Indian Muslim News – INDIA ELECTIONS 2009 April 13, 2009
Posted by indianmuslimsrediscovered in Indian Muslim News - INDIA ELECTIONS 2009.Tags: Gulf expatriates, India Elections 2009
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TV talk show tunes in to Indian election drama
Charges, counter-charges and baseless allegations marked the ‘Gulf Samvadham’ talk show recording on coming Indian parliamentary polls. Tempers ran high at the two-hour show hosted by the Malayalam television channel Kairali at the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC).
- K K Usman speaks at the Kairali debate as moderator E M Ashraf looks on
Some members of the audience came close to blows more than once, but mayhem was averted after the timely intervention of senior members of the community. The event demonstrated that a number of participants had absolutely no knowledge of Indian politics and were more interested in rhetoric to catch the attention of the TV camera.
“Tharoor has demonstrated his abilities at various levels and forums at the world level and has made his stand clear on a number of issues concerning the non-resident Indians,” Usman said.
He lambasted some of those who questioned the credentials of the former UN official to stand as Congress candidate.
Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) general secretary S A M Basheer said the parent organisation of the KMCC had made its position clear on not only those issues concerning the Muslims in India, but also expressed solidarity with the victims of Israeli aggression in Palestinian territories.
Indian Muslim Cultural Centre (IMCC) spokesperson Usman Parakkadavu opined that the future of India is in the hands of the Third Front, which he predicted would play a crucial part after the elections.
Journalist Ashraf Thoneery and representatives of forums including as Sanskriti, Indian Islamic Association (IIA) and People’s Cultural Forum also participated. Kairali’s regional bureau chief E M Ashraf was the moderator.
(Courtesy: Gulf Times)
Indian Muslim News – INDIA ELECTIONS 2009 April 13, 2009
Posted by indianmuslimsrediscovered in Indian Muslim News - INDIA ELECTIONS 2009.Tags: Delhi, India Elections 2009, Muslim graveyards, Nagaland, Wakf, West Bengal
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For Muslims, graveyards become an election issue
By Danish Ahmad Khan
Come elections – whether parliamentary of assembly – Muslims in India firm up their girdles and become ready to rake up their pet issues such as Babri Masjid, Gujarat riots, status of Urdu etc. This time even graveyards have become election issue, particularly in a Delhi parliamentary constituency, if not elsewhere. Members of Muslim community are up in arms over the issue of graveyard in Northeast Delhi parliamentary constituency from where Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded Haji Dilshad Ali as the party candidate for upcoming general elections. A decrepit Muslim graveyard for the Mustafabad, Kabir Nagar and Babarpur area will be at the top of agenda during electioneering. Locals in the areas complain that there is no boundary wall around the graveyard. Heaps of garbage can be seen strewn and street dogs loitering and sniffing around the graves looking for human remains. Sometimes the problem is such that the dogs in fact succeed in taking out the bones and skulls from the graves and feast on them. The leftovers keep rotting for days thus creating bad odour and polluting the environment. The issue has therefore become quite emotional and sensitive for local Muslims and the BSP candidate is also ready to cash upon this and use it extensively in his campaign. It may be recalled that Haji Dilshad Ali had contested the Delhi assembly elections from Babarpur constituency on BSP ticket last year and succeeded in getting 28,000 votes. During the upcoming parliamentary elections, the BSP has emerged as the only party in Delhi to provide tickets to three Muslim candidates namely Haji Yunus from East Delhi constituency, Haji Dilshad Ali from Northeast Delhi constituency and Mustakeem Ahmed (Billo) from the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency.
