Does love know Religious boundaries?
By Ram Puniyani,
Communal politics, communal violence all over used women’s bodies as the site of contestation and community honor. This is the worst expression of patriarchal values inherent in the communal politics. We recall that it was the presentation of a road accident between boys of two religious communities that was propagated as an issue of the honor of ‘our girl’ being violated by the ‘other’. The Panchayats were mobilized; openly flaunting the arms, and Muzzafarnagar violence was orchestrated. And that’s not the end of the abuse of ‘our women-their women’ mind set. Post Muzzafarnagar violence, UP is abuzz with various activities aimed at polarizing the communities using this issue.
Benazir: intrepid woman, charismatic politician
By Manish Chand, IANS
The first woman elected to head a Muslim nation, former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto was often seen as a beacon of democracy and moderation in a military dominated country and was poised to play a starring role in the changing political landscape of her country when the assassins brutally cut short her life.
The ordeals of Madrasa education
By Sadiya Rohma Khan
The tried and tested sagas, the typical appeasement of Muslim community just before any electoral is just so predictable. The power-packed...
Asma Nama: P for Preaching; P for Practice?
Are Today’s Muslims Only Talking Toms?
By Dr Asma Anjum Khan for TwoCircles.net,
Whenever I read George Bernard Shaw saying, ‘Islam is the best religion and Muslims are the worst people’, it makes me angry. Be it the international scene or our closed communities, does Shaw metaphor stick to us (and stinks too?)
‘Make in India’ can lead to ‘Decade of Manufacturing’
By Amit Kapoor,
The government's manufacturing focus is evident. On the recent three-country foreign visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Make in India campaign received a fillip. India was also the partner country at Hannover Messe, described as the world's leading trade fair for industrial technology.
What Syrian-Israeli talks mean
By Hasan Abu Nimah, CGNews,
There was a surprise announcement last week that Syrians and Israelis started indirect peace negotiations under Turkish patronage in Istanbul. That was confirmed in both countries' capitals soon afterwards.
Almost simultaneously, the Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported that the two sides had already reached understanding as a result of secret talks in Europe two years earlier, between September 2004 and July 2006, and that the two sides would sign an agreement of principles, and once they had fulfilled their commitments, a peace agreement would be signed.
Malkangiri: Who is responsible for deaths of more than 120 Adivasi children?
By Akash Poyam for Adivasi Resurgence
Up until now, Japanese Encephelitis (JE) has caused more than 120 deaths (Official numbers, real deaths could be...
‘Helicopter parenting’, bonding issues: New challenges for urban Indian parents
By Sahana Ghosh
Kolkata : Hollywood's latest animation offering "Inside Out" has struck a chord with parents globally. Parallels with modern parenting...
The cases of Varun Gandhi and Binayak Sen: one land, two laws
By Nupur Basu, IANS,
This is a country where the law clearly protects the rich and famous and comes down heavily, very often unfairly, on the poor and powerless.
For all those listening / watching aghast at how low our politicians can sink - e.g. Varun Gandhi's vituperative attack against the Muslim community in an election address in Pilibhit from where he will contest on the BJP ticket - they always knew deep down that nothing would come of it. The interim anticipatory bail granted to him on Friday is on those very predictable lines.
Honour killings: Need for a stop to this barbaric practice
By Babu Joseph, IANS,
The media has rightly exposed the heinous crime of killing people under the guise of protecting the 'honour' of the caste or community. This monstrous practice reported from some states of India goes to show that there is something seriously amiss in our socio-cultural ethos.
दिल्ली हिंसा में वरिष्ठ पत्रकारों पर देशद्रोह का मुक़दमा, प्रियंका गांधी ने कहा भय...
आकिल हुसैन।Twocircles.net
गणतंत्र दिवस के दिन दिल्ली में किसानों की ट्रैक्टर परेड के दौरान हुई हिंसा को भड़काने का आरोप लगाते हुए छह पत्रकारों और...
Will the Deoband edict restrain jehadis?
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS
Although belated, the condemnation of terrorism by Darul-Uloom Deoband is a major step forward in the war against religious extremism. It can seem odd, however, that it took this widely respected religious seminary based in Uttar Pradesh so long to express its disapproval of the militancy of bigots and mercenaries although this country, and the world, have been battling this menace over a long period.
Rana Ayyub’s act of resistance
By Arif Hussain for TwoCircles.net
Contexts have this amazing ability of turning simple everyday acts into acts of resistance. From Mohandas Gandhi at Dandi...
