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Thursday, August 23, 2012

Re: [mukto-mona] Let us not criticize religions, criticize religion-peddling



One does not need to read western historians to understand the cruelty of the prophet of Islam.  Reading Ishaque,Tabari etc. is good enough.  Among the modern historians, Karen Armstrong, in spite of being sympathetic to Islam, is good enough.  The problem with Mr. Q. A. Rahman is that his both eyes are shut when he comes across any evil deed of his creed and their leader.

On Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 7:20 PM, Shah Deeldar <shahdeeldar@yahoo.com> wrote:
 

Please read H. G Wells (The outline of History, 1921). He wrote one full chapter about Muhammad and Islam (p567-603). At that time of last century, there was no need for him to treat Islam any differently than other religions. I have to go western historians because no Muslim historian would not be able to portray Muhammad objectively because of fear being killed by other fellow Muslims. I am afraid things have not changed even today. 
Muhammad was not like Jesus or Gautam Buddha. He did carry a protective gear while he preached Islam. Maybe, that was very necessary with the Arab context?

-SD

 
"All great truths begin as blasphemies." GBS
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 2:59 PM

Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Let us not criticize religions, criticize religion-peddling

 
hundreds of thousands of innocent people got killed by his followers.


>>>>>>>>> sources please?

-----Original Message-----
From: Kamal Das <kamalctgu@gmail.com>
To: mukto-mona <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Aug 21, 2012 5:37 am
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Let us not criticize religions, criticize religion-peddling

 
The Prophet was engaged in 'gazwa', which is better translated as banditry than war.  In about a hundred such incidents he killed thousands of innocent persons.  During the spread of Islam, hundreds of thousands of innocent people got killed by his followers.

On Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 2:12 AM, Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com> wrote:
 
When I heard the verse "Islam clearly said, if an innocent person is killed, it is like killing of all humanity ( Source: Al Qurán 5:32)" for the first time, I had the same reaction as Dr. Das. I was wondering how this verse could make sense, when Prophet was engaged in many wars. In a war, innocent people get killed. There is no denying about it. Then I realize that - devils are in the details of the term "Innocent Person." Who are those innocent persons? I can exclude almost everyone from that category. Therefore, this verse bears very little significance to me.

Jiten Roy



--- On Sun, 8/19/12, Kamal Das <kamalctgu@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Kamal Das <kamalctgu@gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Let us not criticize religions, criticize religion-peddling
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, August 19, 2012, 8:17 AM


 
"Islam clearly said, if an innocent person is killed, it is like killing of all humanity ( Source: Al Qurán 5:32)". Yet, it killed three of the rightly guided Caliphs and poisoned the first one. It decimated the Egyptians, Mesopotamians and the Persians during the reign of the second Caliph.

On Sun, Aug 19, 2012 at 7:11 AM, qar <qrahman@netscape.net> wrote:
This post shows how hard it is to make a point when someone already made up their minds about a topic. For example, Islam clearly said, if an innocent person is killed, it is like killing of all humanity ( Source: Al Qurán 5:32 ). What more one person needs to attacking innocent people?

Today we look at Assam and see targeted killings of minority population, because they are "Bengalis" and Muslims. If we take a dispassionate view of our history, we see a lot of conflicts without religion involved. As I said it before, religion, nationalism, tribalism, ideologies have been "abused" to gain POLITICAL goals.

It is easy to point finger at religion but religion is not a one liner book. It is a complete code of life. Since every communities of this world have bad and good people, some verses discuss those issuies.

But those turn good people into bad people (leaders) are the real criminals not religion. If I remove all criminal laws from the books of Bangladesh, it will not remove crime from this country. People have to change their thinking, attitudes etc to make that happen. Religion is an exceotionally good tool to make that transformation happen.

There are plenty of secular criminals who also commit crime with different excuses. Often religion is only an exuse not the cause.

There are reports from criminal land grabbers who snaches away lands from weak and poor people and build mosque on it. Religion does NOT support such acts but half literate people often don't know that and they are duped into the scam like many others scams coming out of Bangladesh in recent years.

Many religious people are like many atheists I met here. They made up their minds and find silliest excuses to support their flawed ideas. Also some are very open and honest like any other group of people.

A book with nice texts do not have any magic in it to change people. People have to make an effort to understand religion and practice it. While there are many bad people among religious groups, there are tons of great people in them too. Who sacrifice a lot to make an honest living, be kind to their neighbors, help poor people etc.

Selective picking cannot give us the total picture.


Shalom!


-----Original Message-----
From: Sukhamaya Bain <subain1@yahoo.com>
To: mukto-mona <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thu, Aug 16, 2012 5:41 pm
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Let us not criticize religions, criticize religion-peddling

When Q. A. Rahman writes, "I think sometime religion looks "Bad" because we "Selectively" follow some ideas and don't follow others", I hope he realizes that while a brainwashed religious person might call it "looking bad", an honest, neutral and non-malicious person would probably call it "actually bad." For this, the religious person would have the burden of explaining that what looks bad is actually not bad, as opposed to branding the neutral person anti-religious. The way I see it, a lot of the religious books have too many 'teachings' that would not fly with truly honest and intelligent people.
In fact, spending too much time on finding contexts and explaining to neutral non-religious people is not a big problem, even when the neutral persons have no patience hearing the explanation.
The overwhelmingly big problem is when a bad teaching is followed by some people for doing bad things in the world under the cover of divinity and unquestionability. This has been making life so miserable for so many innocent people in the world.
I do not agree totally with Mr. Rahman's statement. I think religious people should follow selectively only the good teachings in religious books, and dump the bad teachings, without feeling guilty of not following the religion in its entirety.
Sukhamaya Bain
==================================================
From: Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com>
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 7:27 PM
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Condemning Mumbai Violence
I agree mostly.
Religion is like a jungle; one can find delicious as well poisonous fruits there. The problem is - there is no guarantee that everyone will always pick the delicious fruits. This is what's going on with the religion. Some people are picking poisonous fruits either advertently or inadvertently. The deliberate use of poisonous fruits (of religion) is causing havoc around the world, and it is not decreasing; it's being used increasingly to settle religious group rivalries across religious boundaries or even within the same religious boundary.
I am convinced that – most of the evils that are happening around the world are somehow or other due to the religious divisions among us, irrespective of how good religious principles are. It's because – where there is division, there is competition and rivalry. This is one of our instinctive characteristics. You may keep it dormant for a while through proper education and training, but can't eliminate it. I criticize religion for its very existence in this day and age, not because it has nothing good to offer anymore.
After the scientific renaissance, science took over our lives and religion lost its utility. Morality in our lives comes from societal demands and environment. The populace in Bangladesh is devoutly religious, yet Bangladesh is one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
Jiten Roy
--- On Tue, 8/14/12, qar <qrahman@netscape.net> wrote:

From: qar <qrahman@netscape.net>
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Condemning Mumbai Violence
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, August 14, 2012, 10:03 AM

Some people are just reacting to what religion is feeding to them. Obviously, not everybody will react to the same extent, but - some will. Don't blame them for reacting.


>>>>>>>>>> I think sometime religion looks "Bad" because we "Selectively" follow some ideas and don't follow others. For example, Bangladeshi Muslims are pretty big on "Showing" they are Muslims, when it benefits them. However you check on most of them if they paid, obligatory charity (Zakat) or made sacrifices to make an honest living (Halal income), you will see plenty of hypocrites.

I have seen plenty of Muslims, foaming their mouth about their "Rights" but not so eager to worry about their "Responsibilities". Which is the very reason why "Religion" looks bad to many of us (Muslims and non-Muslims alike). When I look back to teachings of prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he was more worried about his responsibilities and often "forgave" others when it came to his rights over them (Muslims and non-Muslim alike). Most Muslims don't follow it and those who do, they don't make headlines.

This is the "Root cause" of problems we see when it comes to religion. So in one word, we are greedy and often we prefer money/power over God.

Shalom!


-----Original Message----- From: Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com> To: mukto-mona <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Sun, Aug 12, 2012 9:56 pm Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Condemning Mumbai Violence

Most religious people are either unwise or fake. They are unwise because they can't visualize the evil done on earth by what religion. All they need to do is - look around the world with open eyes and minds, but – they can't.
I know – people will still say – religion is not to blame; it's the people, the so called misguided religious fundamentalists, to blame. That's hogwash; I don't blame anybody, but religion, for this. Some people are just reacting to what religion is feeding to them. Obviously, not everybody will react to the same extent, but - some will. Don't blame them for reacting.
So, please - no more blame, excuses, and double talks; try to analyze the root cause, if you can, and try to expose all evils of religion on humanity. Also, please don't tell me that some big-shot said - religion is the 'shuva-sanskar,' on earth, because I have seen enough of those shuvo-sanskars by now already. Don't show me anymore.
Jiten Roy







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[mukto-mona] Fw: এরশাদের পর এবার ভারত সফরে যাচ্ছেন খালেদা জিয়া


----- Forwarded Message -----
From: SyedAslam <syed.aslam3@gmail.com>
To: Khobor <khabor@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 8:20 PM
Subject: এরশাদের পর এবার ভারত সফরে যাচ্ছেন খালেদা জিয়া


বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৩ আগষ্ট ২০১২, ৮ ভাদ্র ১৪১৯
এরশাদের পর এবার ভারত সফরে যাচ্ছেন খালেদা জিয়া
রাজনৈতিক ইস্যুতে আলোচনায় আগ্রহী দিল্লী
কূটনৈতিক রিপোর্টার ॥ এরশাদের পর এবার বিরোধীদলীয় নেতা ও বিএনপি চেয়ারপার্সন খালেদা জিয়ার সঙ্গে বাংলাদেশের রাজনৈতিক ইস্যুতে আলোচনায় আগ্রহী ভারত। খুব শীঘ্রই ভারত সরকারের আমন্ত্রণে দিল্লী যেতে পারেন খালেদা জিয়া। বিএনপি ও ভারতীয় হাইকমিশন সূত্রে এ বিষয়ে আভাস পাওয়া গেছে। আর বিরোধীদলীয় নেতার এই হাই প্রোফাইল ভিজিট নিয়ে ইতোমধ্যে ঢাকায় রাজনৈতিক হিসাব-নিকাশ শুরু হয়ে গেছে। 
জানা গেছে, ভারতের আমন্ত্রণে গত বছরের শেষদিকে খালেদা জিয়ার নয়াদিল্লী সফরে যাওয়ার কথা ছিল। তবে সে সময় ভারতের প্রধানমন্ত্রী মনমোহন সিংয়ের ঢাকা সফরের কারণে দিল্লীতে খালেদা জিয়ার সফরের সময়সূচীতে পরিবর্তন আনা হয়। তাছাড়া ওই সময়ে মনমোহন ঢাকার সোনারগাঁও হোটেলে খালেদার সঙ্গে দ্বিপাক্ষিক গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ইস্যুতে আলোচনা সেরে ফেলায় দিল্লীতে ইস্যুভিত্তিক আলোচনার আর প্রয়োজন ছিল না। পাশাপাশি পশ্চিমবঙ্গের মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা ব্যানার্জীর বাগড়ায় তিস্তা চুক্তি ভেস্তে যাওয়ায় ভারতের কেন্দ্রীয় সরকার ওই সময়ে বিব্রতও ছিল। ফলে বাংলাদেশ ইস্যুতে যে কোন আলোচনায় কিছুটা সময় নিতে চেয়েছে ভারত। তাই চলতি বছর আবার নতুন করে খালেদা জিয়ার সঙ্গে দিল্লীতে আলোচনার সময়সূচী নির্ধারণ করার প্রস্ততি নিচ্ছে ভারত। খুব শীঘ্রই এ সফর অনুষ্ঠিত হতে পারে।
এ বিষয়ে বিএনপির এক নেতা বুধবার জনকণ্ঠকে জানিয়েছেন, গত বছরই বিরোধীদলীয় নেতার ভারত সফরে যাওয়ার কথা ছিল। তবে ভারতের কারণেই সফরের সময় পিছিয়ে গেছে। এখন ভারত আবার আগ্রহ প্রকাশ করেছে। নতুন করে কথাবার্তা চলছে। হয়তো খুব শীঘ্রই সময়সূচী চূড়ান্ত হবে। তিনি জানান, খুব স্বাভাবিকভাবে এ সফরে সবচেয়ে বেশি আলোচনা হবে দশম জাতীয় নির্বাচন প্রক্রিয়া নিয়ে। 
ঢাকাস্থ ভারতীয় হাইকমিশনের এক উচ্চপদস্থ কর্মকর্তা বুধবার জনকণ্ঠকে জানিয়েছেন, নয়াদিল্লী থেকে চূড়ান্ত বার্তা আসার পর সফর নিয়ে গণমাধ্যমে তথ্য প্রকাশ করা হবে। এর আগে কোন ধরনের মন্তব্য করতে রাজি হননি ওই কর্মকর্তা। 
এদিকে রাজনৈতিক মহলের মতে, এরশাদের সফরের পর খালেদার নয়াদিল্লী সফর দেশের রাজনীতির জন্য গুরুত্বপূর্ণ বার্তা দিচ্ছে। বর্তমান সরকারের মেয়াদ শেষ হতে আর মাত্র এক বছর সাড়ে চার মাস বাকি। ভৌগোলিক অবস্থানের কারণে বাংলাদেশ ছোট দেশ হলেও ভারতের কাছে অত্যন্ত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ। প্রতিবেশী বাংলাদেশে সরকার পরিবর্তনের সঙ্গে দুই দেশের মধ্যকার দ্বিপাক্ষিক স্বার্থসংশ্লিষ্ট অনেক বিষয় জড়িত থাকে। তাই নিজেদের তাগিদেই বাংলাদেশের কোন নির্দিষ্ট দলের প্রতি দুর্বলতা দেখাতে আগ্রহী নয় ভারত। ভারতের উত্তর-পূর্বাঞ্চলে বিচ্ছিন্নতাবাদী দমনে আওয়ামী লীগ সরকার ব্যাপক সহায়তা দেয়ায় নিরাপত্তাজনিত দিক দিয়ে ভারত অনেক লাভবান হয়েছে। এরপরও দল নিরপেক্ষ প্রমাণ দিতে ইতোমধ্যে আওয়ামী লীগ নেতৃত্বাধীন মহাজোট সরকারের শরিক দল জাতীয় পার্টির চেয়ারম্যান হুসেইন মুহম্মদ এরশাদের সঙ্গে দিল্লীতে রাষ্ট্রীয় পর্যায়ে আলোচনা করা হয়েছে। এরই অংশ হিসেবে ভারত এবার প্রধান বিরোধী দল বিএনপি চেয়ারপার্সন খালেদা জিয়ার সঙ্গে আলোচনায় আগ্রহী। এরশাদের সঙ্গে যেসব বিষয়ে আলোচনা হয়েছে সেসব বিষয়েই খালেদার সঙ্গে আলোচনা করতে পারেন ভারতের নয়া রাষ্ট্রপতি প্রণব মুখার্জী ও প্রধানমন্ত্রী মনমোহন সিং।
গত শুক্রবার নয়াদিল্লীতে রাষ্ট্রপতি ভবনে ভারতের রাষ্ট্রপতি প্রণব মুখার্জীর সঙ্গে সাক্ষাত করেন হুসেইন মুহম্মদ এরশাদ। ৩০ মিনিট তাঁদের মধ্যে আলোচনা হয়। সাক্ষাতের পর এরশাদ সাংবাদিকদের জানান, বাংলাদেশের রাজনৈতিক ইস্যুতেই আলোচনা হয়েছে। ভারত বাংলাদেশে অবাধ ও নিরপেক্ষ নির্বাচন দেখতে চায়। ভারত আশা করে, বাংলাদেশের গণতান্ত্রিক প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলো আগামীদিনে আরও শক্তিশালী হবে। 
এরশাদ সাংবাদিকদের বলেন, বাংলাদেশের চলমান রাজনৈতিক পরিস্থিতি ও আগামী জাতীয় নির্বাচন নিয়ে আলোচনা হয়েছে। নির্বাচনে বিএনপির অংশগ্রহণ নিয়েও আলোচনা হয়েছে। এছাড়া টিপাইমুখ বাঁধ ও চুয়াত্তরের সীমান্ত প্রটোকল বাস্তবায়নসহ বিভিন্ন গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ইস্যুতে আলোচনা হয়েছে। 
গত ১৩ আগস্ট পাঁচদিনের সফরে দিল্লী যান এরশাদ। সে সময় তিনি ভারতের প্রধানমন্ত্রী মনমোহন সিং, সেদেশের জাতীয় নিরাপত্তা উপদেষ্টা শিব শংকর মেনন এবং পররাষ্ট্র সচিব রঞ্জন মাথাইয়ের সঙ্গেও বৈঠক করেন। 
রাজনৈতিক মহলের মতে, বিএনপি চেয়ারপার্সন খালেদা জিয়ার সঙ্গেও একই বিষয়ে আলোচনা হবে। বিএনপি এ সফরে তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকার ইস্যুতেই আলোচনা বেশি করবে। বড় প্রতিবেশী রাষ্ট্র হিসেবে ভারতের সহযোগিতা চাওয়া হবে। তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকার ব্যবস্থা পুনর্বহালে বিএনপি আওয়ামী লীগ সরকারের ওপর ভারতকে চাপ প্রয়োগেরও অনুরোধ জানাতে পারে। পাশাপাশি প্রধান বিরোধী দল হিসেবে দেশের প্রতি দায়িত্ব পালনের অবস্থান থেকে গতানুগতিক কিছু ইস্যুতে আলোচনা হতে পারে। এর মধ্যে থাকতে পারে পশ্চিমবঙ্গের মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা ব্যানার্জীর আপত্তিতে ঝুলে যাওয়া তিস্তা চুক্তি নিয়ে ভারতের অবস্থান, যৌথ নদ-নদীর পানি বন্টন, টিপাইমুখ প্রকল্পের যৌথ সমীক্ষা, সীমান্ত হত্যা বন্ধ, ছিটমহল বিনিময়, সীমান্ত চুক্তি ও প্রটোকল অনুমোদন, এক বিলিয়ন ডলারের ভারতীয় ঋণে নেয়া বিভিন্ন প্রকল্প এবং ভারতের বাজারে বাংলাদেশী পণ্যের অবাধ প্রবেশাধিকারসহ বিভিন্ন দ্বিপক্ষীয় অমীমাংসিত ইস্যু।