If one goes by what Delhi Wakf Board officials say the scarcity of graveyards is indeed a real problem for the Muslim community in India’s capital. Caretaker of Delhi Wakf Board’s mosques and graveyards Mehfooz Mohammad said, “At least 10 more graveyards are required now all over Delhi. Only a handful of them are operational today. Many of the graveyards have also been illegally occupied and litigation is underway to get the land back.” According to the 1970 gazette notification, 488 Muslim graveyards exist in Delhi. However, as of now there are only 25-30 graveyards that are actually operational. The gravity of the problem which Muslim community is facing insofar as graveyards are concerned can be really assessed by the available data. Another problem of the scarcity of graveyards are some members of the Muslim community themselves. According to the Shariah (Islamic law), Muslims are enjoined to make kuchha (temporary) graves in order to facilitate more burials in a particular grave. However, quite on the contrary, some members of the Muslim community openly defy the Shariah and make permanent concrete graves for their deceased kins. They also even go to the extent of erecting tombstones thus making it difficult to bury in layers. This leads to the space shortage in graveyards hence making the problem more severe.
It is not only India’s capital Delhi which is facing the problem of the scarcity of graveyards. Another metropolis Kolkata, the capital of the state of West Bengal, is also facing the same problem. Here the situation is equally grave. According to a report in Indian Express tension erupted in Paharpur under the Garden Reach police station area on 24 March 2009 after caretaker of a Muslim graveyard was found incinerating decomposed bodies to make room for new bodies. The locals, who arrived for the burial of a body around 3 pm, said that they smelt something burning inside the graveyard. Much to their dismay they found that some bones and skulls were found burning lying in a mound of dry grass and leaves. Later over 2,000 locals gathered at the graveyard and tried to beat the caretaker Sheikh Jumman. One of the residents alleged that the graveyard caretaker Sheikh Jumman and his assistant Sheikh Jiauddin resorted to the practice of setting the bodies on fire only to make room for more bodies so that they could earn more money. The residents complained that the graveyard had a severe shortage of space since the ground had been full for the last one year. However, the police arrived on the scene and succeeded in defusing the tension after taking the two accused into police custody.
Elsewhere in the country, even the indigenous Muslims in the northeastern state of Nagaland are also facing problems related to graveyard. Here, however, the problem is of a different kind. According to the indigenous Muslims of Purana Bazar and Naharbari villages of East Dimapur the oldest graveyard is in a pitiable state. The indigenous Muslims of these two villages had acquired the graveyard at Naharbari village in 1857. This oldest graveyard has however now turned into a garbage dump for the area. The complaint being that waste from households are being continuously dumped here thus creating a highly unhygienic environment, facilitating the breeding of mosquitoes and other insects and spreading pollution. The Muslim Committee of Purana Bazar and Naharbari on their initiative conducted a mass social work to dispose off the waste recently. They also urged the residents of the houses surrounding the graveyard not to throw any garbage there since it would hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslim community. They also explained to the residents that the graveyard is the most holy place for the believers.
Indian Muslim News – INDIA ELECTIONS 2009 April 12, 2009
Posted by indianmuslimsrediscovered in Indian Muslim News - INDIA ELECTIONS 2009.Tags: Gulf expatriates, India Elections 2009, Kerala, Malappuram
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In times of recession, Gulf expatriates risk jobs to campaign for polls in Kerala
Gulf expatriates from Kerala are taking an unusual and a daring step now particularly in these turbulent times when the world is in the grip of economic recession. The Gulf expatriates have their own reason to do so. The global economic recession has also hit the Gulf countries hard, particularly the UAE. A significant number of expatriates have lost their jobs or are in the process of losing them. They see the upcoming parliamentary elections as most important enough. Most of the expatriates feel that electing an efficient and able parliamentarian their problem of joblessness will be effectively handled.
These days one can witness thousands of expatriates from Gulf countries heading back to their home in Kerala to aggressively campaign in the general elections. Most of the expatriates have even gone to the extent of risking their jobs by coming to their home on leave without salaries. They are unsure whether they will continue in their jobs after going back when the poll process is over. It is just three weeks ago that the expatriates began thronging to their homes. By the last days of elections it is expected that the number of expatriates having reached India will cross one lakh.
