RE:Muslims recognise the reasons behind Pakistani desperation to attack our secularism, our tolerance and national cohesion, our growing prosperity.

Would you call this a growing prosperity?

India's shame Vol. 23 :: No. 18 September 09 - 22, 2006 INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE
from the publishers of THE HINDU

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2318/index.htm

Caste stranglehold Volume 23 - Issue 18 :: Sep. 09-22, 2006
INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE from the publishers of THE HINDU

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2318/stories/20060922005200900.htm

IF India has not been able to do away with a practice that is admittedly `a blot on humanity', it is because the issue goes beyond poverty, indifference, lack of awareness, or a reluctance to switch from traditional practices. Manual scavenging is rooted in caste as surely as caste is rooted in the nation's psyche.

Out in the open S. DORAIRAJ in Chennai Volume 23 - Issue 18 :: Sep. 09-22, 2006 INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE from the publishers of THE HINDU

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2318/stories/20060922005601000.htm

Part of the system K. VENKATESHWARLU Volume 23 - Issue 18 :: Sep. 09-22, 2006 INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE from the publishers of THE HINDU

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2318/stories/20060922005001300.htm

Bengal's record Volume 23 - Issue 18 :: Sep. 09-22, 2006 INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE from the publishers of THE HINDU

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2318/stories/20060922005501400.htm

SCAVENGERS who carry night soil on their heads for a livelihood are more or less a thing of the past in West Bengal, according to the State government. Ashok Bhattacharya, Minister for Municipal Affairs and Urban Development, Town and Country Planning, said that 120 of the 126 urban local bodies in the State and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, are absolutely free of such scavenging. "As of today, there are no human scavengers working in most parts of West Bengal. Such work may be prevalent in very remote areas, or newly added areas (including areas added to townships) but the different municipalities have specific instruction to address the situation," Bhattacharya told Frontline.

`System has become more pervasive' ANNIE ZAIDI Volume 23 - Issue 18 :: Sep. 09-22, 2006 INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE from the publishers of THE HINDU

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2318/stories/20060922005101600.htm

COVER STORY Captured live Volume 23 - Issue 18 :: Sep. 09-22, 2006 INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE from the publishers of THE HINDU

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2318/stories/20060922004202000.htm

In denial mode V. VENKATESAN in New Delhi Volume 23 - Issue 18 :: Sep. 09-22, 2006 INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE from the publishers of THE HINDU

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2318/stories/20060922004501800.htm

AT A DUMP for garbage in Coimbatore.

CLEANING A NEW public toilet facility for women at Moolikkulam in Tirunelveli town.

Meena, a manual scavenger, at home with family in Nand Nagri.

In the same city, a public facility that is cleaned manually.

IN COIMBATORE, TAMIL Nadu, going down to clear a choked drain with minimum equipment.

Clearing garbage and sewage on a cart she has hired.

In the scavengers' colony.

1 - Poor Muslims of India & Rajinder Sachar Report - 1

http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2008/11/poor-muslims-of-india-rajinder-sachar.html

Community on the margins VENKITESH RAMAKRISHNAN

The Rajinder Sachar Committee finds that the Muslim community in India is deprived and neglected, and makes far-reaching recommendations. MUKHTAR KHAN/AP

2 - Poor Muslims of India & Rajinder Sachar Report - 2

http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2008/11/poor-muslims-of-india-rajinder-sachar_18.html

Poverty in India

Poverty in India is reducing but it is still a major issue. Rural Indians depend on unpredictable agriculture incomes, while urban Indians rely on jobs that are, at best, scarce.

Since its independence, the issue of poverty within India has remained a prevalent concern. According to the common definition of poverty, when a person finds it difficult to meet the minimum requirement of acceptable living standards, he or she is considered poor.

Millions of people in India are unable to meet these basic standards, and according to government estimates, in 2007 there were nearly 220.1 million people living below the poverty line.

Nearly 21.1% of the entire rural population and 15% of the urban population of India exists in this difficult physical and financial predicament. The following chart presents the poverty situation:

http://www.economywatch.com/indianeconomy/poverty-in-india.html

Let me clear one more thing that things in Pakistan are not at all rosy as well, 40 % people are living below poverty line. What a shame two NUCLEAR ARMED NATIONS CANNOT EVEN FEED THEIR OWN PEOPLE

Regards

Muhammad Aamir Mughal

Pakistan

RE: Saudi Arabia has for decades been damaging Islam, not only destroying Islam’s heritage s buildings, but also spending billions of dollars to spreading a view of Islam that says that Muslims should not only kill all non-Muslims but also those Muslims who do not believe in this murderous version of Islam.

