‘Chief Protester’ of Delhi!

By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,

New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party are sitting on dharna from Monday outside Rail Bahavan in the capital, virtually becoming the ‘Chief Protester’ as well. Although Delhi CM earlier said that his dharna will last 10 days, he later clarified that it is indefinite till his demands are not met by the Central Government.
As the entire cabinet is sitting with him, most of the works are being affected, but the ministers were seen going through and signing important files from the dharna site as well.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders are on dharna demanding suspension of three Delhi Police SHOs. Meanwhile Home Ministry has refused to budge so far, saying a magisterial enquiry has also ready been ordered.



Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal wih PWD Minister Manish Sisodia.

AAP supporters thronged in thousands, although four metro stations were shut and section 144 was in place.

Over 3000 police personnel have been deployed.


RAF to has been called to thwart any untoward incident.

AAP leader Prof Anand Kumar at the dharna site.

Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia

Delhi CM was seen going through important files at the dharna site.

An elderly AAP supporter with Arvind Kejriwal.

An elderly AAP member resting at the dharna site.

Bihar CM urged to set up high-level probe team on terror arrests

By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: Members of civil society have demanded Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to set up a high-level team to probe the arrests of Muslim youths from the state and the terror charges against them. If Kumar is really concerned about the arrests of innocents in terror cases, he should go beyond mere issuing statement, People’s Initiative, a civil group said while holding a daylong dharna (sit-in) on 24th June at Kargil Chowk near Gandhi Maidan in Patna.

“We demand CM of Bihar to set up a high-level team to probe all terror arrests from the state. The team should be asked to visit states where these youths are being held, dig into the truth of allegations against them and put the inquiry before the people of Bihar,” said the group in a statement.









On Qateel Siddiqui’s custodial murder, the civil group demanded the Chief Justice of India to set a high-level team to inquire into his death in the Pune jail.

The members of the civil society also demanded immediate check on the terror arrests being made violating the guidelines of the apex court and prosecute the guilty officers. Those people who are in jails without any charge sheet, must be released immediately.








Attacking the chief minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar, civil rights activists said his statement that Bihar government had no information about arrest is irresponsible and exposes his good governance claim. “Protection of life and dignity of Bihar residents is the constitutional responsibility of the state chief minister, and so he cannot get free by just issuing statement,” People’s Initiative said.




It is said about 17 youths mostly from Darbhanga and Madhubani have been arrested in terror cases since November 2011 and in almost all cases provisions of Constitution and SC guidelines have been violated.









It is wrong to attach religion to terrorism. Terrorists must be harshly punished but by implicating innocents in terror cases, terrorism cannot be defeated. It seems, there is conspiracy to malign Muslims in the name of terrorism, run by vested interests, it said.



The dharna was also attended by some families of the imprisoned Bihar youths and the family of Fasih Mahmood, Bihar engineer who is missing since 13th May 2012. He was picked from his home in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia allegedly on the request of Indian government but he has not yet been produced in any court. His family has filed habeas corpus in the supreme court. Qateel’s brother Shakil Siddqui was also at the dharna. Qateel was the first Bihar youth to be arrested in terror case. He was picked in November 2011 but was not yet charged. He was killed allegedly by two inmates in the high-security Pune’s Yerwada jail on 8th June 2012.









Talking to TCN on the sidelines of the dharna, eminent social activist and journalist Nayyar Fatmi said the campaign to implicate Muslims in terror cases is part of a larger conspiracy against the community which was raising voice more boldly in the recent time for his constitutional rights.



"Like Pakistan and America – which are run by their intelligence agencies – it seems India too is being run by its intelligence agency since last 2-3 years." He strongly condemned the killing of Qateel and mysterious disappearance of Fasih.









Fatmi, however, was happy that people of civil society and politicians and political parties have started to speak on the issue, they are also coming out to condemn the illegal arresting of Muslim youths.

He urged chief minister Nitish Kumar to break his silence over the issue. Sitting in the lap of communalists, he cannot give sermons on secularism.

Terror Arrests: Bihar civil group writes to Chief Justice of India

By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: A civil rights group from Bihar has sought Chief Justice of India’s intervention for high-level probe into the murder of Mohammad Qateel Siddiqui in high-security Pune jail. Condemning the custodial murder, People’s Initiative, in its memorandum to CJI, has also highlighted the brazen violation by ATS teams of the Supreme Court guidelines about arrest.




