Muslim youth: India’s most wanted!
Death of Khalid Mujahid has once again brought into focus atrocities on Indian Muslim youth in the name of terrorism. This special TCN series...
Victory against terror will dodge world until destroyed countries are rebuilt
By Aziz A. Mubaraki,
Is it absorbing pressure or mounting it, Dhoni?
By Veturi Srivatsa,
It is not easy to please Indian cricket fans; they are too demanding. Not many seem to be willing to wager on...
Bakht Khan: Winner of a lost battle
On India's independence day we remember a forgotten hero from our history
By Asma Khan for TwoCircles.net
Bakht Khan: Winner of a lost battle
Indian strike – privatisation is the answer
By Sushma RamachandranThe civil aviation industry remains in a turmoil with the latest short term strike of the public sector carrier Indian creating chaos...
Are Nepal Maoists more mature than Indian communists?
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The pragmatic good sense shown by the Nepal Maoists stands in sharp contrast to the ideological rigidity of the Indian communists.
Whether it is a mainline outfit like the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and its allies in the Left Front or the insurrectionary "underground" organisations of the Indian Maoists, their guiding principle is the standard Marxist ideal of a one-party state.
Indian Muslims against ISIS: After fatwas against terror, Muslims take to streets, launch major...
By IndScribe,
First, there were fatwas against terrorism and ISIS.
Now, Indian Muslims have taken to the streets, to raise their voice against the outfit.
The...
Political overdose amid election fervour
The timing just couldn't have been better. Writers, journalists and experts are using all their political wisdom to analyse and dissect events, politicians and...
The Congress wins by default
By Amulya Ganguli,
It's been a lucky break for the Congress. The party must be thankful that, but for a hopelessly divided opposition, it might not have made it to the winning post in two of the three states which went to the polls.
As much is clear in both Maharashtra and Haryana. In Arunachal Pradesh, of course, it faced no challenge. But the outcome in the distant northeastern state is not expected to have much of an impact on national politics.
NCHRO’s Mukundan C Menon Award 2015 given to Ram Puniyani
By TCN News,
Mumbai: The renowned writer, commentator and human rights activist Ram Puniyani was awarded by National Confederation of Human Rights Organizations’ (NCHRO) Mukundan...
Punjab must march on without concealed hatred and prejudices
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat,
Almost 30 years ago Punjab was burning and Sikh were the target of the 'nationalists'. The issue of Punjab and Sikh identity were much larger and need a proper analysis whether the promises made during the transfer of power were fulfilled or not. The demand for autonomy of the states grew. On June 3rd, 1984, Indian army was asked to 'flush-out' 'terrorists' holed up in the campus of Golden Temple. No news was coming in. The only resource for credible information was BBC and its two reporters from India Marc Tulley and Satish Jacob who reported the entire event boldly. Mrs Indira Gandhi came on All India Radio and spoke to the nation about the necessity of 'army action' as innocent lives were being lost in the firing from the Golden Temple Complex.Many senior persons died including DIG J.S.Atwal who was killed outside the complex when he came out from worshiping.
Tharoor: New age politician who forgot old world values
By Sanjiv Kataria, IANS,
The youngest doctorate from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, earning his PhD from the hallowed portals of Tufts University in the US at age 22, Shashi Tharoor is known to be an exceptional thinker. In his nearly three-decade-long stint at the United Nations, where he rose to be the under secretary general for communications and public information in 2001, he displayed consummate diplomatic skills as well.
Maulana Syed Fazlul Hasan Hasrat Mohani
By Afzal Usmani,
Maulana Hasrat Mohani died on May 13th, 1951. Here is an article to the doyen of the independence movement and first journalist to be placed behind bars for his writings. --- Editor.
Clarity needed on resuming India-Pakistan cricket ties
By Veturi Srivatsa,
There has never been or never will be a right time in the foreseeable future for India and Pakistan to play cricket bilaterally. It has always been a political gambit and it is once again, the cacophonic discussions on television channels notwithstanding.
‘Liberal’, ‘Ambedkerite’ Islamophobia and communal violence: A counter narrative
By Dr Mohammad Kamran Ahsan
As hate becomes the fulcrum, and the new normal of Indian polity, various view-points have emerged analysing this institutionalised hatred...
Politics of exodus
By Sadiq Zafar for TwoCircles.net
It is claimed that the exodus is happening in Kairana of Shamli district since the communal inferno of Muzaffarnagar...
