TwoCircles.net - Indian Muslim news

Minority Commission is 17, but majority of minorities not heard of the panel
Hyderabad police start removing religious flags
Shoaib may face cheating case ahead of marriage with Sania
Shahnaz to attend White House summit of entrepreneurs
Civilian victims of Kashmir militancy to get compensation
Islam: the state or civilisation?
CCTVs installed at AMU, students term it breach of privacy
Who was behind Hyderabad riots? Many rumours, no answer
AMU holds talks over tie up with American varsities
Situation peaceful in riot-hit Hyderabad, curfew continues
Custodial deaths: Maharashtra tops, Gujarat sees rapid growth after 2002
A group of American students are learning Urdu in Lucknow
AMU corruption: Probe team to hear complainants on Apr 5
Uneasy calm in Hyderabad as curfew continues
National Commission for Minorities: A year of inaction
A national interest-free microfinance society formed

Minority Commission is 17, but majority of minorities not heard of the panel

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 10:55 AM PDT

By TCN Team,

New Delhi: The National Commission for Minorities is 17-years-old now but the overwhelming majority of the communities for whose interests it was set up, it seems, does not know about its existence at all, leave alone its purpose and achievements. TwoCircles.net team in Delhi, Lucknow and Patna went to streets today to measure the popularity of the statutory body among minority communities particularly Muslims, Sikhs and Christians but at the end of the day there was huge disappointment except some hope from Lucknow.

Hyderabad police start removing religious flags

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 10:37 AM PDT

By IANS,

Hyderabad: As a dispute over religious flags triggered the communal riots in Hyderabad, the city police have decided to remove all religious flags and banners from public places.

Police Commissioner A.K. Khan told reporters Wednesday that Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) would remove all religious banners and flags in the city.

Shoaib may face cheating case ahead of marriage with Sania

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 10:21 AM PDT

By IANS,

Hyderabad: Indian tennis star Sania Mirza's marriage with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik next month is not likely to be a smooth affair with Malik facing the threat of legal action for allegedly cheating a girl after marrying her.

A day after Sania Mirza announced her decision to marry Malik next month, the past has returned to haunt the former Pakistani captain.

Shahnaz to attend White House summit of entrepreneurs

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 10:11 AM PDT

By IANS,

New Delhi: Herbal beauty care queen Shahnaz Husain has been invited for a summit to the White House and will also be undergoing a short course at Harvard University.

The 63-year-old has been invited to attend the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Washington, April 26 and 27.

"I am very happy to receive this invitation and to represent brand India there," Husain told IANS.

Civilian victims of Kashmir militancy to get compensation

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 09:58 AM PDT

By AIP,

Jammu: A compensation of Rs 4 lakh will be provided to the next of kin of civilians killed due to militancy who do not fulfill the eligibility criteria for appointment in government service, Jammu and Kashmir Government said.

Manhor Lal Sharma told the Assembly that the step has been taken in the light of recommendation made by a working group on "confidence building measures (CAMS) across the segments of society in the state.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has also agreed to fund the scheme.

Islam: the state or civilisation?

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 09:55 AM PDT

By Asghar Ali Engineer,

MANY scholars maintain that Islam and the state are inseparable, thus reducing Islam to a political ideology. This approach, though in a way, historically dictated, has caused much power struggle among different groups of Muslims.

CCTVs installed at AMU, students term it breach of privacy

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 09:53 AM PDT

By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,

Lucknow: For the students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) the drama of Big Boss reality show will be enacted in their hostels and university campus. University administration citing security reasons has installed CCTVs in all boys hostels, university roads and gates to keep tab of developments. However, the inmates are annoyed terming it as an encroachment on their privacy.

Who was behind Hyderabad riots? Many rumours, no answer

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 06:16 AM PDT

By IANS,

Hyderabad : Were the communal riots in Hyderabad pre-planned and if so who was responsible for it? These questions have cropped up in people's minds as wild allegations are being made by a section of leaders within the ruling Congress party.

