यहाँ जाति छुपाने के लिए सरनेम हटाना पड़ रहा है और वहां कितनी जाति के कितने लोग हैं यह जानने के लिए सांसद लड़ रहे हैं

जाति प्रमाण पत्र बनाना बंद करो और जो बने हैं उनकी होली जलाओ!
Yesterday at 22:06
Smriti Singh
kabhi nahi.
Yesterday at 22:26
Arun Sathi
मैं पहले से ही हटा लिया है.
Yesterday at 22:33
Ajay Relhan
101% Ashu! Aggar meri sarname hatani sei meri jatti chupti hai or meri desh mei bhai chara banna rahata hai, I m ready for this. Kindly start one compaign in your channel and start this most import work, i will with you. And i wish you may continue for this work.
Ashu! you may kindly contact me on my personal gmail a/c ajayrelhanknl@gmail.com and please send me your personal contact number, i will try to contact you soon at Delhi or Noida for one important matter.
Yesterday at 23:02
Aadarsh Rathore
बिल्कुल नहीं। बिना सरनेम हटाए भी आप जातिवाद छोड़ सकते हैं।
Yesterday at 23:18
Mahendra Singh Rathore
Ashutosh gi, Koi Jati Buri Nahi Hoti Hai, Bura Hai Jatiwad... Koi Dharm Bhi Bura Nahi Hai, Bura Hai Dharmik Unmand.
Yesterday at 23:20
Rounak Vyas
Rounak hindustani kaisa rahega ......agar sab ish tarha se like to .>?
Yesterday at 23:23
Saurabh Dwivedi
नहीं, उस सरनेम के साथ जिएंगे ताकि उसका दंश जीवन भर भोंगे, याद रखें कि एक ब्राह्मण परिवार में पैदा होने के क्या नफे नुकसान हैं, क्योंकि हमारे परिवारों को आज भी झूठ श्रेष्ठता का दंभ है, क्यों हम शहरों में तो साथियों से जाति नहीं पूछते और एक थाली में खाते हैं, मगर गांव जाकर बचपन के दोस्त के यहां पानी नहीं पी पाते, सरनेम रखेंगे ताकि इन तमाम अंतर्विरोधों को भूल न पाएं, हां मगर मेरा बच्चा कोई सरनेम नहीं लगाएगा, उसकी पीठ पर जाति की सड़ी हुई लाश का बोझ नहीं होगा, आशुतोष जी शायद मेरी बात साफ नहीं हुई, मगर नीरू की मौत के बाद से कोई भी ख्याल साफ नहीं लग रहा
Yesterday at 23:26
Ajay Relhan
Ashu! I m totally agree with Mahendra Singh Rathore words!
Yesterday at 23:32
Subodh Jain
jaati ke naam per pahchan banane wolon ko takleef hogi. varna sir name hatakernaam likhne se bahut si samasyaen dur ho hi sakti hain
Yesterday at 23:38
Sanjeev Gupta
yani bina dum ka kutta
Yesterday at 23:59
Prabhat Gopal Jha
nahi. jaisa bhi nam hai, rahega...
15 hours ago
Sweetii Pandey
bilkul nahi
14 hours ago
Akshat Srivastava
waise aajkal k halaat dekhtey hue toh yahi lagta hai ki hata lena chaiye....
8 hours ago
Abhishek Tiwari
hamaare desh ki rajniti ke hisab se to hataa hi lena chahiye , lekin mera apna mat ye hai ki ye baat unlon ko katne daudegi jo sirf reservation ko apna hathiyar banaakar daudte hain, unhe apni pahchan sirf aur sirf sirname me hi dikhta hai, mere mat se titel sirf aapke naam ke aage ek sobha ki wastu hai , aor isse jyada kuchh nahi, balki mera ...See more
7 hours ago
Abhishek Panchal
never.........fir hum apni pidhi ko apna konsa itihas btaenge?
7 hours ago
Rahul Dabas
जरुर लेकिन जाति की जंज़ीर के साथ साथ आरक्षण की बैसाखी भी टूटनी चाहिये
6 hours ago
Shashi Ranjan
NO..........DONT THINK SO.....TO GR8 EXTENT DOSENT MATTER.....ONES WHO R INTERESTED IN SUCH BLOODY BUS....WILL EVEN THAN FIND OUT....WAT CAST D HELL U BELONG TO.....
6 hours ago
Niheeta Solace
i would realy like too...
even i never use my surname, while opening bullatine..
i always say... hello i am niheeta and you are watching.........
6 hours ago
Harshvardhan Tripathi
ashu sir ek zamane men bihar men jaati ki jagah kumar, ranjan, anand ya kuch aur lagana shuru kiya tha. usmen se badi zamat dilli media men hai asani se aapko kisi ki bhi jati aur uska zordar jatiwad jan sakte hain. solution ye hai ki hum bolne men, action men kitna jatiwadi hote hain. ye theek ho to kuch baat bane. waise rss pracharak bhi surname ...See more
5 hours ago
Deepak Sharma
Agreed, fully agreed, better start a campaign for abolishing Reservation,
5 hours ago
Deepika Sharma
sirname haatne se jatiwadi soch nhi badali ja sakti ashutosh sir
4 hours ago
Ashutosh Ashu
बुरा मत मानियेगा लेकिन एक खास जाति की प्रतिक्रिया एक जैसी क्यों हैं .
4 hours ago
Anil Arya
aap mane ya na mane, jab me 10th class me tha tab pata chala ki mera gotra kya he.........birth register me bhi mera naam bina jati ke likha gaya tha.......desh aur samaj ke hit me yahi he ki jati ke bandhan jald se jald kahatam hon
4 hours ago
Om Dundy
जब हमारे समाज के रहनुमा / राजनेता जाति के आधार पर समाज में राजनीति करना नहीं छोडेगे और राजनेतिक रोटियां सकते रहेंगे तब तक सरनेम हटाएँ या लगाएं, कोई खास अंतर या कोई परिवर्तन आने वाला नहीं है. आज हमारे देश के युवा पीढ़ी को जरूरत है "जाति ना पूछो साधू की...... मानसिकता लाने की........और फैलाने की.
4 hours ago
Nadim Akhter
Achcha mauka diya ashu ji aapne bolne ka...to suniye...
jo log agri jaatiyon mein nahin hain...unke saath mushkil to hai hi...aur hamara media kya isse achuta hai...
MEDIA MEIN v JABARDAST JATIWAAD HAI...main pichle 10 saalon se media mein hoon...yahan kai log apna surname hata kar likhte the...mere ek patrakar dost ne khud mujhe bataya ki main v ...See more
4 hours ago
प्रबल प्रताप सिंह
श्रीमान सरनेम बदल लेने से कुछ नहीं होने वाला है, जरूरत है अपने दृष्टिकोण को बदलने की.

