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November - 2011

With TN Civic Poll IUML Spring Commences

National Unity

Communal Amity

Cultural Identity

Social Justice

Rule of Law

Dignifi

ed Democracy Volume : 1 Issue - 11 Dulhajj 1432 November - 2011 Pages - 8 Monthly Price : Rs. 10/- Annual Subscription : Rs. 120/-

THE TIMES OF LEAGUE

Municipal Councillors

Kadayanallur

1.Sulaiha Beevi

2.Mubarak

3.K.M.Abdul Latheef

4.Mohideen Fathima5.Muhammed Iburahim

6.K.M.Syed Masoodu

Tenkasi

7.M.Syed Abil

Puliyangudi

8.A.Mohideen Pichai

9.S.Al Mahathi

Ramanathapuram

10.K.Shaik Dawood

Nagappattinam

11.A.Sahabudeen

Ambur

12.Bilal Basha

13.Athikullah

14.Iqbal Ahamed

15.Sirajun Nisha

Gudiyatham

16.Amreen Mukthiyar

Kulachal

17.A.Sadiq

Pernampet

18.V.Abdul Batcha

19.S.Parveen Abdul Maliq

Kayalpatnam

20.K.V.A.T.Muthu Hajarah

Panchayat Union Ward Members

1. Kaanai-Ameer Abbas

2. Jafrabad-Thajunisha

3. Rahmathnagar or Meenakshi

puram - S.Noorjahan

Village Panchayat Presidents

1.Valuthur-Tamil Selvan

2.Vallam-Divan Oli

3.Kurnikulathupatti Devarmalai-Abdul Majid

4.Trichy Enamkulathur-Mumtaj Begam

5.Viluppuram Kanai-A.Faritha Begam6.Ramanad Sempattaiyarkulam-S.Bilaludeen

7.Ramanad Perunali-Abdul Razak

8.Nellai Sammankulam-T.P.M.Resavu

Mohamed

9.Nellai Pottalpudur-A.Hasan Bakker

The party w ins the Election contesting on its own symbolThe Tamil Nadu IUML did away with the customary practice of contesting Election in alliance with major politica parties on their symbol, this

time by contesting the local body election on its own symbol without alliance with any political party on the state level. Further the IUML won

several seats unopposed, a unique and historial achievement in the annals of the

IUML history in Tamil Nadu. The IUML Caders were jubiliant when its president prof. K.M. Kader Mohideen announced that the IUML would face

the civic body election on its own strength and on its own symbol, and he gave the liberty to the district leaque to choose the candidates of their

choice to contest the election. The respose was treamendous and the election result was encouraging. Further the result has proved that IUML is

the sole representative body of the Muslim Community in India.

The following is the list of IUML Candidates w ho won th e civic body election.

The state election commission

in its data released after the

recently concluded local body

elections omitted the name of the

IUML party, even though , it hasmanaged to gain the 10th place as

per the seats share of the political

parties. The state party President

Prof. K.M. Khader Mohideen, has

questioned the attitude of the

state election commission in a

statement released to the press.

The TN IUML in the 10th place in local body election

State election commission data omits IUML nameProfessor K.M.Khader Mohideen seeks justice

The following is the text of his

statement.

IUM L in the 10th place

In the local body elections, the

IUML has contested in 394 places onits own symbol and has won in 119

places. In the election conducted

on the party lines, the IUML has

won 20 municipal councillor seats,

4 panchayat union councillor seats

and 17 town panchayat councillor

seats. All together 41 seats. We

convey our gratitude to the voters

Since it has won 41 seats, the

IUML has secured 10th place

among the winning parties, but

our party name does not finda place in the state election

commission data. The VKC with 35

seats, Puthiya Thamizhagam with

14 seats, Rashtriya Janata with 11

seats, the All India forward bloc,

the IJK and the RSP with one

seat each, have their party names

mentioned in the data.

Seek Justice

This act of omission by the state

election commission has hurt the

feelings of the Muslim leaguers. Itis a great injustice to the voters who

have voted to us. We will appeal

to the state election commission

against this discrimination. We

well seek justice. We hope that

the state election commission will

certainly give that right to us.

(See Page No. 5)



November - 2011

2THE TIMES OF LEAGUE

Editor

THE TIMES OF LEAGUEA Harmony of Hearts Monthly

People’s verdict

Election is the basic foundation in any democracy and the local

body election in Tamil Nadu has proved that this foundation is

very strong in our country. As per the data released by the state

election commission the ruling AIADMK has secured first place,

the DMK second and the main opposition party DMDK third place

in the local body elections. The AIADMK has captured all the ten

corporations, a large number of municipalities and town panchayats.

Its performance is highly remarkable. Further, this election has

provided an opportunity to prove the strength of the individual

political parties as almost all parties contested the election on their

own strength without forging any political alliance.

The IUML has contested in 394 places and has won 119 seats.

