29/08/2012

Lo! They too say that…

The legal system has made life too easy for criminals and too difficult for law abiding citizens.” This is the feeling not of some social scientist, political commentator, or applicant or respondent frequenting courts of law, but of the court itself. And that too the highest palladium of justice viz. the Supreme Court. The feeling of the court came to light during the hearing of Lalit Narain Mishra murder case. Lalit Narain Mishra, a towering political leader of Bihar, was done to death in a devastating bomb blast at Samastipur Railway Station when he was participating in a programme over there as Union Minister for Railways 37 years ago. This case is going on since then. During its hearing on 17th August, Justice HL Dattu and Justice CK Prasad said, “Judiciary is not responsible for this delay rather (the counsels of) the accused who are lingering the case for such a long time are responsible” and that “we can only say that our justice delivery system is responsible for it.” (The Hindustan Times, 18th August)

This feeling is common
The fact that our justice delivery system is faulty from different angles; that getting justice under this system is very difficult; that there are many ways for legal evaders to linger; there are many chances for counsels to do hair-splitting and gimmicking; the poor and weak party does not get justice in spite of being on the truth while the powerful party in spite of being the real culprit wins the battle, has not been said for the first time. However up till now this fact was expressed by the law abiding citizens; it is as if this is the common feeling. But this is perhaps the first time that two learned judges of the Apex Court have said this in a candid and unambiguous manner. Most often evading the law begins from the side of the police. – However to the gentle citizens this problem does not confine to the department of law and courts alone; they face it in almost every field of collective and administrative life. For example, those paying the income tax honestly are considered foolish or even dishonest. The same is the problem with those paying electricity and water bills. 

If seen minutely
If the statement of the learned judges is analysed minutely, the situation would emerge that life here is difficult for the citizens who abide by laws and provisions and lead a gentle life while it is easy for those who lead life otherwise. And also, that the basic faults lie in the collective system. And it is so because the laws formulated are man-made. The entire system of life has been devised by men according to their wisdom. That is, the will of the power who is the creator and master of this universe and everything else therein including human beings has not been accorded importance in devising these laws. Experts agree to the point that human wisdom is not perfect; it is faulty from different angles. It is totally faulty especially in the matter of devising laws. This is why the need for amendment to the laws is felt time and again. This fact can be felt right from the trial of Lalit Narain Mishra murder case to the 2G Spectrum scandal. It is not known whether or not the learned judges ever pondered over this fact. Even if they did not do so, they have accepted at least one part of this fact by conceding to the fault lying in the justice delivery system. Now it is the duty of the propagators of the truth to talk to them during its further stages.
28/ 08/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf
 

25/08/2012

When Iran was sad

On Sunday, 12th August, when the entire Iran was sad at the devastation of earthquake, its government was busy in doing relief and rehabilitation work in the affected areas, funeral rites of the deceased were being performed, the work of providing medical treatment for the injured in hospitals and food for children was going on, – and the entire world was conveying sadness at this tragedy and expressing sympathy with Iran, even America was not only expressing sympathy but also offering every possible aid, in the Vatican the leader of Catholic Christians Pope Benedict 16 was expressing solidarity with the Iranian government and supplicating for “our Iranian Brothers” during the Sunday Service, exactly the same day in Jerusalem Israeli “Prime Minister” Benjamin Netanyahu was telling his cabinet: Iran must be prevented at any cost from developing nuclear warheads as its nuclear programme is a threat not only for Iran but for the entire world; international sanctions proved fruitless, so something else should be done. (The Hindustan Times, 13 August) In the A.P. report there is also mention of attack on Iran.
 
Proof of stone-heartedness
And thus this Zionist state provided a tail-telling proof of its tyranny and stone-heartedness, telling the world that it has no sympathy with humanity and human lives. It is not that some sudden trouble had befallen or there was some special occasion on which Yahu had to issue this warning; it was a routine meeting; had it been any civilized country, it would have postponed the warning. But Zionist cobras are ruling over Tel Aviv; they do not consider any occasion to hurt humans. – The Muslim community is well aware of the history of Bani Israel or Jews, how tyrant, characterless and ungrateful they have been; they had been the killers of their benevolent Prophets; Allah repeatedly blessed this community with bounties through Prophet Moses (Musa) and in return it always did mischief. And also, after the release of Zionist Protocol in the 19th century a group of this community has posed a threat to the entire humanity. Therefore, this statement of Yahu is not a matter of surprise for Muslims but is quite in concurrence with their opinion. This community takes all other communities as mean and as its slaves.
 
