Syed I Ahson resigns from the post of Pro-VC of Patna University

By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: Fed up with lawless situation at university and criminal behavior of students, Syed I Ahson Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Patna University (PU) has resigned from his post yesterday. He has submitted his resignation to VC Shyam Lal to forward it to the university’s chancellor and governor of Bihar Mr. Devanand Konwar, governor of Bihar.


The resignation came after a group of students pelted stones on the office of S I Ahson while he was holding a meeting with some senior teachers in his chamber on Saturday evening.




Talking to TwoCircles.net on phone he said: “In Bihar generally and at Patna University particularly the situation of higher education is very bad. Law and order has broken down at the university, it is a situation of anarchy and the university has lost control on the students.”


“I was busy in meeting with four professors then a group of some students gathered before my office and started stone-pelting which broke window’s glasses. I could escape only after police forces reached there. Today, students threw stones on the pro-VC and other senior teachers one day they might throw bombs on them. I am very much aggrieved with the unruly behavior of students and this has disturbed me mentally” he told.


He said that this was not first time but there is always problems one after another from the first day he assumed the office. “Since I took charge on 4th February 2008 I saw lawlessness some time agitation from students and some other time from teachers and workers even during the examination. I always tried to control the situation but now enough is enough” he added.


“Being from Bihar I came here with the motto to do something better for my state but during these two years I found very difficult to work in such circumstances which I have never seen at the universities I worked earlier. As situation is getting worse, I submitted my resignation” he said.


He also condemned differences between governor and state government about policy of higher education in the state. “The differences between state government and governor have always been creating problems for officials of the universities especially VCs and Pro-VCs as they have to pay prices for the mistakes they never commit. Some time government stops their salaries and some time governor seizes their powers. Last year my salary along with others was stopped by government because it suspected that we attended a meeting with the chancellor which was against policy of state government. Is it not violation of law?” he said.

Asked if chancellor would not accept his resignation will he resume office? “Now I can not say any thing about it because it depends on situation. Though I have decided not to join the office and shift to Delhi but if chancellor will put pressure I will think about it but with conditions.”

Syed I Ahson joined as Pro-VC of PU on February 4, 2008 and is lone Muslim Pro-VC in the state. He has a long journey in the field of education. Before assuming charge as pro-VC of PU, he served at various universities in India as well as abroad including Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom. He is the founder Head of the Department of Computer Science at Jamia Millia University

He is author of several books, a number of his research papers have been presented at national and international conferences and many articles have been published in different journals.

Bihar Govt’s apathy toward minority welfare schemes

By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: When Nitish Kumar came to power in 2005, he promised to work for the welfare of the downtrodden especially Muslims. Now that his government is about to complete its tenure and assembly election is scheduled later this year, his government has come up with a brochure highlighting his ‘works’ in the last four and half years for the minority community. But have a cursory look at the brochure and you will find how the state government has regularly cut allocation for minority welfare projects.



TCN received the brochure from a secretary of the Department of Minority Welfare in the state capital. The booklet has details about the minority welfare schemes of the state government but the details themselves tell the story of apathy by Nitish government toward the minority community.



The state budget for financial year 2010-2011 has Rs 61 crore for the Department of Minority Welfare to spend on several schemes. The details of allotted amount for some of the minority welfare programs in the last three years clearly say that the government has continuously cut the allocation for such schemes.

Amount in lakh

Sl.No.	Name of schemes	2010-2011	2009-2010	2008-2009
1	Construction of hostels for minority students	1450.00	400.00	477.00
2	Scholarship for minority students	100.00	100.00	120.00
3	Coaching of minority students for competitive examination	100.00	100.00	100.00
4	For self-employed of Muslim divorced women	50.00	55.00	50.00
5	Maintenance of Waqf properties	50.00	55.00	50.00
6	Construction of memorial buildings after prominent minority personalities	126.00	459.00	655.00
7	Bihar Minority Financial Corporation	1028.92	1150.00	Not available
9	Mukh Mantry Sharm Shakti Yojna	100.00	100.00	+

When we look at the above table, we find that the amounts for almost all schemes have been reduced every year or there was no increase in that. It is also notable here that though documents show the amounts allotted for the schemes, there is no information about how much of them has been used and how much is lying or was returned unused.


There are some minority institutions that are working under the Department of Minority Welfare. The amount for these institutions has also not been increased. Instead, it has been cut for some.

Sl. No.	Institutions	2010-2011	2009-2010
1	Urdu Academy	34. 76 lakh	99.40 lakh
2	Anjuman Traqqi Urdu Bihar	8.00 lakh	8.00 lakh
3	Bihar state Shia Waqf Board	10.00 lakh	10.00 lakh
4	Sunni Waqf Board	23.00 lakh	23.00 lakh
5	Bihar state Haj Committee	10.00 lakh	10.00 lakh

Stand up to protect humanity, Indian culture: Muslim scholars

By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,


Patna: “Humanity teaches us to take care of others more than ourselves and to protect other’s rights more than our own but today human beings have indulged in selfishness which created an uncomfortable situation in the world. Everyone has his circle and boundary to work in but today everyone is involved in encroachment which leads to tension between the people” said Maulana Walai Rahmani, Sajjada Nashin Khanqah Rahmani, Munger.


