by Sharique on March 5, 2007
Part 1 and Part 2
As far as I can remember the news about the Godhra incident starting flashing in the morning of February 27th. It was a period when the news channels were slowly coming up. Aaj Tak was growing great guns and so were Star News and Zee News. Doordarshan, government run channel, was pushed to the background by the private channels so that meant there were no censors in the news items. It was left to the discretion of the dudes from US/UK to decide what’s best for us. Aaj Tak got all the publicity because it was marketed as India’s own channel. So our own Aaj Tak started flashing images from the train carnage uncensored. The blame was put on Muslims as they fell to the taunts of the returning Kar Sewaks and eventually burnt the train. My first reaction to the news was my utter shock at this inhuman punishment meted out after slightest of provocations. Even though independent fact finding teams have refuted this earlier claim and label it is a part of larger conspiracy of the state government, I am not getting into conspiracy theories.
We still had the same BPL TV but had shifted to Hazaribagh. I was 19 and was busy preparing for IIT-JEE. My brother had his final exams starting in few days so we couldn’t have taken the risk for an excursion. Most surprisingly my paranoid mom was totally not concerned about the gravity of the situation; she just rubbished the news as yet another case of religious fundamentalism by the Muslims. Situation had changed by 2002 as Muslim terrorism was on rise, it had moved out of Kashmir and such incidents were on the rise. I think this could have been the reason for her not reacting as she did during Barbri Masjid demolition. No one anticipated the kind of barbarism that was to follow.
We all had our eyes fixed to the TV set as that was the only source of news. As news of mob rioting started to come in, my parents started showing signs of concern. The nearest Muslim dominated area was a couple of miles away and this was decided to be our abode if riots break out in our locality. We lived in a central government maintained colony as my father occupied a high position in the central electricity department. We were so intermingled with our neighbours that any such reaction could never have been imagined in the wildest our dreams. We used to visit each other’s place on Holi and Eids. We had so many invitations on Holi/Diwali that my father used to have a tough time managing his commitments. Everyone from our driver to housemaid, who were all hindus, were already a part of our lives. Our old driver ‘Muni Singh’ was much more than a driver to us. He was the driver who drove my mom to the nearest hospital, which was 100 kms away!, when this ’sensitive boy’ came to this earth. Could he come now to burn us alive?
We were overwhelmed by the response we got from our neighbours (there were just 3 muslim families in the colony). We were assured of our security in case 
rioters take to the streets. Hooligans were already preparing for a treat but the elders calmed them down. Its usually the junk of the society who takes to rioting; people who are jobless as this offers them a perfect opportunity to vent out their anger. Ever wonder why women suffer the most? Its because those perverts get an opportunity to convert their sexual fantasies to reality. Who is going to stop them and particularly when the state police is with them.
And then the inevitable happened. An ex-MP of congress, Ehsan Jaferry, was burnt alive with his family. His wife and other members survived because they managed to hide. This came as a big shock to us and definitely a cause of worry as we were also in a similar position as they were in. I really can’t think of the reason because of which we decided to stay back. May be because of assurances and the fact that riots didn’t start in our town. Thankfully there were no major incidents of riots elsewhere in the country. This image to the left was the most highlighted at that time. He is a tailor who ran away from Ahmedabad to Calcutta. This image was shot in Calcutta but notice the fear in his eyes and expectedly so! There were men being burned live in front of women and children. Women being raped in front of their children. I cannot even imagine the kind of mental trauma it would have generated in my mind.
The riots lasted nearly a month. TV images of ground realities melted our hearts. My hatred for the Sangh Parivar grew beyond bounds. I never spoke out a word against them to my friends but still the tension during the talks was apparent. A fanatic even called once to express his pleasure at Muslims being butchered, he termed that as revenge. All these incidents left me with no hope of surviving in this country. The child within me was dead long back and I was about to kill the youth in me. If Muslims in India are destined to this then there is no point in whining to the government. Can’t we have our own army? Why are those morons at the OIC quiet? The repeated riots have shown that the Indian government can’t protect us. India was slowly becoming alien to me. All these cynicism at just being a spectator to the riots on TV, imagine how prejudiced someone actually effected would be!