Undoubtedly, it is a remarkable and historical achievement by

comparing to its past performances. The result has proved beyond

all reasonable doubts that the IUML is the soul representative body

of the Muslim community in India. Even though the party has

secured 10th place among the winning parties, it is hurting to note

that the party does not find a place in the state election commission

data, released after the elections. The other parties, which secured

lesser seats, have their names mentioned in the data. The party

high command has appealed to the state election commission

seeking justice against this act of omission by the state election

commission. We hope justice will be rendered and our rights will be

restored.

The media was munificent in praising the remarkable achievement

by the AIADMK in the local body elections and stated that it

was an endorsement of the schemes, policies and promises of

Ms. Jayalalithaa. We, too, have no hesitation to join with them. But

what is her answer to the Muslims queries about her poll promise to

enhance their reservation quota. Is there any time frame to fulfil the

promise or will it end as a false promise? Further we hope that the

government will treat all the local bodies equally by distributing the

necessary funds to them without any discrimination on the party

lines. We consider the election results as the people’s verdict and

we welcome and appreciate it.

Holy Quran

Speaks

It is He Who has sent

amongst the unlettered a

Messenger from among

themselves, to rehearse to

them His Signs, to purify them,

and to teach them the Book and

Wisdom (Sunnah),- although

they had been, before, in

manifest error;-As well as (to

confer all these benefits upon)

others of them, who have not

already joined them: And He is

exalted in Might, Wise. Such is

the Bounty of Allah, which He

bestows on whom He wills: and

Allah is the Lord of the highest

bounty. [62:2-4]

Sayings of Prophet

Muhamm ed (Sal)

• The Prophet sal Allahualay

hiwasallam invited the believers

to make salah on him. It was

narrated that Abu Hurayrah

(may Allah be pleased with

him) said: The Messenger of

Allah salAllahualayhiwasallam

said: “Do not take your houses

as graves and do not take my

grave as a place of festivity

(which you visit repeatedly).

Send blessings upon me for

your greeting will reach me no

matter where you are.” [Abu

Dawood, Saheeh Al-Albani]

TN Local body election results

Volume : 1 Issue - 11 Shawaal October - 2011 Pages - 12 Price : Rs. 10/-



November - 2011

THE TIMES OF LEAGUE3

The first view of the area

outside the holy mosque. A

giant clock tower (second tallest

building in the world) overshadows

everything in its vicinity, sadly, even

the house of God. Did Mecca really

need it? That too so very close to

the mosque. The towering hotels

challenge the very principles of

the pilgrimage. People with money

can have the best view of the holy

A Journey to theHeart of Islam

merge at the Prophet’s [PBUH]

mosque in Medina. The beautiful

pillars double as umbrellas during

the day. You feel trasported to

another world altogether.

The mountain of Uhud in Medina

is a grim reminder of hypocrites

in Islam. They fled the battlefieldwhile the Prophet [PBUH] was

alive, what to talk about the state

of affairs 1400 years after him.

A mosque established by a

prominent follower (Salman Farsi)

of the Prophet [PBUH] in Medina is

one of the last few old structures

holding ground.

Heritage has given way to

grandness. Is this our legacy to

the generations to follow!

Jannat-ul-Baqi, Medina - thefinal

resting place of many members of

the Prophet’s [PBUH] family, some

of his prominent followers andother Prophets [PBUT] of Islam.

mosque. What about the white ‘Ihraam’, which stands for unity in

simplicity!

As a Muslim you grow up

prostrating in the direction of

the Kaaba, five times a day. You

hear stories about prayers being

realised on its first sight. Naturally,

you long to visit it one day. So

when your plane touches Saudi

Arabia, it’s this very moment you

are looking forward to. When you

do see it, you are speechless! You

feel the closest to God and that’s

when he answers your prayers.

Technology and spirituality

down from (Mount) Arafat,

celebrate the praises of Allah at the

Sacred Monument, and celebrate

His praises as He has directed you,

Although the Saudi government

is doing a fine job in safely handling

millions of pilgrims every yearbut they need to strike a balance

between modernity and care for

Islamic heritage.

For Hajj are the months well

known. If any one undertakes

that duty therein, Let there be no

obscenity, nor wickedness, nor

wrangling in the Hajj. And whatever

good ye do, (be sure) Allah

knoweth it. And take a provision

(With you) for the journey, but the

best of provisions is right conduct.

So fear Me, o ye that are wise.

It is no crime in you if ye seek

of the bounty of your Lord (during

pilgrimage). Then when ye pour

even though, before this, ye wentastray.’t it better to learn facts as

suchForgiveness

Thus saith the Lord, “Verily

those who are patient in adversity

and forgive wrongs, are the doers

of excellence.”

Once Muhammad was asked, “O

Apostle of God!” How many times

are we to forgive our servant’s

faults?” He was silent. Again the

questioner asked, and Muhammad

gave no answer. But when the

man asked a third time, he said,

“Forgive your servants seventytimes day.”

There is no man who woundeth

and pardoneth the giver of the

wound but God will exalt his dignity

and dimish his faults.

That man is nearest to God,

who pardoneth, when he had in

his power him who would have

injured him.

