BBC releases a two-part investigative documentary, “India: The Modi Question”aired on January 17 in Britain. The documentary reveals that the British government held Narendra Modi responsible for the 2002 Gujarat riots. After the riots, the British foreign office conducted an investigation, the findings of which were previously classified. The BBC documentary asserted that the investigation is now being made public for the first time.
The inquiry, titled “Subject: Gujarat Pogrom” states that the scale of violence was far greater than reported, with a minimum of 2,000 fatalities, widespread and systematic rape of Muslim women, 138,000 internal refugees, and the deliberate destruction of Muslim-owned businesses in both Hindu and mixed Hindu-Muslim areas.
The documentary was dubbed as “propaganda” and a reflection of a “colonial mindset” by the government, which banned it from being shown in public, on TV Channels and blocked it across social media platforms. The student community protested the ban, and tried to organize its screenings in campuses like Jamia Millia Islamia, JNU and others. However, the police stepped in and didn’t allow the screening.
Haldwani eviction
The Supreme Court of India stayed the mass eviction of 4000 mostly Muslim families in Haldwani, Uttarakhand. A survey by Muslim organizations pointed out that the presence of a large number of Muslim voters in the area came in the way of the BJP winning the Haldwani assembly seat. The BJP government of Uttarakhand tried a backdoor effort through judicial intervention to evict the Muslim population to enable the BJP to win this seat in future elections. However, the apex court put a spanner on this diabolical project.
Junaid Nasir charred to death
On February 16, two Muslim men Junaid and Nasir were allegedly beaten, abducted, murdered and burnt to death by cow vigilantes in Bhiwani, Haryana. According to the relatives of the deceased, the two were first badly beaten by 8 to 10 men and then kidnapped by their assaulters.
The family members of the victims have blamed members of the Bajrang Dal and other cow vigilantes for the alleged murder and abduction. Thousands of Muslims took to the streets of Haryana to demand justice for Junaid and Nasir.
Courtesy: THE QUINT
Rally calls for Muslim genocide in Navi Mumbai
A Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha rally was held in Vashi, Navi Mumbai on February24. Calls for Muslim genocide and economic boycott of the Muslim community were made in the rally. The event was organized by “Sakal Hindu Samaj”, which claimed that they were protesting against ‘love jihad’ and ‘land jihad’. Many BJP leaders including a BJP Maharashtra MLA attended the rally. The Sakal Hindu Samaj is a confederation of Hindutva groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal.
2500 Muslim families rendered homeless in Assam
2500 Muslim families were rendered homeless in Assam’s Sonitpur district after the government launched a demolition drive claiming that these families were living illegally on nearly 1892 hectares of reserve forestland. Among the houses, two mosques were also bulldozed.
Justice Nazeer appointed Andhra Pradesh Governor
Former Supreme Court judge Justice S Abdul Nazeer was appointed Governor of Andhra Pradesh. He retired on 4 January 2023.Justice Nazeer was part of the Supreme Court bench that delivered a unanimous verdict that handed over the land for making a Ram Mandir at the site of the demolished Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
Nikhat Zareen bags gold in Boxing World Championship
Nikhat Zareen beat two-time Asian champion Nguyen Thi Tam of Vietnam in the final of 50 Kg light flyweight category to clinch the gold medal in IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship 2023. Nikhat beat Nguyen Thi Tam 5-0. This was her second World Championships gold medal.
Rajasthan High Court acquits Jaipur blasts accused
A bench of Justice Pankaj Bhandari and Justice Sameer Jain of the Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur bench overturned the judgment of the trial court that awarded the death sentence to four accused in the Jaipur blasts case. The court demanded compensation to the acquitted and action against police team that framed false charges.
After 36 years, UP court acquits 40 men accused of killing 72 Muslims in Maliana, Meerut massacre
A Meerut court acquitted 40 people accused of arson, murder and rioting in the 36-year-old Maliana, Meerut massacre because of lack of evidence. As many as 72 Muslims were killed, and hundreds injured, in Maliana on the outskirts of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh on May 23, 1987.
The family members of Muslims who were killed in the violence have said they would appeal against the verdict in the high court.
Maulana Rabey Hosni Nadvi passes away
Maulana Rabey Hosni Nadvi passed away on 13 April 2023. Maulana served as the president of All India Muslim Personal Law Board and as the chancellor of Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, an Islamic seminary in Lucknow, India. He was Patron of Islamic Fiqh Academy, Vice President of Aalami Rabita Adab-e-Islami in Riyadh, and a founding member of Muslim World League. He was regularly listed in The500 Most Influential Muslims.