--
शुभेच्छु
...See more
3 hours ago
Saurabh Dwivedi
आशुतोष जी, जिस खास जाति की ओर आपका इशारा है, उसमें मैं भी आता हूं, मगर मैं जाति के दंश को भोगना चाहता हूं, बिना किसी शिकायत के, मैंने इस सवाल में आरक्षण को लाने की भी कोशिश नहीं की, कृपया मेरा कमेंट देख लें, बुरा नहीं मान रहा हूं, मगर बात साफ रहे तो अच्छा है, क्योंकि जाति के सवाल में इस तरह के तमाम साधारणीकरण महत्वपूर्ण रोल अदा कर रहे हैं
हमारा कोई...See more
3 hours ago
Adarsh Kumar Inqalab
ऐसी कोशिश होनी चाहिए। वैसे जातिवाद की जड़ को कमजोर करने का सबसे कारगर उपाय है- अंतर्जातीय विवाह।
3 hours ago
Rajesh Singh
Nahi Ashutosh ji
2 hours ago
Sachchida Nand Dwivedi
कदापि नही..........................................................................................कभी नहीं...आशु जी जातिवाद न फैलाएं
2 hours ago
Tej Thakur
it is right move but still in india people go after caste, i do not know y,i think caste idienty should be kept secret by law.
2 hours ago
Vineeta Yadav
surname ki jagah apni jaati ki burai hatai toh jyada behtar hai...
2 hours ago
Sanjay Gohil
No
about an hour ago
Sanskrita Pandey
main toh nahi hataungi...main toh brahaman hun.:)
about an hour ago
Shail Rawat
nahee bilkul nahee ...
about an hour ago
Gargi Chandre
bilkul surname jaruri hai specially in media .....yaha kafi log surname dekh kar hi aap ka measurement lete hai
22 minutes ago
Omair Anas
Ashu ji agreed 100+%. But it has two sides. Legal sides which many people had demanded. But it is top down approach and will fail and will create problems in implementation of welfare schemes of oppressed castes. Second is what many of us have decided to do voluntarily.

Change within and from society is the best and enduring and smooth change. What I had argued in ur earlier discussion was because in today's urban and global life people of all talents will come in ur contact. Let their talents, skills and qualification be respected when u talk the. what to do now:

Don't use ur caste tags in public (use it only in official documents if required)

Do never ask caste of any person in ur contact

In ur social events, invite people of all section

Take initiative to visit homes of oppressed communities in Holi, Diwali Eid, enjoy some time with them and their kids. Remember last time when you visited such a friend.

I will not write more I fear you media people are already sensitive.

Shut up Praveen Swami Face Book group hacked

2010-05-03T00:37:00.001-07:00

Shut up Praveen Swami, a Face Book group which was initiated as a way to create awareness about Praveen Swami’s writings against Muslim community and organizations in India, has been hacked by unknown people, the group’s administrator Omair Anas told. Praveen Swami has been writings on Islamic terrorism and linking it with general Muslim community which caused witch hunting tendencies in the administration and provided a social and moral legitimacy for encounters of innocent Muslim youths in Gujarat and New Delhi. In his recent write up he even advocated target killings of Maoist leaders. Omair Anas who is pursuing his Phd on Arab Media at Centre for West Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, started the group to create an space for counter Praveen Swami version on terrorism menace. Shut Praveen Swami group was joined by many journalists, students, research scholars from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University and other universities of the country as well as many journalists who did not agree with Praveen. On 29th April ‘Shut up Praveen Swami Group’ surprisingly disappeared without any prior notice from either face group or the administrator. Omair told that he last accessed the group on 28th April. Undeterred by hacking the group, Omair Anas has started another group “Praveen Swami! Stop Terror Journalism.

Omair Anas said that media have grown irresponsible and unaccountable to the people. Though there are right to expressions for people like Praveen Swami and people who strongly advocated American war on Afghanistan and Iraq, but there is no right to say any thing against Praveen Swami in same news paper. The employer of Praveen Swami ‘The Hindu’ group which is a respected media house did not publish any counter Praveen Swami article or opinion from the aggrieved people. This resulted into social media initiatives against Praveen Swami, singling out him as unprofessional and irresponsible journalist who is directed by certain unprofessional motives. His reliance only on official Police, military and intelligence sources is enough to believe that he is not interested to take views of victims. His pro Batla house encounter article now proved wrong after recent RTI revealed that the encounter was staged, but Praveen Swami and the Hindu Group did not gave enough space to that news. This is first time that social media are standing up to resist hegemonic media. Praveen Swami! Stop Terror Journalism Face Group will help people to have a counter view of hegemonic media practices, Omair Anas said. Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association and many other journalists, activists have raised serious questions on Praveen Swami’s professional credentials.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=121680624511600&v=info&ref=ts#!/group.php?gid=121680624511600&ref=ts

Your income tax helped Israeli war against Humanity !!!

2009-01-02T21:41:00.000-08:00

Attackers, supporters and silent ones are equals in crime and fate!

Nations are three types in one league. Against or in support! There are countries in the world love to go to war; they are incredible, insuperable like those who have invaded Baghdad, Kabul, and Jerusalem. Second category is of those who support them but do not go to war themselves like France, Germany. Those are most of the European nations. The third ones are those who seem to oppose the war and their domestic opinion also oppose the war but the ruling regime articulate an opposition like no opposition for example India and most of the Arab states.

India and Arabs are brothers for long days, India does support Arabs in whatever they do for Palestine. This time Arabs are said to be silent supporters of Israel to crush Hamas, so is India doing. 93% Arabs says in an Aljazeera opinion poll that Arab regimes have been secretly coordinator of that war against Palestine. The poll was unprecedentedly participated and as many as 90.9% of 87952 participants said that the recent Israeli attack on Gaza was under Arab cover. Many in Qatar have blamed their Arab governments’ betrayal to Palestinians.

Attackers, supporters and silent ones are equal in crime and should face equal fate as well. Israeli attack has been secretly supported not only by Arab rulers but also financed by huge trade revenues given by New Delhi, Beijing and Moscow who are biggest trade and defense partners of Israel. Non Arab states could have done well by canceling their defense and trade ties with Israel to isolate and her and pressurize to stop war at once, but all of Moscow, New Delhi and Beijing tacitly supported and financed this war by investing billions of dollars of their tax payers in a proved War Criminal Nation, the state of Israel.

Should a debate not start about role of Non Aligned Nations who have shown no interest in exerting pressure on Israel? Enough is cursing Arabs; let us uncover real face friends of Israel in cloak of Pro-Palestine nations, namely India, China and Russia. Many supporters of Palestine in India have there own political interests at home. Many protests lack substantial demands from their governments and there protests are flawed and empty. A country which is giving 10 billion dollars every year in form of trade and defense partnership is actually supporting in sustaining Israeli’s war capability and supporting its war again humanity. The same Indian government asked its commercial ventures in Iran to come back after United States declared that companies investing in Iran would not be allowed in US fearing that their investment can boost Iranian Nuclear Program.

With same logic, why friends of Palestine in India like those in communist groups, Jamat Islami, Jamiatul Ulama, Muslim Majlis Mushawarat and other groups are keeping silence over such crucial debate. They have taken concerns of these deals but in very soft words which make no sense. Let us be clear that New Delhi’s economic support to Israel has de facto, financed Israeli war against Palestinians. So those who attack and ensure sustaining war crimes are equal in crime.