Performance of Khurshid as Minority Affairs Minister: A critical look
By Syed Zubair Ahmad,
Does Islam Prohibit Muslims From Befriending People of Other Faiths?
By Maulvi Yahya Nomani,
(Translated from Urdu by Yoginder Sikand)
A disturbing trend: Dying young in India
The killing of 10-year-old Moin Khan must come as a wake-up call to the nation under the scourge of child labor
By Aijaz Zaka Syed, Arab News,
More proof that irony rules the universe
By Nury Vittachi
I think all journalists should end every report with IDK THO LOL ("I don't know though laugh out loud") so...
Bindi Yadav: From ‘bicycle thief’ to super-rich businessman
By Imran Khan
Patna : He's super rich, he's got the right political connections in Bihar and he's dangerous. Meet Bindeshwari Prasad Yadav alias Bindi,...
Delhi assembly passes Jan Lokpal Bill
New Delhi : The Delhi assembly on Friday passed the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill, 2015, which the AAP government has described as the "strongest"...
The trouble in Assam
By V.K. Tripathi
The wild statement by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr. Kiran Rijiju, that the country has 20 million Bangladeshis, has...
Marginalizing Muslims in Gujarat
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
TCN series on Gujarat: Part 4
Cautious welcome to Centre’s proposed Central Madrasa Board
By Najam Gilani and Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,
Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Arjun Singh has recently announced that a Central Madrasa Board will be created and thereafter madrasa certificates will become equivalent to those of CBSE and affiliates of the Council of Board of School Education (COBSE). TwoCircles.net reporters visited some madrasas in Mumbai and Patna to get their views.
December 6, 1992: How do Muslims in India recall the day?
By Abdul Hameed and Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
It was an unfortunate day for India when Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was demolished by the Hindu criminal elements. The mosque that had existed for hundreds of years could not be seen in the evening of December 6, 1992. It was destroyed by 150,000 Hindutva extremists despite a commitment to the Indian Supreme Court that the mosque would not be harmed.
The demolition was followed by communal riots that erupted around the country with Mumbai being most affected by them. Many Muslims were slain and their families were destroyed.
From religion to politics – Haryana sect dominates Punjab scene
By Jaideep Sarin,
Chandigarh: The release of a film on a sect chief and the protests linked to it, an apology by a self-styled godman...
Ayodhya verdict has ramifications for India’s minorities
The High Court judgment on Ayodhaya, if it becomes the law of the land through the Supreme Court, has ominous ramifications for India’s minority communities
By Dr. John Dayal,
Dabholkar to Pansare … Connecting the Dots !!!
By Advocate Sachin Godambe,
We witnessed killing of two social reformers – Dr Narendra Dabholkar and Comrade Govind Pansare recently in Maharashtra. Both were rationalist,...
Corporates can survive bad times without downsizing
By Shiv Dhawan, IANS,
News of downsizing is bad news for any employee. Though downsizing is a common strategy adopted by organisations to cut costs and keep performance standards high, during the current recession it appears to have become a survival imperative.
Top management often forgets to recognize the trauma employees undergo when they or their co-workers are laid off. Downsizing in the immediate run might contain operational costs. But it tends to adversely impact the morale of the remaining workforce - which suffers from 'survivor's guilt syndrome'.
Film Review: From Hindu to Hindutva
By Ram Puniyani,
Kandhmal violence has been the most ghastly communal violence in the Adivasi areas in India. Close to two years after the violence the tragedy of the area continues, the victims of violence, the rehabilitation, the justice to victims, most of these are no where close to what they should be.
Uttar Pradesh: joining the battle for the heartland of India
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The bugle has been sounded and the country is poised for another bruising round of elections which will make or mar the reputations of several parties and politicians.
Indian think tanks need more institutional support
By Nihit Goyal & Shweta Srinivasan, IANS,
A vaccine against terrorism – inter-faith harmony
By M. Rajaque Rahman, IANS,
One thing for which the world would like to forget 2008 is the rise of fanaticism and religious terrorism. Though the world has lived with terror for years, it became more pronounced in 2008 with acts of terror linked to religion or belief system. The perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage targeted Jews for their faith.
Modi should make his stand clear on Togadia
By S. Aziz Haider, Real News International,
Not long ago, a famous actor from Mumbai, belonging to the Minority community, stated that it was difficult for a Muslim in Mumbai to get a house on rent. Nobody complained against him. But the police took suo-motto action for disturbing communal harmony and lodged an FIR against the actor.
