Tazia
Makers in Gujarat Under a Cloud
(March
11, 2003)
AHMEDABAD:
Muslims in riot-hit Ahmedabad have started preparations
to observe the holy month of Muharram, which marks
the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet
Mohammad. Still reeling under last year's communal
riots that tore apart Gujarat, Muslims in the State's
main city are hoping that this year the mourning
period would pass off peacefully.
Looking
forward to it most are makers of tazias, replicas
of Imam Hussain's tomb, who are hoping that this
year's Muharram brings some relief to their sagging
business. The artisans, who have adopted 'Taziawalas'
as their surname, are busy getting the tazias ready
for this year's Muharram procession on Friday. Though
preparations are almost complete, some tazia makers
who after being rendered jobless for two consecutive
years, in 2001 due to earthquake and in 2002 due
to communal riots, are sceptical about business
picking pace this year. "Right now almost 50 per
cent of the work is complete but the question is
whether tazia processions would be taken out or
not? Only if there are processions, our business
will progress. If not then we will suffer the most,"
said Rehman Taziawala.
During
the procession, mourners carry the tombs reciting
memorial hymns and beating their chests which is
regarded as one of the most important rituals of
the mourning. Tazia makers' families sustain on
the one-month Muharram sale of tazias till the next
season arrives. More than 1,000 people, most of
them Muslims, were killed in a wave of revenge killings
across Gujarat last year. Residents say the two
communities (Hindus and Muslims) are still deeply
suspicious of each other. Though there is little
interaction between them, attempts are being made
to bury the hatchet. Muharram processions have in
the past often sparked off Hindu-Muslim riots and
local administration very often clamps restrictions
to avert clashes.
Muslims
Told to Give Up Claims on Ayodhya and Win VHP Trust
(Go To
Top)
(March
10, 2003)
NEW
DELHI: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)
said on Monday Muslims in the country would have
enjoyed the support of majority Hindus had they
given up their claims over the disputed site in
Ayodhya. Hindus and Muslims are fighting a legal
battle over the disputed site where the 16th-century
Babri mosque was torn down in 1992 by Hindu zealots.
The demolition of Babri mosque triggered India's
worst religious riots since India's independence
from Britain, in which more than 3,000 people died.
Hardline groups affiliated to the ruling Bharatiya
Janata Party, including the VHP, say Lord Ram a
was born on the site thousands of years ago and
Muslim invaders had destroyed a temple to build
the mosque. Archaeologists on Monday began surveying
the disputed site in Ayodhya after a court ordered
the Archaeological Survey of India to excavate the
site and find out whether a structure existed under
the ruins.
"If court wants that some scientific help is required,
then Vishwa Hindu Parishad welcomes its moves. We
have already welcomed it. But I want to know, Is
Muslim society not aware of the fact (existence
of the temple) and still not handing over the Ram
temple to Hindus? If that's the case, what's there
in Kashi and Mathura? Is any evidence required there?
This is not a question of evidence, ... this is
the mentality of Babar and others. Had this mentality
not been there in an independent India, Muslims
would have received the support of Hindus," VHP
general secretary Praveen Togadia told reporters
in the Capital. Togadia said the country's political
leadership should pass a resolution to hand over
the undisputed land to the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust,
which owns it. "Main political parties of the country,
both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party, have in
the past maintained that the Ram temple issue should
be settled through dialogue and court. So VHP also
proposes a legal solution for the Ram temple. Let
Parliament announce that this undisputed land belongs
to Ram Janmabhoomi Trust and pass a law on it,"
Togadia said.
VHP and other hardline Hindu groups have stepped
up pressure on the Government to allow them construction
of the Ram temple in the vicinity of the disputed
site till a verdict is pronounced but courts stand
in the way. Opposition parties say the BJP and sister
groups are trying to revive the issue to gain political
mileage in the crucial State elections slated for
November this year ahead of national polls due in
2004. The BJP rode to centrestage in the late 1980s
on the back of a Hindu revivalist campaign that
included building the temple.
Supreme
Court Reserves Order on Ayodhya Land (Go
To Top)
(March
6, 2003)
NEW
DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday wrapped
up hearings on whether to lift a ban on religious
activity near the site of the razed Babri mosque
in Ayodhya town but said it would announce its verdict
later. The five-judge bench did not specify when
the verdict would be announced. 'Till the cases
and title suits which are going on in the Lucknow
bench of Allahabad High Court are decided upon,
no interference can be done here. The court had
given a stay on this. The whole argument was on
this issue and after hearing the arguments, the
court decided to reserve the judgement," said OP
Sharma, a lawyer.
The Government's counsel, Solicitor-General Kirit
Rawal, appealed to the court to end last year's
ban on the ground that an earlier order in 1994
prohibited religious activity on the disputed site
only and did not extend to the area around the site.
The court imposed the ban last year when Hindu hardliners
vowed to hold prayers near the disputed site where
the 16th century mosque was torn down in 1992, sparking
the country's worst communal violence in which about
3,000 people were killed.