Let us ensure billions of tax dollars from China, India and Russia must not be invested in War of Israel against Palestine, directly or indirectly. Let these three nations prove their sincerity against war crimes.

Gaza! Don’t cry…….

2008-12-28T21:42:00.000-08:00

Can a lam between jaws of killer lion be a danger to its survival; however the lam resists and try to keep lions teeth away from his body? I think those who have been discussing Palestinian Terrorism in Indian and other parts of the world and trying to pursue their governments to stand with Israel in its war against terror have stopped looking maps of the world since 1967. Many hawks in Washington and other capitals of western countries and their ‘allies’ have still believed that Israel have right to exist and self defense. This is the naked use of this right of self defense which Israeli governments have been using from Sabra Shatila to Beirut, to Sinai, to Gaza and other Palestinian and Arab cities.

300 and more dead, but butchered under full light of free media’s camera and its light. Many have interviewed dying people about ‘how they felt’ to show the world exclusive images from world’s oldest conflict zone. Thousends mourned in Gaza, Mahmud Abbas might have been engaged in some secret peace talks with Israelis. Arab head of the states were busy in carving a ‘Plus Israel Arab League’. OIC might also be working out on same plans. New Delhi, London, Paris, Moscow, Bejing and other powerful capitals’ monasteries of external affairs might be busy for Red Carpet welcome to Israeli ministers about defense and war on terror. Gaza has received what it should do. Bullet, blood, dead bodies, injured ones and orphan children once again in bulk.

Who can protect Gazans? Mahmud Abbas, the person who has already lost his credibility among his own fellow citizens! Dahlan, the person who is reportedly accused of coordinating assassination of Muhammad Yasin with Israeli secret services! Arab League which has done every thing except any action to defend her people in Arab lands, OIC which can be easily known as ‘Organization of Inept Countries’. Whom Gazan should hope for a help?

Just months ago, Arab ministers have talked about invading Gaza and kick out Hamas to maintain the peace. Is it storming start up of that peace process? Finally, Hamas left to be dealt with, an outfit which disturbs every one except Palestinians. Mamhmud Abbas imposed emergency and suspended an elected government of Hamas because of unknown reasons.

Gaza! Don’t cry!!!! You should help yourself. Nobody would help you even to bury your beloved ones. Why you still have a hope from Arab League, OIC, NAM, UNO. This international system has little time for you to listen your cry. Yes they have time to celebrate your cries on every international day for Palestine. They have prepared a Press Release in 1967 and they are issuing same press release even today with change in the name of ruler.

Gaza!! Don’t cry……………Nobody will come to rescue you from occupation because world is now of globalization. No to any new country, no to any new border, no to any new people. The occupation is being globalized to incorporate you too in the global system of injustice. You are oldest one among occupied and enslaved people but not alone now. Afghanistan and Iraq are your new brothers. Iranians are being tried to bring in that group also. Many will be brought in that ‘Group of Occupied People’. The only good news is that because of globalization, every country has right to invade any country by fulfilling a few and easy terms and conditions approved by UNSC or EU or even by a few powerful nations only. I don’t think you should not enjoy this right! Invade, occupy, win and rule is simple formula which always goes through death and destruction of winner as well as looser.

Gaza!! You have to choose! Stay occupied or start occupying others! Hands of giver are always high from one who receives. Give the world peace and let them beg for peace.

Democracy Tired: An Email from Indian Capital

2008-12-25T21:17:00.000-08:00

"sorry late

system was not workngproperly. on cafe police making problems coz of 26 Jan prepration".

This is an email which I was replied by one of my friends who is doing PhD from a central university in New Delhi.

We were writing a paper on energy in this month for which we were to be paid. A researcher in New Delhi, the capital of India which is often claimed as booming economy, emerging giant, Incredible and super power in wait etc. But a researcher in the same capital is forced to write this email which seems as he is writing somewhere from Somalia or Zimbawe where choas rules people.

60 years and more, this country hass got its own constitution and freedom to execute it as well. But the Police and State is still in complete nostolgia of being Mercianries of Raja, Maharaja, Nawabs etc and at best agent of Angrez Bahadur. This Polic system will be the greates hurdle in bringing India closer to all those dreams which we Indians boast every day and night.

Can this country get rid from this Police system and get another one where a person can sleep without any sense of fear of being kidnapped by Police, encountered by them or frisked by them at every corner of the country on every celeberation.

This 26 January is going to be held in Shadow of Mumbai Terror Attack which has much opened our weak security system as well as ineffective political leadership and shattered people. But all these will not cause any danger to any of these units of our system because we are used live like that kionki...........................sab chalta hai........................

Picasa Album

2008-12-22T08:43:00.001-08:00

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Arab and Islamic world stands with India at Mumbai crisis

2008-12-20T20:57:00.000-08:00

Amid international condemnations of the heinous terror attacks on civilians at Mumbai, Arab and Islamic world has also stood with Indian people and expressed its grave concerns over terrorism and indiscriminate crimes against humanity. Arab news papers covered the terror incident with greater concerns with open condemnation from Arab leaders, media and readers as well. Many Arab citizens including 12 Saudis and some Kuwaitis were among hostages. All major Arab and Gulf News Papers have made Mumbai terror attack in their headlines expressing solidarity with Indian people at this time of crisis. It is al most first time when India’s terrorism victimization has been covered with great importance. Many of Arab News papers like Kuwaits Al-Qabas and Alwatan, Saudi News Papers and Egyptians Arabic news papers made terror attack as front page stories.

The Islamic world’s prompt reaction against terrorist attack on India can be seen as India’s widening acceptability in Muslim world as friendly nation. In last attacks in September, some Arab columnists had written that terror attacks in India are against interests of Arab and Islamic world. The Jordanian New paper Al-Dastour’s columnist specially mentioned the facts India’s economic engagement with Arab and Gulf countries has been increasing and now Indian and Arab world are partners in their good and bad times.

Saudi News papers have expressed their fear that the new incidents might create backlash against Indian Muslims who were already struggling to improve their image by conducting anti terror rallies and conventions around the country. Papers say though Indian Muslims are facing repressions, the terrorist crime can not be justified by any reference, reports Al-Madina news paper from Madina. Al-Madina also suggests tracing out main criminals and punish them but do not indulge in creating confusions between Islam, Muslims and terrorism. The paper concludes with appreciation that India is the largest democracy in the world where people of all religions, sects and groups are enjoying greater freedom at every level. Another Saudi News Paper Al-Watan writes that India has undergone inhuman terror attacks in last some years and the recent one will have regional implications more than at India’s internal sphere.

The attacks prompted many leaders and international organizations condemning the terror attack. Organization of Islamic Conference, Arab Leagues, and Gulf Cooperation councils are among those who rushed to condemn the attack with serious and toughest terms. Arab world’s largest Islamic movement Muslim Brotherhood’s supreme leader Mahdi Akif condemned the incident and said that this is act which is against all standards of humanity, morality and Islam as well. Iranian foreign minister declared the attack as act of Satan. Arab League’s secretary general who is supposed to visit India in first week of December expressed his deep anguish against the act. Organization of Islamic Conference, the largest organization of Muslim countries which represents 53 Muslim nations has condemned the act and expressed it solidarity with Indian people.

Among leaders, almost all top Arab leaders have reacted against the terror attacks. Egyptian Presidents Hosni Mubark expressed his solidarity with Indian people. Foreign Minister Abul Ghaith sent a special letter to Pranb Mukharjee, the Indian External Affairs minister. Saudi Foreign Minister said that India is the firend country and that the Kingdom will provide all help required by Indian people. Kingdom’s 11 national including two diplomats were reported trapped in Taj and Oberio hotels. Emerati leaders also condemned the crime. Prime Minister and External affairs minister Abdullah Bin Zaid al-Nahyan assured Indian governments that his government stands with Indian people against terrorism.

In a column of largest news paper of the Arab world, Tariq Hameed wrote “Mumbai: Message to Obama” that every country want to fight against terrorism but the way to turn down on this menace becomes longer and longer. In his column, Tariq writes that Indian is not a peripheral or marginalized country in the world now; it has become an effective power which has nuclear power as well as dominance in software technology. This incident suggests that the danger of terrorism in the region will have severe implications because this region has also concentration of all ignorance, prejudices with nuclear power. Obama would have to keep in his mind that the world for him is not easy and he has to resolve the crisis. Omar Kosh, another Arab columnist in electronic news portal Eelaph expressed fear that these attacks might cause outrage and anger of majority Hindu population against Indian Muslims. The columnist also writes that the attacks were carried out when two countries were working hard to make their relationship more cordial and reliable. Especially election of President Asif Ali Zardari had marked confidence among Indian politicians towards peace process. He also suggested Indian government not to indulge in blame game politics which may result jeopardise the peace process.

Most important thing is that Mumbai terror attack has brought new hopes for India in the west Asian region and their people who have echoed same concerns as common Indian does. Though there are some other problems with perceptions of each other, the sympathy in wake of Mumbai terror attacks can be changed in to an opportunity to enhance India’s relationship with Arab and Islamic world, rather than tilting towards Israel-US axis whose war on terror has failed. It is up to Indian authorities how to use this support among common Arab viewers, journalists, columnists and leaders as well. Instead of joining Israeli club in war on terror, Indian establishment may join Islamic and Arab world to defeat all forms of terrorism. As feared, India may incline towards Israel and anti terror strategy which are contrary to very human values as well as Human Rights declaration of United Nations. As many Indian channels tried to portray that India and Israel are facing same enemy in their war against terrorism, but context of two sufferings divides both countries. India’s war on terror is largely internal and regional concern, not a part of nationalist struggle. Conversely, Israeli ‘war on terror’ is articulated against nationalist aspirations of Palestinians which have been accepted by the all members of United Nations including India. India and Indian people are indeed victims of terrorism which has its root in internal politics, from Naxalism, Bodo, Naga Movement to Hindu fundamentalist forces and reactionary Muslim groups. Any war on terror must not push India in westerns’ designed war on terror which only increased problems in the world rather than made it safer.

Omair Anas

Omair Anas is working on Globalization and Media in GCC region at JNU, New Delhi. He can be reached at omairanas@gmail.com

Mumbai Terror attacks: Outraged Media

2008-12-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

Watch Times Now Discussion here

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=1cHxnHwrrjU

I spent nearly thirty hour watching Mumbai Terror attack news on news channel. It was just an attempt to undergo the same sense of shock and horror which hundreds of innocents have undergone in 50 hours of terror in three hotels and Nariman House. I felt how powerless we are at the hand of few death merchants. It was extremely disturbing images that I ever experienced. They covered the incident without caring their TRP, ads and commercials, they show highest degree of solidarity with victims and the security forces who never cared of their lives to rescue the city.

But I have already some other images in my memory which I recalled when the coverage of terror attack mixed with anger against political system and politicians. Times Now‘s anchor Arnab has categorically called our politicians as inept and that we shouldn’t see them at this point. This was not unjustified. It is ironical that at this crucial juncture, our two top most political leaders the Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition couldn’t manage same aircraft to land in Mumbai to express unity to the world.

In a discussion, Sohail Seth a noted industrialist, Alec Padam, Saleem Shekh, Shobha De, Sanjana and many have explicitly poured their anger against our politicians who were called inept, callus and so on’’. I think no other incident in this country has sparked much anger against our politicians as Mumbai Terror attack has done. The same was the case of CNN IBN where Barkha Datt and Pronoy Roy and other news readers echoed same anger and disbelief against politicians. It was not understandable how majority of people will correlate Five Starian citizens with them. How can they be mobilized against political leadership?

Though prime Ministers’ address to the nation was not appealing and motivating, though our politicians couldn’t come out of their political barricades, it does not necessarily mean that the politics will not work. Alec Padam asked to file PIL and another person asked and Times Now supported the view that let the politician step down and FICCI and CIIs of the world come and unite and get rid of the inept political systems. So I traced out the reason why media was in that unprecedented anger, shock and outraged.

Media Ko Gussa Kion Aaya? I recalled all earlier calamities, incidents, terror attacks and public miseries. Most recently Bihar flood was initially under covered. It was learned that media came to cover Bihar only when it felt the gravity of situation. Even that coverage was not concentrated on government’s abject failure in crisis management. Bihar and Uttar Pardesh’s deteriorating law and order situation, their failure on every front of basic development, farmers’ suicide in Vidarbha,

Even some said that ‘neta ki to topi bhi nahi girti hai’ anticipating that had their any causality of politicians in the Parliament attack or other attack, the country would have got proper anti terror law. Times Now question in first day was “how many lives we have to offer at hand of terrorism to get our politicians wake up? It seems that coverage was classic example of complex fusion of anger, reaction, frustration and disappointment. But the question still persists unanswered. Why much anger only this time? Why media tried to undermine political leadership whatever part or group it represents. Did any body from corporate sector have paid heavier price of terrorism as political leaders have done. How simply this media can forget Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi, Beant Singh, Phoolan Devi and many political leaders who have been assassinated by criminals or terrorist in this country and around the world as well. It is not acceptable that media is not aware of the political make up of our country which comes out of complex economic and cultural divisions in the country. But politicians have done many times their best and paid worst.

It was first time when the business class of the country was targeted. It was firs time when economic nerve of the country was attacked and the target was chosen carefully. Among dead and injured are those who have been part of page three media, part of media and related industry, or the part of very class which have much to do with freer economic and limited politics. Will media react in same tone if something would happen on very common men of Bihar and West Bengal or UP.? Would they cover law and order situation in north India which claims more lives than in Mumbai Terror attack. Why not same anger against plight of marginalized people to let them justice and rights.

In fact, it looks that media is also used to live with gradual massacres, slaughters of innocents people at hands of criminals, corrupt security officers, politician as well as businessmen. Isn’t fact that some industries can’t run without criminals’ support. The real estates is on top of them. Private Banks still uses private mercenaries for their recoveries. Can underworld’s relation with Business world be investigated? From these very corridors, politicians were forced to rescue them and allow vested interest politics also. So the fabric of our politics is not separately woven. It is interconnected with all what is going on in corporate sectors. So the shock and anger was neither unjustified nor uncalculated.

What media has missed in its coverage was as an opportunity to create new political vision, new political values and strengthening people oriented, accountable and transparent systems which ensure justice to the last person as right not as privilege. Corporate world have to realize and come closer to political realities of the country. Symbols do advertise but not act, India needs action based politics not the symbolic politics. Amar Singh’s symbolic politics in Batla house is as dangerous as token Police actions against innocents to appease politicians. Media’s role in given complex political system like India is more challenging. Media’s dependency on government or corporate news sources must have to end and media would have to go in problems rather than becoming party in the time of crisis. Damages of media coverage of alleged terror attacks in past like in Malegaon, Samjhota are still irrecoverable. Western Media has shown that courage in case of Dr. Haneef and in many cases in UK and USA and that media has strengthened their systems. Now the question is if Indian media’s coverage is supporting and strengthening systems and people or weakening and dividing them?

On Fatwa against burial of dead bodies of terrorist in India

2008-12-02T09:20:00.001-08:00

IT is complete absurdity to violate rights of dead person whoever they and whatever their crimes are. During the prophet era, many criminals, enemies were treated well after they were killed or died. Burying them in Indian lands is not matter of patriotic credentials. Muslim leaders are just showcasing hyocracy on the matter. Their sole responsibility is to prevent extremism when people are alive, not to punish them when they are died. Islamic teachings are being politicized by Muslim personal Law board which ahs also supported the so called Mufti who denied dead terrorist to be buried in Muslim graveyard. Even govrments around the world are obliged to respect a dead body irrespective of his cast creed, nationlity, crimes etc. Let the Muslim leaders not make it matter of their insane politics to show secularism and patriotism beyond humanity.

Condemning terrorism and figiting terrorism is diffrent from human rights. Quran has clearly said, crimes of someone must not provoke you to respond beyond humanitarian and Islamic standards. Terrorists died and now the their bodies left. Dead bodies deserve every respect and be buried with complete respect without hate.

Infact, Muslims are under unprecedented after every blast and they tend to demonstarte that they are equally patriotic. It is big question if Indian Muslims have extraordinary responsibility to condemn attack. THey are equally suffering the terror menace and they need not to prove their patriotism after every blast. THis sick mentality forces Indian MUslims to respond terrorism in wrong ways rather they adress it as common concern for Indian society.

Fatwas against burial of attackers is out of this unencessary pressure over Muslim minds. If they adress core issues like reform in thier education in Madrasas, producing inclusive Islamic concepts, denouncing extremists litrature and calling Muslim community to engage with Indian society in all of their political, social and economic struggle rather to join ghettoised Muslim politics. The soloution of terrorism is niether Fatwa as has been initiated by Jamiatul Ulama sometimes ago, nor deying dead bodies to be buried in Muslim graveyards.

CNN IBN: Secular dilemma and Muslim identity

2008-12-02T08:39:00.000-08:00

The piece by Ashoutosh one of the most known faces of Indian television media and known figure of CNN IBN, is perfect example of secular dilemma over communalism in India. The questions you raised about your understanding are themselves indicating that some thing greatly has changed in Indian secularism in which secular and non secular share commonalities. May I rephrase your question to M J Akbar. ‘Are journalists like you reacting as a responsible media persons or like an agent of state apparatus who solely depends on one side of story in terror cases? Why you do not dare to think beyond Police version while you report? If you can have doubt about secular credentials of M. J Akbar just because he wrote unlike you, can somebody dare to call you too Togadia and Singhal or their spokesperson as majority of media covers terror issue according to their thesis. But still I would not rais any doubt about you just because you did not this time.

You blame political Islam. Just try to read Graham Fuller’s article “World without Islam” which says that current problems would still persist, had there not been religion like Islam. The problem lies somewhere else which neither media nor secular people can dare to address. May be Dalits leaders and intellectuals would have been treated like terrorist had there not been Indian Muslims.

Current political configuration does need terrorists, terror outfits and terror ideologies, some time from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and some time from within. The nation state does require a fake imagination to stay united against some one even on the cost of elimination of some one else, Muslims or Dalits or even Darfuris in Sudan and Armeninans in Turkey. This was the case in Europe when there was no Muslim question.

Do you treat Dawood and Chhota Rajan alike? No! Do you treat communist dictators and Muslim dictators same! Do you think India is a better secular society than Muslim Turkey. Do you think that Indian police is Indian or Hindu Police with big temples inside Police stations.

Yes there are problems within Muslim society but they are because of their marginalization in development program since independence. Here your answer lies why Muslims do not oppose Muslim fundamentalism as many Hindus do against Hindu fundamentalism. Hindu society without strong middle class character can not do that secularism job. Absence of Muslim middle class brought dominance of Mullah Politics in main stream. Political parties, instead of supporting economic upliftment, bargain Mulahs for votes who in return dominate Muslim community with support of Hindu political parties.

Just have courage to re-look entire anti Terror theory obsessed with Islam or you will loose many Anwar and M.J Akbar perceivably.

Mumbai Terror Attack : Refigure country’s security system

2008-12-02T08:37:00.001-08:00

Another attack on this nation, despite all terror networks, terror masterminds have been time and again were detected, encountered, tried, jailed and even sentenced. This great nation has undergone its most tragic and traumatic experience during Mumbai Terror Attack. Apart from condemning this inhuman and hateful ideology of terrorists, we express our full belief that we the Indian will not let the terrorist decide our future. Any terrorists and their ideology must not be allowed to trample on our democratic and secular values. So no political ideology in this country must be allowed to manipulate the crisis situation only for vote bank politics. It is time to express our unity and resolution against terrorist.

Traditionally, we Indians are very happy when we are told that the masterminds have been gunned down or that the links have been traced out in Pakistan. Every terror attack, we are used to listen the same script read out by our governments and political leadership. In some last years, this country has already experienced a lot of pain and destruction at hands of terrorists. We got same pre-recorded statements and we let our politicians go free. Let us change our mindset!

Our security system will not improve just by making anti-Pakistan slogans or brandishing Islamic Terrorism or even Hindu Terrorism. Neither anti-people draconian law will make our country secure as we have already seen that despite rampant misuse of POTA, terrorists stayed at large and they attack again.

Some questions??

Do you want to be a police man?

Do our security system recruits best of talents? Major surveys have shown that ill-educated and half literate people have been recruited in polices. It leads us to think why India’s brilliant minds do not attract towards Police and security agencies. This can be found in gross injustice against police personnel who are acutely ill paid in comparison of other jobs.

Criminals are political bosses of Police.

