Kalyan Singh may derail ties with Samajwadi Party: Congress

Nakshab Khan

New Delhi, Jan 31: The Congress is all set for a tie-up with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, but it will "take appropriate action" if the latter admits to its fold former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kalyan Singh who presided over the razing of the Babri mosque.

This is the view of Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad, who is also minister of state for home affairs.

Speaking to IANS, Ahmad rejected Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav's comments that Kalyan Singh was not to blame for the Babri mosque demolition, which took place when the then BJP leader was Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

If Kalyan Singh contests or officially joins the Samajwadi Party, the Congress "will take appropriate action", Ahmad said.

"Kalyan is responsible for the Babri demolition and we still believe that the central (security) forces sent to Ayodhya (in December 1992) were not utilised effectively by the state government," he said.

"Till now Kalyan has not joined the Samajwadi Party. But if he joins it officially or contests election on the Samajwadi Party ticket, we will talk to Samajwadi Party leaders about it."

But he said the Congress had no problem with Kalyan Singh's son joining the Samajwadi Party.

Citing the Scindia family, where the political loyalties of the mother and son were divided between the BJP and the Congress, Ahmad said that "communal and secular beings could co-exist in a family".

At the same time, the Congress spokesman said that his party was confident of the Samajwadi Party putting up a good showing in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Ahmad was asked if the Congress would ditch the Samajwadi Party in case the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati bagged more seats in Uttar Pradesh.

"The Samajwadi Party is our ally and will do well in Uttar Pradesh," he said. But he quickly added that the Congress would also emerge as a strong force in the state that accounts for 80 Lok Sabha seats.

"It's time for all secular forces to unite against communal politics. The Samajwadi-Congress alliance will help both the parties."

Ahmad said the move by Hindi film star Sanjay Dutt, brother of Congress MP Priya Dutt, to join the Samajwadi Party and contest from Lucknow was an "individual decision".

He denied Sanjay Dutt's allegations that the Congress did not help him during his bad times -- when he was in prison.

"When Sanjay was in jail, his father was with the Congress. Sunil Dutt knew more about what was happening outside. I feel it could be Sanjay's misconception that the Congress disappointed him," said Ahmad.

With Lok Sabha elections only months away, Ahmad said none of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) partners could bid for the post of prime minister in the coalition.

As the largest party in the alliance, the Congress "will occupy the top post", he said.

Would the Congress change its allies post-election like it did this time in Jammu and Kashmir, ditching the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and embracing the National Conference.

Ahmad said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was different.

"There the PDP betrayed us. The proposal for land transfer to the Amarnath Shrine Board was approved with the consent of senior PDP leaders. But when protests started against it, instead of taking collective responsibility, the PDP created an issue out of it and led to the fall of (Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi) Azad's government," he explained.

What about the DMK's reported threat to quit the Congress-led UPA over Sri Lankan Tamils?

Ahmad said the Congress-led Indian government was "deeply concerned" about the safety of civilians, especially Tamils. "That is very much evident with the visit of (External Affairs Minister) Pranab Mukherjee to Sri Lanka."

He rejected reports that the DMK was sympathetic to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"LTTE is a banned terrorist organisation and its chief (Velupillai) Prabhakaran is an accused in the assassination of our leader (and former prime minister) Rajiv Gandhi," he added.

Is bigamy in Islam a tool in hands of opportunists?

