by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate
“What a way to end the 7th year of the Modi-led NDA government: surging inflation, falling industrial output, declining rupee and plunging stock market”.
NEW DELHI — A month ahead of the BJP-led NDA government completing seven years, the Congress has attacked the government over economic issues, which it says are looming in the country.
Former Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram criticising the government said in a statement, “What a way to end the 7th year of the Modi-led NDA government: surging inflation, falling industrial output, declining rupee and plunging stock market”.
“Add crushing taxes, growing unemployment and more people pushed into poverty and debt. This is the result of five years of colossal mismanagement starting with demonetisation in November 2016,” he added.
The Former Finance Minister alleged that since demonetisation every step of the government has been wrong and it will not accept that its policies and decisions have been hopelessly wrong. He said, “Mr Modi’s fault is that he will not tolerate criticism or heed well-meaning advice of distinguished economists.”
Chidambaram’s criticism comes after India’s retail inflation rose in March as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 5.52 per cent from 5.03 per cent in February and the Indian rupee continued to depreciate for the sixth consecutive day, breaching the 75 per US dollar mark amid rising cases of Covid-19 and concerns of fresh localised lockdowns.
The country also saw sharp fall in manufacturing and mining activities which led to a slump in India’s industrial output in February.
Data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on Monday showed that the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) for February contracted by 3.6 per cent over the same month a year ago.
On a sequential basis, the IIP had contracted by 0.87 per cent. For the April-June period of the previous financial year, the IIP fell by 11.3 per cent.
“For the month of February 2021, the ‘Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production’ (IIP) with base 2011-12 stands at 129.4,” the ministry said.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate, News
Masjid e Umar at Wafa Park, Kausa, Mumbra- (Photo Sanjay Solanki for Maeeshat)
The blood donation camp was organised by the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) of India at the Takiya Mosque in which hundreds of people voluntarily participated
BEED, MAHARASHTRA — In an unusual but welcome step on the eve of the holy Ramazan month, a mosque in Maharashtra’s Beed became the venue for a blood donation camp as the state grapples with a huge shortage of blood, an organiser said on Tuesday.
The blood donation camp was organised by the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) of India at the Takiya Mosque in which hundreds of people voluntarily participated, Rafid Shahad, Maharashtra South SIO Zonal Secretary, said.
From the drive conducted all day on Monday, the SIO collected around 150 units of blood which will be handed over to the authorities, said SIO member Khizer Shaikh.
SIO South Maharashtra Zonal President Salman Khan said that the organisation has carried out similar blood donation drives in the wake of the severe blood shortages experienced in Maharashtra since the past few weeks.
“We have conducted around a dozen similar camps in Mumbai, Thane, Latur, Jalna, Solapur, and Beed and collected around 500 units of blood. We have appealed to the Muslim community to come forward for the humanitarian cause on the Ramazan eve and they have responded in large numbers,” he said.
Other SIO volunteers pointed out that during the holy month of fasting, Muslims around the world get into a spiritual and charitable mode and blood donation is one noble way of assisting the government in the ongoing Covid pandemic challenge with the huge scarcity of blood in the state.
They assured that all Covid and safety protocols are strictly followed for the blood donation drives and over the next few weeks, many more such camps shall be held across the state.
The state is currently in the grip of a blood shortage and appeals have gone out from Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Health Minister Rajesh Tope, Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad, Congress President Nana Patole and others asking people to come forward and donate blood or organise blood donation camps.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate, Entrepreneurship
Bhopal environmentalist Zeeshan Khan displaying developed digital document ‘Ok2Pass’
By Pervez Bari
BHOPAL: Zeeshan Khan, an environmentalist of Bhopal, has developed “Ok2Pass”, a digital document that provides secure proof of Covid-19 vaccination or negative test results at such places as airports, railway stations, malls, hospitals and so forth.
According to Zeeshan, who is CEO of Beyond Smart Group, this is India’s first smart solution that provides secure digital proof of Covid-19 vaccination or negative test results and is generated using the data provided by the service provider (vaccination site) or testing laboratory through secure state and city immunisation and Covid-19 testing databases.
He says that, when one gets vaccinated or tested for Covid-19, one gets a digital QR certificate link on one’s mobile number through an SMS. One can show the QR code link at the checkpoint. It will verify the authenticity of one’s vaccination certificate or test report. The government can track one’s vaccination status or test result through this, he says.
Khan said that he and his associates had started working on the project two months ago. He said a mobile app with similar features was being tested in New York State in the US. “We also did knowledge sharing with some US scientists,” he says, adding that Rs 1 lakh has been spent on the project. “This is a purely public welfare effort for knowledge-sharing. We don’t intend to earn money through it,” he says. “It’s meant for the government which can use it as it deems fit.”
He says that the prototype is ready and they are in talks with the Madhya Pradesh Government for launching it on a trial basis.
Similar to a mobile airline boarding pass, citizens can store their passes digitally on their smartphones or print them out to present them at different public places. The authorities concerned can use the “OK2Pass” to comply with the Covid-19 guidelines.
There are three kinds of “OK2Passes” which include: (i) Covid-19 Vaccination Pass (valid for 180 days after the pass is retrieved, at which time a new pass may be retrieved); (ii) Covid-19 PCR Test Pass (valid until midnight of the third day after a test) and (iii) Covid-19 Antigen Test Pass (valid for 6 hours from the time of a test)
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate
Asad Mirza
The Muslim community should try to evolve the construction of the mosques, at a lesser cost besides fulfilling both functional and practical needs, and making it a centre of learning and practice.
In Islam, a mosque is a humble way for man to create a place where divine presence on earth could be called for. The Arabic word ‘Masjid’ means a ‘place for prostration’. It is obligatory for Muslim men to congregate five times each day, for weekly-Friday/Juma prayers and on Eid Al Fitr and Eid Ad Duha, at the local or the city mosque. It is also used as a gathering place for meetings and socialising and is strategically located at a junction to provide easy access to all. The motive to createsuch a space in the habitat is that one enjoys solitude within the closed structure, and connects to the world externally.
However, Muslims particularly in secular countries like India need to turn the local mosque into a hub of community activities serving every section of the society. This would also help in countering the campaign by hardliners restricting entry of people of other faiths into their religious places.
Architectural growth of mosques
Architecturally a mosque has four main elements namely the congregation hall, a mihrab marking the qiblah (the direction for prayers and the site for the Imam), a minaret (tall tower for the call of azaan), and a hauz (water tank for ablution) and is directed towards the qiblah, the direction in which the Holy Kabaah is, and which Muslims face for their prayers.
Arab-styled hypostyle mosques were the earliest type of mosques, pioneered under the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties. These mosques have square or rectangular plans with an enclosed courtyard (sahn) and a covered prayer hall. Historically, in the warm Middle Eastern and Mediterranean climates, the courtyard served to accommodate the large number of worshippers during Friday prayers. However, the simplicity of the Arab plan limited the opportunities for further architectural innovations.
Persians (Iranians) were the first to depart from the Arabic style. They incorporated design elements from earlier Parthian and Sassanid styles into their mosques. Thus, Islamic architecture witnessed the introduction of such structures as domes and large, arched entrances, referred to as iwans.
During Seljuq rule, as Islamic mysticism was on the rise, the four-iwan arrangement took form. This style firmly established the courtyard façade of mosques, with the towering gateways at each side. The Persians also introduced Persian gardens into mosque designs. Soon, a distinctly Persian style of mosques started appearing that would significantly influence the designs of later Timurid, and also Mughal-era, mosque designs.
The Ottomans introduced central dome mosques in the 15th century. These mosques have a large dome centred over the prayer hall. In addition to having a large central dome, a common feature is smaller domes that exist off-centre over the prayer hall or throughout the rest of the mosque, where prayer is not performed. This style was heavily influenced by Byzantine architecture with its use of large central domes. The Khirki Mosque in Malviya Nagar, New Delhi incorporates this design and has more than 81 domes.
Mosques built in Southeast Asia often represent the Indonesian-Javanese style architecture, which are different from the ones found throughout the Greater Middle East. The ones found in Europe and North America appear to have various styles but most are built on Western architectural designs, some are former churches or other buildings that were used by non-Muslims. In Africa, most mosques are old but the new ones are built in imitation of those of the Middle East.