প্রণবের আমন্ত্রণ!
মাহফুজুর রহমান নিউইয়র্ক থেকে জানান, 'বিশ্বের দ্বিতীয় ক্ষমতাধর ব্যক্তি আমেরিকার পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী হিলারি ক্লিনটন ঢাকা সফরের সময়ে বিরোধীদলীয় নেত্রী নয়, আগামীর প্রধানমন্ত্রী হিসেবে খালেদা জিয়ার সঙ্গে সাক্ষাত করেছিলেন, আর আজকের ভারতের রাষ্ট্রপতি ও সেদিনের অর্থমন্ত্রী প্রণব মুখার্জীও বাংলাদেশের জনগণের নাড়ির স্পন্দন বুঝেই খালেদা জিয়ার সঙ্গে দেখা করে তাঁকে ভারত সফরের আমন্ত্রণ করেছেন'- নিউইয়র্কে এক সমাবেশে এসব কথা বলেছেন বাংলাদেশ জাতীয়তাবাদী দলের যুগ্ম সম্পাদক আমানউল্যা আমান। মঙ্গলবার জ্যাকসন হাইটসের একটি রেস্টুরেন্টে বৃহত্তর ঢাকা জাতীয়তাবাদী ফোরাম আয়োজিত দেশের বর্তমান প্রেক্ষাপট শীর্ষক আলোচনাসভায় প্রধান অতিথির বক্তব্যে আমান আরও বলেন, প্রধানমন্ত্রীর পুত্র-কন্যারা আমেরিকা ও কানাডা থেকে পদ্মা সেতুর দেশীয় বিনিয়োগকৃত অর্থ লুটপাট করে প্রধানমন্ত্রীকে জাতীয় দুর্নীতিবাজ থেকে বিশ্ব দুর্নীতিবাজের উপাধিতে ভূষিত করেছেন। আর যোগাযোগমন্ত্রী আবুল হোসেনের পদত্যাগের মধ্যে দিয়ে প্রমাণিত হয়েছে মহাজোট সরকার মহাদুর্নীতিবাজ সরকার। রেলের কালো বিড়াল সুরঞ্জিতের অর্থ কেলেঙ্কারি ধামাচাপা দিতে ইলিয়াস আলীকে গুম করা হয়েছে। বিএনপির যুগ্ম সম্পাদক আমানউল্যা আমান আরও বলেন, ড. ইউনূসকে অপমানিত করে হাসিনা সরকার বিশ্বের কাছে বাংলাদেশকে খাটো করেছে, তাই বিএনপি ক্ষমতায় এলে ড. ইউনূসকে সর্বোচ্চ সম্মানে সম্মানিত করা হবে।
বৃহত্তর ঢাকা জাতীয়তাবাদী ফোরামের সভাপতি আজহারুল মিলনের সভাপতিত্বে অনুষ্ঠিত আলোচনাসভায় বিশেষ অতিথি হিসেবে বক্তব্য রাখেন কেন্দ্রীয় বিএনপির অর্থ বিষয়ক সম্পাদক ও ঢাকা মহানগর বিএনপির সদস্য সচিব আব্দুস সালাম ও কেন্দ্রীয় বিএনপির কার্যকরী কমিটির সদস্য মোস্তাফিজুর রহমান বাবুল।
যুক্তরাষ্ট্র বিএনপি ও এর অঙ্গ সংগঠনের বিপুলসংখ্যক সদস্যের উপস্থিতিতে অনুষ্ঠিত সভায় আমানউল্যা আমান খালেদা জিয়ার সংবর্ধনা উপলক্ষে গত বছর ড. মুজিব-জিল্লুর নেতৃত্বে গঠিত সংবর্ধনা কমিটির সঙ্গে সম্পৃক্ত হয়ে যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে বিএনপির কার্যক্রম পরিচালনার আহ্বান জানিয়ে বলেন, কেন্দ্র থেকে নতুন কমিটি না দেয়া পর্যন্ত দেশনেত্রী মনোনীত ওই কমিটির মাধ্যমে সকল প্রকার কার্যক্রম পরিচালনা করে তার নির্দেশ পালন করা প্রবাসের প্রতিটি জিয়া সৈনিকের দায়িত্ব।

http://www.dailyjanakantha.com/news_view.php?nc=15&dd=2012-08-23&ni=106716
বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৩ আগষ্ট ২০১২, ৮ ভাদ্র ১৪১৯







[mukto-mona] Woman's right in Bangladesh. [1 Attachment]

[Attachment(s) from Milon Ahmed included below]

Please publish this article.
  ...Milon Ahmed.