Data Courtesy: The Hindu Businessline - August 2005
Kerala, being a politically vibrant state, is abuzz with the usual hustle and bustle of electioneering these days. The election frenzy can be seen in the Muslim-dominated district of Malappuram which also has maximum expatriates from Gulf. The elections will be held in Malappuram in the first phase on April 16. Recently, more than 300 expatriates took part in motorbike rallies and processions. These have become part of regular election campaign activity.
Almost all the major political parties such as the Indian National Congress (INC), Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) are taking support of the Gulf expatriates. It may be noted that the Gulf expatriates are working under the banner of cultural organizations like INC-led Indian Cultural Congress (ICC), CPI-led Kerala Pravasi Sangamam (KPS) and IUML-led Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC). The Gulf expatriates chip in with their money and organize cultural activities to help these political parties during times of elections. Moreover, other expatriates are also encouraged to become members of these cultural organizations.
According to Ismail, President of KMCC, Riyadh Centre, at least 7,000 members of the KMCC are currently in Malappuram and helping the party in the elections. He says that for the Gulf expatriates taking part in the elections is a matter of pride as well as their responsibility.
M.J. Mohamed Iqbal, an expatriate living in Dubai for long, said, “Every expatriate should actively take part in the electoral process. In the present times of global recession this has become all the more important. A significant number of expatriates have now lost their jobs and are headed for troubled times. If good representatives are not elected to the Indian parliament then the cause of the troubled expatriates will not be effectively handled. We spend money and help these parties in the elections. We hope that the parties and the elected representatives will stand by us in these crucial times.”
According to reports nearly 25,00,000 Keralites have immigrated to several countries to take up lucrative jobs with 90 percent of them being settled in Gulf countries. Around Rs. 200 billion is remitted from Gulf countries to banks in Kerala every year.
Indian Muslim News – PEOPLE April 11, 2009
Posted by indianmuslimsrediscovered in Indian Muslim News - PEOPLE.Tags: Education, Indian Muslims, Jamia Hamdard, Saiyid Hamid
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Vice President of India to release book on Saiyid Hamid
By Danish Ahmad Khan
Saiyid Hamid
The Vice President of India Hamid Ansari will release a book on the present Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard Saiyid Hamid. A highly respected elder of the Indian Muslim community, Saiyid Hamid is also the editor of fortnightly ‘Nation and the World’. The book will be released at a function at the Indian Islamic Cultural Centre at New Delhi on April 13.
The book will highlight the contributions of the 89-year old educationist and former bureaucrat. It may be noted that Saiyid Hamid was appointed Vice Chancellor of his alma mater Aligarh Muslim University after putting a long and distinguished career in the Indian Administrative Service. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also appointed Saiyid Hamid as a member of the Sachchar Committee to probe the social and economic conditions of the Indian Muslim community.
The book has been compiled by Pune’s Mushtaque Madni. The book has been published by P A Inamdar, himself a towering personality in the fields of business, education and banking. The book is of 168 pages and has 26 contributors which include former and serving Vice Chancellors, public figures and other distinguished persons who have known Saiyid Hamid for ages. Some of the contributors are Vive Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia Prof. Mushirul Hasan, Justice Rajinder Sachchar, Govind Narain, John Dayal, UC Agarwal, and Prof. Amrik Singh.
Saiyid Hamid is widely respected in the Muslim community as well as on the national level. People hold him in high esteem by virtue of his being an educationist and a great community leader who has always espoused the cause of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect for co-religionists. The writers have described some qualities of mind and heart that has been seen in him over the years. Saiyid Hamid describes himself as “a listener”. He is also a writer of impeccable prose in both Urdu and English.
Saiyid Hamid is involved in some advisory capacity with dozens of educational institutions across the country. He had also been instrumental in establishing and nurturing the Jamia Hamdard University. He is also looking after the Hamdard Education Society that runs Hamdard Public School and Hamdard Study Circle for Civil Services examinations.