The last part of this series will talk about this prejudiced mindset among Hindu and Muslim youth.
[tags]gujarat, hazaribagh, aaj tak, riots[/tags]
by Sharique on March 4, 2007
My immature mind was already corrupted by this communal feeling. I often wondered if we too will meet the same fate as other Muslims who perished in the riots. My mother lost her cousin in the Bengali-Bihari riots in Bangladesh. She told me that her cousin could save her daughter as she hid her below her saari who was later rescued by the police. At least I now have a hiding place in case of emergency!
The demographics are completely different in Bihar, my home state. Biharis are completely against Bengalis and this animosity has triggered riots several times. Basically this animosity is fueled by lack of education among local Biharis, which leads to unemployment among the locals, and thus Bengali, being highly educated, dominate the job market.
Even though some of my best friends in school happen to be Hindus, I never talked to them about this controversial issue. I even thought that they, being children and definitely not as sensitive as me, would pay no heed to these frivolous, in their eyes, happenings around them. The period between 1992 and 2002 has been peaceful as no major riot broke out in the country. There few minor incidents; I was in my hometown Biharshareef. We were returning from Friday prayer and suddenly we could see stones flying all around us, we were under attack from the local Hindus who were angry at some political issue. It was scary. Few stones even hit me but we were still running. Within few minutes there was cross-pelting of the stones from the Muslims and things were then even. Police soon dropped in, thanks to Laloo’s able administration as far as containment of riots are concerned, to bring the situation under control. Such sporadic incidents plagued the country for years before 2002.
I left home after my 10th for a better school, which meant I had to live alone away from home for the first time in my life. And there I met a Hindu family which I 
will remember all my life for the care and affection they bestowed on me. I hate to categorize people based on their religion but as I am dealing with this cancer then I have to, sorry about that. One night few RSS workers came to my room, unaware that I am a Muslim, to distribute pamphlets for one of their gatherings in the city. I quietly listened to them and even let them paste one of their banners on the window pane. I wasn’t scared but wondered how they would have reacted if I told them that I am a Muslim. In the morning I saw uncle scrubbing off the banner from the window pane. My respect grew multi-folds for him. During my 2 years of stay there, I was known by the name ’sunny’ and not my real name for obvious reasons.
I always tried to put aside this communal feeling and the tense atmosphere I was growing under because it would have further caused prejudice in my mind. At times I used to feel victimized at being a Muslim in India. But those scars of 1992 were erased, at least from my mind, in the coming years.
I will next talk about the Gujarat riots.
[tags]RSS, Bihar[/tags]
by Sharique on March 3, 2007
I am already a fan of Vinod Sharma’s articles in the HT. He now describes his journey to Kabul. The Indian influence on the society is apparent. There have been reports that suggest that people are already addicted to the ‘Saas-Bahu’ Indian soaps so much so that streets are empty during the time of their broadcast, marriages are stopped and thiefs make merry stealing things from the overwhelmed Ekta Kapoor fans. All the accessories of a car was stolen in Kabul and ‘thank you
kyun ki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi‘ was written on it. (kyun ki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi is a famous Indian soap which moves like a snail’s pace. Basically its an hyperbolic display of emotions which is not even remotely pragmatic. Everyone exploits an emotional fool and that’s what Ekta Kapoor specializes in).
Bollywood stars are famous in Kabul with pictures of stars easily available on the streets. I wonder why India always fails to exploit these associations and always chooses to play safe. This Indian influence can easily foster stronger ties between the two countries. Pakistan is seen as evil because of it’s support to the Taliban.
Got this picture from an orkut community ‘I hate Ekta Kapoor‘
My journalist friend from Islamabad, Nusrat Javed, was surprised that my roaming Airtel mobile worked. His did not. The sole teashop owner at the airport accepted Indian currency but refused Pakistani notes. At Kabul Intercontinental where I spent three nights, the front office manager insisted on an advance deposit. But, he said: “We have no problems with Indians. Pay as much as you wish.� Urdu is the spoken language of most Afghans who had spent time in India and Pakistan during the war. Others have learnt it from Bollywood films and TV serials on local stations. Wedding halls in Kabul arrange for TV sets to enable guests to watch Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. In the power-starved countryside, villagers save money to buy generators to watch soaps.