Attachment(s) from Milon Ahmed

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[mukto-mona] FW: Assam and the aftermath ( very frightening analysis )






To: saeed325@hotmail.com
From: saeed325@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2012 20:01:02 -0400
Subject: Assam and the aftermath ( very frightening analysis )

 



 

Below is the link to a new Times of India article by me. Vote nd comment as per your calling. India is passing through one of those phases where evil is getting strenghtened, the middle class has all but jettisoned secularism, and secular activists do not have the balls to side with Maoists or generate an uprising of their own. Note, how I have outlined a trend--with live examples--that is going to continue till 2014. In this, we will witness large scale violence of a new type--as seen in Assm--where minorities will be pitted against minorities, and the RSS-Mossad infiltration will ensure that security forces act in a communal/partisn manner.    
 
Rakesh Maria is a Mossad agent...but no one will arrest me for making this allegtion...neither will they dismiss Maria from service.
 
Police informers/acquaintances in BJP-RSS ruled Karnataka and RSS infiltrators in Pune Police have deliberately generted the exodus of Students from the North-East. But even secular forces will not take a stand on this--just as they were quiet on the issue of who killed Hemant Karkare...                      
 
 
 
 
 

         Minorities Vs Minorities: The New Right-Wing Gameplan for 2014

                                                        By Amaresh Misra

 

        Before joining the Times of India in 1993 as a roving correspondent, I was part of the radical Left movement led then by the CPI-ML (Liberation). However, sufferings of Dalits, Adivasis and the working classes—natural Left constituencies—did not contribute to my early, personal radicalization. Still a student leader in the Allahabad University, I took active part in debates, discussions concerning national-International topics—and agitations mainly—on Student issues.

          In 1984, the day our Prime Minister Indira Gandhi got assassinated, I was in Calcutta. I had gone there to take part in the national conference of the Indian Peoples Front—the only attempt of its kind—of a Communist Party sponsoring  a democratic-peoples party in India—made under the leadership of Late Comrade Vinod Mishra—the then general secretary of the CPI-ML (Liberation).

          Since I was also part of an agit-prop Street Theatre group—the Dasta Natya Manch (DNM)—we were performing a play on Calcutta streets—when the situation rapidly deteriorated after the news of Ms. Gandhi's assassination. We were told to run and hide as Police vans were coming our way for a total clampdown on any movement on foot or tyres. Yet, after about half an hour, I saw a mob attacking a Sikh truck driver. After a while, the driver was on the streets, begging for his life. Thrashed mercilessly by the mob, the Sikh was soon burned to death, a tyre hanging around his neck.

The Police were nowhere in sight.

Back then, I was only 18 years of age; the incident traumatized me so deeply that after I got back to Allahabad I fought with everyone—including my close relatives—who—as per the norm those days—were abusing Sikhs incessantly.

For several days, I was unable to sleep; I was full of rage; it is good that I did not have access to a gun those days—I would certainly have used it on some right-wing, communal/anti-Sikh element in Allahabad-Uttar Pradesh.

I am expressing my inner most urges to make a point—that during desperate/unjust times—a sensitive human being—belonging to the majority community—can be driven to anti right-wing violence. Being a ruling class  Brahmin—whose family had protected Muslims during the 1947 riots—and who took any violence against minorities as  a challenge to his sense of honour directly—also must contributed  a lot to my aggressive stance.     

So, imagine the plight/mindset of minority communities who saw unspeakable crimes—raping of daughters and mauling of children—being committed on their kith and kin.     

Then in 1986—communal Police officers of the Uttar Pradesh Police—unleashed—even on respectable Allahabadi Muslim citizens like the Delhi based journalist Zafar Agha—working for India Today—a prestigious weekly—massive State sponsored violence. In the 1980s, much before the Ram Mandir movement, communal/right-wing forces used the Police and the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), to butcher Muslims in Meerut, Muzffarnagar and Aligarh.        

Slowly, I began realizing that in India—sometimes—one can survive—even thrive—as an upper caste Naxalite. But it was impossible to live life with dignity as a member of any minority community.

The Babari Masjid was pulled down in 1992; as narrated by several Mumbai cops openly—and included in the Srikrishna Commission Report—Muslim children were given milk laced with poison—by Mumbai Police officials themselves—who were supposed to protect them. I have narrated the terrifying tale of 4th degree torture on Muslims—perpetrated by senior Mumbai Police officers during in the post-1993 Mumbai blast phase—in a recent article (http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/the-mainstream-maverick/entry/pune-blasts-the-story-behind-the-story).  

By the time I learned about the 2002 Gujarat genocide and the brutal, day light killing of Ehsan Jafri in Ahmedabad, I had already realized that unless a revolution shakes the system in India minorities are destined to live as second class citizens.

There was some hope when Congress came to power in 2004 on a strong anti-communal plank. Manmohan Singh, while assuming the office of India's Prime Minister in 2004, promised an end to the divisive era of communal conflagrations seen in the 1990s.

During the years of the UPA I regime, violence against Christians in Orissa and elsewhere made national headlines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_violence_in_Orissa#December_2007); to me, it became obvious that had the Maoists—most of them upper caste Hindus of Orissa like Sabyasachi Panda—not intervened to beat back Bajrang Dal-RSS-VHP activists/leaders—Orissa would have witnessed several more Graham Staines type murder cases.

Things came to a head in 2008. With just an year left  before Parliamentary elections in 2009, bomb blasts began rocking Indian cities with alarming frequency. Security agencies and Police forces of different States blamed an unknown outfit—the Indian Mujahideen (IM)—for the blasts.  From July to September 2008—in a span of just three months—more than 100 blasts—killing innumerable men, women and children—tested the patience of Hindus and Muslims—to the outer most limit.

The electronic media began playing the `breaking news' card after 2008 blasts. Hundreds of Muslims too died in 2008 incidents. But instant media trials—which earned media houses the rap of the Supreme Court—blamed Muslims—and Muslims alone—for the blasts. Imagine the kind of anger Muslim and Hindus must have felt against each other back then; so, whoever was behind the 2008 blasts, isn't it obvious that the detonations constituted part of  a conspiracy to divide the nation along communal lines for someone to achieve power in 2009? We have only two national parties. Who would benefit more—Congress or BJP—in a communally surcharged electoral atmosphere is anybody's guess.        

