By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
A month has passed of the year 2016 but that doesn’t mean it is too late to revisit our coverage of 2015. Following the tradition of the last 3 years, we present 12 stories, one for each month of 2015. These stories are not necessarily the “best” story of that month but chosen to reflect the diversity of topics and regions that we cover throughout the year.
January
Sufi Imam picked up by Delhi police; released after furor: Illegal detention and fear of arrests on the false charge of terrorism continues to be a major concerns for Indian Muslims. This story highlights how agencies arbitrarily pick up Muslims in the name of investigations.
February
Modi Govt targets Muslim educational institutes in the name of national security: In the month of January, hundreds of NCPUL study centers, mainly madrassas and other Muslim run institutes affiliated to its different diploma programmes, across the country received a rather murky message from Union Home Ministry, disguise as NCPUL notice asking ‘to detect and counter radicalization efforts.’
March
This women’s day meet Captain Salva who dared to dream of skies: Meet 26 year old Captain Syeda Salva Fatima, who with a total 200 hours of flying experience including 123 hours solo flight, is a holder of commercial pilot, private pilot and flight radio operator licenses. Captain Salva was born, brought up and resides in the narrow lanes of Sultan Shahi in old city, her father Syed Ashfaq Ahmed still works in a local bakery to earn a living.
April
Malwa’s communal poison worries Muslims in MP: The flow of communal violence in the Malwa region, the hotbed of Sangh Parivar, in Madhya Pradesh has left state’s Muslims in the state worried. The recent violence at Alirajpur and Neemuch is just the new addition to the ever growing communal frenzy in the region which has already covered Indore, Ratlam, Mandsaur, Dewas, Ujjain and Burhanpur in the past few years.
May
Her Hijab no deterrent, this IAS officer determined to work for marginalised sector: She always dreamt about a career as a civil servant with recognition. It was easier said than done. The challenge was not just the studies. Married, with two daughters, it was Atheela’s family, especially her in-laws, who helped her realize her dream.
June
MBA graduate called ‘terrorist,’ suspended from job allegedly after growing beard: Muhammad Ali Ismail told TwoCircles.net that few months back Managing Director of Adhunik Group Manoj Agarwal met him to discuss the labour issues at Odisha Mining Unit. He says that as Agarwal saw him in beard, he mocked his beard. “Why have you grown beard, you look like a terrorist. There is no place for you in my company,” Agarwal allegedly told him.
July
Zainab Sayeed: UPSC cracker who wants more Muslim girls to be IAS: Zainab cleared the UPSC examination with 107 rank, result for which was declared about a fortnight ago, and has also topped the all India UPSC interviews. “Muslim women should come forward more and more for getting into government service. What is needed is good preparation. If Muslim organizations take initiatives to give training to Muslim girls for UPSC, then the whole community will benefit,” Zainab told Twocircles.net.
August
A Hindu and his designer mosques: He is not a trained architect. He is not an artist. And he is not even a follower of Islam. Yet he comes up with most beautiful designs for mosques, so beautiful, his name has become synonymous with mosque building across Kerala. Govindan Gopalakrishnan, 78, a resident of Thiruvananthapuram, has been constructing mosques all his life. But he is no ordinary contractor. He credits his ability to draw sketches for mosques as “bestowed by God.”
September
गुड़गांव में मुस्लिमों के घर पर चले बुल्डोज़र: शमशाद अहमद भी अपना आशियाना गंवा चुके हैं. शमशाद अहमद बताते हैं, ‘हम चाहकर भी विरोध नहीं कर सकते थे. हमारी संख्या 500 से भी कम थी और उनके पास हज़ार से अधिक तो पुलिसवाले थे. विरोध करते तो लाठियां पड़ने लगतीं, कोई क्यों विरोध करने जाएगा?’ शमशाद बताते हैं कि उन्होंने अपना सारा सामान खुले आसमान के नीचे रखा है. ‘कमिश्नर ने कहा कि सारा सामान सामुदायिक केंद्र में रख दीजिये, और वहां जाकर रहिये. सामुदायिक केंद्र भी अभी निर्माणाधीन है, वहाँ बिजली-पानी या कोई भी सुविधा नहीं है, कैसे चले जाएं?’
October
AMU connection to Nobel winner in Physics: Prof Sajjad Athar is a collaborator of Takaaki Kajita: Prestigious Aligarh Muslim University has a unique connection to this year’s Nobel winner in Physics. Professor Mohammad Sajjad Athar, a Theoretical Nuclear and Particle Physicist of the Department of Physics of the University, is a collaborator of Japanese Physicist Takaaki Kajita, one of the winners.
November
ज़बरदस्त रहा बिहार में मुस्लिम उम्मीदवारों का प्रदर्शन: भारत में मुसलमानों के लिए कठिन राजनीतिक दौर है. मुसलमान और मुस्लिम राजनीति लगातार हाशिए पर जा रहा हैं. लेकिन बिहार विधानसभा चुनाव के नतीजे भारतीय मुसलमानों के लिए उम्मीद की एक नई किरण साबित हो सकते हैं. मुस्लिम उम्मीदवारों का प्रदर्शन इस चुनाव में काफी ज़बरदस्त रहा है. महागठबंधन ने इस चुनाव में कुल 33 मुस्लिम उम्मीदवार मैदान में उतारे थे, जिनमें से 23 ने शानदार जीत हासिल की है. यानी महागठबंधन के 75 फीसदी से अधिक मुस्लिम उम्मीदवार इस चुनाव में कामयाब हुए.
December
Mosques show the way in relief activities during Chennai flood: Mosques like Triplicane Labbai Jamaath Masjid, Dharma Kidangu Mosque, Hafiz Ahmad Khan Mosque, Bahram Jung Mosque, Casa Verona’s Mosque, Makkah Masjid, Masjid Mamoor, MasjidoAnwari, Thousand Lights Mosque and Triplicane Big Mosque are welcoming the victims by offering them food and shelter; while many of them from neighbouring places come to fetch water as well.
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