By Nakshab Khan
IS IT really so simple and easy to embrace Islam and marry a second time without divorcing one’s first wife?
The question has raised a fresh storm in the wake of former Haryana deputy CM Chander Mohan converting to Islam and tying nuptial knot in succession with the existence of legal sanctity of his first marriage.
Chand Mohammad or Chander Mohan as he was known earlier claims to be attracted towards Islam since childhood and has not adopted it only for the sake of his new bride Fiza alias Anuradha Bali before converting to Islam.
The former deputy CMs second marriage after conversion to Islam has raised eyebrows of many calling their marriage null and void in the light of the Hindu marriage Act 1955 and making them liable to offence under section 494 of IPC for indulging in bigamy.
The trend was also allegedly seen repeated in case of Bollywood actor and Lok Sabha MP Dharmendra purportedly embracing Islam and marrying "Dream Girl" and Rajya Sabha MP Hema Malini even while he had a living spouse from whom no valid divorce has taken place.
Noted Islamic scholar Moulana Wahiduddin Khan says Islam permits one marriage at a time but it depends upon the prevailing circumstances in the society like the increase in the number of women among other things that may allow a person to have a second wife.
"Bigamy in Islam is allowed in only exceptional cases where a wife is suffering from incurable diseases or in a condition when the said wife is not able to produce a child, in that situation only a man can look for a second spouse," says Moulana Mohammed Rafiq, head priest Jama Masjid, Okhla. He also said that the will of the first wife is also binding for a man looking to marry a second time. He further adds that "Islam allows Muslims to have four wives at a time provided that absolute justice is done to all of them".
He also disapproved of the current phenomenon of people converting to Islam and marrying a second time to escape the law. "People embracing Islam and marrying a second time during subsistence of their previous marriage have nothing to do with principals and real teachings of Islam. Such people are mocking Islam and adopting such tactics only to escape from the jaws of the law and indulge in sexual extravaganza". Islam, which is a pious, progressive and a respectful religion with a rational outlook cannot be given such a narrow concept, asserts Rafiq.
However, social activist, Shabnam Hashmi, differs and says that there is nothing like people are abusing bigamy in Islam as a tool for second wife. "Bigamy is already a part of our society and thousands of cases of bigamy can be found which are not reported and the case of Haryana’s ex-deputy CM Chander Mohan is highlighted only because of his high status in society.
Chander Mohan lost his high profile job and family after he and Bali embraced Islam and got married secretly in UPs Meerut City last month.
Section 494 of IPC punishes bigamy and lays down that a person who marries while having a husband or wife living is punishable with seven years.
The Supreme Court in the Sarla Mudgal case in 1995 had ruled, "that the second marriage of a Hindu husband after conversion to Islam, without having his first marriage dissolved under law would be invalid. The second marriage would be void in terms of the provisions of section 494 IPC and the apostate husband would be guilty of offence under section 494."

No need for Muslims to fear in India, says Mahesh Bhatt

Aligarh, Oct 26: As terrorism takes centre stage in Indian politics and is being debated on communal lines, filmmaker and social activist Mahesh Bhatt said there is no need for the Muslims to be fearful in the country.

Airing his angst on the growing threat of terrorism and communalism, he said, "Where there is fear, there is no Islam and where there is Islam, there is no fear. The Muslims can change the destiny of India and their community too."

Bhatt was addressing students of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) at a seminar on "Threats of terrorism to secular democracy in India", organised by voluntary organisation Millat Bedari Muhim Saturday here.

Commenting on the present situation of growing communal and regional feeling in the country and the alleged exploitation of the minority community, Bhatt said: "Everywhere there is darkness in the country. There is a need for light and you students are the hope of this nation to enlighten the people of your own community, that is the Muslims."

He said there is a need to wage a war against communalism, regionalism and terrorism by all Indians across the country and it can be started from the AMU. Bhatt urged the youths not to lose hope in fighting the evil and asked them to fight within the legal framework.

He also termed politicians a confusing lot and blamed the police for their communal bias.

"Secularism is not a reality today while India is aspiring for it. The students of AMU can be a good starter for heralding true colours of secularism," he said.

Jamia residents foiled "encounter" attempt by NOIDA police

New Delhi( Shaheen Bagh): The residents of Jamia Nagar today foiled a kidnapping/encounter attempt by some policemen in plainclothes in Shaheen Bagh area under the Jamia Nagar Police Station in Delhi.It was around 8 in the night when a black Hyundai car with tinted glasses but with no number plates entered Shaheen Bagh. Five persons, maybe ATS sleuths in plainclothes, came out and tried to drag a youth named Amir into the car. He resisted and asked them why they were dragging him. They said they will tell him soon.As the Jamia Nagar encounter and subsequent indiscriminate picking of locals were fresh in people's mind, locals began gathering. The plainclothes people threatened them but as mob got thicker, some of them slipped away. The locals, however, were able to catch one who later turned out to be an ASI of Noida Police. The public brought both the policeman and Amir to Jamia Nagar police station.Hundreds of people gathered around the police station and demanded action against the 'kidnapppers'. They alleged that their plan was to encounter the person and later declare him a terrorist.People say Amir was with his friend Irfan on a motorcycle. Amir from Zafarabad area in Delhi had come here to meet someone. They alleged that his friend Irfan was police informer because those came in car tried to drag into the car only Amir, not Irfan. Irfan also fled the scene.
The car had no number plate but a number plate was found in the car which had DL1T W 1590 written on it. The plate looked new and unused. The mob also was able to snatch some documents from the Noida policemen. They include PANCARDS, mobile, SIM. Among other things in the car two ID with different picture but same name belonging to an IT company was found in the car. The angry residents damaged the car and broke window panes. The local police reached the spot and asked the residents to hand over Amir and the policemen but the people demanded that they will do it before higher authorities. Soon ACP (Sarita Vihar) Gurcharan Das reached there and persuaded the locals to handover the men. After much effort the police could bring them and the car to the Jamia Nagar Police Station. But hundreds of locals followed the police and reached the station.
People remained outside the station until 1 am when the police announced that the FIR from Amir has been registered. This all proceeding was done in the presence of Aziz Burney, Editor of Sahara Urdu daily, Md Rahman, Delhi High Court advocate and some local leaders.Talking to mediapersons around 1 am, DCP Ajay Choudhry said those who came in the car were Noida Police personnel. The Delhi Police will investigate the matter. He said he had contacted Noida SSP and he assured he is looking into the case and action will be taken against the guilty officials.