Women’s Reservation Bill and politics of OBCs and minorities
By Asghar Ali Engineer
After fourteen years of women’s struggle, Rajya Sabha passed a women’s Reservation Bill last week with two-third majority for constitutional amendment. The OBC satraps did their best to forestall the Bill but did not succeed. Their argument that the bill will benefit only upper caste Hindu women at the cost of OBCs and minority women is only superficial and would hardly bears scrutiny. Truth is more complex and has to be examined with all its complexity.
इक़बाल नियाज़ी: उर्दू ड्रामों की आन बान शान
(इक़बाल नियाज़ी के जन्मदिन 15 मई पर विशेष लेख)
निबंधकार: डॉ नाज़ ख़ान
वो चाँद है तो अक्स भी पानी में आएगा
किरदार ख़ुद उभर के कहानी...
Asaduddin Owaisi : Political Dividend Vs Price of friendship with KCR
By Muhammed Tauqeer
In the recently concluded Telangana assembly elections, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) got a thumping win with 2/3rd majority. This inspite of Congress'...
Weather and airline join hands to trouble Hajis
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Hajj is the most important travel in a Muslim’s lifetime, and for most of us it is once-in-a-lifetime travel. Some wait for years to save money and be free from obligations so that they can carry out this religious obligation with spiritual sprit and peace. It, therefore, comes as a surprise to hear of incidents wherein Hajis and their relatives get into arguments, heated exchange and even physical violence.
Harsh Mander talks to TCN on the 1983 Nellie Massacre
By Anjuman Ara Begum, TwoCircles.net,
Eminent social worker and writer Harsh Mander, who quit his IAS job in Gujarat following the 2002 pogrom there, recently visited Assam as Supreme Court Special Commissioner. In an exclusive encounter Shillong-born Mander opens his heart to Anjuman Ara Begum of TwoCircles.net on Nellie massacre and its survivors who still await justice. (On Friday – 18 February, 1983 – 3,300 Muslims were massacred in the Nellie town of Morigaon district, Assam)
Discrimination main reason behind high number of Muslims in prisons
By A. Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
After analyzing the statistical data from National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) from year 2001 to 2012, it has been found that the percentage of Muslims lying in prisons of the total prisoners was always greater than the share of Indian Muslims in the country’s population.
‘Crop damage by wild animals declined 33%’
By Shreya Mittal
As two senior Indian ministers tussle over the declaration of some wild animals as "vermin", the damage to crops from animal attacks...
Uneven growth makes India uncompetitive globally
By Sushma Ramachandran, IANS,
Is India a good place to do business? The answer seems to be it is excellent in some areas and difficult in others. No wonder the Indian economy has risen in one global index of competitiveness and gone down in another on business climate.
In times of recession, one can find a bit of cheer in the news that the country has climbed a notch in the competitiveness index compiled by the Davos-based World Economic Forum. But to counter that is the fact that it has fallen in the Doing Business Index of the World Bank and the International Finance Corp.
Kargil: Whose war was that?
By C. Uday Bhaskar, IANS,
July 26 marks 10 years after India won the limited but high-stakes Kargil War initiated by Pakistan. On this day in 1999, the Indian soldiers gave the country a significant victory - albeit at a heavy cost in life, limb and blood. More than 500 military personnel gave their lives and a grateful nation celebrated a Kargil Diwas (Day).
Dhoni’s men can get inspired by Paes
By Veturi Srivatsa,
Late last week, three things kept Indian sport in focus. The cricket team failed to make the tri-series final to end a dreadful tour of Australia, a Dutchman has been named the new national hockey coach and Leander Paes partnered another Martina (Hingis) to win his seventh Grand Slam title in mixed doubles to add to his eight in the men's doubles.
Widespread fear among Muslims of Rajasthan: M. Salim
By Yoginder Sikand and Nigar Ataullah, TwoCircles.net,
(Mohammad Salim, Associate Professor in Electronics and Communications at the Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur, is the Amir (President) of the Rajasthan chapter of the Jamaat-e Islami Hind. In this interview with Yoginder Sikand and Nigar Ataulla he speaks about the targeting of Muslims in Rajasthan by agencies of the state and Hindutva groups in the name of countering terrorism.)
Dalit auto rickshaw driver Chitralekha attacked allegedly by CPI (M) workers
By Shafeeq Hudawi
Kozhikode: While the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its associate organisations have been vociferously protesting against the crackdown in JNU and...
Sachin Pilot silences detractors with Rajasthan victories
By Anil Sharma,
Jaipur: With the Congress winning three of the four assembly seats in the recently held byelections in Rajasthan, state party president...
