Summit of Muslim Leaders in Silver Springs

Silver Spring, MD, December 16, 2015 � When there is despair, there is always that hope, thank God, the good people reached out to the apprehensive one�s to assure them that they are with them, and will stand by them.

 That is precisely what the Montgomery County Executives did, they called the Muslim leaders and Imams of the county to listen to their concerns and assure their support. It was organized by Imam Faizul Khan of Islamic Society of the Washington Area in Silver Springs, MD.  You can feel the genuineness of each one of the council members, police chief, school board members and other public servants and the county executive. That sentiment was   reciprocated with sincere expression of gratitude by the Muslims present there.

Each one of the officials spoke from their heart, they care about fellow citizens and this gathering was to advance that sense of community, and imbue the sense of belonging to each other, and they were very successful. God bless them.

There are several ways of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing goodwill. I am pleased to share mine.

First a quote from a friend, "Each and every step towards a unifying goal is the key. And a meaningful engagement between polarized mindsets is the only way to begin bridging the gaps and wide divides that separate us from peace and unified action for humanitarian and environmental health and well being."

Last night I was watching the Presidential debate at the press club, and behind me was a group watching.  When Lindsey Graham spoke eloquently about blaming the individuals and not the faith, which is my mantra, I clapped, and they booed.  One of the ladies and her husband beckoned me to join them, and told me they were conservatives and asked about me, I said I am a moderate.  I introduced myself and gave them my card that read, American Muslim Institution. They asked me about Sharia and I gave them a short talk on the topic.

What followed after that was an interesting but a familiar conversation, Deja vu!   It appears that most of the conservatives have memorized certain things about Muslims, and they reel it off.  I don�t get offended, instead I listen to them patiently and share my perspective.  I am sure you have had that experience, with patience, people will learn to respect you, and gradually see your point of view as a courtesy. Melody is a conservative Radio talk show host; and she wants to get me on her show in North Carolina.  I hope a few more will see another point of view, shame on us, we have let them carry the age old narrative forward, we need to do our part in sharing our narrative.  There is no joy greater than living without conflicts with fellow beings.

Amidst the concerns, issues and the gloom, there is hope.  We have to move from estrangement to engagement and things will change. Stuart Varney at Fox News promised not to use the phrase Muslim Terrorist three weeks ago on his show with me, and Sean Hannity is at least softer and clearer about what he is against, and that is the result of positive engagement.  Last night Lindsey Graham spoke up, and there are way too many good people than the fringe element. Look at these people from the County and School board, they gave hope, and they represent American values of acceptance, they are our models and heroes.

 I am short on time with so much going, so I will yield to the lady sitting next to me, who writes for Muslim Matters, when she files the report, I will share that with all.

This is precisely what God wants � for his creation to sit together and demystify the myths about each other and restore the equilibrium.  Quran (49:13) says the best ones among you are those who learn about each other; indeed, when we learn about each other, conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

Thanks to Sayed Naved for printing and distributing the flier of our �Season of Peace� event and thanks to Rev. Casey Kaseman for announcing it. I had the opportunity to announce it as well during my turn.  Thanks to Amjad Humayun for inviting me to the event.

My job became much easier, we have tentatively found Indonesian, Arab, and Subcontinent groups to sing Nasheeds (poetry appreciating Prophet Muhammad (pbub), and if the African American group can confirm, that would be a significant progress.  Rev. Casey Kaseman and Samia Haque will find a Mormon and a Catholic group to sing Christmas Carols, we need two more, I can find one from the Unification Church or the Unitarian Church and the search will be for an Evangelical group.  We also found Hijabi girls to sing National Anthem (This is a different report).

Please join us for the event, this is a God-given opportunity this year to further strengthen our bonds on the auspicious occasion of the birth celebrations of Jesus Christ and Prophet Muhammad on 25th and 24th of December respectively. God loves each one of us and showers his blessings each time we make an effort to restore the harmony and cohesiveness of his creation; life and environment.These are the signs of good tidings; offering a new hope and a new beginning for the mankind. Together Christians and Muslims make up nearly half of the world population and it is our duty to do our share of work in restoring harmony and peace on earth for each one of the Seven billion of us. We are all in this together.

Kindly share this link to register for the event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/merry-christmas-milad-mubarak-tickets-20040393356

Thank you, 

Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916

Dr. Mike Ghouse is a community consultant, social scientist, thinker, writer, news maker, and a speaker on Pluralism, Interfaith, Islam, politics, human rights, India, Israel-PalestineTerrorism and foreign policy. Over 3000 Articles have been published on the subjects. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. More about him in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and bulk of his writings are at TheGhousediary.com   

Hashimpura massacre, major communal riots took place during Congress rule in UP

One of the oldest pending cases at the Tis Hazari court in Delhi, the killings of innocent Muslims by UP police, has seen a verdict. 

The judge, Sanjay Jindal, has acquitted all the policemen who had herded Muslims from Hashimpura, forced them into trucks, only to take away to deserted spot where they were all shot in cold-blood. 

