An encounter with girl students in naqab at Patna Museum

By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,


Patna: The scene was very impressive but rare. Dozens of young Muslim girl students of a private school, in a naqab-like school uniform, were curiously looking at antiques at Patna Museum on Friday. Keeping Islamic dress rule close to their chest, they had ventured out on an educational tour to see the outer world – to have a close encounter with history and present.





“We are here to see old historic items, and learn lessons,” said Darakhshan Javed, VIIIth class student of Hazrat Ali Academy, a prominent Muslim private school in Muzaffarpur.







My next question obviously was about her naqab. Don’t you feel odd or face any difficulty when you come out in naqab? “Not at all. I don’t feel odd. This is our tehzeeb (culture) and a best means to keep ourselves from the evils of the society,” said a confident Darakhshan whose ambition is to become an engineer.





Marwa Iba of Class IX sounded equally confident about her dress. “I feel good when I come out in naqab. I feel safe from bad eyes. As most of women today do not wear naqab, so people think it is bad. In fact, it’s good,” said Iba. She wants to become a doctor.





About 30 students of Classes VIII, IX and X had come along with their teachers in the school bus. Besides Patna Museum, they visited Indira Gandhi Planetarium (popularly known as Tara Mandal) and Sanjay Gandhi Botanical and Zoological Garden (Zoo).





Highlighting the purpose of the visit, their principal Mr. Ehraz Ahmed said: “Quran asks us to move on earth and learn lessons from the fate of past nations and history. It is in our curriculum to take out students on educational tour of historic places so that our children could see the wider world.”

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.