हिन्दू कोड बिल पर चुप्पी साधकर भाजपा कर रही ट्रिपल तलाक की राजनीति
अभय कुमार
पिछले महीने पूर्वी उत्तर प्रदेश के सोनभद्र में भाजपा की एक बड़ी रैली से ख़िताब करते हुए पार्टी अध्यक्ष अमित शाह ने सपा,...
Cordoba House, Ground Zero and overcoming the fear of Islam
By Mehnaz M. Afridi
On 6 June some organisations, such as Stop Islamization of America, Jihad Watch and the Tea Party movement, have planned a demonstration in New York to protest the building of a cultural and community centre called the Cordoba House, two blocks from the World Trade Center site. The founder of the centre, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, has said that one purpose of the Cordoba House is to "bridge and heal the divide between Muslims and other Americans."
Missing prior strategy reduces Muslims’ representation in Assembly
By A. Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Maharashtra Muslims have collectively managed to send total 9 MLAs of their community to the assembly for the next five years which was made clear on Sunday after the counting of votes for 15th October elections in the state. Earlier there were 10 MLAs from the community belonging to different parties.
A ‘human right’ to attack handicapped woman?
By Xinhua
Beijing : Is it a human right that "Tibet independence" separatists assaulted a handicapped woman? the People's Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC), questioned in a commentary to be published on Saturday.
The Dalai clique claimed they have pursued "freedom" and "human rights" on various occasions. However, what happened during the Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay revealed the nature of the "rights", the commentary said.
‘Farmer suicide report a cover-up’
By Anurag Dey
Kolkata: With agrarian distress being a major crisis accounting for thousands of farming lives every year, the latest data by the National...
Bihar heading for much closer fight in 2014 poll
By Soroor Ahmed, TwoCircles.net,
The parliamentary election in Bihar is heading towards an interesting finish. Though different opinion polls show that the BJP-LJP-RLSP alliance may end up winning as high as 25––or even more––seats out of total 40 in the state, yet the constituency-wise analysis does not sketch such a rosy picture for the lotus-brigade.
Rickshaw ban: a bane or boon?
By Firoz Bakht Ahmed
To a person like me who has spent the major portion of his life in the vintage streets and lanes of Shahjahanabad, or the Mughal-built Old Delhi, riding on horse carts and rickshaws, the blanket ban on cycle rickshaws by the Delhi High Court has come as a shock. I feel that courts that otherwise are doing yeomen service to the cause of justice at times pass orders that are not people-friendly.
Faith: Instilling Unity
By Ram Puniyani,
One has heard that faith can move mountains, but currently one looks forward to see that it restores peace and justice in society. We have been hearing about various Inter Faith Dialogues from quite some time. One such high level dialogue took place in Mumbai in second week of June 2009. This was attended by top clergy from Hindu and Christian religions. It came to the understanding that there should be no violence against minorities, there should be no conversions and that religious organizations will pool together their resources for charity.
NRIs getting ready to celebrate ‘India@60’
By Kul Bhushan
'Life begins at 60' is coming true for India. Although 60 years is just a moment in time during the history of a country as ancient as India, 60 years after independence is a major landmark. And NRIs are gearing up to celebrate the event. Many NRI social welfare groups have set up special committees to hold the celebrations in different forms and styles.
1857: first war of Independence?
By Maulana Muhammad Wali Rahmani,
Historians and historiographers are expected to study and narrate an event objectively and without showing loyalty to any affiliation – regional, communal or philosophical. People need pure and plain history, not a history coloured with saffron, red or green. But the history of Independence war in India is replete with violations of ethics of historiography.
Cry, my beloved country!
Without acting against the architects of the 2002 pogrom, India cannot move on. Without justice, there’s no peace
By Aijaz Zaka Syed,
Development, Environment and the Tribal of Maghuwapara
By Abdul Kalam Azad,
The history of human civilization is same as the history of change and development. The advent of renaissance and industrial revolution in seventeen century opened up the scope of change and development beyond imagination. The science and technology played a vital role in this whole journey. But history also tells us that a certain section of society always remains outside the ambit of such change and development process. This alienation is sometimes deliberate as well as forceful. We observe such alienation of tribals of northeast region of India from development process. During colonial period British Raj distinguished the tribals from the people living in the valleys. The colonial rulers were less bothered about development interventions in tribal dominated areas as most of those areas were not economically viable as far as revenue collection was concerned. Sociologists opine that such alienation is one of the major reasons for the current unrest in this region. But today we are going to discuss another aspect of exclusive development model and its impacts on the marginalized tribal groups.