 Further on, 19th September 2008 saw the Delhi Police Special Cell gunning down two Muslim youths in the now infamous Batala House encounter; October 2008 saw blasts in Malegaon and several other places. Then almost by divine intervention—Hemant Karkare—the Maharashtra ATS Chief—brought out—for the first time in the history of post-Independence India—concrete proof of Sangh Parivar involvement—in bomb blasts.

With this one act, Hemant Karkare foiled the entire game-plan to communalize the polity. Perhaps, because of this reason Karkare—along with Kaamte and Salskar—was killed mysteriously, during the 26/11 operations. At the time of his assassination, Hemant Karkare was close to implicating top RSS-BJP leaders in terror acts (http://rivr.sulekha.com/amaresh-misra-exposes-headley-us-cia-israeli-mossad-ib-rss-role-in-26-11-mumbai-atrocity_470519_blog).

After all the name of Indresh—a top ranking RSS leader—did crop up as a perpetrator—in the Samjhauta Express blast case (http://www.milligazette.com/news/562-rss-leader-indresh-kumar-paid-for-samjhauta-blast-terror).     

On hindsight, Karkare's martyrdom halted the dangerous, communalization of Indian politics that would have brought BJP to power for sure in 2009.

In 2012, the first thing that came to my mind when I heard of violence in Assam was that communal/right-wing forces had begun their game of preparing for 2014 Parliamentary elections.

But 2012 is not 2008. In the 1960s and 1970s, communal riots between rival mobs used to be the norm. 1980s were home to the Police Vs Muslims/Sikhs/minorities syndrome. Bomb blasts `planted by Muslim perpetrators' replaced old type of communal conflagrations in the 1990s and 2000s.  

But after the 2008 exposure of Sangh Parivar terrorism, the efficacy of bomb blasts achieving communal polarization became doubtful.

So, this time around, it seems that ethnic riots with a communal slant—between minorities—are replacing bomb blasts. Instead of a minority-majority clash, the game plan seems to be of pitting one minority against the other. This explains the way Bodo militants—belonging to an ethnic minority group—first attacked Bengali Muslims—a religious minority. Then an issue of Bangladeshi infiltrators was inserted in the script.

Soon doctored images of violence on Muslims, pamphlets, SMS' mushroomed out of nowhere—and before one could gather one's wits—a `Muslim backlash' was seen first, in Pune, Mumbai and Karnataka. Then, Allahabad, Lucknow and Kanpur saw mild protests and violence.

Lucknow violence happened in front of me on 17th August 2012—I happened to be in the city for some personal work. In the afternoon, I went into town to meet some Muslim friends.   

My friends were coming out of the Teelewali Masjid in the heart of Lucknow city after the Friday Namaaz when stones started flying—one hit a friend of mine on the head. Suddenly, the cry of Bajrang Dal activists on the prowl went up. Though incidents in Assam and Burma were being avidly discussed, Muslims who went to the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on 17th August 2012 to protest actually wanted to voice their anger against stone pelting by Bajrang Dal activists.

Not a single newspaper wrote about what I saw...  

In Allahabad, Muslim community leaders had cancelled the scheduled protest on 17th August. The Lucknow pattern was repeated—Muslims coming out after rendering the all important `Jume (Friday) ki Namaaz' in old Allahabad—were provoked by Bajrang Dal activists.

On 11th August in Mumbai too, the initial violence occurred when MNS activists taunted Muslim youths for `sitting idle' after Assam and Burma incidents. Not many people are aware of the fact that till recently, Raj Thackarey's MNS had a lot of Muslim activists as well.

In Mumbai, after the initial flare-up, some professional elements—revealed to me by Mumbai Police sources as being under contract (supari) to create violence on 11th August 2012—to defame Muslims—took over. They were the ones who beat up the Police and molested women constables. I was surprised when I saw comments on the net by some noted secular-social activists condemning Mumbai violence without taking into account genuine Muslim grievances or probing the criminal-mafia-supari angle.

The North-East exodus began from Pune and Bangalore, Karnataka. The infiltration in Pune by RSS-ISI-Mossad type elements is well known in Maharashtra Police circles. In fact, three Muslims—Sarfaraz, Imran Khan and Arif—have been arrested by the Pune Police for sending fake SMS'. According to the Pune Police, Imran received the   SMS from Sarfaraz—the former then forwarded the same to Arif. Now while Imran Khan runs, a small business, Arif sells CDs. But—here is the best part—the Police are unwilling to reveal anything about Sarfaraz!

In the light of Qateel Siddiqui's murder inside Pune's high security Yerawada jail premise—the framing of several Muslim youths of the city in terror cases by the Maharashtra ATS headed by Rakesh Maria—a known Muslim baiter—Maharashtra Police sources claim that the attack on students of the North-East—and the circulation of SMS'—might have been the work of some Muslim youths who actually are Police informers! Now Sarfaraz is saying that one Kanjeel Sheikh of Ahmednagar forwarded the SMS' to him!    

A front page report in Indian Express, published on 22nd  August 2012, quotes the Karnataka Police in saying that Anees Pasha, a cell-phone repairman, might have sent the inflammatory SMS' that led to the exodus of North East students from the State.

Now, who is Anees Pasha? The Indian Express report goes on to report that "Police Sources (Karnataka) said that Pasha is a highly skilled cell-phone repairman...Police had often sought his assistance in retrieving software data during their investigations in the past"!

Isn't this shocking? How come Muslims arrested in terror cases turn out to be either Police informers or collaborators? RK Singh, India's Home Secretary, talked of a Pakistani hand in the circulation of SMS'; is Anees Pasha a Pakistani? If yes, then how was he working for the Karnataka Police? As the charge-sheet filed by the Maharashtra ATS against Raj Kumar Purohit and other accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts shows, is there really a connection between ISI and the RSS? 