Do not say, that if the people

do good to us, we will do good to

them; and if the people oppress

us, we will oppress them; but

determine that if people do you

good, you will do good to them;

and if they oppress you, you willnot oppress them.

Half in US support

legalizing marijuana use,

poll finds

Half of Americans now support

legalizing marijuana use, a record

level, amid growing support for

decriminalization that could build

pressure to eventually change USlaws on the drug, a Gallup poll

showed on Monday.

The poll showed that support

was highest among liberals and

adults under age 30, with more

than 60 percent of respondents

in those categories favoring

legalization. Support was lowest, at

just 31 percent, among Americans

over age 65.

“Support for legalizing marijuana

has been increasing over the past

several years, rising to 50 percent

today, the highest on record,” a

summary of the poll said. Another

46 percent said marijuana shouldremain illegal.

“If this current trend on legalizing

marijuana continues, pressure may

build to bring the nation’s laws

into compliance with the people’s

wishes,” the summary added.

Gallup said support for

legalization had crept up from just

12 percent in 1969 to 30 percent

in 2000 and 40 percent in 2009.

Last year, a Gallup survey found

70 percent of Americans favoredmaking it legal for doctors to

prescribe marijuana to relieve pain

and suffering.

California in 1996 became the

first state to decriminalize medicalmarijuana, and a number of other

US states have followed suit with

their own statutes. Cannabis

remains classified as an illegal

narcotic under federal law.

A separate national survey

released last month showed

that marijuana was increasingly

becoming the drug of choice among

young adults in the United States,

with nearly 7 percent of Americans

aged 12 and older having used

marijuana in 2010.

The Gallup poll released on

Monday showed that Democrats,

at 57 percent, were more likely

to support legalization than

Republicans, only 35 percent of

whom favored such a move. Men,

at 55 percent, were also more likely

to back legalization than women,

at 46 percent.

By geography, more than half of

Americans in the West, Midwest and

East supported legalization while inthe South, 44 percentfavored such

a move.

The poll was based on telephone

interviews conducted between Oct.

6-9 with a random sample of 1,005

adults across the country. The poll

had a margin of error of plus or

minus 4 percentage points.



November - 2011

4THE TIMES OF LEAGUE

Dr. Umar FaruqAbd-Allah,

formerly Wymann-Landgraf, an American scholar associated with

Al-Nawawi Foundation, Chicago

delivered a lecture on ‘Islam and

the Question of Modernity’ on

September 9 at Bangalore. Author

of several books, Dr.Abd-Allah has

taught at several universities in

the US, Spain and Saudi Arabia.

The lecture was organized by the

Centre for Community Development

(CCD). Here we present a gist of

his speech:

Often in general discussion the

modernity is identified with secular

humanism. But economic content

of the modernity is neglected. In

this business, science, technology,

medicine etcbecome very

important. It has to be borne

in mind that modernity cannot

succeed without religion if it is not

beneficial to humanity and is not

long lasting.

Man is known by the biological

name Homo sapiens which means

‘animals with knowledge’. But man

is basically Homo religosus as

it is based on historical studies.

They have always worshipped

something. Even in Indian history

there have been phases of religion

and atheism. Twentieth century

has been the most secular century

worldover. It was an exceptional

century. Religion underwent

renewal and revival before the

20th century.

It is said a new religious

movement is born every 12 hours

in the 21stcentury. This testifies tothe fact that humans are essentially

religious. They are desperately

looking for religion.

Religions always reinterpret

themselves. Unless they do this,

they get fossilized. Ancient Rome

is a fine example. It had a huge

pantheon of gods. Twentieth

century is a century of rivalry.

Modernity has created a crisis as it

was in Roman empire.

Modernity is essentially a system

of economy which is post agrarian.

In agrarian phases, the economic

system relied on land ownershipand agricultural surplus. In the new

economic system the corporates

have an important role. East India

Company made India’s transition

from agrarian to industry. With

new financial system, money

found new form and functions. It

led to the capitalist system and

a new political system of nation-

state. We have to keep our eyes

on the economic system. The

West cast its net wide and caught

all the civilization and brought

them on board. Philosopher Arnold

Toynbee believed that Islam wasa forerunner in this aspect. Islam

had all elements of civilization. He

found problems with Muslims as

they lacked confidence, but their

religion had all the element of a

great civilization.

The synergy between Islamic,

Chinese and Mongol civilizations

brought forth modernity. Muslims

were thefirst to usher the world intoa new economic system whereby

the wealth could be transferred

from one to the other destination

through a system akin to cheques

as is the system today.

A horrendous development took

place in the 14thcentury. It was

bubonic plague. It probably began

in Swat Valley (now in Pakistan)

and gripped wide swathes of land

from China to Europe. The black

death crippled the world economic

system. It was one of the reasons

for fall of the Muslim Spain. It

caused a great economic recessionbetween 14th and 15thcentury.

Following decline of the Muslim

world, Europe rose. It brought in

its wake the corporate system and

colonialism.

Therefore, it is essential to

understand the economic system

in order to understand modernity

and the challenges it poses.

It is also absurd to think that

the Europeans understand the

economy fully. Modern democratic

state is an apparatus to deal with

the economic system.

