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Kalavanti Raja Speaks on Holi
Kalavanti Raja speaks at Holi celebrations 2011 at Mumtaz Mirza Auditorium, Hyderabad, Sindh on 22 March 211, organized by Sindhi Hindu Sujag Tahreek.
– You Tube
Behind ‘Rising India’
Behind ‘Rising India’ lies the surrender of national dignity
From India’s prime minister down, the rotten state of the world’s largest democracy has been exposed for all to see
Even the racketeers of Pakistani military and intelligence appear dignified when compared with the Indians stampeding to plant kisses on US behinds!
by Pankaj Mishra
Food prices become intolerable for the poor. Protests against corruption paralyse the national parliament for weeks on end. Then a series of American diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks exposes a brazenly mendacious and venal ruling class; the head of government adored by foreign business people and journalists loses his moral authority, turning into a lame duck.
This sounds like Tunisia or Egypt before their uprisings, countries long deprived of representative politics and pillaged by the local agents of neoliberal capitalism. But it is India, where in recent days WikiLeaks has highlighted how national democratic institutions are no defence against the rapacity and selfishness of globalised elites.
Most of the cables – being published by the Hindu, the country’s most respected newspaper in English – offer nothing new to those who haven’t drunk the “Rising India” Kool-Aid vended by business people, politicians and their journalist groupies. The evidence of economic liberalisation providing cover for a wholesale plunder of the country’s resources has been steadily mounting over recent months. The loss in particular of a staggering $39bn in the government’s sale of the telecom spectrum has alerted many Indians to the corrupt nexuses between corporate and political power. …
Read more : guardian.co.uk
One Woman’s Jihad
by Yoginder Sikand
Excerpt:
Zehra Cyclewala is a leading figure in the reformist movement against the tyranny of Syedna Burhanuddin, the head-priest (dai-e mutlaq) of the Daudi Bohra Ismaili Shia sect. Here, in a conversation with Yoginder Sikand, she relates the story of her decades-long personal struggle against priestly tyranny.
The Syedna turns 100 this month, and massive celebrations are being organized by his followers across the world to project him as a popular and pious leader. Zehra’s life tells a different story, however.
My name is Zehra Cyclewala. I am 55 years old, and have lived in Surat for most of my life. I was born in an orthodox, lower middle-class Dawoodi Bohra family. My parents had five children, and I was the youngest child. In the mid-1980s, soon after I completed my education—I did my graduation in Commerce—I joined the Saif Cooperative Society in Surat, a bank established in the 1960s by a group of Bohra traders. It was inaugurated by the Bohra head priest Syedna Burhanuddin himself, and enjoyed his blessings. I started work there as a clerk, and, gradually, rose to become its manager.
From the very beginning, the Saif Cooperative Society gave and took interest. The Syedna naturally knew of this, and he had no problem with it, although some Muslims believe that even bank interest is forbidden or haraam in Islam. However, two years after I joined the bank, the Syedna issued a fatwa claiming that bank interest was forbidden, and demanded that the Bohras working in our bank leave their jobs at once. All the staff of the bank was Bohras at that time. Because the Bohras believe the word of the Syedna to be almost like divinely-inspired law, they hurriedly complied with his order and quit their jobs. I was the only one to refuse. After all, I thought, when, from the time the bank was established till the Syedna had issued this fatwa, the bank had been giving and taking interest, and the Syedna knew about this all along, how come he had suddenly decided or realized that such interest was haraam? The Syedna himself had inaugurated the bank, and when he did so he had no problem with it dealing in interest. There was something fishy in this fatwa, I felt.
Despite enormous pressure to leave the job, I refused. I lived with my mother, Fuliben Taherali, in Surat, and was the sole source of her support, because my father had died when I was 20. I simply could not do without this job. So, despite the Syedna’s order, I stuck on. The District Cooperative Society Board appointed a non-Bohra administrator—a man called Mr. Daru—to run the bank, and I worked under him. My defiance of the Syedna’s orders was not liked by the Bohras of Surat, and soon complaints about me reached the Syedna’s religious establishment—the Kothar. …
… I appeal to the Government, political parties, intellectuals and social activists, and to people in general to see through this charade of the Syedna and his cronies, who have been twisting Islam in order to promote their own interests. I ask them to stop supporting and patronizing these men. …
Read more : Wichaar
‘Islamic secularism’ in Bangladesh: Jyoti Rahman
Bangladesh will mark its 40th year of independence in 2011. The celebrations have already begun, and will continue until next December. The TV channels are already playing patriotic tunes. One such tune is Shona shona shona. The song says the land, mati, of Bangladesh is better than gold, and under this land sleeps many heroes: Rafiq, Shafiq, Barkat, Titu Mir and Isa Khan.
Who are these heroes? Rafiq, Shafiq and Barkat were killed by the Pakistani authorities during the language uprising of 1952 — a milestone moment in Bangladesh’s nationalism. Titu Mir defied the East India Company and organised a peasant revolt in the 19th century. Isa Khan was a Bengali chieftain who resisted the Mughals in the 16th century. …
Read more : Kafila
Can Pakistan learn from Egypt? At Cairo’s Churches Muslims guard Christmas Services As Human Shields
– Egyptian Muslims Serve As Human Shields For Coptic Christmas Services
Egypt’s Muslim community followed through on their promise to support the country’s embattled Christian population as they celebrated their Christmas Eve masses on Thursday night. …
Read more : Huffingtonpost
Afghanistan beats Pakistan
Afghanistan and Bangladesh reach cricket final in China
The cricket teams of Afghanistan and Bangladesh have both caused upsets in the semi-finals of the Twenty20 tournament at the Asian Games in China. The countries will now compete in the final after beating their highly-rated opponents – Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan scored 125-8 in 20 overs and then held Pakistan to 103-7, giving them a surprise 22-run win. Bangladesh then beat Sri Lanka by five wickets, surpassing Sri Lanka’s total of 101 with 4.4 overs to spare. …
Read more : BBC
Baba Guru Nanak’s 541st birthday anniversary celebrates in Sindh
The festivities of 541 birthday of ”Baba Guru Nanak Devji”, the first Sikh Guru who spread the message of peace, equality, brotherhood and communal harmony has celebrated by tens of hundreds Sindhi male and female devotees at Swaminarayan Mandir, Karachi, Sindh by offering prayers. The participants were served with drinks, juices and sweets.
The procession of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji was remained within the premises of Swaminarayan Mandir. The Holy book of Guru Granth Sahib was beautifully decorated with flowers. Sindhi devotees danced on the beats of drums & they were chanting slogans Jo Boley So Nehal & Wahay Guru Gi Ki, Fateh. They recite the holy book Guru Granth Sahib in Gurmukhi but they recite bajans and threw light on the teachings of Baba Guru Nanak ji in Sindhi language and asked devotees to follow the teachings of Baba Guru Nanak Devji which are very relevant in these days. The strict security measures were taken by Sindh police to avoid any untoward incident.
For video and more details :- BBC urdu
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