Again, only an impartial investigation can reveal the true picture. But, it is apparent that as the 2014 elections draw closer, the cycle of violence will only increase. Tens of thousands of Muslim and Hindu men, women and children—belonging to the poorer/lower middle classes—or ethnic/religious minorities—will be sacrificed like proverbial lambs.  Communal/right-wing forces—backed by foreign agencies (not just ISI)—have a high—do or die—kind of stake in 2014. Any definitive secular government—even of the Third Front type—is alien to their interests. They will stop at nothing to achieve power. A fascist government under Narendra Modi following widespread anarchy—and the killing of minorities by minorities—form part of their grand scheme of things.   

This time, perhaps, even divine intervention will not be able to save India.                                  




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Re: [mukto-mona] Let us not criticize religions, criticize religion-peddling



Please read H. G Wells (The outline of History, 1921). He wrote one full chapter about Muhammad and Islam (p567-603). At that time of last century, there was no need for him to treat Islam any differently than other religions. I have to go western historians because no Muslim historian would not be able to portray Muhammad objectively because of fear being killed by other fellow Muslims. I am afraid things have not changed even today. 
Muhammad was not like Jesus or Gautam Buddha. He did carry a protective gear while he preached Islam. Maybe, that was very necessary with the Arab context?
-SD

 
"All great truths begin as blasphemies." GBS

From: qar <qrahman@netscape.net>
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 2:59 PM
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Let us not criticize religions, criticize religion-peddling

 
hundreds of thousands of innocent people got killed by his followers.


>>>>>>>>> sources please?

-----Original Message-----
From: Kamal Das <kamalctgu@gmail.com>
To: mukto-mona <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Aug 21, 2012 5:37 am
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Let us not criticize religions, criticize religion-peddling

 
The Prophet was engaged in 'gazwa', which is better translated as banditry than war.  In about a hundred such incidents he killed thousands of innocent persons.  During the spread of Islam, hundreds of thousands of innocent people got killed by his followers.

On Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 2:12 AM, Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com> wrote:
 
When I heard the verse "Islam clearly said, if an innocent person is killed, it is like killing of all humanity ( Source: Al Qurán 5:32)" for the first time, I had the same reaction as Dr. Das. I was wondering how this verse could make sense, when Prophet was engaged in many wars. In a war, innocent people get killed. There is no denying about it. Then I realize that - devils are in the details of the term "Innocent Person." Who are those innocent persons? I can exclude almost everyone from that category. Therefore, this verse bears very little significance to me.

Jiten Roy



--- On Sun, 8/19/12, Kamal Das <kamalctgu@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Kamal Das <kamalctgu@gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Let us not criticize religions, criticize religion-peddling
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, August 19, 2012, 8:17 AM


 
"Islam clearly said, if an innocent person is killed, it is like killing of all humanity ( Source: Al Qurán 5:32)". Yet, it killed three of the rightly guided Caliphs and poisoned the first one. It decimated the Egyptians, Mesopotamians and the Persians during the reign of the second Caliph.

On Sun, Aug 19, 2012 at 7:11 AM, qar <qrahman@netscape.net> wrote:
This post shows how hard it is to make a point when someone already made up their minds about a topic. For example, Islam clearly said, if an innocent person is killed, it is like killing of all humanity ( Source: Al Qurán 5:32 ). What more one person needs to attacking innocent people?

Today we look at Assam and see targeted killings of minority population, because they are "Bengalis" and Muslims. If we take a dispassionate view of our history, we see a lot of conflicts without religion involved. As I said it before, religion, nationalism, tribalism, ideologies have been "abused" to gain POLITICAL goals.

It is easy to point finger at religion but religion is not a one liner book. It is a complete code of life. Since every communities of this world have bad and good people, some verses discuss those issuies.

But those turn good people into bad people (leaders) are the real criminals not religion. If I remove all criminal laws from the books of Bangladesh, it will not remove crime from this country. People have to change their thinking, attitudes etc to make that happen. Religion is an exceotionally good tool to make that transformation happen.

There are plenty of secular criminals who also commit crime with different excuses. Often religion is only an exuse not the cause.

There are reports from criminal land grabbers who snaches away lands from weak and poor people and build mosque on it. Religion does NOT support such acts but half literate people often don't know that and they are duped into the scam like many others scams coming out of Bangladesh in recent years.

Many religious people are like many atheists I met here. They made up their minds and find silliest excuses to support their flawed ideas. Also some are very open and honest like any other group of people.

A book with nice texts do not have any magic in it to change people. People have to make an effort to understand religion and practice it. While there are many bad people among religious groups, there are tons of great people in them too. Who sacrifice a lot to make an honest living, be kind to their neighbors, help poor people etc.

Selective picking cannot give us the total picture.


Shalom!


-----Original Message-----
From: Sukhamaya Bain <subain1@yahoo.com>
To: mukto-mona <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thu, Aug 16, 2012 5:41 pm
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Let us not criticize religions, criticize religion-peddling