The bodies were later thrown in canal. A few persons survived to tell the tale.  For 28 years, the families of the victims were waiting for justice. But justice hasn't come. 

Vir  Bahadur Singh

The judge stated that he acquitted them because of lack of evidence. We will come on this issue later, but first going back to Hashimpura. The killings took place in the decade of eighties--1987, to be precise. 

It was the era when Ram Janmabhoomi [Babri masjid dispute] movement was at its peak. But even before the Ram Mandir movement, the notorious PAC was involved in mass killings, city after city. 

This was happening in other states too. Just a few years ago, over 3,000 persons were killed in Neilly. Congress was the ruling party in the country.

 In UP also, Congress was in power. But communal riots in which police readily opened fire, kept occurring. Some party leaders used to say in those days that communal riots and killings can never be stopped in India. 

                                             WHAT HAPPENED IN HASHIMPURA

Congress leaders were disinterested in checking communal riots. But they were very efficient in cover-ups and in protecting the policemen or other police personnel. The 'secular' state was nowhere to protect its minorities. 

After Hashimpura killings, the policemen involved in this massacre, remained in service. There was no action against them. The state police machinery and successive governments fully protected them. 

Muslims were fed up with this attitude of Congress. It claimed to be saving the minorities, but the most horrible riots took place under Congress rule. 

It was this attitude that slowly drove Congress out of UP-Bihar. As the options came, Muslims switched en bloc to 'Third fronts'.

Either it was Hashimpura-Maliana or Muradabad-Firozabad, Neilly-Bhagalpur or Mumbai riots 1992-92, they were all under the Congress rule. 

Congress had opened the locks of the disputed site too. How can it get vote. It claimed to be secular, but beat the BJP at the same game. It could get away with big massacres, with minimum accountability.

Court's judgement, citing lack of evidence. 

While Indian courts are held in high esteem, the fact is that courts are increasingly getting sensitive to cases that are hyped, that affect the affluent or the middle-class, that are taken up as 'causes' by the media. 

When cases drag for decades, how much evidence can last? In this case, the trial was shifted from UP to Delhi, but no fast-track court was set up. When a case continues for a quarter century, how many victims or witness will survive? 

In other cases, there are quick judgments despite lack of evidence. Courts punish to satisfy the 'collective conscience' too. Hashimpura judgment is a clear lesson that Indian state has failed its poor, ordinary citizen.

LINKS:

1. Read what VN Rai, who was SP Ghaziabad in 1987, saw when Hashimpura massacre took place
2. Read the Wikipedia page on Hashimpura massacre
3. SEE PHOTO GALLERY in INDIAN EXPRESS. WHAT HAD HAPPENED in HASHIMPURA. Photo credit Indian Express.

Controversy surrounding Urdu newspaper Avadhnama after publishing Charlie Hebdo cover and its editor's problems

First, the facts of the entire controversy. Mumbai-based Urdu daily Avadhnama stopped its publication after the controversial cover of French paper Charlie Hebdo was reproduced in this paper.

The editor of Avadhnama, Shirin Dalvi, is now out of job. She has several FIRs in police station in different cities in Maharashtra, for hurting the sentiments of Muslims, and is living in hiding for fear of being attacked.

Either it was mistake or foolhardiness, the newspaper had published apology for the photo. The issue should have ended there. The Avadhnama group shouldn't have shut the paper. Some Urdu editors said that she shouldn't be harassed after the apology.

Her problems, her living away from her children, has been mentioned in several news reports [See the news link HERE], people tweeted in her support, but will this help her? No. The reason is double standards in applying law in the country. Her LETTER, [read it on NDTV website], 'I, an underground citizen...' led to outrage on social media.

Why just 'outrage' won't work: Double standards in applying law in the country

1. Getting multiple FIRs registered against a person is a sure shot way to harass him/her, in a big way. The person would spend years, making rounds to the police stations and courts, dealing with lawyers.

2. In MP, an influential Hindi newspaper published the Charlie Hebdo cover. There were massive protests (and yes a law-and-order issue of bigger magnitude than the one cited in Maharashtra), but the police didn't register a single FIR. The Cops said, 'We are examining the complaints and will take action after preliminary investigation'.

3. But, in Maharashtra, FIRs against Shirin Dalvi was registered in half-a-dozen police stations in different cities. Why? It is because she is not a big shot and probably because her paper was not influential enough.

4. Though, both Maharashtra and MP are BJP ruled states, and the laws are also same. The issue was exactly the same, then why police in MP didn't register FIR despite huge gatherings. The reason is 'show me the Man (person), I will show you the rule' style of functioning.

5. It is totally in the hands of police to deal with such issues. If those at the 'top' give nod, FIR is registered, else police conveniently say, 'give us a written complaint, we will examine'. This is a way to delay the FIR and hush up the issue. Often, people are satisfied by just handing their complaint.