Syed Sadatullah Husaini re-elected new Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH)
Syed Sadatullah Hussaini was re-elected Ameer (National President) of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. He was elected by Jamaat’s 162-member Markazi Majlis-e Numaindgan (Council of Representatives) which assembled at the Jamaat headquarters from 26 to 30 April 2023. The Council of Representatives discussed various aspects and re-elected Syed Sadatullah Husaini for a four-year term from April 2023 till March 2027. He completed his first term as Ameer from 2019-23.
Muslims welcome Supreme Court judgment on hate speech
Muslim organizations welcomed the apex court judgment byJustices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna on hate speech.The Supreme Court of India said hate speech is a serious offense that affects the secular fabric of the country. It directed all states to register suo moto FIR against hate speeches. The bench ruled that any hesitation to act in accordance with the court order will be viewed as contempt of court and action will be taken against erring officers.
Islamic scholar Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui gets bail
Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, a prominent Islamic scholar, was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court. Siddiqui had been detained by the Anti-Terrorist Squad of Uttar Pradesh on 21 September 2021. The UP ATS alleged that Siddiqui, along with Mohammad Umar Gautam, was involved in an illegal ‘conversion racket’. He was also accused of planning to ‘establish an Islamic state’ and ‘receiving funding from various countries to carry out these conversions’.
Gujarat court acquits 26 men accused of gang rape, murder of Muslims in 2002 Gujarat riots
A Gujarat court acquitted all 26 men who were accused of gang rape and murder of more than a dozen Muslims during the Gujarat communal riots of 2002. The court reached this decision due to a lack of evidence in the 20-year-old case. Out of the total 39 accused 13 passed away during the course of the case. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed against the accused at the Kalol police station on March 2, 2002.
Maulana Azad reference removed from NCERT textbook
In the recently revised political science textbook for Class 11, published by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a prominent freedom fighter and India’s first education minister, is no longer mentioned.
Former MP, Atiq Ahmed, and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead on live camera
Former MP, Atiq Ahmed, and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead on live camera while they were being taken for a medical check-up in Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad. At least two men with pistols opened fire on them. The shooters came disguised as reporters. They shouted Jai Shri Ram after killing Atiq and Ashraf.
AIMPLB Secretary Advocate Zafaryab Jilani passes away
Senior Advocate and Secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Zafaryab Jilani passed away in Lucknow. Since the early 1980s, Jilani wasactively involved in the Babri Masjid campaign. In 1986, he was appointed first Convenor of Babri Masjid Action Committee. He had also represented All India Muslim Personal Law Board in various high-profile cases. Jilani had previously served as Additional Advocate General (AAG) for the State of Uttar Pradesh.
Islamophobic film the Kerala Story released
The Kerala Story, an Indian Hindi-language drama film was released in May 2023. The story of the film claimed to be a true story and invited a lot of backlash from the Muslim community for showing them in very poor light. The film showed a group of women from Kerala being forcibly converted to Islam to join the Islamic State. It is based on the Hindutva conspiracy theory of “love jihad”.It falsely claims that thousands of Hindu women from Kerala have been converted to Islam and recruited in the Islamic State.
Communal violence in Kolhapur
Thirty-six people, mainly youth belonging to various pro-Hindutva organizations, in Kolhapur, Maharashtra were arrested for stone pelting, vandalism and rioting during a bandh called by pro-Hindutva outfits seeking action against certain objectionable social media postson June 7.
Haryana Violence
Communal violence erupted in Haryana between July 31 and August 8. The violence in Sohna and Nuh resulted in the loss of six lives, including two home guards.Itwas triggered by a procession organized by a pro-Hindutva organization. Those killed included Maulana Saad, Imam at Gurugram’s Sector 57 Masjid, who was murdered, and the Masjid was set ablaze during the violence.
RPF constable goes on a shooting spree on Jaipur-Mumbai Train
A Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable went on a shooting spree and killed three Muslims and an officer of RPF on a running train. It was a hate crime wherein the accused hunted out passengers who resembled Muslims and shot them in cold blood.
Abdul Basit Anwar no more
Abdul Basit Anwar, former Secretary Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and former Ameer Halqua JIH Andhra Pradesh (united) passed away at a hospital in Hyderabad on August 17, following a brief illness. He was 73. He was Zonal President of SIO Andhra Pradesh. During his last days, he was serving the organization as Patron of Tarbiyatgah, Telangana.
Islamophobia reaches primary schools, disturbing video shows teacher encouraging students to slap Muslim boy in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh
A video in which a teacher can be seen directing students to slap a Muslim student went viral on social media. The video was captured by a concerned parent showed the teacher saying “Muslim children should be packed off there” and asserting that “Muslim boys fail to learn unless given a beating.”