Dear Sultan Sahab,

You may disagree with the Saudi System of Governance [I also disagree] and even you can disagree with their Interpretation of Islam, however, Official Saudi Position on Terrorism and Suicide Attack is as under: [Note: These Fatwas are issued in 2003]

1- Makkah Imam says "Nip Terror Groups in the Bud"

http://www.fatwa-online.com/news/0040724.htm

2- Public Urged to Inform on Terrorists - Grand Mufti

http://www.fatwa-online.com/news/0040605.htm

3- Haram Imams Denounce Terrorist Attacks

http://www.fatwa-online.com/news/0040508.htm

4- "Crush Terror Mercilessly" - Grand Mufti

http://www.fatwa-online.com/news/0040201.htm

5- "Don’t Abuse the Concept of Jihaad"

http://www.fatwa-online.com/news/0030822.htm

6- Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan on the Riyadh Bombings

http://www.fatwa-online.com/news/0030531.htm

7 - The Council of Senior Scholars on the Riyadh Suicide Bombings

http://www.fatwa-online.com/news/0030518.htm

8- Regarding suicide bombings

http://www.fatwa-online.com/fataawa/worship/jihaad/jih004/0030409.htm

9 - Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez Aal ash-Shaykh says suicide bombings are un-Islaamic...

http://www.fatwa-online.com/news/0010421.htm

10- Concerning suicide bombings

http://www.fatwa-online.com/fataawa/worship/jihaad/jih004/0010915_1.htm

11- Attacking the enemy by blowing oneself up in a car

http://www.fatwa-online.com/fataawa/worship/jihaad/jih004/0001027_2.htm

12- Committing suicide

http://www.fatwa-online.com/fataawa/worship/jihaad/jih004/0001027_3.htm

Dear Sir,

I have already pointed out above regarding the Poverty in India and following are the facts and figure regarding poverty in Pakistan. I feel nauseating when both of these Nuclear Armed  poverty-stricken and  poverty-ridden Pakistan and India talk of all out WAR to destroy each other for good. Sometime I even wonder as to why British Raj afforded us the so-called Freedom which we both didn't deserve!

Report is old but situation is not changed a bit rather worsened.

Poverty in Pakistan: Issues, Causes, and Institutional Responses

Books, Periodicals, Studies, and Reports Publication Date: July 2002
Out of Print

Contents

Foreword and TOCs [ PDF: 45kb | 6 pages ]

Executive Summary [ PDF: 81kb | 6 pages ]

Even reading Executive Summary would be enough to wake us up!

http://www.adb.org/documents/reports/poverty_pak/exec_summary.pdf

Introduction [ PDF: 55kb | 1 pages ]

Poverty Profile [ PDF: 172kb | 25 pages ]

The Incidence of Poverty

Spatial Dimensions of Poverty

Gender Dimensions of Poverty

Vulnerability

Human Development

Environment

Characteristics of the Poor

Causes of Poverty [ PDF: 141kb | 20 pages ]

Poor Governance

Economic Determinants

Social Determinants

Environmental Degradation and Poverty

Responses to Poverty [ PDF: 154kb | 22 pages ]

Public Sector

Non-Profit Sector and Civil Society

Private Sector

Potential For Public-Private-Civil Society Partnerships

Conclusions [ PDF: 67kb | 5 pages ]

Governance

Pro-poor Growth

Inclusive Social Development

Cross Cutting Concerns

Bibliography [ PDF: 52kb | 2 pages ]

http://www.adb.org/documents/reports/poverty_pak/

from Ashok Chowgule
to Sultan Shahin <editor@newageislam.com>
date 7 December 2008 17:46
 
Dear Sultanji,

Pranam,

Read your article at:
http://NewAgeIslam.Com/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1043

Who exactly is this Amareesh Mishra?  You have called him a historian.
I would like to know more about him.