Today, the economy has takena lead over political system and

the United States is nothing but

‘Democracy Incorporated’. Modern

Corporations are extremely

powerful and influence the

governments more than the people

can influence. The challenge is how

do we save democracy from the

Islam and the Question of Modernity!stranglehold of the corporates.

A lot of confusion prevails in the

Islamic world over the question,

how do we apply Islam and

create value system? The Western

economic machine has shown

that it has seeds of destruction

within itself. The First World War

was about who would control

the colonies. The Second World

War was about control of oil and

energy.

Some Muslims saw modernity as

a threat. Some mistook modernity

with Christianity. Muslims need

to study the phenomenon

objectively. Modernity remains a

crisis for everyone. It is a spiritual

challenge. The challenge is to

control economic order in a way

that it does not become a threat

to world peace. Today we are

psychologically vulnerable.

(Dr.Abd-Allah suggested the

following books for further reading

on the topic: Islamic & European

Expansion: The Forging of a

Global Order [Paperback], Michael

Adas, (Editor), 1993; The World

System in 13th century by Janet

abuLughout, How do we Save

the Democracy from Corporates?

By Richard Bulliet, The case for

Islamo-Christian Civilisationby

Richard Bulliet: Modernist Islam

1840-1940, by Charles Kruzman

by Oxford University Press; Liberal

Islam by Charles Kruzman by

Oxford University Press. )

The Supreme Court on Tuesday

found the Centre’s policy for

facilitating and regulating Haj

pilgrimage of 170,000 Muslims to

Mecca and Madina in Saudi Arabia

as lopsided and requested attorney

general G E Vahanvati to assist it

in framing a fresh one for 2012.

A bench of Justices Aftab Alam

and Ranjan P Desai stayed a Kerala

High Court order putting some last

minute spokes in the government’s

quota for 11,000 pilgrims but said

the manner in which the pilgrimage

was being organised every year

left much to be desired.

The court took exception to a

high-level of ficial Haj delegation

that visits Saudi Arabia every year

as state guests with all expenses

being paid by the government. “I

do not comment on the political

practice but it surely is bad religious

practice. What kind of Haj is this?”

asked Justice Alam.

Last year, the of ficial Haj

delegation was headed by then

Andhra Pradesh chief justice Nisar

Ahmed Kakru, who was critical

of the arrangements made by

embassy of ficials in Saudi Arabia

for the delegates.

Justice Alam said, “We have

granted stay on the Kerala HC

order and it may end this litigation

for this year on Haj pilgrimage but

we will keep the petition pending

for framing a fresh policy for 2012.

This policy must respect Indian

Constitution and religious ethos.”

Explaining the religious ethos

behind Haj pilgrimage, counsel

Harish Beeran said Islam allowed a

Muslim to undertake Haj pilgrimage

only if he had discharged his duties,

was financially able to meet the

expenses and was in good health

to endure the rigours of the long

journey.

Of the 170,000 Haj pilgrims

quota fixed for India, 1.25 lakh

were nominated by Haj Committee

through draw of lots, 11,000 by

government of India including

1,500 for Jammu and Kashmir and

rest through private tour operators

(PTOs).

The bench was critical of the

treatment meted out to pilgrims

by PTOs and said the Hajis were

being fleeced. “We have personally

come across sufferings of Hajis at

the hands of some unscrupulous

Haj tour operators. We must have

a proper policy for 2012,” the

bench said.