He was speaking at a program titled ‘Tameer-e-Insaniat Conference’ on Saturday which was organized by Imart-e-Shariah Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa at its headquarters in Phulwari Sharif, Patna.



L-R: Ajmal Farid, Maulan Anisur Rahman Qasmi, Maulana Walai Rahmani, Maulana Khalid Ghazipuri, Maulana Syed Nizamuddin, Maulana Rabey Hassan Nadwi


“Governments (Central & states) do not seem to give rights to the citizens until they come to adopt violence. When people want to get their demands fulfilled they burn some buses, trains and block roads, the next day government gives in and accepts their demands. Muslim community has always been denied its due rights because they put their demands peacefully which has no meaning before government. For instance, Muslims are demanding reservations but they have always been denied, they are raising voice for the restoration of minority character of AMU and Jamia Millia but all fell on deaf ear. Is the government going to accept their demand only after they adopt violence for their demands?" he asked adding that such things are happening because human being have forgot to respect each others’ rights.

He also criticized judiciary for giving controversial remarks about Islam and Muslims. “Today judges have started to explain the Qura’n and Hadith about which they do not have proper knowledge and when we remind them they argue that when Quran and Hadith are in written shapes, everyone has right to explain that after going through that. We ask them that when somebody is murdered, why you people wait for Forensic Report? While books of Physics and Chemistry are available, you should give judgment only after reading that but you do not do that. Similarly, you should not intervene in Islamic teachings and obligations by your wrong explanation.”





Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Rabey Hassan Nadwi, president All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said that the difference between human being and animals is that the former take care of others along with themselves and the latter think only about themselves.

“Every one of us should think that how much he is respecting humanity. We should not follow the West blindly that has lost the true meaning of humanity. Our country has ideal culture but today we are pushing it aside and running behind Western culture which is very sorrowful matter” Said Maulana Nadwi who is also president of Payam-e-Insaniat Movement.





“We all irrespective of our religions, castes and creeds should stand up to protect humanity and our rich culture otherwise it will wash off our identity” he urged.



Others who addressed the conference included Maulana Syed Nizamuddin, Amir-e-Shariat, Bihar Jharkhand and Orissa, Maulan Anisur Rahman Qasmi, Secretary of Imarat Shariah, Maulana Khalid Ghazipuri, Professor of Hadith at Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema, Ajmal Farid, Editor of Qaumi Tanzeem Urdu daily.

Jamia MLA to spend his salary on legal aid of Delhi blast accused

By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,

New Delhi: To provide financial and legal assistance to Azamgarh youths who are behind the bar in connection with Delhi serial blasts 2008, Asif Mohammad Khan, MLA from Okhla, has announced to donate his monthly salary for their legal aid. For immediate help, the MLA last week gave Rs. 50,000 each to the family of Ziaur Rahman and Mohd Shakeel, two of about one dozen Azamgarh youths accused in the terror blasts.



Ziaur Rahman and Mohd Shakeel are appearing in their graduate and post-graduate examination respectively at Jamia Millia Islamia. They are among several Muslim youths from Azamgarh who have been arrested in connection with the Delhi bomb blasts 2008 while two youths-- Atif and Sajid -- have been killed in an encounter at Batla House, six days after the blasts. After the encounter, the police described them as prime suspects in the Delhi blasts.



Asif Mohammad Khan, MLA, Okhla


MLA Asif Mohammad Khan has donated Rs. 50,000 to the family of Zia and Shakeel for immediate help and has intention to do more for them in the future.


Talking to TwoCircles.net, he said: “I gave Rs. 50 thousand to the families of Ziaur Rahman and Mohd Shakeel as they are not in position to bear all the expenses of the case. I will also give financial help to Saqib Nisar, another Delhi blast accused."






On what he intends to do further in this regard he said: “From now on I will spend my monthly salary that I get as an MLA which is Rs.42 thousands to provide legal assistance to all Muslim youths accused in Delhi blast. We have a target to spend almost Rs. 10 lakh to get the services of top level lawyers to defend these innocent boys.”


“We are 100% sure that these boys are victims of false charges. Therefore, we will try to help them as much as we can” he added.





Earlier accepting their request, the Delhi court had allowed Ziaur Rahman and Mohd Shakeel to take part in examination at Jamia Millia where they were studying before the arrest. But as they are also accused in Ahmedabad serial bomb blast they were in Ahmadabad jail and according to the court order their family will have to bear the expenses for their journey to Delhi and security. The expenses are estimated to be about Rs 44,000 for Ziaur Rahman and Rs. 36,000 for Mohd Shakeel.