L-R: Abdus Salam (father of Kafeel Akhtar), civil rights activist Nayyer Fatmi, civil activist Kanchan Bala, Amrah Jalal (mother of Fasih Mahmood), Shakeel Siddiqui (brother of Qateel Siddiqui) and civil activist and journalist from Darbhanga Shakeel Ahmad Salafi


“Qateel Siddiqui of Darbhanga was killed in judicial custody in Pune jail on 8th June 2012. The murder has made the role of jail administration and police suspicious. As the he was murdered in judicial custody, so we demand the Chief Justice of India to order a high-level inquiry into this murder,” the group demanded in the memorandum which was released to the media at a program at IMA Hall in Patna on Monday.

On the occasion, the group released a report of its fact-finding team which recently visited Darbhanga and adjoining areas from where over one dozen youths have been picked in terror cases since November 2011.







“In the name of counterterrorism, ATS has been violating the rules and guidelines of Supreme Court while arresting youths from Darbhanga and Madhubani, so we demand appropriate action in this regard,” the group said.

The civil activists demanded bail for the accused against whom police have not filed charge sheet even after the stipulated time and they are in jail for a long time.





The fact-finding team narrating their observation about the area said that due to arrests fear has enveloped the entire area of Darbhanga and Madhubani. ATS is not working as a law enforcement agency, rather it is working as a kidnapping gang. The team also revealed that some boys in Darbhanga are being threatened by Maharashtra ATS and Karnataka ATS. They are asked to come to Mumbai without telling anyone.





People’s Initiative had also invited family members of the arrested youths to tell their story to the media. Amrah Jalal, mother of Fasih Mahmood, Shakeel Siddiqui, brother of Qateel Siddiqui and Abdus Salam, father of Kafeel Akhtar told their story. They also talked to TCN.

The program was attended by eminent civil and human rights activists and community leaders. They included Kanchan Bala, Mahender, Nayyer Fatmi, Jitendra, Satnarayan Madan, Adv. Manilal, Arshad Ajmal, Nayyaruzzaman (state president of Jamaat Islami) and Anish Ankur.





The civil group announced to organize a dharna (sit-in) against the illegal arrests on 24th June at Kargil Chowk, Gandhi Maidan in Patna.

Movement for AMU Kishanganj centre gaining momentum

By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: With the state government of JDU-BJP alliance seemingly putting the issue of Kishanganj Special Centre of Aligarh Muslim University in the cold storage, movement for the AMU branch in the most backward district of Bihar is gaining momentum as students groups as well as political parties are stressing the demand.

Two days after the Bihar Zone of Students Islamic Organization of India organized a sit-in near Gandhi Maidan in the heart of the state capital, a bigger demonstration was organized at the same place by the Joint Movement for AMU Special Centre on 29th March.



Politicians from different parties holding sit-in in support of AMU centre in Patna


Addressing the demonstrators, Feroz Ahmad, Patna High Court advocate and president, Surjapuri Development Organisation said the Central Government and Aligarh Muslim University have already given nod to open AMU centre in Kishanganj, but there is little progress on the issue as the Bihar government is not providing land for the campus.

Members of the Joint Movement for AMU Special Centre included many organizations like Surjapuri Development Organisation, Kullaiha Development Organisation, Bihar Madrasa Old Boys Association and SIO. Senior Urdu Journalist Ashraf Asthanvi was also there in support of the demand.

Not only Muslims but Hindus are also in favor the special centre and the support is coming not only from Kishanganj but all over Bihar, said Ahmed, an active member of the Joint Movement.



Political parties including RJD and Congress are also giving their support to the movement.

Addressing the gathering, RJD MLA Abdul Ghafoor said “we are here to support the movement. RJD is also with you and all party members are as well.” India is a democratic country. If government is not giving their support then public should come forward. If AMU center will open in Kishanganj then it will be proud of Bihar not only for Kishanganj but for whole Bihar as people of entire Bihar will get benefit from the center in Kishanganj, he added.

“Muslim as well as Hindu and other communities will get benefit. This movement is not form only one community but it is for whole community. Everyone should come and give their support to this movement. Bihar govt must give land in Kishanganj. In Nalanda 450 acre land has been given and I heard that 500 acre land given to Film Director Prakash Jha. So why aren’t they giving even 250-300 acre land in Kishanganj for AMU center?” said Ghafoor.



Students from various colleges and universities holding the sit-in in support of the AMU centre


Yuman Hussain from Kishanganj, who runs Azad India Foundation in the district, said: “We should get our right to get education anyhow. If government does not accept our demand then I will come out to support the movement.”

The organizers demanded the Bihar govt to give land for the AMU campus as soon as possible. Otherwise, they warned to intensify the movement. They announced they will organize dharna at Zila and bloc level and even will launch Chakkajaam and rail roko movement.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Md Anis, Coordinator, Joint Movement for AMU Special Center, Dr BH Khan, Spokesperson of Bihar Congress Minority Committee and Adv Raghib Ahmed, Patna High Court.