Indian Muslim News – EDUCATION April 7, 2009
Posted by indianmuslimsrediscovered in Indian Muslim News - Education.Tags: Education, Jamia Millia Islamia
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Jamia Millia Islamia announces admission for 2009-10
The Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has announced admission for different courses offered by the varsity for 2009-10. The prospectus and admission forms are available now. The university has announced admission for 205 courses offered through 32 departments and 12 research centres. According to a communique the sales outlet will remain open on all days including Saturdays and Sundays.
The Jamia Millia Islamia website – www.jmi.nic.in – also offers facility for downloading the admission form and prospectus. Students need to submit a demand draft for the prescribed admission fee. The university has also printed more than 1,10,000 prospectus and forms for sale.
Entrance test is conducted by the JMI for all courses except Ph D. The written test has 85 per cent weightage and the rest is for the interview. Students need to score 45 per cent to qualify for the entrance test.
The last date for submission of the form of the most courses are from first week of May onwards. But those applying for M Sc Electronics, B Tech. and diploma in engineering should check for the submission dates and send in applications early.
Indian Muslim News – INDIA ELECTIONS 2009 April 6, 2009
Posted by indianmuslimsrediscovered in Indian Muslim News - INDIA ELECTIONS 2009.Tags: India Elections 2009, Indian Muslims, Muslim organisations, Muslim Politics, Muslim votes, Muslim youth
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Minority report
By Manoj C G
New Delhi: With 10 days left for elections to begin, prominent Muslim outfits have firmed up their poll strategy. Unlike the past, however, they are wary about supporting any particular party or combination, instead picking and choosing “favourable” candidates on a seat-to-seat basis. The indication is clear — all major “secular” parties can hope to get a share of the Muslim vote pie.
While this strategy may sound somewhat confused, it is only a reflection of the lack of options available before the Muslim groups, which are disenchanted with all mainstream parties for a variety of reasons. Their grievances against the UPA Government are many, ranging from the harassment of “innocent” Muslim youths in the name of the fight against Terror to the virtual shelving of the Ranganath Mishra committee report on reservation for minorities. But then again, for Muslim groups, the BJP is still the bigger enemy.
A conglomerate of Muslim outfits consisting of the Jamaat-e-Islami-Hind, the All India Milli Council, the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Jamiat-e-Ulema-Hind and the Jamiat-e-Ahl-e-Hadees have begun an exercise to identify the candidates they would support in 100-odd Lok Sabha seats, where they believe Muslim votes are a deciding factor.
Prominent Muslim leaders said the focus would stay on these seats, where these outfits under the banner of the Joint Committee on Muslim Organisations for Empowerment (JCMOE), would appoint local committees to pick the “favourable” candidates.
“We will go by the report of the local committees. The strategy is to defeat the BJP and its allies. Therefore, we will support candidates that are either Independents with secular credentials or those belonging to mainstream secular parties. Of course, the winnability factor would definitely be kept in mind while selecting the candidates,” Manzoor Alam of the Milli Council told The Indian Express.
Muslim leaders like Jamaat’s Mutjaba Farooq point out that, post-delimitation, there are at least 60 seats in the country where 20 per cent of the voters are Muslims, around 28 seats where Muslim population is over 30 per cent, and 14 seats where Muslims are in a majority. The idea is to favour parties that are secular in nature, said Farooq.
However, the outfits are divided on the strategy to be adopted in Uttar Pradesh where the Samajwadi Party has long been a clear favourite over the BSP for Muslims. However, the SP’s association with former BJP leader Kalyan Singh has antagonised at least some Muslim outfits, although BSP chief Mayawati’s earlier flirtations with the BJP have not been forgotten either.
(Courtesy: Indian Express)
Indian Muslim News – INDIA ELECTIONS 2009 April 2, 2009
Posted by indianmuslimsrediscovered in Indian Muslim News - INDIA ELECTIONS 2009.Tags: 2002 Gujarat riots, Assam, Badruddin Ajmal, Bangalore, BJP, Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband, Fatwa, Hindu rituals, India Elections 2009, Janata Dal (Secular), Karnataka, Muslims, Nadwat-ul Ulema, Narendra Modi, Urdu
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Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband not to issue fatwa on elections
This elections Muslims will be left to vote on their own free will and thus support any candidate of a party. The two biggest and reputed Islamic seminaries in India – Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband and Nadwat-ul Ulema – have decided not to issue any fatwa asking Muslims to vote for any particular party in the Lok Sabha elections.
“Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband will remain completely neutral during the elections. It will not issue any fatwa asking Muslims to vote for any particular party in the Lok Sabha elections. Dar-ul-Uloom is purely a theological centre and had no business with politics,” said Mohtamim (Rector) of Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband Maulana Marghoobur Rahman. Echoing the similar line, Rector of Nawat-ul Ulama Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadwi said that his institution also usually takes a neutral stand on electoral politics. Maulana Rabey is also the President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
It may be noted that recently Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav paid a visit to Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband and met the Rector and the President of Jamiat-ul Ulema-e-Hind Maulana Arshad Madani. Mulayam’s visit came in the wake of his alliance with ex-UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh under whose tenure Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992. Kalyan Singh recently quit BJP to forge an alliance with Mulayam. However, Muslims have expressed anger towards Mulayam-Kalyan alliance and have decided not to support Samajwadi Party during current LS polls.
Urdu to become poll issue in four subdivisions of West Bengal
The language of Urdu is threatening to become a poll issue in at least four subdivisions of Kolkata, Garden Reach, Asansol and Islampur. Recently, representatives of various Muslim organisations under the banner of Anjuman Taraqqui Urdu (Hindi) staged a demonstration in Kolkata to press for their demand seeking 2nd official language status for Urdu in the respective four subdivisions. The move has come at a time when Left Front government in the state is struggling to keep its minority votes intact.
“Once Urdu is declared as an official state language then our children will have the opportunity to pursue their studies from primary to Masters level in one language. The students will be able take any state-level competitive examination in Urdu and this will open a number of employment opportunities for them. We want an Act to be passed in the Assembly declaring Urdu as the official state language. If our demand is not met then its effect will be seen in the elections. There are more than 60 Assembly seats where minorities play significant role during elections,” said Mohammad Sulaiman Khurshid, general secretary, Anjuman Taraqqui Urdu (Hindi). Besides declaring Urdu as an official language, Muslim organisations also want question papers of every subject in Madhyamik (matriculation) examinations to be printed in Urdu.
The four subdivisions where Muslim organisations want Urdu to be declared as an official language have nearly 20 per cent Urdu speaking minority population. Presently, there are about 100 Urdu medium schools in the state.
Earlier, the state government had promised to recognise Urdu as an official state language in the form of a Chief Secretary Executive order in 1981. However, no initiative has been taken in this regard ever since. Along with Bengali, the state government has accorded Nepali an official language status since 1961.
Meanwhile, Minister of Madrasa Education and Minority Affairs Abduss Sattar refused to comment on the issue citing model code of conduct for ensuing LS polls.
Attacked by mob during 2002 Gujarat riots, ex-cop Abdullah Ibrahim Saiyad joins BJP now
Abdullah Ibrahim Saiyad, now a retired Indian Police Service officer, who was attacked by a mob during the 2002 Gujarat riots, has now joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Addressing mediapersons along with his Hindu wife Geeta, Abdullah said, “I have joined the BJP because of Modi. I belong to the same Mehsana district as Modi. I admire Modi because he is one person who does what he says.” On being asked what led him to join BJP despite an attempt on his life by rioting mob, Abdullah says that Muslim community must move on with their lives and let the law takes its course in riots cases. “I joined BJP merely because of a ‘well-wisher’ who wrote a letter to L.K. Advani saying that the BJP should enroll educated Muslims like him. After a few months of my retirement I got a call from state BJP President Purushottam Rupala who told me that my entry into the party would be ‘timed properly’. I knew Narendra Modi from my days as Mehsana Superintendent of Police and I was always inclined towards the BJP,” Abdullah said. Among important assignment that Abdullah held after his promotion to the IPS in 1978 was as Officer on Special Duty to K.P.S. Gill who was appointed security adviser to the state government after the 2002 riots. Abdullah retired in May 2008 as an additional DGP.
Reminiscing about his tenure during 2002 riots, Abdullah said: “I found myself mobbed in Vejalpur area of Ahmedabad in March 2002. Seeing my police vehicle with flashing red lights approaching, the mob stopped me to complain about stone throwing from the other side. Someone noticed my name on the badge and started screaming for revenge. As the mob stoned my car, the driver sped away to safety in a miraculous escape. Those in the mob were just mad people who had nothing to do with the BJP. I am thankful that God gave me presence of mind on that day. Had I opened fire with my service revolver, I would have been lynched.” Abdullah was then heading the Police training Academy at Karai near Ahmedabad.
Lately, the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has been trying to mend fences with the Muslim community ahead of Lok Sabha elections. Modi has also started seeing himself as another prime ministerial aspirant ever since the comments of Anil Ambani. He is also trying to position himself as an alternative to L.K. Advani in BJP. Modi’s recent move to appoint a Muslim DGP Shabbir Khandwawala as the head of Gujarat police is also being seen as an olive branch offered to Muslims.
Muslim candidate in Karnataka performs Hindu rituals for victory in LS polls
B.Z. Jamir Ahmed Khan, the Janata Dal (Secular) candidate from Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency, recently took part in the oblation (Homa) to invoke divine blessings for his victory. The ritual was organized by his supporter Venkatesh at his home in Sampangiramanagar in Bangalore recently. During the religious rituals, Khan wore a flower garland as per Hindu customs and offered prayer to the ‘Homa Kunda’ and performed other rituals under the guidance of a Hindu priest who conducted the formalities. Commenting on his actions, Khan said: “I have faith in the ritual of conducting the oblation and hence I took part in the rituals. Before being a Muslim, I am a Hindustani, Indian and Kannadiga. The country ranks first, as compared to religion.”
Assam’s perfume baron Ajmal loves swanky cars, gold
By Syed Zarir Hussain
Guwahati, April 1 (IANS) Perfume baron and Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) leader Badruddin Ajmal is not as rich as was generally believed, but the cleric sure fancies swanky cars and gold jewellery, if one goes by his declaration.
Badruddin Ajmal addressing press conference
Ajmal declared in his affidavit accompanying his nomination papers for the Silchar parliamentary seat in Assam Tuesday that he has Rs.197,777 cash in hand and his wife Rizwana has Rs.567,329 – both together having little more than Rs.750,000 cash in hand.
But the maulana from the Deoband Islamic seminary in Uttar Pradesh, who sports a flowing beard and skullcap, also has a penchant for driving swanky cars. He claims to have two cars worth about Rs.4.6 million.
Another interesting characteristic: his love for gold and gold jewellery – which seems to be more than what his wife owns.
According to the affidavit, Ajmal declared that he possesses gold worth Rs.322,000, while his wife’s gold jewellery is estimated at Rs.224,000.
“I don’t believe in money power in elections?all I want is the goodwill and support of people, and of course prayers and blessings from everybody to help me win,” Ajmal told IANS.
Ajmal is contesting from two constituencies – Silchar in south Assam and Dhubri in the west.
Of the total eight seats where the AUDF is contesting this time, his younger brother Sirajuddin Ajmal is also contesting from two – Nagaon and Kaliabor.
Questions are, therefore, being asked if Ajmal is encouraging dynastic politics.
“We are considering the winning chances of the candidates while giving party tickets for the elections?there is nothing to suggest family politics in it,” said Hafiz Rashid Choudhury, working president of the AUDF.
Both brothers are legislators in the Assam assembly after the senior Ajmal floated the AUDF six months before the 2006 state elections in Assam.
But for all those supporters hoping to see Ajmal doling out cash lavishly during the elections, the Maulana’s cash position must have surely come as a shocker.
(Courtesy: IANS)
Indian Muslim News – EDUCATION March 30, 2009
Posted by indianmuslimsrediscovered in Indian Muslim News - Education.Tags: Andorra, Catalan Language, Education, Europe, European and Latin American Studies, France, India, Italy, Jamia Millia Islamia, Latin America, Spain
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Jamia Millia Islamia to conduct Catalan Language Course
Jamia Millia Islamia’s Center for European and Latin American Studies will be presenting a small course that aims to give a first gaze into one of the most strong minority languages in Europe. The course will be held in April 2009 and there will be 3 sessions per week of 2.5 hours. The course significantly endeavours to improve the knowledge of Europe and Latin America. The course is free. However, to cover photocopying expenses, Rs. 100 will be charged. The final schedule will be sent to the participants once registered.
This course is primarily designed to benefit the students and teachers of Romanic languages and those interested in the European linguistic policies. The course will give a comparative approach to the grammar and morphology of Catalan in comparison with other languages related to Latin. The course is likely to be a precursor of further studies in the language at the Centre and in Spain.
Catalan is a language spoken in 4 European countries (Andorra, Spain, France and Italy) by more than 9 million people, but understood by almost 12 million. The history of Catalan starts in the Early Middle Age border between Muslim and Christian kingdoms in the Pyrenees. Once one of the most influential Mediterranean languages, Catalan is facing now the threat of minoritisation due to competition with major languages such as French and Spanish, the heritage of a long period of prohibition during Franco’s dictatorship, the lack of political support in several regions where it is widely spoken, even if moving back, the loss of prestige between the speakers and the overwhelming power of media to marginalize the already weaker languages.
For Registration and Certificate, participants are advised to contact Centre for European and Latin American Studies, Nelson Mandela House, Jamia Millia Islamia. All the participants with at least 80% attendance will be issued a certificate. For further information contact: enricdonate@hotmail.com (Spanish Visiting Lecturer) and ajayprasad@aeiou.pt (Coordinator).
Indian Muslim News – WOMEN March 30, 2009
Posted by indianmuslimsrediscovered in Indian Muslim News - WOMEN.Tags: Arts, Crafts, Education, Environment, Jamia Millia Islamia, Literature, Malnutrition, Microcredit, Muhammad Yunus, Peace making, Poverty alleviation, South Asia, Women
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Jamia Millia Islamia to host seminar on Women of South Asia: Partners in Development
Jamia Millia Islamia, in collaboration with South Asia Foundation, will host a two-day seminar on Women of South Asia: Partners in Development from 30 March 2009. Nobel laureate from Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus will deliver the keynote address on 30 March at 10.00 am in the Ansari Auditorium. Activists, writers, academics from the South Asian region shall be discussing women and micro-credit, peace making, creativity, coommunication, etc.
The seminar will begin with the welcome address by Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia Mushirul Hasan. Special address will be given by Ms Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, Member, Planning Commission, Government of India. Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, Managing Director, Grameen Bank, Bangladesh, will deliver keynote address on ‘Women, Micro Credit And Poverty Alleviation’. At 11.45am Mohammad Yunus is scheduled to attend Meet the Press programme. On the same day Parallel Working Group Sessions will be conducted on Women and Microcredit; Women in Education; Women in Peace making; Women’s Malnutrition and Hunger; Women and the Environment; Women and Creativity: Crafts and Textiles; and Women and Creativity: Arts and Literature. Later, Mohammad Yunus will address the Plenary Session and present his views on the South Asian Women’s Network and his advice for their future functioning.