Kabul Intercontinental’s staff-members proudly introduce themselves as Munnabhai fans: “Hum Sanjay Dutt ki filmein dekhtey hain.� One could watch Doordarshan but not PTV in the $70 per night room. In fact, Nusrat and I phoned in to participate in a Doordarshan discussion on the Samjhauta Express bombing. Our pitch: India and Pakistan should jointly combat terrorism and reconstruct Afghanistan. Shining in contrast THAT India is a friend in need, that Massoud fell to forces sheltered across the Durand Line and hell-bent on destroying Kabul’s tenuous peace, give our country an image that has come cheap for our $650 million assistance. In comparison, incidents like the one at Bagram — where the Americans have an Indian caterer — deepen suspicions about Pakistan.
by Sharique on February 27, 2007
Rasheeda (L), 17, and her mother Nooran cry as they beg for help in Hyderabad, 160 km (100 miles) from Karachi February 26, 2007. Rasheeda whose late father lost her in a poker game when she was 2 years old, has asked authorities to save her from being handed over to middle-aged relative. [Reuters]
Dawn adds
Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Monday, Ms Nooran, of Zeal Pak Colony, Latifabad, said her late husband Rahib was a gambler and he had sold their one-year-old daughter Rasheeda for Rs10,000 to one Lal Hyder after incurring heavy debt in gambling. She said that her parents gave her Rs10,000 and she returned the money to Lal.
She said that Lal was pressuring her to marry off Rasheeda to his son. She said her sons Peeral and Abdul Wahab were receiving threats.
Taking notice of the press conference, Hyderabad District Police Officer Ali Ahmed Junejo ordered registration of a case and the Site police station registered an FIR under Sections 147, 148, 149, 504 and 506(2) of the Pakistan Penal Code against 10 people.
Police teams have been constituted for the arrest of the accused.
Poverty is a vicious circle…you keep falling in it the more you try to get out of it via short cut methods.
by Sharique on February 27, 2007
A MAN killed his 17-year-old daughter for having an affair with a boy in Banwaripur village in Meerut. Kulbhusan, according to the police, was upset over the relationship and had told his daughter Rajni to stop meeting the boy. When the girl refused, he strangled her. His brother Mahendra and son Dushyant helped him dump the body. The three allegedly burnt the body to hide their crime.
The Meerut police have collected Rajni’s bones from the spot and have sent them for forensic tests. According to the police, Rajni was having an affair with one Ravindra. Both of them were class 12 students at Rasna inter college. Ravindra told the police that they wanted to marry but their families were against the relationship.
Kulbhusan, Ravindra alleged, tried to implicate him in the murder but later broke down before the police and confessed to the crime.
“Kulbhusan’s brother and his son are absconding,” said the police. We have sent special police teams to nab the two,” he added.
Before killing her, Kulbhusan and his brother Mahendra forced Rajni to write a suicide note, said the SP. But he broke down and admitted to the crime. According to Kulbhushan’s statement, his family was upset over the affair and had told Rajni to stop meeting the boy. But she would keep meeting him.
They even told Ravindra to stay away from Rajni. “Kulbhusan and his family told me that they would kill me if I did not stop seeing her,” said Ravindra.
But that did not stop the lovers. Peeved, Kulbhusan along with his brother and son hatched a plan to kill Rajni and implicate Ravindra for her murder.[HT]
Honor killing, eh? This is completely insane. Just to satiate one’s ego, a father kills her daughter and plus her brother even contributed to it. All this just because women are still not treated at par with men. Any suspicion of infidelity and not adhering to family norms leads to the killing. But the question is, are lives of women so cheap that anyone can murder at will and that too one’s own blood? It’s got to do with the atmosphere we are groomed in; an atmosphere where family is above everyone else.
If you are watching the TV series 24 then you would know that even education doesn’t eliminates this sense of pride. Mr. Bouer murders his own son and nearly his grandson just to cover up facts. His statement- “your lives are not precision as the empire I have built all my life” clearly indicates his egoistic views. I know its just a serial but this is highly possible even in a educated and rational society. Pride and ego insinuates evil in the minds which no education can eradicate.