CDS Derivatives cannot mitigate financial risks
By Syed Zahid Ahmad,
Systematic risks are associated with every financial transaction, whether it is debt based credits or equity based finances. The practice of covering such risks through Credit Default Swaps (CDS) derivatives failed to mitigate risks at a time when market collapsed due to large scale default swaps; rather it has intensified the financial crisis.
Pragya Singh Thakur, symbol of BJP’s political ideology
By Ram Puniyani
Pragya Singh Thakur is no ordinary member of BJP, the ruling dispensation in the country. She is a MP from Bhopal and...
Why I hate the IPL
Dr. Shah Alam Khan,
To qualify as an Indian, it is essential that you love cricket, it is important that you gossip, it is vital to fall in love with pelvic thrusting actors and cajoling actresses on the celluloid screen and it is quintessential that you make money the quick (and sometimes the wrong) way. The saga of Indian Premier League (IPL), the beleaguered cricket league of India, is no exception to these general rules of Indianness.
Who says Hindus are not victims of communalism?
By Vishal Arora
Statistics say that Hindus account for more than half the number of sufferers of communal strife. This means their "victimisation" is a reality. But the question is, who victimises them? Religious minorities? Hindutva groups?
Urdukidzcartoon.com connecting Urdu language with a new generation of kids
By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net
Innovative NGO-Ulema collaborative effort for Muslim Education
The Jeevan Talim Project in Kutch
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net,
Surrogacy gaining acceptance in India
By Syed Ali Mujtaba,
In a significant order, the Madras High Court on March 5, 2013 held that a woman who had a child through surrogacy is entitled for maternity leave.
A letter to the Press Council of India on Hyderabad blasts coverage
To,
Hon’ble Justice Markandey Katju,
Chairman,
Press Council of India,
New Delhi.
Sir,
As population rises, UP’s healthcare system collapses
By Sushree Panigrahi and Jeet Singh
In Uttar Pradesh, the number of public health centres (PHCs), the frontline of the government's healthcare system, decreased 8...
A Portrait of the Indian as a Young Dalit Girl: Part 3 – Meeting...
(Editor’s note: This was first published on Yahoo.com as a single piece. We are reproducing the long form report in parts for TwoCircles.net readers.)
You...
Muslim MPs spent just 17% of constituency fund in 2009-10
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
In another shameful revelation, Muslim Members of Indian Parliament have been found doing very little for the people of their constituencies. The Muslim Members of Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Indian Parliament, spent just 16.86% of the annual central government fund for their constituencies in the year 2009-2010.
Patriot’s Nokia Mobile
By Omair Anas,
Playing cricket in South Asia is more than a sport. It is mix of politics both at home and across the border. So much so that cricket diplomacy is employed when real diplomacy seems to fail. Being a student of international relations, I am always careful about cricket though not about playing. One has to learn when cricket is sport and when it is diplomacy.
What India should expect from Barack Obama, what it shouldn’t
By Girish Bhaskar, IANS,
As president-elect Barack Obama waits to take over the administration of the US, he faces daunting challenges on both the domestic and foreign fronts. The expectations both within and outside the country are very high. In his post-victory speech, Obama cautioned that change will take time. Some of his efforts may prove anti-climactic. People all over the world are expecting big things from Obama as he ran a campaign as an agent for change.
War on terror: If you can’t find the terrorist, make one
By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
This is the first report of the three part series on the situation of Md. Amir after spending 14 years in jail.
Najma Heptullah gets her Calculations Right
By Fawaz Shaheen,
Ms. Najma Heptullah, the Minority Affairs Minister in Mr. Modi’s newly sworn in Cabinet, has shocked the public in her first public statement by saying that Muslims must not be called a minority in India since they are “so large in number”.
BJP’s defeat is seldom analyzed deeply
By Soroor Ahmed, TwoCircles.net,
When the Bharatiya Janata Party performed badly in the August 21 by-polls in Bihar––it could win only four out of 10 seats––it was attributed to the coming together of RJD, JD(U) and Congress. But how will the BJP explain losing three out of nine seats in prime minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, three out of four in Rajasthan and eight out of 11 in Uttar Pradesh. After all the BJP-led alliance had won 124 out of 131 Lok Sabha seats in these three states in the parliamentary election held in May 2014.
Big business and election: Time to decouple the two
By Saroj Mohanty,
Politics has been integral to the Indian business milieu as building political connections is part of doing business in the country. But it is for the first time some of India's corporate tycoons are being named openly in a charged election campaign and their close links have become part of the popular conversation, stuff of the national political discourse.
A rising Turkey without Europe?
By Fadi Hakura
In the midst of European antipathy regarding Turkish accession to the EU, Turkey is attempting to chart an alternative path to secular democracy and economic prosperity. Yet Turkey should go one step further and question the unbridled axiom that, without Europe, it is destined to the scrapheap of Muslim radicalisation or unrepentant nationalism.
Yoga is India’s pride, but don’t impose it
By Aabid Ali Haider,
21st June, 2015 will be remembered as a remarkable day in history, when India along with the world commemorated the...
For 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Left parties must be a part of a...
By Ram Puniyani for TwoCircles.net
In view of the rising electoral strength of BJP, particularly after its massive victory in 2014 General elections, it's coming...
Let Kashmiris decide their destiny: Safvi
Once described as Paradise on Earth, Kashmir has now become a synonym for violence. Caught in the crossfires between the two neighbours of the Indian sub-continent, Kashmiris are living a life that is devoid of peace. What is the solution to the Kashmir issue? TwoCircles.net's Kashif-ul-Huda catches up with Syed Ali Safvi, Associate Editor of the newly-launched newspaper Etalaat. An AMU post-graduate in Mass Communication, Safvi talks about the solution to the Kashmir issue.
People’s views will be articulated in new education policy: Irani
New Delhi : Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani on Friday said the new education policy would have views from the people and their...
Will Zardari wield authority over the army?
By K. Subrahmanyam, IANS,
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, who has taken over as the president of Pakistan, will not be a ceremonial head of state. The widower of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto will be armed with the powers to dissolve the National Assembly and to appoint Supreme Court and high court judges as well as the chiefs of staff, and will be the supreme commander of the armed forces.
As president, Zardari will also preside over the National Security Council and National Command Authority of nuclear weapons.
Ramadan in Malabar: Social status and secularism through Iftar parties
By Abdul Basith MA, TwoCircles.net,
Why Tawang is protesting against Mega Dams
In the first of the three-part series, we look at why the citizens of Tawang, backed by a number of Lamas from the...
Situation of Dalits in Gujarat is very depressing: Valjibhai Patel
Valjibhai Patel, Director of the Ahmedabad-based Council for Social Justice, is a noted lawyer and Dalit activist. In this interview with Yoginder Sikand he talks about his work and the Dalit movement in Gujarat
YS: As one of the pioneers of the Dalit movement in Gujarat and one of the few surviving leaders of the Gujarat Dalit Panthers, how do you account for the relative weakness of the movement in the state today?
पहले तो हमारी सोच का दायरा इतना छोटा नहीं था…
तरन्नुम सिद्दीक़ी, TwoCircles.net के लिए
भारत के तमाम नागरिकों को भारतीय संविधान के तहत यह अधिकार हासिल है कि वो जिस धर्म को चाहे, उसके...
French Laïcité and the onslaught of the Muslim Public Psyche
By Nizamuddin Ahmad Siddiqui
As I write this piece, the public discourse is filled with noise – both in support of and against the decry...
Pakistan tests nuclear-capable cruise missile
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Pyotr Goncharov) - Pakistan has announced that it successfully tested a cruise missile with a range of 700 km (435 miles) on Tuesday.
Presumably the Hatf-VII (Babur) missile can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons.
How should the international community react to this, especially as it has denounced Iran's nuclear program and approved sanctions against it?
Naseeruddin Shah ko Gussa Kyon Aata hai?
Ram Puniyani
The index of health of democratic society is gauzed by the feeling of security experienced by the minorities. Similarly one can say that...
Are all Indians sons of Ram?
By Ram Puniyani,
During the anti-colonial movement, Mahatma Gandhi emerged as the tallest of leaders and was called ‘Father of the Nation’ Rashtrapita. This term was first used by Subhash Chandra Bose in a Radio address in 1944 and later approved, accepted and upheld by majority of Indians.
दिल्ली: बस्तियों में बदतर ज़िन्दगी
फ़हमिना हुसैन, TwoCircles.net
दिल्ली: इस शहर में जहां एक तरफ़ मेट्रो की रफ़्तार से भी तेज़ ज़िन्दगी भागती है, जहां बड़े-बड़े आलीशान मकान और कोठियां...
The students of AMU say a loud ‘No’ to RSS Shakha in AMU
By Maskoor Ahmad Usmani for TwoCircles.net
1925 marks the birth year of the hateful and terror-breeding organisation Rastriya Swayam Sewak Sangh, founded by Dr. K....