SC finds government’s Haj policy lopsided




November - 2011

Village Panchayat Members

Perunali

1.Gaffarkhan

2.Seeni Syed Iburahim

3.Pandaravadai-V.R.Kurshid Basher

Valuthur 4.Shajahan alias Kamaldeen

5.Sabina Begam

6.Habib Gani

7.Muhammed Sherif

Sakkarapalli

8.Abuthahir

9.Muhammed Ibrahim Faisal

10.Jubaitha Gani

11.Ummu Hani

12.Jainulabideen

13.G.Muhammed Ismail

Pulivalam

14.M.Sadullah

15.Mangalam-H.Rabiyudeen

16.Mangalam- Ayishama

17.Taraikkudi-R.Setu18.Narippaiyur-K.Sikkanthar

19.Selvanur-Hasina Begam

20. Valantharavai -Ummath Nisha

21.Ragunathapuram-Rajan Begam

Arikesavanallur

22.P.K.Buhari

23.A.FathimaPambukovil Shandy

24.S.T.Deen Oli

25.A.Ibrahim Moosa26.Sambankulam-Kasi

27. Sambankulam-Fathima

28. Sambankulam-Sahul Hameed

Ravanasamuthiram

29.Peer Muhammed,B.A.B.L

30.K.M.Aman Ali

31.Muhammed Ansari

32.Nagore Ammal Syethali Fathima

33.Kanagarampattu-Abdul Hathi

34.Esanatham-Ilampirai Siddiq Ali

35.Jameen Athur-Ammapettai-Anvar Ali

36.Palaverkadu-Abdul Wahab

Nilakotta Vilangur

37.K.P.Hamza

38.K.K.Nasar

39.Pitharkodu-Zohara Beevi

Serankodu40.Umar

41.Syed Ali Moulavi

42.Sambaver Vadakarai- V.Faqrudeen

43. Auandu Valangur -K.V.Hamsa

44.Bakkala-Nasar

45.Muthaliyarpatti-Shaik Mohideen

46.Malik Nagar-Divan Pakkir Maideen

47.Mettur Rahmaniyapuram-

Hamidha Beevi

48.V.Abdul Kasim

49. V.K.Pudur-T.Kader Mohideen50. Arulatchi -Akbar

Veeranam

51.M.Abdul Muthalif

52.M.Amanullah

53.S.Muhammed Ibrahim

54.Fathi Muthu

55.Kalineer Kulam-Anisha Begam

56.Kuthukkal Valasai-M.B.Ghouse Gani

57.Theanpothai-Muhammed Hussain

Pathamadai

58.Manister Muhammed

59.Syya Muhammed

60.Sajithal

61.Malikamali

62.Darmakabeer

Overchery

64.K.E.Salamath Begam65.A.M.Thameem Ansari

66.Tenkalam -Rukaiya Banu

67. Vallam-Deevan Muhideen Pichai

68. Vallam-Shamsudeen

Town Panchayat Members

1.Lebbai Kudikkadu-Dawood Ali

2.Devar Solai-V.K.Hanifa

Kottakuppam

3.Amina Banu

4.Jareena Begam

Pallikonda

5.C.S.Kadir Ahamed

6.Tahira Mohideen

Lalpettai

7.Misbahunnisha

8.Shaik Dawood

9.Sathankulam-Muhammed Ismail

10. Vasudevanallur- Aysha Beevi

11.Muthupettai-Golden Tambi Maraikkayar

12.R.S.Mangalam -Mathlub Jahan

13.Seranmadevi-B.M.Kamal Batcha

14.Nellai Eruvadi-M.Peer Muhammed

15.Melaseval-Jannath Meerammal

16.Naina Muhammed

(Continue from Page 1)

Muslims in general may

be opposed to the creation of

a separate Telangana state butanalysis of region-wise employment

figures for Andhra Pradesh shows

that in the 10 districts of Telangana

region, Muslims and OBCs have

suffered the highest loss of Rs

41.50 in rural per capita income

between 1993-94 and 2004-05.

On the higher education front,

the community remains the most

backward in urban areas, with

the absolute change being less

than even SC/STs and OBCs, an

analysis done by Sachar committee

member secretary and NCAER

chief economist Abusaleh Shariff showed. Shariff recently presented

the findings to Andhra Pradesh

chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy.

The per capita rural income of

Muslims and OBCs went down by

Rs 4.10 in Rayalaseema between

1993-94 and 2004-05 and

increased by Rs 57.10 in coastal

Andhra. On the other hand, high

caste Hindus in coastal Andhra

suffered a per capita income loss

of Rs 51.50 in rural areas while

SC/STs saw a jump of Rs 71.60.

In urban areas of the state,

Muslims make only 4.2% of

employees in the formal sector

against 40.9% of high caste

Hindus, 39.1% OBCs and 15.8%

SC/STs. In rural areas, only 4.5%

of the workforce in the formal

Muslims grow poorer in Telanganasector are Muslims against 17.9% high

caste Hindus, 28.5% SC/STs and 48%

OBCs.The Muslim higher education figures

rose by less than 2% between 2004-05 and

2009-10, against an increase of more than

12% for Hindu general category students,

nearly 8% for Hindu OBCs, 2% each for

SCs and STs. The figures for Muslims in

the state, in fact, mimic the community’s

status in the all-India scheme of higher

education where it registered a similar

rise. Literacy figures for the community

which showed an increase of 13-14% lag

behind that for Hindu general category

students who showed a leap of 18% but

is better than Hindu SCs and STs.

On the matric front, Muslims OBCs inurban areas showed a jump of 11% and

Muslim general category students were

up by 8%. The figures for SCs was 13%

and that for STs 14%. Shariff said the very

nature of investment in higher education

was such that benefits to the excluded

communities was very little and even new

investment would help only those who

already had the right opportunities or

students from other states. “Af firmative

policies are required to change this

situation,” he said.

(An analysis of region-wise employment

figures for Andhra Pradesh shows that

in the 10 districts of Telangana region,

Muslims and OBCs have suffered the

highest loss of Rs 41.50 in rural per capita

income between 1993-94 and 2004-05.)

(Courtesy : Times of India,

Chennai 8th Oct 2011.

MUSLIM STATISTICS

Only 4.66% Muslims in India’s Paramilitary Forces

Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s greatest Prime Minister, had noted in1953 that “in our Defence Services, there are hardly any Muslimsleft… What concerns me most is that there is no effort being made toimprove this situation, which is l ikely to grow worse unless checked.”