Criminalization of politics has given leverage to criminals who now order police rather been put behind bar by them. Is it not irony of this nation that police personnel’s ‘morale has been repeatedly attacked by Shabuddin, Pappu Yadav type politicians. It is not unknown to us Mumbai’s long and deep rooted underworld has been enjoying political patronage by either way.

Do we not need more Veer Abdul Hameed?

How long this country has to wait to get a representative security system? Many well researched surveys have proved that our intelligence system has failed. In Gujrat, it was reported that Muslim informers are now not relied by their own community. Why Muslims are only informers, why Muslims are not directly recruited in agencies? Why our security agencies are still been dominated by particular cast and religion? Can lack of well connected, well informed officers in our security agencies will not affect our reach to trace and anticipate terror threats. Do we really not need more Veer Abdul Hameed at battle ground against terrorism?

Is politicians’ job more than to trace ISI and Pakistani hand only?

Blaming Pakistan is good deal for our inept politicians. Isn’t fact the country which can’t protect its own border, its own leaders and people, how can respond to our concerns? Why not engaging Pakistan and Bangladesh to make Terror Free region? Isn’t fact that blaming Pakistan has become like football every party want to hit more kicks? Shouldn’t we approach Islamic world to force Pakistan instead to take refuge of Israel?

Pending internal challenges

Can we live in peace unless we resolve long pending social problems in Naxal hit areas, Assam, North East, Jammu and Kashmir? Hateful ideology preached by RSS, arms training camps are now known threat to internal security? Newspapers have been reporting that some of rightwing groups are coordinating with foreign intelligence agencies in their terror strikes against other communities in the country. Is it not correct time to isolate these forces, condemn their ideology to protect this country.

Imagining terror: Bollywood echoes scripts of Police and Media

2008-12-02T08:34:00.001-08:00

Showing terror and the making terror may bring identical consequences to the audiences and victims. News media’s depiction of terror events is sometime more horrible than the original one. Given legal and TRP constraints News media have line of control for terror coverage but they do establish and force audiences to use spectacles which is correct and accurate to them. It is to be debated whether media should or should not act like investigating agency or as state’s spoke-men. How minorities are pushed behind wall by media despite media’s well propagated and sporadically proven claims about impartiality.

Entertainment media is no more unaffected of terror discourse. Films about terrorism are enjoying huge popularity and making big business across the country. Terror attacks, political debate over terrorism and News media’s obsessed coverage has created a vast market and audience for scripting terrorism in Bollywood. Now there are four popular scripts on terrorism.

The police’s script which represent state’s version of terror

Right wing forces’ version of terrorism which is often used to pressurize UPA and Congress governments

Third is that of both News Media and entertainment media’s observation of terrorism

The last one but least covered is of those who are blamed, charged, tried, punished and encountered.

Now those who are following news coverage and Police statements will find little difference in their version. News media just don’t bother to investigate other version and believe in Police version at whole. Why news media is much dependent on Police is a question on media itself. Stating confession in police custody as big success, only misguide common people and provoke them to act against particular section. Police-Media nexus is dangerous for a democratic and transparent society like India.

Bollywood is now one more player in this terror politics but with subtle and equivocal ways. There are series of films in last some years. One should not doubt on the directors’ intentions, it is all about the meta narratives which have been established by media and right wing forces as very sacred and unquestionable. Questioning Police version now became compromising national interests and security concerns.

Let us start from the latest released film a Wednesday directed by Neeraj Pande, starred by Naseeruddin Shah as unnamed common man, Anupam Kher a Police Officer and Jimmy Shergil as a Muslim ATS man. Ham itne lachar kion why we are so incompetent, Naseeruddin Shah an unidentified ‘stupid comman Indian’ asks in his well established speech. Why Police don’t take action against terrorists and keep them in jails instead wipe them out. Inspector Rathor tried to convince Chief Minister that police requires unlimited authority to curb on menace of terrorism as rightwing groups argues in favor of stringent laws against terrorism.

How the common man should react against terrorism, is also suggested in the film. The film fails to differentiate between consciousnesses of people who reacted against Godhra Rail fire and against terrorism. It is just allowing civilized mob lynching. Cleaning the home from cockroach is the logic behind common man’s action against terrorists. Allowing common man to decide who is cockroach, is a dangerous job. It is better to call it frustration of common man which needs to be addressed carefully by state. Ways to involve common men in terror campaign particularly in India’s complex society are still to be searched. Recommending Salwa Judum type counter terror strategies will be of dangerous socio-political consequences.

‘A Wednesday’ has given specific answers which came in a very conscious mind of a director whose main concern is to show how angry is ‘the common man’. Naseeruddin Shah was glorified as ‘the best’ because he successfully forced Police to encounter terrorists. Executive (the Chief Minister) allowed police to manipulate the story after entire chaotic episode. Media’s self regulation in such cases is the character of todays’media. It raises another question about Indian audience which lauds only fabricated Mumbia film type news stories regarding terrorism. What is wrong if Indian audience know that an unknown person made all this drama instead to show tell them manufactured story? It is the self regulating media in favor of either state, corporate, politicians or else one which is socializing audience in a particular way. Indian channels’ self regulation in Kashmir, North East, Dalit and minorities issues, is always visible.

That the people will only accept a fabricated version is ‘reality’ beyond films also. It is the real story how the Indian state deals all crimes. This is how the democracy is undermined. Anti terror strategy differs from those that in western countries where despite all anti-Islamic rage, legal procedures are abided. Mission Istanbul another film directed by Apoorva Lakhia, tries to expose media and terror nexus. Al-Johara channel, a tacit name of Al-Jazeera which is often considered as terrorists channel by the US for not endorsing its versions of war on terror, has been shown media business through terror. The movie has opened new vistas about media’s organizational limitation. The ownership determines the coverage policy and discourse. It is universal truth about media in India, and the western world like CNN, FOX and BBC when they cover wars in third world. The uncontested western media empire was only challenged by Arab channels like Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya. It is not surprising that Al-Jazeera type channels may be prosecuted by Gitmo investigators. Mission Istanbul discloses how terror groups and media rare dealing to pursue their interests.

Real Amir and Black and White directed by Rakesh Moria are nearly same stories in which one suicide bomber terrorist went back to Pakistan with love for India and another forced Suicide bomber Amir prefer to blow himself instead of innocent people. All theses movies presume that Indian Muslims have inclined towards violence and militancy following Gujrat riots a claim without evidence. Once Pakistani terrorism was another source of bollywood’s nationalist movies. Mission Kashmir, Roja, Machis and many other movies were produced. Pakistan Murdabad, Bharat mata ki jai, Vande Matram is the common slogans inside cinema hall during the shows of these films. Doodh Mangoge to kheer denge, Kashmir mangoge to cheer denge, ‘you will get Kheer if you ask milk, you will be chopped if you ask Kashmir’ is very popular dialogue which only created intolerant and emotionally charged audience.