The Annual of Urdu Studies: Urdu scholarship in English language
Urdu scholarly journal seeks immediate help to continue publishing
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
News of Urdu’s demise has been written many times. But Urdu has continued to grow at steady pace because of a few dedicated souls, one of them being Prof. Muhammad Umar Memon. He is the editor and publisher of the Annual of Urdu Studies, the only scholarly journal about Urdu in English language.
Attack on Taslima: love of Islam or love of power?
By Asghar Ali Engineer
It was shocking that three MLAs of Majlis Ittahidul Muslimin in Hyderabad gate crashed into the book release function of her book “Lajja” translated into Telugu on 9th August and tried to beat up Taslima and shouted slogans using unbecoming words, even using abusing language. And all this in the name of Islam as if Islam stands for such hooliganism.
How Islamic is the “Islamic State”?
By Maariyah Siddique for TwoCircles.net
About 3 million Iraqis displaced, around 4 million of Syrians fleeing their country in tremendous horror. Women captured, beheaded...
Bill Gates calls on health minister, discusses health system
New Delhi : Microsoft founder and one of the world's most richest persons Bill Gates on Friday called on union Health Minister J.P. Nadda...
Parliament query shows Work Population Ratio lowest among Muslims
By TCN Staff Reporter
Delhi: Work population ratio, which is an indicator used to analyse the employment situation in the country, continues to remain the...
Zackeria Hazrath: A teacher with a difference
By V.M. Khaleelur Rahman,
We were fortunate to have many good and dedicated teachers in the Mazharul Uloom High School, Ambur where we studied more than four decades ago. That period is still green in our memory. We cannot forget our teachers who taught us with all care and attention. Every teacher had his own special characteristics, which impressed and inspired us and even now we cannot but remember and respect them very much.
Hated and admired, Goody was reality TV’s shooting star
By IANS,
London : Jade Goody was the ultimate reality television star. From shooting to villainy for her racial barbs against a Bollywood actress to becoming an icon of courage in her last moments, the 27-year-old Briton chose a life that would put small screen dramas to shame.
Not many people grow up overnight, right in front of us, on our TV sets, the way she did. Before her cervical cancer finally consumed her early Sunday she seemed to have made peace with her many demons.
Terrorism: Hashmi and Puniyani’s letter to the PM
Dear Dr. Manmohan Singh,
The blasts in Delhi (September 13, 2008) are another in the series of tragic blasts in which scores of people have been killed. We strongly condemn the blasts and demand a proper, unbiased investigation into the same. We demand that the guilty be punished. At the same time it seems that our investigating agencies are ignoring some thing very crucial in the matters of investigating the acts of terror.
Violence is not my path: Maudany
By Shameer KS for TwoCircles.net,
Abdul Nasir Maudany is the chief of Kerala-based Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). After spending eight years in prison on charges of being involved in Coimbatore bombing, he was absolved of all charges and released by the courts. Now, once again he is on the verge of arrests for his alleged role in Bangalore bomb blast of 2008. He is accused number 31 in that case and Karnataka police is in Kerala to arrest him. Shameer KS sat down with Maudany to ask him about the case and his thoughts.
Growing intolerance in India is worrying: Shabana Azmi
New Delhi : Veteran actor Shabana Azmi on Friday expressed support to those raising issues of intolerance in the country. She said "the growing...
India and Paris climate change conference
By Syed Ali Mujtaba,
The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 21 or CMP 11 has started in Paris, being held from November...
सवालों के घेरे में बिहार की शराबबंदी
TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
पटना - बिहार में 1 अप्रैल से शराब को लेकर राज्य सरकार की नयी नीति लागू हो गयी है. एक तरफ जहां...
If you are not from Congress, you are not secular
By Mohd Asim Khan,
What kind of a deal the Congress struck with Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari in Delhi is not known. But the...
नए मोड़ पर मध्य प्रदेश का व्यापमं घोटाला…
जावेद अनीस
मध्य प्रदेश का व्यापमं घोटाला एक बार फिर नया मोड़ लेता दिखाई दे रहा है. मई का महीना मुख्यमंत्री शिवराज के लिए राहत...
Ramu Gandhi: A solitary thinker in smug, noisy times
By Manish Chand
Not many get to choose the place they die in, but knowing Ramchandra Gandhi, one gets an eerie feeling that this peripatetic thinker would have wanted to breathe his last moments in a place that was his home and yet not his home for so many years, symbolising the eternal homelessness of the modern intellectual.
