TCN stands by its report
By TwoCircles.net,
Reacting to a TwoCircles.net article titled New spring at Jamia Urdu: Changing colours as per political season (published on April 18, 2015), Jasim Mohammad of Jamia Urdu, Aligarh, in a mail dated April 20, 2015, called it as “against the journalistic ethic,” “motivated” and “anti-Urdu.”
We reproduce here Jasim Mohammad’s mail after which is a response by M Reyaz, TCN Assistant Editor, who had written the original article.
Jasim Mohammad’s mail:
The Moderator
20.4.2015
Two Cirlcle.Net
The report, “New Spring at Jamia Urdu: Changing colours as per political season” by M Reyaz deviates from facts and tried to dis-inform the public against the journalistic ethic.
Your reporter has pointed out that we run at least four organisations and use media to our own interest and then goes on to point out that, “……. More surprising is why should Sareshwala agree to receive the honorary degree from an organization that is not a UGC recognized or NIOS approved institution? And that too from persons known to have openly opposed Modi or BJP?”
Then he cites one of my reports for halting ‘March of Modi’ to Delhi during elections and also my support to Congress in 2014 elections. Moreover, he also takes up so called the constitution of Committee on Urdu language by National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI). The sum up of his report is to make personal allegations against some highly placed academicians, including me, and creating a misunderstanding that whatever we are doing is just opportunism.
Let’s face the facts. I have never joined any political party. During UPA regime also I have conducted my protests and dharnas in Jaipur, Delhi raising community issues. After the formation of Modi government also, we not only protested on various issues but also took up legal channels to confront Hindutva elements.
For example I lodged FIR against local BJP leaders, BJP National Sports cell Convener Ashok Aggarwal and BJP leader Subramaniyam Swami. Who has done that? As far as inviting Zafar Yunus Sareshwala to Jamia Urdu Aligarh and honoring him with degree of Daktur-e-Adab is concerned, Sareshwala was not invited because he is close to Modi but because he is Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Hyderabad and has done commendable work for the placement of students coming out from Urdu medium.
For the Committee on Urdu Language & Jobs in India constituted by National Commission for Minority Educational Institution (NCMEI), it can only be said that terming it as “hype” indicates an anti-Urdu stand of your reporter which is not in the interest of community or nation.
TwoCircles.net is a highly respected site and you should take care of the reports filed by anti-Urdu and motivated persons. I am using term “motivated” because the reporter failed to call me for my version on the issues raised by him before filing the report which is against the norms of healthy journalism.
My intention is to serve the community and nation and the Jamia Urdu Aligarh is also a part of it. Just let me know that how you will complete your task by ignoring the government in power? But its wrong politics should be opposed, which we are already doing more than any other person or leader.
Please take care in publishing such misleading reports which harm the interest of community and widens the gulf between national communities.
Thanks.
(Jasim Mohammad)
M Reyaz responds:
Jasim Mohammad alleges that this writer and TwoCircles.net “deviates from facts and tried to dis-inform the public against the journalistic ethic.” He, however, has not cited a single instance of factual error in the article.
Further, Jasim Mohammad neither denied that he is part of at least four organizations nor provided any evidence to support that Jamia Urdu is recognized by UGC to offer D Litt or any other degree for that matter, as claimed by TCN.
On the question about the apparent committee on promotion of Urdu language, it is a classic case of ‘shooting the messenger’ by calling his as ‘anti-Urdu stand’ and the article ‘motivated’.
Responding to TCN’s main and the biggest allegation of ‘changing political colour,’ his statements and articles in support of the Congress, Jasim defended that he has questioned in the past wrong-doings of both the BJP and the Congress. He also claimed he has never joined any political party.
The TCN article never claimed he joined Congress, or any other party. We carried a photograph of him attending a press conference with UP Congress office bearers. It also mentioned of his statements issued before the NDA government took office. All these are self-explanatory but just in case, he needs any more proof of his erstwhile proximity with Congress, may we remind him to revisit the February, 2010 issue of ‘Aligarh Movement’, a magazine edited by Jasim himself. It is headlined “Hope of Minorities – Rahul Gandhi”.
![THE ALIGARH MOVEMENT [Magazine] …the power of independent thinking…](https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2708/4309834751_3cbd57900a.jpg)
He also notes that Zafar Yunus Sareshwala was extended invitation to Jamia Urdu Aligarh and honoured with degree of Daktur-e-Adab “not because he is close to Modi but because he is Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Hyderabad and has done commendable work for the placement of students coming out from Urdu medium.”
Sareshwala was made the MANUU chancellor on January 2, 2015. Unrecognized D Litt degree was conferred on him by Jamia Urdu on April 17, 2015. Perhaps Jamia Urdu can tell us what exactly he has been able to do in a short period of three and a half months that makes him a deserving candidate for this honour?
Pray tell us, why was Sareshwala appointed to that post in the first place? In an interview to the Statesman he had said he “did not know at all about MANUU” until he was appointed the chancellor.
There was no question of “not following the journalistic ethics” of calling him up for his views as this was not a news report but an analytical opinion piece.
He also wonders if it would be fair for the community to ignore the government of the day. I reproduce the concluding paragraph of the original article here: While there must be some sort of engagement between the government and Muslim community as a whole, that should be transparent and through proper channels and not via people with dubious credentials who seem to be working only for their own narrow gains.
What explains the reason for announcement of the next programme by his magazine in Delhi at the India International Centre to felicitate an academic entrepreneur at the hands of HRD Minister Smriti Irani. It is intriguing that it comes on the heels of the Sareshwala’s programme in Aligarh.
Jasim Mohammad further alleges, “The sum up of his report is to make personal allegations against some highly placed academicians, including me, and creating a misunderstanding that whatever we are doing is just opportunism.”
TCN stands for high standard of journalism and the article was carried only after thorough background checks. We leave to our esteemed readers to decide for themselves about ‘opportunism’.
Related:
New spring at Jamia Urdu: Changing colours as per political season