While party leaders from Telangana have pointed fingers at their colleagues from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, saying it was a conspiracy to weaken the movement for separate statehood, a Congress MP from Andhra has blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

AMU holds talks over tie up with American varsities

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 05:03 AM PDT

By IANS,

Aligarh/New Delhi : A team of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) officials Wednesday held talks with representatives of American universities in New Delhi on academic collaboration between US varsities and AMU.

The Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), USA delegation consisted of America's top research universities consisting of University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, Pennsylvania University, Ohio University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, Michigan State University and University of Minnesota.

Situation peaceful in riot-hit Hyderabad, curfew continues

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 04:33 AM PDT

By IANS,

Hyderabad : Barring minor incidents, the situation in riot-hit parts of Hyderabad remained peaceful Wednesday as curfew continued in 25 police station areas.

Stray incidents of violence were reported from some curfew-bound areas adjoining the worst-hit old city but police and paramilitary forces acted swiftly to bring the situation under control.

Security personnel rushed to curfew-bound Ziaguda, Habibnagar and Mallepally areas after incidents of stone pelting were reported from there.

Custodial deaths: Maharashtra tops, Gujarat sees rapid growth after 2002

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 03:44 AM PDT

By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,

New Delhi: Maharashtra tops all states in India in the cases of police custody deaths while Uttar Pradesh is at No. 2 followed by Gujarat – the BJP-ruled state has witnessed rapid growth custodial deaths since 2002, the year of Godhra train burning and pogrom. Since October 1993, the National Human Rights Commission has registered 2318 cases of police custody deaths from across the country. Almost all the cases were registered at complaints of higher district police or civil authority.

A group of American students are learning Urdu in Lucknow

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 03:04 AM PDT

By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,

Lucknow: Urdu language may be missing its admirers of late, but some people can still travel thousands of miles from their homes just to learn the language. A group of ten students enrolled in various American universities are in the state capital learning to speak Urdu at Lucknow centre of American Institute of Indian Studies.

AMU corruption: Probe team to hear complainants on Apr 5

Posted: 31 Mar 2010 03:01 AM PDT

By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,

Lucknow: A two-member panel probing charges of financial irregularities against the Vice-Chancellor (V-C) of Aligarh Muslim University Prof PK Abdul Azis has slated April 5 as next date of hearing. The complainants have been directed to appear before the panel on prescribed date at India Islamic Cultural Centre in New Delhi.

Uneasy calm in Hyderabad as curfew continues

Posted: 30 Mar 2010 10:42 PM PDT

By IANS,

Hyderabad : An uneasy calm prevailed in riot-hit parts of Hyderabad Wednesday as curfew continued in 25 police station areas here.

Sporadic incidents of violence continued till late Tuesday even after police brought eight more police station areas under curfew following clashes in new city localities.

The indefinite curfew, imposed in 17 police station limits of the old city Monday night, continued without any relaxation while police top brass have issued shoot-at-sight orders to policemen.

National Commission for Minorities: A year of inaction

Posted: 30 Mar 2010 01:32 PM PDT

By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net

Minorities Commission as a non-statutory body was set up in 1978. In the days following Babri Masjid demolition it was made a statutory body and in 1993 it came to be called National Commission for Minorities (NCM). Its main object is to safeguard the interest of minorities but its power is even less than the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and National Human Rights Commission. Lacking any effective tool it is merely a spectator that can make some noise but not be part of the game.

A national interest-free microfinance society formed

Posted: 30 Mar 2010 11:37 AM PDT

By TCN News,

New Delhi: While the talks and demand for interest-free Islamic banking system is gaining momentum with Muslim clerics and groups holding conferences on the subject in different parts of the country, an all-India level microfinance society called Sahulat Microfinance Society was formed yesterday in New Delhi after marathon discussion among 21 eminent scholars, economists, professionals and social activists drawn from across the country.