A time for Government of India to ponder
Then the countries that are all praise for Israel, in their pursuit of enmity with Islam, should think on their policy. America cannot do this work as its very nerve viz. its economy, politics and science and technology is in the hands of Zionists. Almost the same situation is developing in our country too. A section of this country, which despite being small is ruling the roost in every field of collective life, takes Israel as its great ally, friend, supporter and helper, and is spending a big chunk of national resources on it in the name of boosting security, agriculture and diplomatic relations. It should see it very well that this Zionist state cannot be friend of anyone. – It is a matter of satisfaction that there are also wise and far-sighted persons in the country. For example, a group of scholars, authors, educationists and human rights activists, which has protested against the agreement of University Grants Commission with a scientific institution of Israel, has said that no agreement should be signed with a country which has made the life a hell for the Palestinians. This group has formally launched a campaign named “International Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel”. (The Hindu, 11 August) Now, armed with further arguments, these people should tell the country why they are against the Zionist state.
25/ 08/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf
 
 

23/08/2012

Bias of the Media


The truth is that the media is biased against some communities. It's surprising that the recent killing of Sikhs in a gurudwara in the US has got more media coverage than the death of 70 people in Assam.” This extract from the brief letter of Subrata Mukherjee (Delhi) in The Hindustan Times (13 August) is in response to the article of Rajdeep Sardesai (The Hindustan Times, 10 August) in which the attitude of media in reporting the events and incidents was defended and an excuse was given that ‘the lack of proper coverage of the Assam riots is due to inaccessibility’ in the far-flung areas there.
The letter writer has deemed the entire argument of Rajdeep as weak and said that media has not at all been unbiased. This Rajdeep Sardesai is a great don of corporate media, runs CNN, IBN and IBN-7 and many other news channels, and has his say in print media as well. Naturally, when he is a man of corporate media, his stand in reporting and comments on situations and developments can be imagined.

 The colour of the entire media is the same
Not to say of Rajdeep Sardesai alone, most of the great journalists of Indian media are associated with corporate media; and most of the news channels and English, Hindi and regional languages newspapers are run by big corporate houses. This is so much so that media itself has emerged as a money-spinning industry and the journalists associated with it work for the benefit of their masters and in return earn lakhs nay crores. Central and state governments, in lieu of their strong purchasing power, get them work as per their policies, and give them hefty bribes in the form of gifts and foreign tours. To flourish their business these channels and newspapers are always after increasing their TRP. They report only those events and incidents, of course with their special angel, which can either serve their interests or increase the number of their readers and watchers. They do not have such interest in Assam, at least for the time being. Some participants of the rally at Azad Maidan, Mumbai had the same complain against media; but due to the mischief of someone or sentimentalism of some participants the situation got unpleasant.
 


But this is also a bright aspect
But it is not the characterlessness of media that we have to lament here but what we intend here is to acknowledge the feelings of people like Subrata Mukherjee. There are lakhs of people in the country who complain against the irresponsible attitude of media, which sometimes find expression in the letters column of print media. This silent population of the country is worried not only about the attitude of media in news reporting but also about its waywardness in presenting cultural and entertainment programmes. The seriousness of the way Indian media, in pursuit of toeing the line of the west, is promoting immodest culture and spreading obscenity among new generations has not been duly felt. The problem is that those who feel are not organised; there might be some NGOs but their performance is not visible. Yes, this work can be done by the present chairman of Press Council of India Justice Markande Katju, if he so wills. He is for promoting high moral values in society. He must do something for this purpose. This suggestion could have been extended to Team Anna and Baba Ramdev but to move against media would perhaps prove detrimental to them.

19/ 08/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf

21/08/2012

An important suggestion for Muslim journalists

The leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari has advised Muslim journalists to do, on their own, some investigative journalism to dig out facts about terror blasts in the various parts of the country. Addressing Muslims journalists during an Iftar party at JIH headquarters on August 3, he said, “A section of media is looking hell-bent to witch-hunt a particular community within minutes or hours of a terror blast…. Despite the fact that Hindutva extremists have been found involved in various terror blasts across the country including Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Dargah, Malegaon and Samjhauta Express and several Hindutva extremists were killed while making bombs or carrying bombs in the past, yet any blast takes place and police and media rather than probing the incidents professionally and objectively, they start pointing fingers directly or indirectly to Muslims.” (Twocircles.net) – It can be said here that it is not proper to give Muslim or Non-Muslim colour to journalism as a journalist is journalist; his duty is to report events and incidents and analyse them honestly and comment on them in an unbiased manner.
But practically it is not so