This concern was reiterated by MahavirTyagi, junior defence minister,who disclosed that “the percentage of Muslims in the armed forces,which was 32 percent at the time of Partition, has come down totwo…”

After 60 years of Independence, the percentage of Muslims inIndia’s paramilitary force of 1.3 million personnel, second largestparamilitary force in the world, remains as low as 4.66% i.e. 60,517.Indian Paramilitary Forces which consist of CRPF, CISF, and BSF amongothers. This was revealed by Minority Affairs Minister A. R. Antulaywhile replying to a question in RajyaSabha recently.

About 15.7% of OBCs are Muslims according to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, which also informed that Muslims constitute 1.8%of the Indian Foreign Service. Muslims make up 7.2% of the Centraland State Public Sector Undertakings for the units who reported theirdata.

The information is based on the report of the Prime Minister’s HighLevel Committee on Social, Economic and Educational Status of the

Muslim Community of India also known as Sachar Committee Report.Half of Muslim population does not have access to doctors in UP:

surveyOnly 48.2 per cent of Muslim women have access to doctors for

antenatal care, while the percentage of women having access to Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM)and support of anganwadi workers forfulfilling their nutritional requirements is 21.3 per cent and 0.5 percent respectively. These are the findings of National Family HealthSurvey III.

According to the survey, only 21 per cent of Muslim couples in UPand Uttarakhand are using contraceptives and only 32 per cent of them are aware about modern contraceptive methods.

Although the United Nations recognises India as one of the keycountries for achieving its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),Muslims in India are still a forgotten lot.

According to New Delhi-based Tehreek-E-Pasmanda Muslim Samajand National Conference of Dalit Organisations Muslims continue to live

as a marginalised community in U, despite thefindings of the SachcharCommittee,. The organisations presented their report on “MDGs and

Muslims in India” on Saturday and will organise a conference on theissue today.

Speaking on the report, president of Tehreek-E-Pasmanda MuslimsSardar Anwar said the Sachchar Committee report had assessed thereal conditions of Muslims in India, but it could not attract any majorpolicy interventions on the matter.



6

THE TIMES OF LEAGUE

November - 2011

A fter Holocaust, Islamophobiais emerging as the second majorindustry for think-tanks to investtheir money and energy.

The Think Tanks and familyfoundations spent $42 millionduring the last 10 years tomanufacture and spread fearsagainst Islam, Muslims, Shariaetcin the United States.

A small group of inter-connectedfoundations, think tanks, pundits,and bloggers is behind the 10-year-old campaign to promote fearof Islam and Muslims in the U.S.,according to a major investigative

report released here by the Centerfor American Progress (CAP).The 130-page report, Fear, Inc.:

The Roots of the IslamophobiaNetwork in America, identifiesseven foundations that havequietly provided a total of morethan $ 42 million to key individualsand organizations that havespearheaded the nationwide effortbetween 2001 and 2009.

They include funders that havelong been associated with theextreme right in the U.S., as well asseveral Jewish family foundationsthat have supported right-wing

and settler groups in Israel.The network also includes what

the report calls “misinformationexperts” – including:

Frank Gaffney of the Center forSecurity Policy (CSP),

Daniel Pipes of the Philadelphia-based Middle East Forum (MEF),

Steven Emerson of the Investigative Project on Terrorism,

David Yerushalmi of theSociety of Americans for NationalExistence, and

Robert Spencer of Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) – whoare often tapped by television

news networks and right-wingradio talk shows to comment onIslam and the threat it allegedlyposes to U.S. national security.

“Together, this core group of deeply intertwined individuals andorganizations manufacture andexaggerate threats of ‘creepingSharia’, Islamic domination of theWest, and purported obligatorycalls to violence against all non-Muslims by the Quran,” accordingto the report whose main author,Wajahat Ali, described the groupas “the central nervous system of the Islamophobia network.”

“This small band of radicalideologues has fought to define

Sharia as a ‘totalitarian ideology’ and legal-political-military doctrinecommitted to destroying Westerncivilization,” the report said. “Buta scholar of Islam and Muslimtradition would not recognize theirdefinition of Sharia, let alone a laypractising Muslim.”

Nonetheless, the group’s messages receive wide disseminationby what the report calls an

“Islamophobia echo chamber” consisting of leaders of theChristian Right, such as FranklinGraham and Pat Robertson, andsome Republican politicians,

such as presidential candidatesRepresentative Michele Bachmannand former Speaker of the Houseof Representatives Newt Gingrich.

Other key disseminatorsinclude media figures, especiallyprominent hosts on the Fox NewsChannel and columnists in theWashington Times the NationalReview; as well as grassrootsgroups, such asACT! For America,local “Tea Party” movements, andthe American Family Association,which are behind current effortsby Republican-dominated statelegislatures to ban Sharia in their

jurisdictions.The report also cited the Middle

East Media and Research Institute(MEMRI), a press-monitoringagency created here in 1998by former of ficers in the IsraelDefense Force that translatesselected items from Middle Easternprint and broadcast media, as akey part of the broader network,providing it with material tobolster its claims regarding thethreat posed by Islam. MEMRI,which has just been awarded aState Department contract tomonitor anti-Semitism in the Arab

media, has often been accusedof selectively spotlighting mediavoices that show anti-western biasand promote extremism.