6. It requires political or administrative will to take a decision at that level, not going by the book. Citing law-and-order, police may register FIR or they may not. This happens in almost all crimes around us, depending on complainant/accused's influence, financial status, connectivity.

7. There are exceptions though. Someone like Raj Thackeray may have numerous cases registered against him, but being a politician with a cadre, he can get away for long. MF Husain also faced scores of FIRs but he had the means to live away lavishly, though he had to leave the country.

8. It is just like, if you have a row with an MLA or MP or business tycoon, and you go to police station, they generally ask you to leave your complaint, not registering FIR immediately, unless you also have some 'weight' or you are too persistent. This is the problem in our 'system'.

9. The issue is this 'freedom' to register FIR or not register FIR, at will. To register FIR or not register FIR, under pressure or influence. Everyone is affected by these double standards. And even 'police reforms' in certain states and the introduction of commissioner system in certain states, failed to tackle the anomaly.

10. The issue of filing multiple FIRs also needs to be redressed. Though it is a fundamental right, but often, organisations with all-India presence, do it to hound a person. They are able to do it because of their network. Should such FIRs be clubbed or can it be discouraged! Can this issue be redressed?

Police excesses in Mumbra: Midnight raid, illegal detention, humiliation in the garb of 'search operation' shocks residents in Maharashtra town

Around 300 policemen stormed into Rashid Compound in Mumbra (near Mumbai), entering houses, detaining elderly citizens, youths and even the minors.

They were all brought out, forcibly taken towards the police vans and herded to the police station.

Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Amit Kale led this operation that has sent shock waves in the entire Mumbra settlement, and causing anger among Muslims.

There are 11 buildings in the Rashid Compound. All of them were targeted for this 'midnight search operation'.

It was not about policemen entering one or two houses to catch suspects, with warrant. People were woken up in the midst of the night, without telling reason to women folk, the police dragged the male members away.

The senior citizens, schoolboys and prominent persons including poet Obaid Azam Azmi were also forcibly taken away, for no fault of theirs. The victims have recounted the harassment faced at the hands of policemen, to newspapers.

Inquilab reports that women in the bedrooms were woken up during this 'house search' operation. Azmi told the policemen that his father was an MLA, yet, there wasn't any respite. Local residents alleged that many policemen were drunk.

The incident stunned the residents and the news of the mass detentions spread like wildfire. People began gathering outside the police station. Local NCP MLA Jitendra Avhad and members of the social organisations began gathering on the spot.

Seeing the situation was now getting out of hand, the police later released 80 persons. Residents said that it was saddening to see the mistreatment of such magnitude and the manner in which people were taken away like criminals and made to sit on the floor in police station, an eyewitness was quoted in the newspaper.

This incident had occurred on the night of Wednesday and Thursday. The reports in newspapers quote residents as saying that policemen were armed with cutters to break the doors. Over a dozen police vehicles had entered the locality in this swoop.

The reason was that police had to catch certain chain-snatcher. This report tells how '80 Muslims were held to catch a chain snatcher'.

There was no criminal found among those detained. The police highhandedness has been widely condemned.

On Thursday, meetings were held at different places. A formal complaint was also made to home minister. This has happened in a Congress-ruled state.

Though an inquiry has been promised, the highhandedness and the totally unjustifiable action, once again shows the mindset and the biases of sections among the Maharashtra police.

Report in Urdu Times, says that while officials in the raid had said that they had orders from top, senior officials said that they hadn't given any such order to conduct the midnight swoop.

Mumbra is located in Thane district, but falls under Greater Mumbai. It has a population of nearly 10 lakh [1 million now]. The place has a strong Muslim population. In fact, minorities account for 70% of the population  here. Jitendra Avhad is the NCP legislator from here.

The police commissioner has also promised that inquiry would be completed in eight days, say newspaper reports. One hopes that the police officials will conduct an impartial inquiry and take action against policemen responsible for such excesses.

MUMBAI POLICE SAY IT WAS ROUTINE CHECKING DRIVE

Shamelessly, it was termed a routine checking drive! Where on earth, cops enter homes at 2 am, herd people out, parade them, force them into van, take to police station, made them sit on floor and then for no fault of theirs, and then say it is 'routine checking drive'.

The officer Amit Kale hasn't been suspended as yet. There has been no action so far against other policemen who were part of the team. The officials claim that an inquiry has been instituted. Let's see if it is just a delaying tactic or they will take action.

ROLE OF MEDIA: INDIFFERENT TOWARDS VIOLATION OF CIVIL, DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

The English and Hindi newspaper almost completely ignored the incident, despite the gravity of the biased action. There is clear bias against Mumbra at the root of this post-midnight swoop. Indian Express followed the news and printed it on its front page.

But for most other papers, it was just no news. TV channels that get into hyper active mode at minor incidents, didn't take up the case. It was an incident over which the Maharashtra government and Mumbai police ought to be questioned, so that corrective measures are taken.