When Q. A. Rahman writes, "I think sometime religion looks "Bad" because we "Selectively" follow some ideas and don't follow others", I hope he realizes that while a brainwashed religious person might call it "looking bad", an honest, neutral and non-malicious person would probably call it "actually bad." For this, the religious person would have the burden of explaining that what looks bad is actually not bad, as opposed to branding the neutral person anti-religious. The way I see it, a lot of the religious books have too many 'teachings' that would not fly with truly honest and intelligent people.
In fact, spending too much time on finding contexts and explaining to neutral non-religious people is not a big problem, even when the neutral persons have no patience hearing the explanation.
The overwhelmingly big problem is when a bad teaching is followed by some people for doing bad things in the world under the cover of divinity and unquestionability. This has been making life so miserable for so many innocent people in the world.
I do not agree totally with Mr. Rahman's statement. I think religious people should follow selectively only the good teachings in religious books, and dump the bad teachings, without feeling guilty of not following the religion in its entirety.
Sukhamaya Bain
==================================================
From: Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com>
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 7:27 PM
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Condemning Mumbai Violence
I agree mostly.
Religion is like a jungle; one can find delicious as well poisonous fruits there. The problem is - there is no guarantee that everyone will always pick the delicious fruits. This is what's going on with the religion. Some people are picking poisonous fruits either advertently or inadvertently. The deliberate use of poisonous fruits (of religion) is causing havoc around the world, and it is not decreasing; it's being used increasingly to settle religious group rivalries across religious boundaries or even within the same religious boundary.
I am convinced that – most of the evils that are happening around the world are somehow or other due to the religious divisions among us, irrespective of how good religious principles are. It's because – where there is division, there is competition and rivalry. This is one of our instinctive characteristics. You may keep it dormant for a while through proper education and training, but can't eliminate it. I criticize religion for its very existence in this day and age, not because it has nothing good to offer anymore.
After the scientific renaissance, science took over our lives and religion lost its utility. Morality in our lives comes from societal demands and environment. The populace in Bangladesh is devoutly religious, yet Bangladesh is one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
Jiten Roy
--- On Tue, 8/14/12, qar <qrahman@netscape.net> wrote:

From: qar <qrahman@netscape.net>
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Condemning Mumbai Violence
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, August 14, 2012, 10:03 AM

Some people are just reacting to what religion is feeding to them. Obviously, not everybody will react to the same extent, but - some will. Don't blame them for reacting.


>>>>>>>>>> I think sometime religion looks "Bad" because we "Selectively" follow some ideas and don't follow others. For example, Bangladeshi Muslims are pretty big on "Showing" they are Muslims, when it benefits them. However you check on most of them if they paid, obligatory charity (Zakat) or made sacrifices to make an honest living (Halal income), you will see plenty of hypocrites.

I have seen plenty of Muslims, foaming their mouth about their "Rights" but not so eager to worry about their "Responsibilities". Which is the very reason why "Religion" looks bad to many of us (Muslims and non-Muslims alike). When I look back to teachings of prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he was more worried about his responsibilities and often "forgave" others when it came to his rights over them (Muslims and non-Muslim alike). Most Muslims don't follow it and those who do, they don't make headlines.

This is the "Root cause" of problems we see when it comes to religion. So in one word, we are greedy and often we prefer money/power over God.

Shalom!


-----Original Message----- From: Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com> To: mukto-mona <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Sun, Aug 12, 2012 9:56 pm Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Condemning Mumbai Violence

Most religious people are either unwise or fake. They are unwise because they can't visualize the evil done on earth by what religion. All they need to do is - look around the world with open eyes and minds, but – they can't.
I know – people will still say – religion is not to blame; it's the people, the so called misguided religious fundamentalists, to blame. That's hogwash; I don't blame anybody, but religion, for this. Some people are just reacting to what religion is feeding to them. Obviously, not everybody will react to the same extent, but - some will. Don't blame them for reacting.
So, please - no more blame, excuses, and double talks; try to analyze the root cause, if you can, and try to expose all evils of religion on humanity. Also, please don't tell me that some big-shot said - religion is the 'shuva-sanskar,' on earth, because I have seen enough of those shuvo-sanskars by now already. Don't show me anymore.
Jiten Roy






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[mukto-mona] Rimsha, accused of blasphemy, traumatised: activist



What Islam do Pakistanis follow? If you ask them about Islam, they might say, Islam means peace.
Is it?
-SD



Rimsha, accused of blasphemy, traumatised: activist

Pakistanis protesting against the arrest of Christians — File Photo
Pakistanis protesting against the arrest of Christians — File Photo
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani Christian girl detained on accusations of defaming Islam was too frightened to speak in a prison where she is being held in solitary confinement for her safety, an activist who said he visited her said on Thursday.
Religious and secular groups worldwide have protested over the arrest last week of Rimsha Masih, accused by Muslim neighbours of burning Islamic religious texts.
The case has put another spotlight on Pakistan's anti-blasphemy law, which rights groups say dangerously discriminates against the conservative Muslim country's tiny minority groups.
Christian activist Xavier William said he visited Masih at a police station where she was first held, and then this week in a prison in the city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad.
"She was frightened and traumatised," William told Reuters.
"She was assaulted and in very bad shape. She had bruises on her face and on her hands," he added, referring to a mob that attacked Masih in her village on the edge of Islamabad after she was accused of blasphemy.
There have been conflicting reports on Masih's age and her mental state. Some media have said she is 11 and suffers from Down's Syndrome.
One police official said she is 16 and mentally sound.
William said he had seen a copy of a medical report which said she has no mental illness. Masih's family told William she is 14, he said.
Christians flee girl's village
Masih's arrest triggered an exodus of several hundred Christians from her poverty-stricken village after local mosques reported over their loudspeakers what the girl was alleged to have done. Emotions were running high there.
A neighbour named Tasleem said her daughter saw Masih throwing away trash that included the burned religious material.
"If Christians burn our Quran, we will burn them," she told Reuters.
Other Muslims were more conciliatory.
"We protected the rest of the Christians," said Masih's landlord Malik Amjad Mohammad. "People here support them."
Christians, who make up four per cent of Pakistan's population of 180 million, have been especially concerned about the blasphemy law, saying it offers them no protection.
Convictions hinge on witness testimony and are often linked to vendettas, they complain.
President Asif Ali Zardari has told officials to produce a report on the girl's arrest, which has brought protests from Amnesty International, British-based Christian group Barnabas Fund, and others.
Masih is due to appear in court in the next 10 days. She could be formally charged with blasphemy.
"She is in solitary confinement at Adiala jail because of her safety," said William.
"She would not make eye contact. She did not say anything. She did not answer back."
 
"All great truths begin as blasphemies." GBS


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