On Day 2, discussion and finalizing Action Plans and Programmes of Activity for 2009-10 will be undertaken. The seminar will conclude with valedictory keynote address by Ms. Bushra Gauhar, MNA and Chair of the Pakistan National Assembly Women’s Committee.
Indian Muslim News – EDUCATION March 15, 2009
Posted by indianmuslimsrediscovered in Indian Muslim News - Education.Tags: AMU, Bihar, Indian Muslim Education, JNU, Madrasas
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Bihar nod to AMU to establish branch at Kishanganj
The Bihar government headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has approved Aligarh Muslim University’s (AMU) proposal to establish its branch in the State. Informing about the decision the Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary R.C.P. Singh said, “The AMU will establish its branch at Kishanganj district as the government has approved this after getting a proposal.” It may be noted that the government decided this after receiving a proposal from the AMU in December last year.
JNU approves Madrasas for BA First Year admission eligibility
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi
In a move that will lessen the deprivation of madrasa students from mainstream higher education, India’s prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi has further widened its door for madrasa students as it will now admit them in first year of BA courses.
Earlier, JNU, a central university, would take madrasa students only in the second year of three-year BA courses after candidates completed first year from any other UGC-recognized college or university. The university will now accept certificates of certain madrasas equivalent to intermediate and the candidates will be eligible for JNU entrance examination and take admission in all BA courses if selected.
JNU offers all major language courses in BA like French, Japanese, Chinese, German, Arabic, Korean, Spanish etc. These languages have career benefits. The list of madrasas approved by JNU administration is given below.
(i) Certificate of Alimiah with at least 45% marks issued by any of the following madrasas subject to the condition that the candidate has passed English language at the level of Senior Secondary from a recognised Board/University or a three-year course conducted by Darul-Uloom Deoband.
Darul Uloom Deoband, U.P.
Mazahirul Uloom Saharanpur, U.P.
Darul Uloom Mau, U.P.
Miftahul Uloom, Mau, U.P.
Jamia Athria Darul Hadith Mau, U.P.
Jamia Faize Am Mau, U.P.
Madrasa Alia Mau, U.P.
Madrasa Muhammadia, Mau, U.P.
Madrasa Faizanul Uloom Bahadurganj, Ghazipur, U.P.
Madrasa Ihyaul Uloom Mubarkpur, Azamgarh, U.P.
Tauhid Education Trust Ma’hadabad-Khagra Kishan Ganj, Bihar
Jamia Imam Ibn Taimiya, Madinatussalam, E. Champaran, Bihar
(ii) Certificate of Alimiah with at least 45% marks issued by the following Madrasas:
Nadwatul Ulema, Lucknow, U.P.
Jamiatul Flah, Bilariaganj, Azamgarh, U.P.
Certificate of Fazilah from Madrasatul Islah, Sarai Mir, Azamgarh, U.P.
Madrasa Jamia Islamia, Muzaffarpur, Azamgarh, U.P.
Madrasa Eram Convent for Girls and Boys Indra Nagar, Lucknow, U.P.
(iii) Certificate of Maulvi with at least 45% marks issued by the Bihar Board of Madrasa Education Omair Anas, who is doing M. Phil at School of International Studies, JNU, told TwoCircles.net that madrasa students should not lose the chance and grab the opportunity. He said he and his friends have decided to help madrasa students to get all information, guidance and coaching for the entrance test.
Since entrance examination in JNU is very competitive and it requires a lot of preparation, the group of senior madrasa students already studying at JNU has decided to offer help madrasa students aspiring to take admission in the university this year. The group will arrange one month entrance preparation classes from April to May.
For further enquiry following persons can be contacted:
Mohammad Araif: 09718200830
Mohammad Rizwan: 09868325829
Omair Anas: omairanas@gmail.com
http://www.jnu.ac.in/main.asp?sendval=Prospectus
(Courtesy: TwoCircles.net)
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