Delhi Police: Victims of obscene phone calls!

CAN YOU imagine or even think of any one disturbing the police with prank calls or perhaps obscene calls? Confused by my question? The Delhi police acknowledges a huge rise in obscene calls at the Central Police Control Room. The police has claimed to book many such miscreants.

The police said that it had started locating such obscene calls and miscreants because besides misusing the public facility, such calls were also creating nuisance to the attending officers, especially to the lady police officers. The police has provided this round o’ clock facility to the citizenry of Delhi to call on 100 number for immediate help but it’s a pity to see people misuse this facility for fun sake.

Some time back, the police had caught an engineering student, for making such calls on this number. And yet again, they have been receiving calls from a mobile number, so much so that the same number has been used to make 1981 calls in two months and 65 calls in a single night.

The engineering student caught by the police had been trying to propose the female operators at CPCR but on not getting any reply he turned utterly vulgar. So, when the things got too much out of control, the police tracked him down with the help of electronic devices available in the control room. The caller was located in the area of Paharganj and identified in the locality of Yog Maya Basti, Paharganj.

The modernisation of Central Police Control has made easy to find out or locate such miscreants. A case had been registered in Police Station IP Estate Police and the accused got arrested.

The DCP at the control room says that they had become very particular about such callers, who used this public facility for mischief and other undesirable purposes. These callers not only block the channels but also make the distressed callers trying to access the public assistance number suffer. “We have also started locating such callers with the help of Call Locating System and ACD, so that these miscreants will think twice before making any such calls,” added the DCP.

Picture of Batla House in Jamia Nagar Okhla

Khalilullah Mosque, Batla House , Jamia nagar
A Delhi Police Personnel's bike manning Encounter site at L-18 building
Jamia Nagar Police Station
Deserted alleyway leading to L-18 building

My Tryst with L-18 Building, Batla House

( A poster campaigm launched by Jamia Students )

( L-18 building where Delhi Police Gunned down alleged terrorist)

An uneasy calm prevails not only inside the L-18 building located near Khalilulah Mosque in Batla House, where the Delhi Police have gunned down two suspected terrorist namely Mohd Sajid and Mohd Atif, but also in the lanes and by-lanes of the buildings.
Call it the fear psychosis created by the unexpected and surprising assault of Special cell of the Delhi Police on the hideouts of alleged terrorist in Batla house at Jamia Nagar or the self restrain approach of the residents, the alleyways leading to the encounter site or the L-18 building wears a completely desereted look.
Such is the sense of fear among the building residents that when i started clicking the pictures of the notorious building, a resident of L-18 building drags backward and prevented his 10 year old child from peeking from a window, who was curiously watching me taking snaps.
A day before the encounter, the lanes leading to the encounter site were used to be so much crowded that you can't pass through your way without rubing your shoulders with the fellow pedestrians.
Even after 4 weeks of the dreaded gunfight between police and alleged militants, Delhi police maintains a strong vigil of the building by posting half a dozen personnel.
There is no denying the fact that incidents like recent shootout in Batla house has created an utter atmosphere of fear among the residents of not only Batla House, but the adjacent enclaves of Zakir Nagar and Abul Fazal too.

Though referred by some as ghetto or the Sub standard resedential locality, the Jamia Nagar area houses some of the best muslim intellectuals in the country. And that is the reason that people in the Jamia nagar area raised their voice to demand a probe into the police encounter and the manner in which Delhi police has carried out his mission to eliminate two suspected terrorist alleged to be masterminds of Delhi serial blast.
A Jamia Student persuing his Bachelors in Engineering grumbles and said that incidents like these (encounter) has defame the whole resedential enclave and put a dent on the credibility of the residents who resides in Jamia Nagar, Okhla.
He further argues that Such acts( terrorist violence and subsequent man hunt by police) has defamed the entire community for a wrongful acts of some misguided youths".