Historically, a number of mosques were constructed in India during the Mughal period. However, after partition most of the mosques were built on simple design elements, but with the flow of money sent by economic immigrants and also collected by clerics, the building of mosque in India, soon turned into an expansive one, as every mosque planner wanted to outdo the other.
An Innovative Mosque
Architect Qutub Mandviwala from Gujarat has established a new trend in mosque design when he planned the Gulistan Mosque at Gulistan Housing Society in Jajmau, Kanpur, UP in 2018.
The mosque built on a small plot area of 250 sq. mts is located in a densely populated area.It is situated in a planned community project, which caters to a large number of people, of varied faiths. The simple and the innovative design of the mosque catches the eye of every visitor.It is connected to two main roads and has two entries, one from the main external road, whereas other from the internal community road.
The mosque has been designed with simplicity and precision, using basic plans and little ornamentation. The planning of the mosque is derived keeping in mind the ideologies of the faith and its symbolism in the real world.
A small open patch surrounding the main building is used as a sehen andthe two entry points to the mosque leads to a passage way, that has the wuzu area for ablution and space for stacking footwear.
The main building of the mosque is tilted at an angle, to reflect the prostrating figure while in prayers. The exterior is simple with large courtyard space, beautified with landscaping. A small water body surrounds the minar at the outside.
The elevation or the facade is covered with carved jaalis(latticed or perforated screens), giving it a Mughal touch, and for filtration of harsh natural light. The magnificence of the light entering in is symbolic of the enchantments the celestial world holds for the humans. The jaali façade weaves a subtle play of shadow and light and provides a dynamic nature to the subtle peaceful quality of the space within as it gives out enough lighting through different seasons. The external heat is also cut out as air is subjected to the venturi effect.
A Model Mosque
However, at present besides constructing modern and aesthetically pleasing mosques, we should also focus on building mosques, which are functional and serves other community purposes also.
We can take this argument a step forward by envisioning the modern mosque to be a Community Resources Centre (CRC) for the local Muslim community, where the mosque is located. This mosques/CRC should serve as the meeting point of the local Muslim congregation for their religious needs besides social needs also.
The mosque should have a space for a library, a Career Guidance or Counselling Centre, where counsellors could provide expert guidance to the community’s youth with regard to their educational and career options and choices, it should also serve as a community interaction centre, which could keep an eye on the poor and ailing sections of the congregation and provide them relief facilities.It should also have a room to give bath and prepare the bodies of the dead for burial.
We should try to make the local mosques, which are architecturally and aesthetically pleasing, not costing much and try to turn them into a multi-functional venue, for the local community, fulfilling both religious and practical purposes and need of the local Muslims.An initiative, which was started in some European countries some time ago, has been started recently in India also. Under the initiative local non-Muslims are invited to the local mosque to observe how the prayers are conducted there besides exposing them to the teachings of the Holy Quran and basic Islamic fundamentals. Initiatives like these will go a long way in building-up an atmosphere of trust amongst different communities and increase inter-faith interactions, which are the need of the hour in the country.
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Asad Mirza is a political commentator based in New Delhi. He was also associated with BBC Urdu Service and Khaleej Times of Dubai. He writes on Muslims, educational, international affairs, interfaith and current affairs. Email: asad.mirza.nd@gmail.com
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate
Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library was founded in 1891 by Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh.
To make way for a flyover, ‘the Institution of National Importance’ is going to be partially demolished
Shaheen Nazar | Patna
PATNA’S famous Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, “the Institution of National Importance” according to Parliament, is currently facing an existential crisis. The Bihar government has almost decided to demolish a portion of it to make way for a flyover. The intelligentsia is crying foul. People are holding meetings, issuing statements and petitioning authorities with plea to spare this iconic library and its heritage building known as Curzon Reading Room and find an alternative route for flyover.
The road on which the library exists is called Ashok Raj Path, a highly congested place in the middle of the town that hosts a number of important institutions such as Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Patna University, Patna Science College, Madrasa Shamsul Hoda, Urdu Library, Urdu Bhavan (that houses Bihar Urdu Academy and Anjuman Taraqqui-e-Urdu) as well as National Institute of Technology (NIT). The plan is to build a 2.2 km flyover that would connect the famous Gandhi Maidan to NIT, thus decongesting the road.