Incidentally his article was also published at:
http://ikhwanweb.com/Article.asp?ID=18774&SectionID=100
whis is the website of the Muslim Brotherhood.

A similar article by Amareeshji is published at:
URL: http://www.countercurrents.org/misra031208.htm

where there is another article by one Binu Mathew at:

http://www.countercurrents.org/mathew291108.htm

It is clear that it is not only the Urdu press in India that wishes to
indulge in counterinformation.  On this subject, please read the article
by William Kristol at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/opinion/01kristol.html

The enemies of India are not the politicians but the so-called
intellectuals.  You might have read Vir Sanghvi's article in today's
(Sunday) in Hindustan Times.

Namaste
Ashok Chowgule

RE:But as we open the Urdu newspapers on 6 th of December, we find the editorial pages recycling the same material they keep doing every year on this Moharram II day, the same bemoaning of the “shahadat”(martyrdom) of the Babri mosque, without explaining how can bricks and mortar become “shaheed”- 

BABRI MASJID: HISTORICAL FACTS Vs. VHP's CLAIM Prem Vora

Since 1984, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other fundamentalist Hindus have been waging a battle against the Babri Masjid. The VHP unequivocally claims that the present Masjid was once the site of a magnificent temple which the Mughal emperor Babar demolished in the 16th century. The VHP also asserts that the Babri Masjid stands on the "undisputed" spot of Rama's birthplace. Thus, in order to redress the wrongs committed by the Muslim rulers, the VHP plans to destroy the Masjid and build a "new" Rama temple. The VHP's position is obviously highly contentious. This issue of Babri Masjid / Ram-Janam-Bhoomi has indeed aroused the passions of a large section of the Hindu and Muslim population. The dispute has exacerbated communal tensions leading to countless riots throughout northern India, including such tragedies as the Bhagalpur massacre late last October. Yet, a cursory glance at the evidence would show that the VHP's Ram- Janam-Bhoomi campaign is based on nothing but false propaganda.

The VHP refers only to records compiled by the British in the l9th century. Yet, this "evidence" is only a myth created by the colonial authorities. They propounded and popularized the belief that an anti-Hindu Babar demolished the Ram temple. This myth was created to divide the Hindus and Muslims. The British have not collected any historical evidence to justify their claim. In fact, the Archaeological Survey of India has concluded that a "temple to mark his (Rams's) birthplace was not built on the site of Babri Masjid." There are over a dozen temples in Ayodhya that are claimed to be the true birthsite of Rama.

In addition, contrary to the VHP's assertion, the Hindus have not "struggled for centuries to regain complete control of their pilgrimage place. Before 1949, in fact, not a single Hindu leader claimed that the Babri Masjid was the location of Rams's birth! Yet, on December 22-23, 1949, certain individuals illegally entered the Masjid and installed an idol of Rama. The court declared the Masjid a disputed structure; it did not remove the idols as it should have. Muslims were prohibited from worshiping in the Masjid. Meanwhile, however, Hindus were granted permission for a priest to perform daily rituals to the installed deities. The court never issued a verdict on the title of the disputed structure. Thirty-seven years later on February 3, 1986, a certain Hindu filed a petition in the court requesting the unrestricted right to perform worship to the idols. The judge ignored the sentiments of the Muslims. Instead, he granted permission to unlock the gates, providing he received a guarantee of no disturbances. The police chief gave him an explicit assurance that there would be no threat to law and order. The Government in this case, which had the right to appeal the controversial decision, remained silent. All evidence seems to point that this was a stage-managed decision; "that the actual unlocking could have been carried out without the approval of the highest political authority is difficult to believe." In fact, within twenty minutes after the judgment was passed, a television crew from Doordarshan (Indian) state-owned television network was at the site, filming the "historic" breaking of the Masjid locks as a victory for the Hindu "community."

Undoubtedly, the religious rights of the minority community have been violated. The VHP, of course, does not agree. The VHP believes that the Hindus who allegedly constitute 85% of the Indian population, have become second class citizens. Thus, the Ram-Janam-Bhoomi campaign signifies an end to this reverse-discrimination. The VHP's argument is analogous to a white racist in white-dominated America, claiming that the Black minority suffers no discrimination. Equality is exactly what the Muslims want and have yet to completely receive. In fact, the VHP's Ram-Janam-Bhoomi project is part of a larger campaign to build a Hindu state. As VHP General Secretary Ashok Singhai has proclaimed, "the beginning of the Shilanyas ceremony (laying of the foundation stone) is a powerful expression of the Hindu spirit to see Bharat (India) resurrect herself as a Hindu Rashtra (Nation). This reference to Hindu Rashtra means nothing less than a nation in which all the policies and laws reflect a single cultural norm -- Hinduism. Obviously this movement has grave implications for the secular order of the present Indian state.