It is alright as far as only statement is concerned, but practically it is not so; had it been practically true, the JIH Amir had not to make this suggestion. It remains a fact that the mainstream or national media of this country happens to be characterless and dishonest; it is a product for sale; during delicate situations government agencies run it in accordance with their set lines on the basis of their strong purchasing power; they also do this in the name of “national interest”. The minds of people associated with media are affected; therefore they cannot report events and incidents honestly as they have no interest in bringing the facts to the fore. The most recent example is reporting from Pune. Some minor blasts took place there on August 1; media persons started taking the name of “Indian Mujahideen” without any second thought; then investigating agencies immediately declared that neither Hindutva extremists nor Maoists had any hand in these blasts; and that it was the work of “Indian Mujahideen” and in other words of Muslims. And the entire media exerted all its powers quite brazenly to carry this theory further while the ground realities clearly pointed towards the mischief of anti-Muslim elements.

 Why this work is necessary

This is why Muslim journalists should bring the realities to the world, on their own. But the question is how Muslim journalists can do this work. They have neither necessary wherewithal nor have they access. The Muslim journalists associated with mainstream media are compelled to work in strict conformity with the policies set by their respective channels and papers; even if they prepare some stories (of their liking), their media do not release them. The access of Muslim journalists is not limited. Even if they gather the realities, they can get them published only in Urdu newspapers, which have only Muslim readership. That is, they cannot influence agencies and the government. Undoubtedly, these are the impediments before Muslim journalists. But despite this, Muslim journalists should fulfil their responsibilities, as far as feasible, towards the delicate issues having far-reaching importance. Whether or not there is any major advantage of these stories finding place in Urdu newspapers, one great benefit is that the record of history will be set right and future historians and researchers will feel compelled to write that the Muslims had been countering the allegations levelled against them but the mainstream media had not been publishing those ground realities rather used to suppressed them.

13/ 08/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf
 

That statement of new minister for home

Those who would have heard, or read, the statement of Shushil Kumar Shinde that he made while expressing happiness at having been appointed Union Minister for Home, must have noted that Shinde takes this decision of the ruling class as pro-Dalit. That is, naming as Home Minister a person from among the Dalit castes that have been treated in society as mean under the caste system and whose work is only to serve the “high” castes, is indeed the large-heartedness and benevolence of the section that has established this system of high and low caste on the basis of birth. Otherwise, under the Varna system the “low castes” have no right to get higher education, eat good food, live in a decent manner, and sit and dine with “high castes”. It is as if Shinde accepts that he is “mean” and is content with this social status. Meira Kumar too had expressed exactly the same pleasure and gratefulness in 2009 when she was appointed speaker of Lok Sabha. Meira Kumar is the daughter of Babu Jagjivan Ram.

 Untouchable, Harijan, Dalit

Varna vayvastha or caste system, as everyone knows, is the social system of Indian majority population, which by its nature is distinguished in human society and is found on this very land. The founders of this system are Aryan Brahmins who have divided human beings in four high and low castes; then there is also an arrangement of castes within castes, numbering in thousands. The fourth caste, the meanest, is called Shudra. Before Independence they were called “untouchables”; later Gandhiji gave them the name of “Harijan” to keep them happy and contented with this status of theirs. After Independence both of these classifying names were prohibited and they were called “Dalits”. The Constitution has called them Scheduled Castes and Tribes. This strategy of Brahmins proved cent per cent successful. With the word “Dalit” all these sections are very happy and contended; and their educated section, which has emerged as a result of post-independence reservation in educational institutions and government jobs, has heartily accepted this status of theirs. Therefore, now there are separate institutions of Dalits under the patronage of “higher castes”; even “Dalit Chamber of Commerce” has been established.
Now they should do this also

It means that Dalit scholars, entrepreneurs and politicians have fully compromised with the Brahmin social order; so they should do one more work. They should tell all those groups, institutions and social activists who are working in rural areas to put an end to untouchability and high and low castes, to wind up their activities. The recent information in this regard is that mid-day meal scheme for school children in Rajasthan, Orissa, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh is proving a failure because the children of “high” castes do not like to eat in the company of “low” caste children; and indeed they would have been doing this on the bidding of their elders. The Times of India of August 5 has published a very alarming report with reference to the monitoring committee of Union Ministry of Education. The Ministry is sending its teams to these states to take stock of the situation in detail; but there is no need of such activities because whatever is happening is according to the caste system. Much can be said on this interesting situation but it is clear that this is the internal affair of the “majority community” on which those who fall out of the pale of this system have no right to speak.
10/ 08/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf