#forward press

[indizombie]

It is a bitter fact that in today’s India, Muslim lives and Muslim votes matter little. But it is also a bitter fact that the lives, property and dignity of members of other minority communities, of Dalits, of Adivasis and to some extent of all the poor and the backwards, are also under threat. Whether it is price rise or unemployment, epidemics or diseases, drought or floods, riots or violence – it is the Pasmandas of all religious communities that suffer the most. The solution, clearly, lies in the Pasmandas of all religions joining hands. Religion-based politics will destroy the nation.

Ali Anwar, ‘Beware of friendly rulers’, Forward Press

[indizombie]

“Secularism” is not merely a word that finds mention in our Constitution. Secularism is the soul, the basic foundation of the Constitution. Remove secularism and we would be staring at a theocratic State. Today, India is secular only for namesake. Muslims are being treated like second-class citizens. They are being openly targeted. Pasmandas form 80 per cent of the Muslim population of the country and their ratio among the victims of oppression and violence is also the same. Dozens of Muslims became victims of mob-lynching in the country but rare was a national leader who visited their homes to commiserate with their families. A horrific riot was orchestrated in Delhi. Dozens were killed. But no national leader rose to the defence of the Muslims? Why was it that the supremos of none of the national or regional parties deemed it fit to extend their support to the agitation against CAA and NRC? Will CAA-NRC create problems only for the Muslims? That is not so. The poor and the backwards of all communities will suffer. But barring a few statements and tweets and creating a mild commotion in Parliament, the opposition leaders did not come out openly against the twin measures.

Ali Anwar, ‘Beware of friendly rulers’, Forward Press

[indizombie]

In 1985, when Shah Bano, 57, a mother of five children, was kicked out from her home by her lawyer husband, these religious organizations and political leaders kept quiet. When Shah Bano fought – and won – a long legal battle all the way from the lower court to the Supreme Court and her husband was ordered to pay maintenance to her, these leaders kicked up a nationwide row. Under their pressure, the Rajiv Gandhi government overturned the Supreme Court judgment by amending the Constitution. To appease the other side, the government ordered reopening of the gates of Babri Masjid.

Ali Anwar, ‘Beware of friendly rulers’, Forward Press

[thegratefulgolfer]

Hitting Consistent Irons By Sam Snead

Often overlooked in the discussion as the greatest golfer of all time, Sam Snead is definitely high on the list. With 82 PGA Tour wins (tied with Tiger Woods for the most all time), which included 7 Majors, he is never really considered to be the GOAT. Major wins appears to be the benchmark, but that is a discussion for another day. What I found interesting about a tip from Snead is that it is…

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[indizombie]

Pasmanda and Dalit Muslims are aware that if, despite the recommendation of the Sacchar Committee and the Rangnath Mishra Commission, Scheduled Caste status has not been accorded to Dalit Muslims and Christians and if those tribes that have been left out are not being included in the Scheduled Tribes – the blame has to be shared by various governments, including that of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), and the traditional leadership of the Pasmanda Muslims. Will the BJP include the Dalit Muslims among the SCs? Will it include the Muslim tribes among the STs? The answer is a clear “no”. It won’t do it for the same reason it won’t conduct a caste census. It knows very well that such moves would take the wind out of the sails of its agenda to polarize people along communal lines.

Ali Anwar, ‘Beware of friendly rulers’, Forward Press

[indizombie]

Prior to the demolition of the Babri Masjid, leaders like Syed Shahbuddin and Abdullah Bukhari were pawns in the BJP’s game. For some years, BJP used the services musclemen-cum-politicians like Mohammed Shahbuddin (Siwan, Bihar), Azam Khan (Uttar Pradesh), Mukhtar Ansari and Atiq Ahmed Siddiqui to serve its interests. This “policy” yielded rich political dividends to the BJP. Since coming to power in Delhi the BJP is out to ruin them as it thinks they have lost their utility and should be finished off.

Ali Anwar, ‘Beware of friendly rulers’, Forward Press

[hastakshepamal]

A caste-ridden society is worse than a society of slavery-Arundhati Roy

New DElhi. A caste-ridden society is worse than a society of slavery, and even apartheid, said Arundhati Roy, during a function held at the Constitution Club, New Delhi, on April 29 to mark the 6th anniversary of India’s first fully Hindi-English, bilingual magazine, FORWARD Press.

The theme of function, graced by eminent personalities like Anupriya Patel, Ramdas Athawale, Ali Anwar, Ramnika…

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