Judging by recent polls, thenetwork has proved remarkablysuccessful, according to the reportwhich cited a 2010 WashingtonPost poll that showed that 49 % of U.S. citizens held an unfavorableview of Islam, an increase of ten% from 2002.

The same network also succeededin inciting a national controversyaround the proposed constructionof an Islamic community center in

Lower Manhattan – the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” – which,

according to Gaffney and others,was intended to celebrate the 9/11attack on the World Trade Centerand “to be a permanent, in-our-facebeachhead for Sharia, a platformfor inspiring the triumphalistambitions of the faithful.”

“It’s remarkable what a smallnumber of people have achievedwith a small group of committedand generous donors,” said EliClifton, a co-author of the reportand a national-security reporterat CAP, a think tank which isclose to the administration of President Barack Obama, who has

himself been a prime target of theIslamophobic network.

The report, which was funded bythe financier George Soros’ OpenSociety Institute (OSI), comes ata particularly sensitive moment

– just two weeks before the tenthanniversary of 9/11 and less thana month after the murders of 76people in Norway by Anders Breivik whose Internet manifesto not onlyechoed themes propagated by thekey U.S. Islamophobic ideologues,but also quoted directly from theirwritings in dozens of passages.

Indeed, Spencer’s blog, Jihad

Watch, a program of the DavidHorowitz Freedom Center, anothergroup identified by the report aspart of the Islamophobic network,was cited 162 times, while Pipesand the MEF receive 16 mentionsand Gaffney’s CSP another eight.

According to the report, JihadWatch has been supported via theHorowitz Center primarily by theFairbrook Foundation, which isrun by Aubry and Joyce Chernik.Between 2004 and 2009, Fairbrook provided nearly $1.5 million toIslamophobic groups, including Act!For America, CSP, the Investigative

Project, and MEF.The Cherniks also supported the

far-right Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) and AishHatorah, afar-right Israeli group behind theU.S.-based Clarion Fund, whichproduced the video, Obsession:Radical Islam’s War Against theWest that was, in turn, heavilypromoted by the Islamophobicgroups featured in the report.Breivik praised it in his manifesto.

Some 28 million DVD copies of the Obsession film were distributedto households in key swing stateson the eve of the 2008 presidentialelections in an apparent effortto sway voters against Obama.

Some $ 17 million in funding fortheir distribution was providedby a Chicago industrialist, BarrySeid, according to a Salon.comreport published last year, andwas channeled through Virginia-based Donors Capital Fund, whichincludes several prominent right-wing and neoconservative figureson its board.

Donors to the Fund have alsocontributed $ 400,000 to theInvestigative Project and 2.3million dollars to the MEF between2001 and 2009, according to thereport.

Other major donors toIslamophobic groups includeseveral foundations controlled byRichard Mellon Scaife; including $2.9 million to CSP and $ 3.4 millionto Horowitz’ Freedom Center. TheLynde and Harry Bradley Foundation,which has often coordinated itspolitical philanthropy with Scaife’sfoundations, provided some $300,000 to MEF, $ 815,000 to CSPand $ 3.4 million to the FreedomCenter. In addition to moretraditional charitable activities,both Scaife and Bradley have longbeen major supporters of far-right

and neoconservative causes.Other major donors included the

Newton D. and Rochelle F. Beckerfoundations, the Russell BerrieFoundation, and the AnchorageCharitable Foundation and WilliamRosenwald Family Fund, accordingto the report.

In its mission statement, theRussell Berrie Foundation cited asone of its principal goals “fosteringthe spirit of religious understandingand pluralism”.

“The intellectual nexus of thenetwork is well understood,” saidFaizShakir, CAP’s vice president.

“We know it’s driven primarilyby hatred against Muslims; whatwe don’t know is what are themotivations of the funders. Wedon’t know to what extent they areaware of what is being funded,” hesaid.

Horowitz denounced thereport in a statement issued onits website, calling it a “typicalfascistic attempt to silence criticsand scare donors from supportingtheir efforts to inform the Americanpublic about the threats we facefrom the Islamic jihad.”

Efforts to obtain comments fromMEF and CSP were not successful.

ISLAMOPHOBIA

Network behind Islamophobia Uncovered




November - 2011

Thank you, Madam President.

First of all, I would like tothank you for organizing thisOpen Debate on the Middle East,a region witnessing momentous

transformation.I would also like to thank Under

Secretary General Lynn Pascoe

for his comprehensive briefing ondevelopments in the region.

Madam President,

Clearly, the issue of Palestine hastaken a decisive turn in the historyof the Middle East conflict after

President Mahmoud Abbas filedan application with the SecretaryGeneral on 23 September 2011 for

Palestine’s full membership to theUnited Nations.

Speaking a day after President Abbas filed the application, my

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singhsaid in the General Assembly on24 September 2011 that India has

been steadfast in its support forthe Palestinian people’s strugglefor a sovereign, independent,

viable and united state of Palestinewith East Jerusalem as its capital,living within secure and recognized

borders side by side and at peacewith Israel, as per the relevant

resolutions of this Organization,the Arab Peace Initiative and theQuartet Roadmap.