निर्मल पाठक की घर वापसी: अम्बेडकर के बहाने गांधी के हरिजन को गले लगाती...
नीरज बंकर Two circles.net के लिए
जहाँ एक ओर ओटीटी प्लेटफार्म ने दुनियाभर की फिल्मों, वेब शोज और बाक़ी कलाओं से परिचय कराया जिससे...
The Politics of Communal Balance
By Abdul Rashid Agwan,
There is a talk in the air regarding proscribing some agitationist organizations in the wake of forthcoming Babri masjid judgment. The expressed cause seems to control public sentiments in consequence to this emotive issue. Vishva Hindu Parishad(VHP) and some Muslim organizations are showing their anxiety on the probable fallout of one of the longest and most controversial litigations of the country. The question arises how far it is justified in a democratic country like ours to ban organizations which are otherwise working within a democratic framework?
Can Kirsten and Hussey change South Africa’s fortunes?
By Veturi Srivatsa,
Hiring consultants for key games appears to be the new trend. The South Africans have brought in their one time coach Gary Kirsten, who also happens to be the man in charge of the Indian team that won the World Cup four years ago, and the once "Mr Cricket" of Australia - Mike Hussey.
More than liability, n-energy costs need to be addressed
By Rajgopal S. and Debapriya Das,
The last few days have seen the revival of the dormant India-US nuclear deal, signed in 2008. It took six long years for the two countries to declare that issues relating to the deal have been resolved which was claimed as a breakthrough. While one could feel good at finding a solution "culminating towards commercial operation consistent with our laws and international legal obligations", as stated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without further details, no clear conclusions can be drawn.
Can India afford to ignore Islamic banking?
By Raza Elahi,
The recent statement of MS Swaminathan, the father of green revolution in India, that Islamic banking can be a solution for farmers’ suicide in Vidarbha is apt reply to those opposing it tooth and nail by terming this banking system as anti-economic growth.
The Tablighi Jamaat in Mewat – Part 4
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net,
The Tablighi Jamaat in Mewat series
Partition, Mewat and the TJ
The tragedy of monotheism
By Rabia Terry Harris
Everybody needs a tribe. One person alone faces a frighteningly big, sometimes brutal world. Even a family can be too small to deal with some challenges that come down the pike - while if family relationships are the only ones around, obsessive family closeness can suffocate us. No, tribes are the way to go, which is why most of the human race carefully conserves them.
Never let a crisis go to waste
By Artuk, TwoCircles.net
Be it Judaism, Christianity or Islam - “Call of repentance” has been proclaimed by all the Abrahamic faiths in view of COVID19. ...
“Gas OPEC” will not fiddle with prices
MOSCOW. Speaking at the opening of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said: "The era of cheap gas is coming to an end." However, his forecast is not likely to come true in the near future.
Now that the GECF has adopted a charter, it has become an official institution, but the charter does not provide for regulating gas production volumes like OPEC does with oil, and therefore the GECF will not be able to modulate prices like OPEC.
भाजपा सांसद की ताकत के मारे एक ऑटोवाले की कहानी
अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल, TwoCircles.net
बेतिया(बिहार) - बीजेपी की पूर्व राज्यसभा सांसद कुसुम राय की ताक़त का मारा एक लाचार शख्स अब ‘ज़िन्दा लाश’ में तब्दील...
Excerpts from the book Colonialism and the Call to Jihad in British India
This book examines the role of Ulemas in attempting to use the idea of jihad as an instrument for combating colonialism in South Asia...
Policing My Plate? Such A Dadri!
By Dr.Asma Anjum Khan
He Died, but Hope Hasn’t
I am a Muslim and I don’t eat mutton chicken beef. Not because someone tells me...
Hate Speech: a contemplation in Indian legal regime
The term ‘hate speech’ has not been formally defined in any of the Indian legislations, however, it is a term created out of social...
मौलाना अरशद मदनी ने उठाई नागरिकता कानून को वापस लेने की मांग
स्टाफ़ रिपोर्टर।twocircles.net
केंद्र सरकार द्वारा कृषि कानून वापस लेने के बाद अब नागरिकता कानून को भी वापस लेने की मांग भी उठने लगी है। केंद्र...