123 Waqf Properties in Delhi Served Notice
The Land and Development Department attached to the Union Urban Development Ministry has issued notices to 123 Waqf properties in Delhi, including mosques, dargahs and graveyards. These 123 properties were given to the Delhi Waqf Board in 2014. However, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) approached the court and opposed it.The court said the management of 123 Waqf properties will continue with the Delhi Waqf Board. The Delhi High Court, in its interim order, said the central government could conduct physical inspection of 123 properties.
Uniform Civil Code is Unacceptable: AIMPLB Delegation Tells Law Commission
Strongly opposing the Uniform Civil Code, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has made clear to the Law Commission of India that even a minute change in the basic format of Sharia law is not acceptable to Muslims. Explaining to Justice Awasthi why UCC is unacceptable to Muslims, Maulana Rahmani elaborated that the Sharia Law, or the Muslim Personal Law, has two components, one is based on the Qur’ān and Sunnah (Prophet’s words and actions) and the other is Ijtihad (Islamic scholars’ opinions). Stating that the first part of it is unalterable, and even Muslim scholars cannot make any change in it, he said that Ijtihad could differ with time and situations.
Two Muslim Athletes – Anas and Ajmal from Kerala Chase Speed and Glory
Two Muslim athletes from Kerala have made their community and country proud by contributing handsomely to their team’s successful entry into the final of the 4×400 meter relay at the World Athletic Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The Indian team secured fifth place with a sub-3-minute performance, which is a new Asian record.
Jamia Hamdard ranked at 6thPosition in India in Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2024
Jamia Hamdard has been ranked in 601-800 out of 1904 world Universities in Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking (WUR) 2024. Jamia Hamdard is at the 6th position among 91 Indian universities/ higher educational institutions ranked by the Times Higher Education. In WUR 2023 Jamia Hamdard also got a ranking of 601-800. However, in 2023 in India, Jamia Hamdard was at 10 out of 75 Indian universities/ higher educational institutions.
Muslim MP faces communal slurs and abuse in Parliament at the hands of a BJP MP
On September 21, 2023, during the special session of Lok Sabha in India’s new parliament building, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri frequently hurled communal slurs and abuse against BSP MP Danish Ali. The ugliness of language and meaning, unvarnished bigotry and prejudice, and offensive hate speech by an elected lawmaker on the House floor are all on full display for the nation. Bidhuri’s rant not only offended his intended target, a ‘Muslim’ MP, but also the institution of Parliament and the trust of the people who voted for him and gave him the authority to speak on their behalf.
Mob lynching of Muslim youth continues
The disturbing trend of lynching innocent Muslim youth continued across the year 2023. Twenty-three year-old Mohammed Ishaq in Sundar Nagari, Northeast Delhi was tied to a pole with a leather belt and beaten mercilessly for allegedly stealing “prasad” from a nearby temple. In another incident, 17-year-old Mohammad Iqbal was beaten by a mob with iron rods and sticks after he intervened in a bike accident in the Gangapol area, Jaipur. It is alleged that the mob started attacking him after learning that he was Muslim.
One killed in communal violence in Satara
Communal violence once again flared up in Maharashtra. After Akola, Shevgaon, and Kolhapur, it was the village of Pusesavali in Khatav Taluka, Satara district that experienced communal violence. In a familiar pattern in the state of Maharashtra, objectionable social media posts are circulated, mob violence is incited and places of worship are targeted with the minority community facing the brunt of the violence.
Indian Muslims protest Israeli aggression on Gaza, conduct prayer meetings
Gujarat HC dismissed PIL seeking ban on Azaan on loudspeakers
A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha Mayee of the Gujarat High Court dismissed a PIL seeking a ban on Azaan through loudspeakers. The Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court said that the plea was “wholly misconceived” and it was difficult to “understand as to how the human voice making Azan through loudspeakers could achieve the decibels to the extent of creating noise pollution causing health hazard for the public at large.”
Supreme Court endorses scrapping of Article 370 by Government of India
The Supreme Court of India has approved of the decision taken by the Government of India to abrogate Article 370.
NDMC calls for feedback on Sunehri Masjid
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, and the Imam of Sunehri Masjid have moved court against NDMC’s proposed move to demolish Sunehri Bagh Masjid. They have suggested plans to protect the Masjid and solve traffic issues. The court case was filed after the NDMC issued a public notice through advertisements in daily newspapers seeking “objections and suggestions” of the public regarding “removal” of the Masjid.