By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net
Ranchi: In a typical case of tussle between Muslim organizations, the Bihar State Sunni Wakf Board and Anjuman Islamia of Ranchi seem to be moving toward a legal confrontation. For a month they have been at loggerheads over the election of the Anjuman’s executive committee and the acceptance of Muslim women for its membership.
Just two days before the election, scheduled for 27th January, 2008, the Wakf Board sent a stay order, saying the new executive committee would be illegal as the approval for the election was not taken beforehand from it. But the Anjuman was adamant to holding the election. And it did. On the same date.
They say they did it according to the Anjuman bylaws. Talking to TwoCircles.net from Ranchi today, Mohd Nisar Agarbatti, convenor of the election, justified the election process, saying there was nothing wrong in it. He further said he had not received any stay order from the Wakf Board, and so there was no question of cancelling or postponing it.
Ranchi Eidgah
When TwoCircles.net (TCN) contacted the Wakf Board in Patna, its Administrator Captain M. Anwar was on the line to categorically reject the authenticity of the election. He said the new committee to come up after the election would be illegal for two reasons. One, Anjuman did not seek approval from the Board. “They informed us about the election on 24th January, just three days before the voting,” said Anwar adding that this was not enough time to send any election observer there. Second, the term of the present committee would end in December 2008 and there was no reason for this premature election, he continued. The incumbent was constituted on 10th December 2005. An Anjuman executive committee is elected for three years.
More importantly, this election could not get popular votes as a good number of voters could not caste their votes, said Captain Anwar. Reason? The voting took place behind the closed door, he added.
One who was party to the tussle in one stage was a 19-year-old Nazia Tabassum. General Secretary of Ranchi University Student Union, Nazia is now silently observing the developments between the two organizations. In fact the entire issue got much media attention because of her: her will to fight the election, her determination to overcome all odds coming in the process. She fought and fought well and got success. Today she shared her future plan with TCN.
Talking to TCN from Ranchi, Nazia said she would first concentrate on her study. She is in the 2nd year of her graduation. Though she denied she had a link with any political party or much interest in politics, she may think to begin her public career from her own ward in future. “I want to work for women and the society and for them I can go any longer,” said she whose iron will shook the crusted mentality of the Anjuman bigwigs. She clarified that her effort to run for the Anjuman committee had no political motive. But in future she may like to run for a public office.
Her application for the candidacy of the Anjuman executive committee membership was rejected by the Anjuman, citing its bylaws that do not allow women to take part in its election. She took the case to Jharkhand Commission for Women, got support from community and students and ultimately the Anjuman had to accept her candidacy in principle. She, however, could not run as she was just 19, below the required age for the committee membership.