Unfortunately, however the Ram-Janam-Bhoomi movement has not been terminated. The VHP says there is no room for compromise. It claims that the Ram-Janam-Bhoomi issue is a religious issue, not a legal issue; thus, in the Parishad's view, no verdict of the court will be binding. The governing Board of VHP of America has even written that "if (the Indian) Government will interfere again, if the court rule will stop constructions, we are not going to hold back....without completing the construction we will not return (from Ayodhya)."

from     shama zaidi

to         Sultan Shahin <editor@newageislam.com>

date     7 December 2008 14:25

subject            Destruction of Holy sites in Mecca and Medina

The following page from the "Islamica Magazine" web site has been sent to you by shama zaidi.

You can access it at the following URL:

http://www.islamicamagazine.com/Issue-15/The-Destruction-of-Holy-Sites-in-Mecca-and-Medina.html

Re: Destruction of Holy sites in Mecca and Medina.

The practice of Hajj [which Muslims offer very fondly] require space and residential quarters for ever increasing visitors i.e. in 2008 [2 million Muslims as per Saudi Source]. What do you want? Suffocation and Bottlenecks all over the place....???                      

The majority - over 1.57 million - arrived by air, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz was quoted by SPA official news agency as saying, adding that pilgrims came from 178 nationalities.

Dear Sir,

You decide either the Historical Sites [mostly graves and old houses] or space for visiting living human being [in million that include old men, women, and children]. Those who are alive deserve more importance than the Historical Sites.

Sultan Shaheen

Editor newageislam.com

Salaam alaikum

I have been visiting your site on and off and appreciated the articles and debates, but I am really surprised at your ignorant remark, when you compare the Shahadat of a mosque to that of a human martyr and consider both as one and the same thing and further ridicule, that how would bricks and stone would go to Jannat, I will site a very simple example,  an easy one,  for your confused mind to comprehend the issue ‘When ever we go to purchase a copy of the holy Quran we don’t ask for its PRICE  ( for Quran is invaluable) we ask the vender as to what is the HADIA of the copy of the Quran as mark of respect to the Quran.

Similarly if a house of God is damaged,  we don’t use more colloquial term as ‘GIR GAYEE’ we say Shaheed  ‘HO GAYEE’ also we Muslims are hurt and unhappy over the issue but  no body is veiling like you chided and  also made a very childish comparison between 6th December 1992 and Moharram. MOHARRAM. as we all know and I am sure  you must be aware too, being  a Muslim yourself,  is the first month of Islamic calendar,   and also of course, marks the victory of Prophet pbuh  Grandson  Husain Ra over the Yazid la and his brand of  Islam,  in other words a victory of HAQ over BATIL’  Shaheen sahib if you are a Wahabi then I may Ignore your  Ignorance and move on, and if by chance you are not,  then I request you to reconsider both your remarks, ponder,  where you erred and come back.

Wassalaam,  jazaak Allah khair

Amir Mughal,

The only problem with people like you is that you have eyes yet do not see the sunshine.  You live in perpetual darkness because the ideology you believe in i.e. Wahabism is not only a sham but a curse on the Muslim society.  Islam had enemies and Wahabism is greatest of them.    You say living people are more important and desecration of holy sites that includes places where  Prophet lived, where he was born, houses of his wives, places where important religious battle were fought are meaningless in the name of Saudi expansion.  But it is the same Saudi government which has preserved all places where the founder of this illegitimate and cursed government of Ibn Wahab followers, Ibn Saud at places like Dirriyah, even the stupid fort is preserved.  In Riyadh, these people have preserved everything related to their ruler king Faisal.  Everything to do with the Saud family has been preserved and everything to do with Islam has either been demolished or wiped out 

History has a funny way to take revenge.  Believe me the Saudi rulers will face the worst consequences whenever history turns its shoulder against them.  The day is not far off