Opposing the Centre's move, senior advocate Kapil
Sibal, who appeared for the All-Indian Muslim Personal
Law Board, said for ten years the status quo had
been maintained both on the disputed as well as
the undisputed land. To alter the status quo there
has to be some "substantial change" in circumstance.
"But the Centre has brought forward no such circumstance,"
he added. He said till the Allahabad High Court
decides the title suit, the character of no area
(disputed or undisputed) could be changed.
Appearing for the UP Sunni Wakf Board, senior advocate
Siddharth Shankar Ray also said the status quo order
should continue till disposal of the title suits
pending before the Allahabad High Court. He said
the situation in Ayodhya was "very volatile" and
vacation of the status quo would amount to "putting
a match-stick on gun-powder". Counsel RN Trivedi,
appearing for the UP Government, supported the Centre's
plea.
MP
Rejects Centre's Modifications on Bhojshala Proposals
(Go
To Top)
(March
6, 2003)
BHOPAL:
Madhya Pradesh Government has turned
down the Centre's modifications to recommendations
on the timings of opening of disputed Bhojshala
at Dhar. There was no consensus on the issue, it
argues, because Muslims did not accept the idea
of keeping the shrine open for the whole day for
Hindus every Tuesday.
On
Thursday, chief minister Digvijay Singh said at
a press conference that the State Government had
on February 20 sent to the Centre its recommendations,
which said Bhojshala was to be kept open for two
hours every Friday to enable Muslims to offer namaz
while for Hindus it would be open on Basant Panchami
day every year and for two hours every Tuesday.
Union culture and tourism minister Jagmohan modified
the proposals, saying Bhojshala would be kept open
for Hindus on every Tuesday from dawn to dusk, while
on other days, tourists would be able to visit the
shrine at an entry fee of Re 1.
But the Muslims submitted a memorandum to the district
administration saying they did not agree to the
recommendation that the shrine be kept open for
whole day for Hindus on every Tuesday, Singh informed,
adding the Government would now send to the Centre
the recommendations based on a consensus arrived
at in April 1995. The final decision rests with
the Centre.
Protest
Against Disgracing Hindu Gods for Commercial Gains
in Goa (Go
To Top)
(March
2, 2003)
PANAJI:
Hundreds of people in Goa marched through the
streets of Panaji protesting the printing of pictures
of Hindu gods and goddesses for commercial purpose.
The protestors alleged disrepect to Hindu gods and
goddesses by several firms which printed their pictures
on match boxes, food products and other daily products
for their commercial gains. The wrappers of these
products are often strewn along the roadsides and
dustbins. Protestors say such acts are in defiance
with the Hindu culture.
The
march 'Nam Dandi', organised recently by a non-governmental
organisation, culminatined with protestors using
novel ways to appease their dieties, who they think
have been disgraced by such acts. They made Rangolis
(colourful designs on the ground) whose colours
they think might help them appease their dieties.
Chandana, one of the protestors, said devotees have
been hurt by this act of utter disrespect.
"The disrespect that is being shown to our gods
and goddesses hurts the sentiments of all Hindus,"
Chandana said. Rangoli, a part of culture in southern
India, is made to prevent harmful spirits from entering
the house. "By making the rangoli, we show our respect
to the god. These potraits should not be made on
paper (calendars etc) because this is considered
unholy. This is our message to the people," Gayatri,
another protestor, said.
Prabhakar Naik, organiser of the protest march,
demanded a ban on the use of Hindu deities in business
for financial gains. "These days in some religious
organisations and even drama companies, there is
a lot of disrespect to our gods and religious books.
At some places Ganeshji (Lord Ganesha) is shown
gambling. So to protest this, we have taken out
a rally," said Naik.
Shivratri
Celebrated (Go
To Top)
(March
1, 2003)
NEW
DELHI: Hindu devotees across the country celebrated
the festival of Shivratri on Saturday. In New Delhi,
devotees in large numbers thronged the city's temples,
which were decorated for the occasion. Chanting
hymns in praise of Lord Shiva, they offered flowers,
sweets and incense at the temples.
In
the Hindu-dominated Jammu region, tight security
prevailed at major temples some of which have been
targetted by the guerrillas in the past. Small groups
could be seen making arrangements for the evening
when most people visit temples. "This was the day
when Lord Shiva got married to Goddess Parvati.
And it is believed that whoever prays on this day
to Lord Shiva is cleansed of all sins not just in
the present life but in the next birth as well,"
said Jagmohan, a devotee from Jaipur.
In Srinagar, the devotees prayed for return of peace
in the State."We have come here to pray to Lord
Shiva that there should be peace, brotherhood and
unity among all", said Shweta, a devotee at a temple.
Others prayed for an Indian victory against Pakistan
in Saturday's World Cup Cricket match in South Africa.
"This is the day of Lord Shiva and we are praying
that there should be harmony among Hindus and Muslims
and there should be a peaceful solution to the problem
of Kashmir", said another.
Shivratri or "night of Shiva", usually falls in
February or March. Devotees observe a fast on this
day with some of them not even partaking a drop
of water.