The unmindful minds which conceived and designed the flyover perhaps did not realise the resistance they would face. The reason is all the institutions on the road, except the library, come under the Bihar government. Therefore, obtaining NOCs from them would not be an issue because it’s a state government project. The library comes under the Union Ministry of Culture. Knowing the apathy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government to anything Islam and Muslim is well-known. So, partially demolishing and disfiguring an institution of international repute was not a challenge for the planners of flyover.
Muslim leadership silent
But, to their dismay, the resistance has come not from the usual suspect, the Muslims. Reactions of Urdu newspapers in Patna are muted. Even Muslim leadership is generally looking the other way round. However, scholars, academicians, writers, book lovers and those concerned with heritage are up in arms. Their restlessness and anger is finding space in the media. Starting with local editions of Times of India and Hindustan times, and even Hindi’s Dainik Jagran and Dainik Hindustan, the issue has been picked up by national media. Recently Gulf News of Dubai also reported the matter.
Located on the banks of the Ganges, the library was founded in 1891 by Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh. It is one of the national libraries of India and designated as “the Institution of National Importance” by a 1969 Act of Parliament. The front portion of the library which is facing the axe is Curzon Reading Room, a heritage building named after the erstwhile Viceroy to India George Curzon to mark his visit to the library in 1905.
Shayesta Bedar, the current director of the library, has been quoted in the media as saying that she is not against any development. “But development at the cost of such an important institution is not justified.”
The library, an autonomous organisation fully funded by the Ministry of Culture, is governed by a Board with the Governor of Bihar as its ex officio Chairman and representatives of Central and state governments as its members. Bedar is citing resolution of the board’s meeting, which has said that essential elegance of the library and its hoary past would be obliterated if any portion of its land taken over for road construction. “We preserved the library’s (Curzon) reading room, which is more than a century old, even as a modern three-storey building of the library was opened by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2017,” she said.
Rare collection of manuscripts
The library is known for its rare collection of Persian and Arabic manuscripts. It also hosts paintings made during the Rajput and Mughal eras of India. It is also a designated ‘Manuscript Conservation Centre’ (MCC) under the National Mission for Manuscripts. The library was started with 4,000 manuscripts of which the Khan Bahadur had inherited 1,400 from his father Maulvi Mohammad Baksh. Currently this library has more than 21,000 rare manuscripts and 25,000 books in Persian, Arabic, Urdu, English, Turkish and many other languages. Its immense historical and intellectual value frequently draws research scholars from across the world.
Public Reaction
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), non-profit organisation founded with the objectives to spearhead heritage awareness and sensitise the people about pluralistic cultural legacy, has taken up the cause of Khuda Bakhsh Library. It has held meetings and visited the library and made a formal appeal to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to save the heritage structure from being bulldozed. It also threatened to move the court if the government didn’t pay heed to its appeal.
“The heritage building shouldn’t be destroyed, even partially. We will urge the people to come forward to save this building,” said JK Lal, chief of Patna chapter of INTACH in a statement.
A former officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS) Amitabh Kumar Das has not only sent a letter to the state government warning it drop its demolition plan but has also released a video message which has gone viral. He says in the video “As a book lover, I am shocked to know the proposed plan of the government to demolish portions of the library. This should not be done since it is a heritage for the entire human population.”
Prominent historian and the Khuda Bakhsh Library’s former director Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad has expressed disgust over the plan. “I am shocked that a proposal to bulldoze our heritage has been submitted,” he has said.
A literary organisation called Ayaam, apparently consisting of women writers, this week held a meeting to denounce the move. Patna’s Hindi newspapers have quoted Padma Shri Usha Kiran Khan as warning the government to change the route of the flyover. She described the plan as “inhuman”. Ayaam’s secretary Vina Amrit said the government must review its decision. Writer Bhavna Shekhar said to save this library Ayaam will play an active role.
Now the question is: will the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government take note of the public sentiments. Khuda Bakhsh Library officials Clarion India talked to narrated one incident which is indicative of the mood in the administration. Those who were sent by the director of the library to see the district magistrate of Patna, on the latter’s invitation, were tersely told that the plan has been finalised and the library will have to give the NOC. “You have to decide just one thing: who will issue this, you or the Union government.”