Danger signals: Maoists seek linkages with Muslim extremists
By P.V. Ramana, IANS,
Naxalites of the Communist Party of India Maoist (CPI-Maoist) have condemned the extension of the proscription on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which has been involved in a series of bomb blasts in India. According to media reports, Azad, spokesperson of the Central Committee of the CPI-Maoist, said "it was a reiteration of the (government's) policy to continue its brutal war on Muslims".
A history of the Scientific Society
By Afzal Usmani,
The Aligarh Movement was not an instant phenomenon. It took its shape in many many years and was started even before Sir Syed moved to his final home Aligarh. Among the first step towards establishing M.A.O. College and Aligarh Movement was establishment of Scientific Society at Ghazipur in 1864. This was a new beginning of Cooperation between Indians and British and among Indian intellectuals living in British India. Here is a brief history of Scientific Society and establishment of Aligarh Institute.
Felt proud South Asians were bulwarks of defence in London: Kabir Bedi
By Kabir Bedi, IANS,
Fall in US unemployment rate fails to enthuse markets
By Vatsal Srivastava,
Headline economic data releases point out that a gradual and sustained recovery in the US economy is underway. But it is quite...
Indian-American lawmaker for dialogue with India on nuclear issues
Washington:Ami Bera, the lone Indian-American member of US House of Representatives, has called for an open dialogue with India on issues like liability concerns...
“We will make graffitis once university opens” : Jamia student who suffered fracture in...
Md Mustafa
If you have ever been in Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) after December 15, you would notice the beautiful paintings and graffiti that have...
Fasting days and feasting nights at Delhi’s buzzing Jama Masjid
By Mohd Asim Khan
New Delhi, (IANS): The silence was broken by a siren, followed by an azaan -- a prayer call -- from the...
Iraqi Israeli, Arab Jew or Mizrahi Jew?
By Vered Lee,
A violin wailed in one of the auditoriums on the Tel Aviv University campus. Violinist Yair Dalal was demonstrating the creative powers of Salah and Daoud al-Kuwaiti, two brothers considered to be among Iraq's greatest musicians. With immense skill and delicacy, Dalal mastered the notes, careful not to bring the emotional audience to tears.
Osama and the Prophet
How would Osama explain himself before the Prophet? : A fictional dialogue
By Asghar Ali Engineer
Osama: Holy Prophet I most humbly submit to you and ask you how do you view the jihad I am waging against kafirs and western imperialists including America and Satanic powers in Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan who are against Islam and are slaves of American imperialism. This is the only way we can destroy the Satanic and imperialistic designs of the west and their collaborators in the West.
Modi Government’s development plans systematically erasing Tribal identity
By Rajaraman Sundaresan for TwoCircles.net,
Democracy in many ways is a collection of plural spaces which involves civil rights groups, protest movements,...
Anti-Israel protests are futile
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
We are in the last one third of the month of Ramadan, a period marked by increased time spent in worshipping and...
Let Sania shine
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Sania Mirza is the highest ranked tennis player from India. India has stood on the sidelines of international tennis for a long time. Even now, the highest ranked Indian in the male ranking is an American, Prakash Amritraj, at 278. Rohan Bopanna is at 292 and there is no other Indian on the ranking list till we move down to the 400s.
Islamic Banking a boon for India: Abdul Raqeeb of JIH
By Dr. M. Iqbal Siddiqui,
“Islamic system of banking can surely be a boon for our country as it is for the whole mankind”, said H. Abdul Raqeeb, National Convener of the Islamic Banking Committee and member of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s (JIH) Central Advisory Council. He was addressing media persons in Jaipur.
Writers denounce nationalism, target ruling establishment
By Saket Suman
Dehradun, (IANS): The country's leading writers and intellectuals denounced nationalism and targeted the central government for propagating hate among the masses
on the...
Front Line Defenders urges India to immediately release Khurram Parvez
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Srinagar: International human rights watchdog Front Line Defenders expressed concern on the harassment, arrest and detention of human rights defender...
Stop blaming Muslim leadership for UP debacle: Akhilesh, Mayawati are the real culprits
By Murshid Kamal for Twocircles.net
Victory has many fathers but defeat is an orphan. In the triumphant camp, Prime Minister Modi is being credited for...
Inquilab 1857 to Sachar Report -Indian Muslims continue to struggle
By Aleem Faizee
The countdown has begun. Leaving behind dark memories of the renewed terror and trauma for the Muslims in India, it will be curtains for the year 2007 in few days from now. But apart from many other things, the year 2007 will always be remembered in the history of Independent India for two things.
Triple Talaq controversy shows how confused Muslims are over the issue
By Dr Kouser Fathima for Twocircles.net
Triple Talaq is in news again and the way Muslim community has reacted to it speaks volumes about...