Muslim organizations doing intensive relief work in cyclone-hit Bihar

By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: Once again, true to their history of work post-calamities, Muslim socio-religious organizations have launched relief and rehabilitation work at war footing in the cyclone-hit eastern Bihar districts of Araria, Purnia, Katihar and Kishanganj. Without discrimination of caste and creed, they are distributing relief materials among the families affected by the devastating cyclone last week.



It was midnight of 13th April and people were sleeping when a destructive cyclone struck eastern India states of Assam, West Bengal and Bihar, leaving hundreds of people dead, thousands injured and several hundreds homeless. In Bihar the worst affected districts were Araria, Purnia, Katihar and Kishanganj – all Muslim concentrated districts. These districts were also among those that were badly affected by Kosi flood in 2008.





According to official figures, the death toll in the cyclone is about one hundred. But unofficially the number of deaths could be higher and it is rising due to lack of relief and rescue work. Though the government has announced Rs.1.5 lakh compensation to family of each killed in the storm, it is yet to make any sufficient arrangement for the injured and affected families. Hundreds of people have lost their belongings and properties. They are hungry and waiting for help outside their collapsed homes.


Given the gravity of the devastation, Muslim organizations lost no time in launching the relief and rehabilitation work. They are distributing relief material among the affected people. They are also trying to reach with necessary items the areas still inaccessible even one week after the calamity.

Mr. Muzaffar Imam of Aman Foundation which is working for the rehabilitation of the affected people in Purnia district told TwoCircles.net that the situation is very critical there as the cyclone has taken many lives and affected thousands of people, mostly the poor ones.





“Everywhere is a scene of disaster in the area. Many people lost everything and are now forced to live under the open sky. Aman Foundation and Mohammadia Foundation, another NGO, are trying to reach the people with relief packages. Currently, we are distributing food packets as people are hungry and later we will provide financial assistance to the people to build their homes” he said.


A team of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (JUH) under the leadership of Mr. Hassan Ahmad Qadri, general secretary of Bihar unit of JUH, visited the cyclone-hit districts.


“We have visited all four cyclone-hit districts. Some areas are badly affected. Though the state government has announced to give Rs. 1.5 lakh compensation to the family of killed people, there is no relief work for victims and also no compensation has been announced for injured and affected families” said Hassan Qadri.





“The most urgent need now is to provide food and necessary things. We are preparing a list of those poor people who based on daily wages and do not have capacity to rebuild their homes and buy lost things. We will give all kinds of help and will build as many homes as we can” he told TCN.


He also appealed to the state as well as central government to take appropriate step as soon as possible for rehabilitation of the victims otherwise many people will lose life because of hunger and being under no shelter.

A delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami Bihar has also visited the affected areas in Katihar, Purnia, Kishanganj and Araria. They have already started relief work and appealed to people to come forward to help the victims.

Be alert for Census 2011: Muslim group

By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: With the aim to create awareness among Muslims about the Census 2011 and to teach them how to ensure their complete and correct entries in the census register, Maharashtra-based Federation of Minorities NGOs (FMN) has launched a state-wide campaign.


Addressing a press conference yesterday in Mumbai, the leaders of FMN has appealed to minority communities especially Muslims to seriously take the Census 2011 which has already begun from 1st April 2010 nationwide because this census is different from ones in the past and very exclusive in style. They also requested Muslim NGOs to offer their services for providing guidance to the community regarding the ongoing census.





The data to be collected through the census will be used by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). If any one fails to get into the databank he will be out of UIDAI which is an indirect proof of citizenship for every individual. Such person may be suspected in the eye of police forces.

On the basis of this census everyone will get an identity card which will be used for all official work such as opening of bank account, taking loans, getting scholarship etc.


Moreover, all the government welfare schemes are made on the basis of census therefore Muslims who are most backward should be alert so that correct information about them is filled in the register. The process of census will be completed within two sessions. In first session, families, buildings and houses will be counted while in second session information regarding people will be registered.


Talking to TwoCircles.net, Mr. Vilayat Ali, social activist from Patna, said: “The census 2011 is important for everyone. For Muslims it becomes more significant as it will help to address their social, economic and educational backwardness because no policy will bear any fruits unless it is made on the basis of correct data.”

He said that though the process of census officially has been started, there is no significant movement on the ground.

On how awareness should be created among Muslims regarding census, Ali said: “Everyone should work for this purpose by using their resources. Urdu newspapers should publish articles and news to make people aware of the importance of the census, social activists should work at street level to educate Muslims about it and imam of mosques should use their Juma speeches to urge Muslims to take part in the census process.
He also said that Muslims should be alert for the census and complain in case the process of census is not completed in their areas.

“It happened with Muslims in the past that their whole mohallah was left out of the process of census, and at times wrong information or incorrect spelling of Muslims’ name was registered. So, Muslims should get all the information filled correctly especially the number of members and name of religion as well as mother language” he added.