In all of these films Indian film industry has shown nothing difference from the official police version about terrorism. Yet there are certain sections in the film industry which has been trying to balance between Hindu communalism and Muslims victimization. In the Name of God, the Naseeruddin Shah starred Pakistani film got huge success in Indian halls. Not because of its contextualizing terrorism, it was because of explaining a moderate Islam which Naseeruddin Shah as a Maulana presented. Why Indian film industry could not get context of terror scripts. It seems clear that terrorism needs a broad understanding of Indian society.

Is Bollywood really concerned about terrorism as it was for Roti Kapda and Makan in its starting days after independence? Is all this obsession only to catch terror victim Indians audience to make money? Can films about human right violations, MNCs’ overpowering local authorities, economic disparity and other social problems make money? Other than Perzania no film could make any news about human rights. Exposing flaws in democratic structures and secularism is more difficult task than that of the independence struggle. India is proud to be democratic but not for sustaining it. Improving democracy will enhance opportunities for media also though not in immediate future.

Looking terrorist as a Hindu, as a Muslim, as Police officer and as a media persons may not work in addressing the problem. Since Muslims feel alienated in state’s anti terror strategy, their views on terrorism are no where listened. In recent Batla House operation many secular journalists came out to blame Muslims. Ashoutosh of CNN-IBN blamed M.J. Akbar for speaking language of Imam Bukhari. Shabana Azmi was criticized because she complained the discrimination in her own life, now Naseeruddin Shah also expressed the same views. Media reports as once most secular faces now have lost their secular credential just because they said something that they don’t like to listen. Muslim audience has felt unease from these images.

Encountering innocents on the name of terrorism like Sohrabuddin, murder of Khwaja Younus in police custody, atrocities against common people in Kashmir and North East may not get attention of Bollywood directors, but incomplete and half truth of a important social and political phenomenon like terrorism may deepen the chasm between imagination of two communities and will only weaken our effort against terrorism. Bollywood must have to take an independent, unbiased and inclusive picture of our social problems by creating imagination of a country where minority is not imprisoned in majority’s perceptions. Playing emotions will only damage democratic institution and glorify manipulation of state system against its own citizens.

2008-12-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

Imagining terror: Bollywood echoes scripts of Police and Media

The police’s script which represent state’s version of terror

Right wing forces’ version of terrorism which is often used to pressurize UPA and Congress governments

Third is that of both News Media and entertainment media’s observation of terrorism

The last one but least covered is of those who are blamed, charged, tried, punished and encountered.

Clash of Imagination: Media and Culture in contemporary India

2008-12-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

Media, hot or cool, is the most important and inseparable component of urban life. Media has taken a central position in transforming values, ethos and behaviour of given population. Since media is also defined in terms of consumer and producer and producers are patrons of media which eventually take care of consumer class. Can consumer values are going to replace nationalist values? Can consumer identity harmonise conflicting identities per say Hindu, Muslim, Sikh etc. Treating some one as a customer is safer than to do as a Hindu or Muslim.

Films, Serials, Soap Operas, Patriotic songs, movies, printed and digital news stories etc all do create an imagination dominated by values, icons, symbols and explanations which may not be acceptable to some section of India society. Advertisements, films, serials and other cultural products reflect not only economic disparity between different religious and ethnic groups of the country but also differentiation in their imagining process.

Some simple questions may unleash this tough debate. For example How a Hindu Indian does imagine his nationality. Who are the first national icons in his imaginations? What are the primary national threats in his imagination? What are primary national symbols to him? How he symbolises his nation and nationality?

Same question can be asked about Muslims’ imagination for this country. Interestingly, one would find a big chasm between two imaginations. A Muslim may name Abul Kalam Azad, Hasrat Mohani and Mohammad Ali Jauhar as his national icons. A Hindu can give a list of different name starting from Savarkar, Ballabh Bhai Patel, etc. Yes there are some common names like Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose.

Issue of Vande Matram is the best example of this clash of imagination. One group regard it criterion of nationalism, other considers it against its religious teachings or raises objection on the disputed background of the song. Arjun Appadurai’s comment on this disjunctive perception looks important; “one man’s imagined community is another man’s political prison”. Two divergent explanation of Indianness is the reality of contemporary India and no one’s patriotism can be suspected.

Urban centres and cities are the battlefield of this debate given to their media reach and literacy. Small cities and villages are still relatively calm and immune of this debate. Is this a cause behind radicalization of educated youths both in Minority and majority community? How media can play a constructive role while mediating cultural products. Media can play an important role to avoid this tension. Media can reconcile both imaginations; bring them closer through creating alternative and acceptable imaginary of this nation.

Conversely, on the name of nationalism and national integrity, resisting perceived external threats (like Pakistan in India and India in Pakistan), roaring anti terrorism rhetoric, media can be exploited against each other particularly against minorities. Terrorism may be a genuine problem for a filmmaker but it has some different meaning for minority population who is the victim as well as ‘convict’ of terror crimes. To examine the extent of perception gap on several issues, Urdu and Hindi news papers are best example. Usage of different opposite language, opposite editorial prescription is disturbing cultural debate in India.

In a time when India’s cultural industry is expanding manifold, cultural debate will get intensified. This is a study which may open new avenues for a multicultural society like India and hence produce more accommodative, more acceptable and unalienable imagination of human society.

Hijab: beyond Islamic fundamentalism

2008-12-02T08:30:00.002-08:00

I was passing through a Muslim slum in my city Unnao. Literacy rate in this locality has never been encouraging. Most of the men are workers since they are childhood. Women are as well ‘working women’ selling commodities on Thelas or hose cleaning and cooking in Muslim elites’ homes. Here the story of Hijab got twisted and opened another insight of Islamic fundamentalism.

I am not sure how practicing Muslims they are. But elite Muslims treat them just like half Muslims, not good Muslims. Because they never pay Zakat, do not perform Hajj and they seen in Masjid only two three times in a year; Eid, Baqreed, Janaza (prayer for dead person). Only few of them offer Juma prayer. Their names are not like Arab names. They preffer Baqreedan, Shubratan, Ramzani, Jumman etc. Through my own information channels I know that their girls have all love elements for their boys and many dare to challenge their parents if they do not agree with their relationship or they hold their wedding at large.

Over the years, I had some opportunities to interact with them as I have to do some welfare work during Ramazan on behalf of some rich people. All I can say that the debate of Islamic fundamentalism and extremism is not worrisome issue for them. I don’t think any of them even has any exposure to these issues. All their Islam is about naming Muslim name, Khatna, Meelad etc.

I felt that Hijab the veil has significantly became fashion in my city. I observed many of these girls and tried to know who they are. Girls of upper caste Muslims or rich Muslims are not so unknown in a small city because they are rarely seen in public while these ‘working women’ are easily found and often seen in streets. Some other known signs are there to identify.

For my surprise, most of these girls were from slum area where Islam still needs resurgence. I don’t know what make these girls getting veiled. All I know is that Hijab has become much visible in working places, entertainment places and every where these girls have to go. In cinema veiled Muslim women are enjoying movies, in parks, roaming for romance in markets purchasing daily diet. They make Hijab with covering their face also while face covering is gradually decreasing among elite Muslim women.