Time for head to rule the heart for India
By Anand Philar, IANS,
For sure, the hotel floor occupied by the Indian team would have come to life only late Monday morning with the players given some free time following their spectacular 4-1 drubbing of Pakistan in their opening league match of the 12th men's Hockey World Cup Sunday night.
Only 16 of every 250 fake notes detected in India
By Devanik Saha
Is India doing enough to detect fake notes, cited by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a significant reason for withdrawing...
Deceitful manifestoes: Promises of major parties to Muslims
By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
After long delay and criticism, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finally released its manifesto on Monday that talks of both ‘unity and diversity’ as well as the uniform civil code.
Here is the sneak peak of what the major political parties have promised to the Muslims.
Plot to divide Kerala on communal lines?
An overview of the incidents leading to hand-chopping of a college lecturer and its consequences in Kerala’s contemporary politics
By Firose KC,
Tops cops were discouraged from acting against 1984 rioters: book
New Delhi: Top police officers who undertook rare deterrent action against the killings on the streets of Delhi following the assassination of then prime...
Will Britain’s powerful Zionist lobby forgive Sayeeda Warsi?
By M Ghazali Khan,
The first ever female Muslim Minister in the history of Britain, Sayeeda Warsi, has displayed extraordinary courage by resigning as a Foreign Office Minister over David Cameron Government’s “morally indefensible” stand on Israeli barbarism in Gaza.
Judicial Absurdity: Recent Ruling on Muslims in UP
By Yoginder Sikand & Nigar Ataulla
A recent ruling by Justice S.N. Srivastava of the Allahabad High Court declaring that Muslims in Uttar Pradesh could no longer be considered a minority, has, predictably, stirred up a hornet’s nest. Although the ruling was stayed by a two-member bench of the same court the next day, it raised crucial questions that pertain to minority rights, secularism and democracy and the impartiality of the judiciary.
War in Iran, a gold mine in the making
By Ashis Ray
The cricketing fraternity now in the West Indies for the World Cup are aghast at the shadow boxing, the apparent blame game that's erupted in India over who were responsible for India's unspeakable performance in the premier one-day tournament.
Did Greg Chappell, the Indian coach, really make the remarks attributed to him by a TV channel? If he did, this was most indelicate of him. If he did not or his statements were not for reproduction, then the media concerned have done him an injustice. The absence of a denial, however, irreparably damaged him.
How app helped rural Indian women use modern contraceptives
Washington : A unique smartphone app developed by an Indian-American researcher from the Johns Hopkins University has helped married rural women in India better...
Pakistan has promised effective action: Rajnath
New Delhi : Pakistan has promised "effective action" vis-a-vis the suspected Pakistani links to the terror attack on the IAF base in Pathankot, Home...
Thackerays give a bad name to Maharashtra and Marathis
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Raj Thackeray may have convinced himself that he is serving the cause of the Marathi 'manoos', but in actual fact he is doing a great disservice to Maharashtra and the sons of its soil.
In the years before the Thackeray family became a force to reckon with, the state was known to the rest of the country via a veritable galaxy of leaders who were revered all over India - Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, M.G. Ranade, Jyotiba Phule, Pandita Ramabai et al.
Need for Reconciliation with Justice Babri Demolition and aftermath
By Ram Puniyani
In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court in a 2-1 majority verdict refused to refer the Dr. Faruqui verdict to Constitution bench....
Islamic declaration on climate change on August 18
Islamic declaration calling Muslims to fulfill religious duty and taking action on climate change to be launched on August 18. "Islamic faith community represents...
बटला हाउस एनकाउंटर: किसी ने जान ली तो किसी ने माल पीटा
अफ़रोज़ आलम साहिल, TwoCircles.net
19 सितम्बर 2008 को दिल्ली के जामिया नगर इलाक़े में बटला हाउस स्थित एल—18 फ्लैट में एक कथित पुलिस ‘एनकाउंटर’ के...
बहुत गहरे सवाल पैदा करता है बाबरी मस्जिद के आरोपियों का बरी होने का...
वसीम अकरम त्यागी
बाबरी मस्जिद विध्वंस मामले में सीबीआई की विशेष अदालत के 'निर्णय' से न्यायप्रिय दुखी हैं। कोर्ट के फैसले का 'सम्मान' के साथ...
No breakthrough for Iran nuclear stalemate in sight after IAEA report
By Wei Jianhua, Xinhua
Beijing : A breakthrough in the deadlock over Iran's controversial nuclear activities remains as elusive as ever, two days after a report by the world's nuclear watchdog threw up more questions than it answered.