V.P. Singh signalled paradigm shift in Indian politics
By Neerja Chowdhury, IANS,
V.P. Singh, the most controversial prime minister India has had, is dead. Though he ruled the country only for a short spell, from December 1989 to November 1990, the 77-year-old leader had brought about a paradigm shift in Indian politics.
Three Yadavs, a Meo to fight it out in Gurgaon
By Pradeep Singh
Gurgaon: It will be an almost all-Yadav affair in the Gurgaon Lok Sabha constituency in Haryana, that borders Delhi to...
A conversation with K. Rahman Khan
By Nigar Ataulla for TwoCircles.net
“As Muslims and as people who follow Islam, A positive approach should be the motto of our life. Allah Almighty says again and again in the Quran that one should be positive. Negativity is not part of Islamic lifestyle or thinking. Muslims should think positively and be a vibrant community. We should work on the positive motto that we are here to lead, not to be led….” K. Rahman Khan, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha.
Why Muslim share in Lok Sabha declined?
By Balraj Puri,
The outcome of recently concluded election to the Lok Sabha has been hailed as triumph of secular forces. Significantly it also marked the decline of Muslims representation from 34 in the previous Lok Sabha to 28 this time, including four from Jammu and Kashmir State.
It is true that a secular Hindu can serve the cause of Muslims much better than a member of the community can do. But it gets a better psychological satisfaction if its representative also belongs to it.
Faux journalism and democracy
By Pramod Kumar for TwoCircles.net
The media is indeed the Fourth Pillar of democracy and is, therefore, by implication and extension, as relevant as the...
बाबरी मस्जिद की शहादत : अभी ज़रुरत है निर्णय की
मुदस्सिर अहमद
6 दिसंबर की तारीख हिंदुस्तानी मुसलमानों के लिए एक डरावने सपने की तरह है क्योंकि इसी दिन शांति के दुश्मन हिंदू कट्टरपंथियों...
Rajya Sabha merely enforced its code in suspending 7 MPs
By M.R. Madhavan, IANS,
Some members of the Rajya Sabha tore papers on the chairman's desk Monday while protesting the women's reservation bill. Tuesday the house took action against them by suspending them for the rest of the budget session.
Parliamentary procedures and etiquettes are carefully crafted to permit all members to contribute to debates in a constructive manner. This implies that objections may be raised to an issue with the permission of the chair. This also implies that members should listen to others who may have a different point of view.
Bid to boost up literacy rate in Moradabad through ‘quality education’
By Kulsum Mustafa, TwoCircles.net,
Montreal Protocol: One more ‘BerlinWall’ fell 25 years back
By Rajendra Shende,
The Montreal Protocol's entry into force gave birth to the freedom from yet another Iron Curtain.
'Wall of Shame!' moaned the Western proponents of freedom to describe 155 km of Berlin Wall that finally came down Nov 9, 1989. The architects of the Wall, however, called it 'anti-fascist protection', built to protect the population of the eastern socialists from fascist elements. The West-East divide was not just physical. It was a philosophically brutal experiment in socio-political theories.
Nanavati Report on Godhra Tragedy: Erasing the obvious truths
By Ram Puniyani
Recently Justice Nanavati-Mehta (N-M) submitted their report to Govt. (Sept 2008). What it has done must be very close to the desire of the ruling establishment which reaped a rich harvest due to the Godhra train burning and the anti Muslim pogrom in the aftermath of the same.
Politicians, clergy make mockery of fatwa against iftar
By Kulsum Mustafa, TwoCircles.net
The fatwa (religious edicts) against hosting of iftar parties by political organisations issued by the Darul Uloom Nadvatul Ulema, Lucknow seems to have had absolutely no impact on either the host or the guests. While the politicians continued to host these parties, the Muslim clerics attended them making a sheer mockery of the fatwa against such iftars.
Pakistani jehadis didn’t foresee global fallout of Mumbai massacre
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The patrons of terrorism in Pakistan seem to have miscalculated the impact of their murderous attack on Mumbai. It is unlikely that they anticipated the immense diplomatic pressure which the US would put on Islamabad.
They probably expected that like other major acts of terrorism which India experienced at least five or six times in a year, the Mumbai incident too would evoke nothing more than expressions of sympathy from the outside world and a sense of impotent rage in India.