The conventional academic and journalistic analysis concludes that Islamic fundamentalism is intruding daily life and remote areas. I have strong reservation against this conventional academic knowledge loaded with western and rightist Islamo-Phobia. Why a girl wears Hijab when she goes for work in a Muslim home? While young girl would have Purdah even she has nothing to do for Islam in rest of her life. Her allegiance to Islamic traditions is never up to the mark and her education never crosses Milad Shareef.

Lower class Muslims are inclining towards symbols of middle and upper class Muslims. None of their relatives have ever been in Gulf countries that often bring the faishon of designed Hijab with them. They can’t sustain high prices of these Hijab. With booming local Hijab industry, many of these women can be seen bargaining for prices and eventually have a designed Hijab with low quality of fabric.

Quest to be part of Islamic society without confirming ideological symbols is at the helm of this change. It is Hijab beyond Fundamentalism.

Of ports, airports, and stations

2008-12-02T08:30:00.001-08:00

‘Stations are the best place to remember some one left behind’. The great quote took birth in my mind when I was cooking some tricky words for my friend at New Delhi Railway Station. But it pushed me to peep in the history of these places, their transformation in global well connected world. It was amazing to think how departure points in the history of travel have influenced human memory for a long time.

In India just some decades ago, trains were the only way to reach Mumbai the then the only destination for unemployed villagers. Only a few men used to get this opportunity and given the long distance, they return only after a long period. Take one seen from ‘Welcome to Sajjanpoor’.

Jane too Jane Na is the only film made at an Airport. But the emotional effect of Airport are diluted since the actors were not the from that class for whom departure means more than real. At the same Airport many laborers going to the Gulf for small work may be left with weeping eyes and crying women. Even these emotional scenes have almost disappeared as the connectivity in absence is now more than that of in presence. Perhaps husbands in abroad talk with their wives on phone more than they used to do at home.

Jama Masjid and Sundar Cinema: Defeat of secularism

2008-12-02T08:27:00.000-08:00

Sundar Takeez : Jama Masjid

After getting down from Gomti Express in Unnao, I sensed air of belonging and attachment with my hometown. I grew and brought up here, lived and visited its most of the villages, dived in its rivers and canal like Sai, Ganga, Sharda etc. Unnao’s irony lies in the fact that it is never a first city of its elected political representatives. Most of them come from outside and got elected easily. So is the case of its development. Some of its villages are more developed than the district headquarters. Unnao is also home of large unemployed and uneducated youths. So the crime rate is always high than its rate of literacy. Learning goondagardi is easiest profession as free networks and mobile goonda mafia groups are spread across the district. Murder of young leaders in some last years has now become a tradition. But still people of Unnao are fearless because they are part of problem and are well used to live in it.

When I was child, I was little aware of Hindu Muslim conflict. Even December 1992 post Babri Demolition riots didn’t catch the city in which my father and my elder brother were arrested on fake cases which were dropped by the police after election. My father is active member Insani Biradri which is founded to revive legacy of frontier Gandhi Khan Abdul Gaffar. Fragile civil society successfully managed the communal tension and communal harmony survived.

But nobody knows if the texture of communal harmony is unchanged and un-poisoned. I feel that communalism is not a high degree of hate preaching and hate ideology. Instead, communalism is first road of any fascist society. When a lay man starts thinking, looking and behaving through communal lenses, the communalism wins the last strategic battlefield. Winning hearts and minds of lay men, common men are first and prime target of any fascist tendency. Here I experienced that communal texture of my city somehow has changed and got refigured unknowingly over the years.

Sundar Takeez is the place where Hindu, Muslims, Sikh, Christians and all sex-manics watch B grade movies. The B grade film conflates all conflicting identities in a single cinema house. You ask any Riksha puller any where in the city for Sundar Takeez he would go with you. A Mazar of a Muslim Baba is another attraction of this cinema which is located inside the cinema premises. Every Thursday, pilgrimages from every religion and sect use to visit the shrine and seek bless for their future works. Manager of this notorious cinema is also a Muslim.

This cinema is also border line of Hindu Muslims areas. This takeez divides Hindu Mohallas from Muslims Mohallas. So, this is the crossroad where every road goes to a different identity. One of its roads goes to my Mohalla that is Jama Masjid which itself denotes the identity. Jama Masjid surrounds nearly 15000 Muslims.

I only used to ask a rikshaw puller to go to Jama Masjid whenever I come to my city from Lucknow, Hydrabad or Delhi. Even I never bother to fix the rate as some rikshaw agencies were owned by Muslims of Jama Masjid area and they all were aware of the common fare. I don’t remember if I ever have any argument with rikshaw pullers about fare. Rikshaw pullers come from near villages. Most of them are very poor, simple and honest strugglers.

I don’t know why I started asking rikshaw pullers to go to Sunder Takeez instead of Jama Masjid in recent years. Initially I thought that many new rikshaw pullers might not know Jama Masjid. I realized very disgusting and disappointing reason.The change in my dealing with rikshaw pullers was more than incidence. I started Sundar Takeez instead of Jama Masjid to avoid any negative response from them. I was under unknown pressure to change my destination from my own place to another place.

It was evening and I really need a rikshaw as I was extremely tired and had luggage. I asked one rikshaw to go Sundar Takeez anticipating his refusal for Jama Masjid.

The Rikshaw puller made a counter question. Khas Sundar Takeez?

Kia khas aura aam do sundar takeez ho gai hai kia yahan. I tried to confuse him.

Nahi mera matlab hai ki age to nahi jana hai?

Kuch meter age ya kuch meter peeche. Itne me kia bigad jayega.

Khas ke aur am ke paise agar alag alag hon to bhi bata do.

He got confused and was not able to reveal what exactly he wanted to say.

Finally I asked him to drop me to Jama Masjid or Sundar Takeez if he does not wish to do. Knowing that I am to go Jama Masjid and I may ask him to go a few meters ahead after Sundar Takeez ‘Khas’ he categorically refused to go either.

I insisted him to go as it was he who asked me first and agreed to go to Sundar Takeez. I said I came only after you asked me and I didn’t even ask the fare and I would not get down from Rikshaw until you drop me to Sundar Takeez. He made all excuses and refused to go. I haven’t any option except to go on foot. I walked to my home thinking about the change. Muslims of Gujrat and Maharashtra are already undergoing this disgusting experience and most recently Batla House or Jamia Nagar is the new name in this list.

If it is true that rikshaw pullers started thinking about their passenger thought communal lens, I think that secularism is defeated against communalism in a very strategic place that is hearts and minds of common men. Knowing that Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad type organizations always ask their Hindu brothers to boycott Muslim socially, economically and every where, I fear that the idea is however getting accepted. Though I can’t suggest any repair program, I have to choose only Muslim rikshawalas if I want to go to Jama Masjid without any sense of discrimination but I don’t like this option. For me choosing Hindu rikshawwala is better even I have got to go on foot. To me, It is only way to win heart s and minds of misguided common men.