While the report, circulated by IAEA Director General Mohamed El Baradei Friday, made no final judgment on the Iran nuclear issue, it did succeed however in stimulating contradictory responses from Iran and some western countries.
And what about us, men ask political parties
By Mohit Dubey,
Lucknow: An organisation working for men's rights and issues has prepared a "men-i-festo" and said that if political parties do not accede...
Manmohan Singh government yet again demonstrates durability
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The Manmohan Singh government demonstrated its durability by surviving the cut motions brought against it by the opposition in the Lok Sabha even if its success was largely due to the miscalculations of its over-enthusiastic opponents.
Persuaded by the government's manifold problems - Maoist insurgency, inflation, the Indian Premier League (IPL) fiasco, signs of tension within the ruling coalition - the opposition apparently convinced itself that the time had come for it to strike a blow.
In this election, choose long-term vision over short-term gains
By Sam Pitroda,IANS,
As the world's biggest exercise in democracy gets underway, there is a sense of expectation and anticipation. With an electorate of 714 million people eligible to vote, there is a tremendous opportunity for the people of India to elect a government that will deliver results and improve the growth trajectory of the country.
In the present election environment of personal attacks and popular slogans, it is important to look at the long term implications and a concrete developmental agenda.
To Fight Another Day: PoWs and their ingenious escapes
By Vikas Datta,
War or military fiction has been an integral part of literature across cultures - be the epics of Homer or Virgil, or closer to home, the great fratricidal war in the Mahabharata, or earlier, the tantalising reference to the Battle of the Ten Kings in the Rig Veda.
Why do Muslims sacrifice animals on Eid?
Every year on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, Muslims across the world sacrifice animals to mark the sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH). The article...
Why the Madaris in India have failed to interact with fellow Indians
By Amir Hussain for TwoCircles.net
When the British took over from Mughals in India, one of their most important moves was to slowly replace Persian...
Pushing TRPs up for the girl child
By Anjali Singh, CNS,
Lucknow: She epitomises the plight of girl children in India to the neglected, rejected, abused and sold off like property, "Laali", the character that Ratan Rajput plays in the popular tele serial "Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi kijo", has become an instant hit with viewers all over . No prizes for guessing why.
Misinterpreted on 2002 riots and 1984 violence, says Kanhaiya
New Delhi : Facing flak for apparently suggesting there was a difference between the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the 2002 Gujarat riots, Jawaharlal Nehru...
Why India should get exceptional treatment from IAEA
By K. Subrahmanyam, IANS,
The India-specific safeguards agreement comes under the scrutiny of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the next few days. Thereafter the safeguards agreement and the draft 123-agreement will go before the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to obtain a waiver from its guidelines. At this stage attention is focused on what will be the impact of this exceptional treatment for India on the international non-proliferation order.
Champions Trophy a big test for India
By Veturi Srivatsa,
The gold-medal winning performance at the Incheon Asian Games and the bilateral Test series triumph in Australia may not count for much when India go into the Champions Trophy to take on the world’s truly best sides.
Bleak outlook for women’s empowerment in Uttar Pradesh
By Bhoomika Joshi and Sanober Umar,
Gender equity and the status of women remain the hand-maiden of callous politics in India's largest state by population and 2014 has been deplorably stark. The 'Bahu lao, Beti Bachao' campaign in Uttar Pradesh is the latest feather in the BJP's cap of regressive and communal politics.
Shari’a in favour of minority rights in Egypt
By Sara Khorshid
Over the past decades, numerous polls have demonstrated that the majority of Egyptians want shari'a-or Islamic principles-applied to parts of their country's legal system. Egypt's constitution reflects this: Article 2 of the constitution states that shari'a is the principle source of legislation.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Apostle of peace, humanity personified
By Ashok Tandon,
A 28-year-old dhoti-kurta clad young man was jostling to push his blanket-wrapped baggage into the unreserved compartment of a passenger train at Delhi Railway station on May 8, 1953.
It was a send off for Shyma Prasad Moookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (predecessor of the present day Bharatiya Janata Party), on a mission to enter Jammu & Kashmir defying the entry-permit order of the government and demanding full integration of the state into the Indian Union.
Was Emergency in India akin to Hitler’s Regime?
By Ram Puniyani
On the eve of 43rd anniversary of the Emergency, which was imposed on the country in 1975, BJP has come out strongly...
Una agitation can usher a new brand of Dalit-Bahujan politics
By Badre Alam and Sanjay Kumar for Twocircles.net
The Una incident has once again exposed the hypocrisy of the so-called ‘Gujarat model’ as...