Tale of two retired IPS officers
By Maxwell Pereira, IANS,
Both retired from the elite Indian Police Service (IPS) - one on superannuation and the other prematurely on own volition. One to settle down in Gujarat and the other in Orissa - states that saw large-scale communal violence this decade. One is now engaged in crusading for human rights to bring justice to victims of carnage; the other allegedly spewing venom and hatred to arouse communal sentiment for political gain and more.
Force of faith trumps law and reason in Ayodhya case
If left unamended by the Supreme Court, the legal, social and political repercussions of the judgment are likely to be extremely damaging
By Siddharth Varadarajan,
Can Gates of ijtihad be closed?
By Asghar Ali Engineer,
After the fatwa from Deoband (some of the Deobandis deny that fatwa was ever issued) that Muslim women cannot work with strangers from amongst the men and that in that case her earnings will be haram (prohibited) to her family, a debate is raging on the need for ijtihad (creative reinterpretation of law) and it is often suggested that gates of ijtihad were closed after sack of Baghdad in 1258 and that these gates be reopened.
How India wasted three Bharat Ratnas: Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee
By Sharique Anwer for TwoCircles.net,
On March 27, 2015 President of India, Pranab Mukherjee presented Bharat Ratna to former Prime Minister and one of the founding leader of BJP Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
From Right Wing supporters to liberals almost everyone applauded the gesture of the NDA government to confer Atal Bihar Vajpayee with Country’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna. Also, I saw many staunch congress supporters tweeting against Bharta Ratna to former PM. Congress supporters attacked NDA government over Bharat Ratna to ABV is like “Foot in the mouth moment” in my opinion, after congress government’s own act of awarding Bharat Ratna to Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi in the past.
Two years ago, Sadhvi was principle conspirator for NIA. What changed now?
By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Five years after Ministry of Home Affairs asked National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate Malegaon 2008 blasts, NIA on May 13,...
Kashmiryat in Kashmiri surnames
By Rajesh Bhat, TwoCircles.net
Ever heard a Hindu by the surname Peer, Wali or Khan? Or imagine a Muslim carrying his last name as Rishi or Pandit…… Sounds incredible but it is a common feature in Kashmir, where unlike in other parts of the country, Muslims and Hindus have been sharing the same surnames since ages.
Kunta Devi: A woman farmer from UP
By Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service,
One day, more than 20 years ago, Kunta Devi’s husband never returned home from his workplace at a brick kiln and has been untraceable since then. He seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving his wife alone with their 3 children—I daughter and 2 sons, with the youngest one barely 2 years old. Kunta does not know if he is dead or alive. She now lives with her 2 sons and their wives and 4 grandchildren—3 grandsons and 1 granddaughter.
NRI saga goes back over 2,500 years
By Kul Bhushan
For most of the new NRI generation, the Indian migration started about 60 years or 100 years at the most. But this saga goes back over 2,500 years ago much before Biblical times to distant shores of Africa, South-East Asia and the Far East. Considering that they travelled by sailboats into uncharted seas in voyages that took months to the Far East, it remains a humongous achievement.
A flawed definition of secularism lies behind the Ayodhya verdict
By Rohini Hensman
Whose Faith and Belief?
Why both love and Jihad are misinterpreted by Saffronised Indians?
By Shadab Ahmad Moizee,
Kabhi masjid pe ja baithe Kabhi mandir pe ja baithe
Parindon me yaha firqa parasti kyu nahi aati….
This poetic verse expresses the freedom of birds, but in 21st century love birds need to define their love according to self-confessed contractors of religion.
The untold story behind ‘political Iftaar parties’
By Tanvir Salim
Ramadan is here, and there will be a mad rush to organize Iftaar parties in New Delhi. Most likely Prime Minister Narendra...
Traditionalist ulema lead educational revolution in Kerala
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net
News channels in India are in adolescent phase: Arfa Khanum
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Television journalism is one of the most glamorous jobs of new India. Arfa Khanum Sherwani as principal correspondent and news anchor for NDTV India holds one of those glamorous jobs. Her home in New Delhi is an example of simplicity. She used to be in front of her camera, but this time she was the subject of the interview. I asked her about television journalism in India which is barely a decade old.
The farce over prevention of communal violence
By M Reyaz,
As the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government decided to not table the Anti-Communal Violence Bill amidst much din in the Upper...
Every booth in Bengal assembly polls to have central police
Kolkata : The Election Commission on Thursday said central police forces would guard all polling booths during next year's West Bengal assembly elections and...