The Prime Minister added thatwe look forward to welcoming

Palestine as an equal member of the United Nations.

Madam President,

India recognized the PLO as thesole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in 1975 and

its Of fice in New Delhi was accordedfull diplomatic recognition in 1980.India was thefirst non-Arab country

to recognize the State of Palestinein 1988. We have maintaineddiplomatic relations with Palestinefor over two decades now.

It is also pertinent to note thatPalestine has been recognizedby more than two-thirds of the

membership of this Organization.Obviously, the State of Palestine

fulfills all criteria mentioned

in Article 4 of the Charter formembership to this Organization.

We, therefore, support Pales

tine’s application and hope thatthe process will be concludedexpeditiously.

Madam President,

During my long political career, Ihave had the honour to work closely

with the Palestinian leaders.I had met the undisputed lea

der of the Palestinian people latePresident Yasser Arafat on 17

September 2004 at Ramallah, justa few months before he left hisearthly abode.

At that meeting, I had the opportunity to reiterate India’s solidaritywith the Palestinian people and

support for their cause.He had warmly recalled his

close relations with Indian leaders,

particularly Mrs Indira Gandhi andMr Rajiv Gandhi, and appreciatedIndia’s unwavering support for the

cause of the Palestinian people.We have continued our

interactions with the Palestinianleadership under President Abbas.

He has paid state visits to India in2008 and 2010.

Madam President,

As the world’s largest democracyand arguably its most diversecountry, India recognizes the demo

cratic aspirations of all peoples,including in the Middle East.

The call of the international

community for democracy andrespect of fundamental rightswill sound hollow if the presentimpasse continues and Palestinians

are denied their aspirations.It is also our firm conviction

that lasting peace and security in

the region can be achieved onlythrough peaceful dialogue and notthrough use of force.

In this context, we havenoted the Quartet Statementof 23 September and hope that

the timelines indicated in theStatement would be realized.

The biggest stumbling block to

direct negotiations between theIsarelis and Palestinians remains

continuing settlement activitiesin the occupied Palestinian

territories.We call upon Israel to stop

settlement activities. This willfacilitate resumption of negotiationsin which all Final Status issuesshould be addressed.

We cannot, however, makePalestine’s membership to theUnited Nations conditional upon a

peace agreement for that will belegally untenable, even while wesupport resumption of direct talks

to resolve the outstanding issues.Madame President,We welcome the recent agree

ment between Israel and Hamas

on exchange of prisoners. Wehope this will ease tension and

build confidence.We also hope this would pave

the way for an early and significanteasing of restrictions on movement

of goods and people into the GazaStrip, thereby addressing the direhumanitarian situation there.

India on its part has continuedits development support to thePalestinian Authority.

From the year 2009-10, weenhanced our annual contributionto the United Nations Relief and

Works Agency [UNRWA] to US$

1 million, in addition to a specialcontribution of US $ 1 million to

UNRWA in response to a flashappeal in 2010.

During the last two years, India

has also contributed US$ 10 millionannually as untied budgetarysupport to the Palestinian Auth

ority.We are offering 100 slots to the

Palestinian Authority for capacity

building and human resourcedevelopment under our technicaland economic cooperation progra

mme.

We have also undertaken jointprojects with our IBSA partners in

Palestine with a sports complexhaving just been completed.

Madam President,While the Israeli-Palestinian

conflict is the most serious one inthe region, we need to be mindful

that resolution of this conflict byitself may not result in achievementof a comprehensive and durable

peace in the region.Other issues relating to Arab

lands that remain under occupation

are equally important. Progress inthe Lebanese and Syrian tracksof the Middle East Peace Process

is, therefore, necessary forcomprehensive and lasting peacein the region.

Developments in the Middle Eastsince February this year underlinethe need for reinvigorating thesearch for this comprehensive

peace, while the countries in theregion undertake inclusive politicalprocesses and implement reforms

to meet the legitimate aspirationsof their people.

It is important that the grievan

ces of the people are addressedthrough dialogue and negotiations

rather than resorting to arms.It is the responsibility of all

countries to create conditionsthat enable their people to freely

determine their pathways todevelopment. This is the essenceof democracy and fundamentalhuman freedoms.

No action should be taken fromoutside that exacerbates problemsand gives space for the rise of

extremism.The international community

should stand ready to assist

the countries in these effortswhile respecting sovereignty,

independence and territorialintegrity of all countries.

As my Prime Minister said inthe General Assembly on 24September, societies cannot be

reordered from outside throughmilitary force.

Observance of the rule of law is

as important in international affairsas it is within countries.

Guided by these principles,

Madam President, India standsready to play its role in ourcollective endeavours to achieve a

just and comprehensive peace in

the Middle East.Thank you.

Statement by H.E. Mr. E. Ahamed,

Minister of State for External Affairs, Government of In dia

New Y ork, 24 October 2011

UNSC’s Open Debate on the Situation in the Middle East

the times of league november

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