Preserving the legacy of Nawab Bahadur Yar Jung (1905-1944)
By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Economic turmoil is worse than terrorism”
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Andrei Fedyashin) - The European Union is beginning this difficult week with the discussion of its financial problems, which are getting more serious with every passing day.
MJCET Students Invent A Solar Powered Charkha!
By: Syed Khaled Shahbaaz,
A solar-powered Charkha was inaugurated by Mr. Khan Lateef Khan, Chairman, Sultan-ul-Uloom Education Society during the Annual Day celebrations of Muffakham Jah College of Engineering and Technology on 27th March. Developed by students Farhan Ali Khan and Aditya Mekala of B.E 4th year, the solar-powered spinning wheel aims at easing worker burden, doubling yield and promoting employment in rural areas of India where poor women use these Charkhas to earn their livelihood.
Sir Sayyed Awareness Forum organises Seminar on ‘Sir Sayyed and Tolerance’
By TCN News
Aligarh: Sir Sayyed Awareness Forum organised its eighth National Seminar on 'Sir Sayyed and Tolerance' at Muktakash Manch, Aligarh on Wednesday, March...
Daily life of Darul Uloom students
By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,
Part 4 of the seven part TwoCircles.net series on Darul Uloom Deoband
Sharmila Tagore lauds Yemeni director for highlighting women’s sufferings
Kolkata : Veteran actress Sharmila Tagore heaped praises on Yemeni filmmaker Khadija Al Salami, considered the first woman director from her country, for being...
Writers, publishers, journalists and social activists condemn police action against Forward Press
More than 350 writers, publishers, journalists and social activists from Hindi, English and Marathi, including Uday Prakash, Arundhati Rai, Shamshul Islam, Sharan Kumar Limbale, Kanwal Bharti, Giriraj Kishor, Anand Teltumbade, Manglesh Dabral, Anil Chamadia, Apoorvanand, Veerbharat Talwar, Ram Puniyani , S.Anand and others condemned police action against Forward Press last week.
बीता साल: साक्षर भारत के सपनों को तोड़ती मोदी सरकार
शारिक़ अंसर,
मौजूदा केंद्र सरकार ने सत्ता में आने से पहले शिक्षा जैसे ज़रूरी मुद्दे पर कई सारे वादे किए थे. सत्ता में आने के...
Don’t lose touch with heritage, J&K CM tells youth
Jammu : In their pursuit of science and technology, the youth of Jammu and Kashmir should not lose their connect with heritage and traditional...
The art of preserving manuscripts
By Rana Safvi for TwoCircles.net
Ambreen Shariq Khan has grown up amidst rare books. Her father Abdus Sattar has a collection of rare Urdu and...
No replay of Khobragade affair for Bangladeshi diplomat
By Arun Kumar
Washington: It looks like a replay of the Devyani Khobragade affair that strained India-US relations, but it isn't. A former domestic...
Karnataka elections: an analysis of Muslim representations
TwoCircles.net forecasts seven seats returning Muslim candidates, they have decent chance on eight more seats. BSP can spoil it for the Congress and risk a historical low for Muslim representations in Karanataka Assembly. Read the analysis by Kashif-ul-Huda of TwoCircles.net
Assam flood vs. Bihar flood: Why different treatment?
By M. Burhanuddin Qasmi,
The floods have been rampaging since eons for the people of Assam, Bihar, Bengal and some parts of Uttar Pradesh. The point is that north Bihar is visited by floods every year and routinely devastated by its river systems, led by the Kosi, which originate in Nepal and eventually flow into the Gangetic plains.
Muslims need to self evaluate
By Mir Hasan Ali
A loud explosion…gasps of fright amid shock…followed by the growing sound of ambulance sirens.
It has happened yet again.
#TalkToAMuslim: armchair activism gone horribly wrong
By: Masarat Daud
In a parallel world, today is 100th birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela, a peace activist radical by today’s standards. I say parallel...
Novel experiments in madrasa reform
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net
Madrasas serve an important range of functions in the lives of many Muslims, preserving, promoting and transmitting knowledge of the Islamic scripturalist tradition. For many Muslims from poor families, madrasas often provide the only available avenue for education for their children.
Terrorism has no place in Islamic life
By Dr. Zakir Naik
My work over the past 18 years,using the Glorious Qur’an and teachings of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) has focused mainly on the clarification of important issues, including such topics as; Women’s status and rights, terrorism and the killing of innocent civilians, the profound message of and the route to Peace in Islam, the universal brotherhood based on the oneness of God, among several other topics.
Netaji’s personal life produced strong views
By Anurag Dey,
Kolkata: The charisma of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose made people equally inquisitive about the revolutionary leader’s personal life, often producing strong and...
Kerala media chases police car retrieving solar scam evidence
Kochi : In stuff normally seen in films -- journalists in Kerala on Thursday were in hot pursuit of a police vehicle carrying...
Nobel laureates of Indian origin mostly from Tamil Nadu, Bengal
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Is it more than just a coincidence that the the Nobel laureates of Indian origin belong to Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
Like Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, the latest winner, C.V. Raman and Subramanyan Chandrasekhar, who won the prize in 1930 and 1983 respectively, were also Tamils. They were also members of the Tamil diaspora in the US who had emigrated following the rise of the backward caste movement in Tamil Nadu that put the upper castes under social and political pressure.
Seven pastors killed, 20% rise in attacks on Christians in 2015, says minority group
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Mumbai: There was a 20 percent rise in attacks on Christians in India, Mumbai-based minority and human rights group...
Buddhist-Muslim Relations in Ladakh – Part 1
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net,
Full Series: Buddhist-Muslim Relations in Ladakh
Now Europe woos skilled immigrants with ‘blue cards’
By Shubha Singh, IANS
Several countries in Europe are finding it difficult to fill jobs that require highly skilled workers. The European Union (EU) does not have clear procedures for legal migration such as the migration channels that exist in the US, Canada and Australia. Business enterprises have to go through a cumbersome process to apply for work permits for their overseas employees.
Muslim MPs tell TCN why they oppose women quota bill
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Mushawarat: sensible Muslim leadership for a trouble time
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net,
Just hours after a social activist is arrested in Delhi, a press release by All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) alerts rest of India about this arrest and puts pressure on the government to release him. Similarly, soon after Jamia Nagar encounter in which two Muslim youths were killed, a delegation of Muslim leaders under the leadership of Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, president of Mushawarat visits the area and plans their next course of action.
December 16 gang-rape: HC seeks Centre’s move on juvenile convict
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the central government on BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's plea against the release...
Two Lok Sabha by-polls changed the political scenario of the country in the past....
By Mohammed Faisal, TwoCircles.net
The first by-poll was in 1978. At that time, Indira Gandhi was ousted due to the imposition of emergency. India’s political...
Ramadan in Malabar: Social status and secularism through Iftar parties
By Abdul Basith MA, TwoCircles.net,
It’s not war yet, but Punjab border villages face war-like situation
By Jaideep Sarin
Amritsar : There has been no gunfire, no alert sirens and no fighter jets dropping bombs. It is not war time yet...
The Master and Margarita: Devilish happenings in Stalinist Moscow
By Vikas Datta,
Ancient Greek playwrights invented this literary device but the Romans gave it the name we know - deus ex machina (God from...
Rising delivery defaults push demand for ready-to-move homes
By Vinod Behl,
Amid rising property prices, high loan rates and rising delivery defaults, home buyers are increasingly opting for ready-to-move properties to ensure safety of their investment.
Understanding BJP’s victory: Critical questions, electorate response and the way forward
By Md. Aariz Imam
The reconciliatory efforts by the country’s largest minority should focus on establishing a SHURA, a council of visionaries on the lines...
Adams’ Bridge- Faith Verses National Interest
By Syed Ali Mujtaba, TwoCircles.net
The case of "Adams' Bridge", a mythical barrier situated south-east of Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, India, connecting Talaimanar coast of Sri Lanka has snowballed into a faith verses national interest controversy. The Supreme Court of India is hearing a public interest litigation petition on the multi core Sethusamundram canal project that involves dredging of a sea channel cutting across the Adams' Bridge across the Gulf of Mannar.
The case of "Adams' Bridge", a mythical barrier situated south-east of Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, India, connecting Talaimanar coast of Sri Lanka has snowballed into a faith verses national interest controversy. The Supreme Court of India is hearing a public interest litigation petition on the multi core Sethusamundram canal project that involves dredging of a sea channel cutting across the Adams' Bridge across the Gulf of Mannar.
India needs to go deeper into Latin America
By Deepak Bhojwani,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a crackling diplomatic pace for his government. Barely two months after being sworn in, he was in Brazil in July 2014, where he met 12 Latin American leaders on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. This triggered a more active engagement with a region benignly ignored by India despite its huge potential.
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