Joint Drafting Committee on Lokpal Bill meets today in New Delhi

 

Lokpal Team

Eight days after Shri Anna Hazare called off his fast demanding a stronger Lokpal law, the joint committee to draft the bill met here today for the first time amid a controversy over a CD allegedly involving eminent lawyer and panel co-chairman Shanti Bhushan.

The meeting chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was held at North Block and attended by Ministers P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal , M Veerappa Moily and Salman Khurshid from the government side and Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Santosh Hegde, Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan from the civil society side.

The deliberations came in the backdrop of a controversy over a CD in circulation which purpotedly has conversations with senior Bhushan, a former Law Minister, and politicians Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh . Bhushan has termed the CD as "clearly fabricated" but there is always a question mark about this which needs to be probed first before the committee goes ahead with the drafting of the bill to be introduced in the Monsoon session of Parliament. The main concern of everybody is how can a bill be drafted and finalised without taking the parliament into confidence.

It may be mentioned here that Anna Hazare had on Saturday last called off his fast-unto-death agitation after government conceded his demand for a Joint Drafting Committee on the legislation showing its earnestness and the commitment towards eradicating the corruption.  Rahul Gandhi is committed to pave the way for the younger generation and root out the corruption from the country.

Government said it had an open mind on the proposed legislation and hoped that discussions will pave the way for a convergence of ideas. The activists on their part said they would want the Jan Lokpal Bill to be the base for the discussions and would press for videographing of the proceedings.

The activists' side also made it clear that they would press for bringing within Lokpal's ambit Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and bureaucrats. Though Anna Hazare was of the view that the higher judiciary should not be under the ambit of Lokpal, the activists rejected his argument and decided to argue for pressing its inclusion in the legislation.  Kejriwal said only criminal misconduct by the judges is being sought to be probed under the Lok Pal bill and not not professional misconduct.  First there has to be consensus among the civil society representatives of the lokpal bill. It seemed as if they had not done there home work properly before coming to the meeting.

Khaleequr Rahman: Gulbarga Utsav Mushaira held on April 13, 2011 in ...

Khaleequr Rahman: Gulbarga Utsav Mushaira held on April 13, 2011 in ...: "Lighting the Lamp to mark the opening of the UtsavSeen in the Pic from L to R : Mr.Ashfaq Ahmed Chulbul, Mayor Gulbarga City, Mr.Allam Prabh..."

Gulbarga Utsav Mushaira held on April 13, 2011 in Gulbarga-Karnataka

Lighting the Lamp to mark the opening of the Utsav

Seen in the Pic from L to R : Mr.Ashfaq Ahmed Chulbul, Mayor Gulbarga City, Mr.Allam Prabhu Patil, M.L.C., Khaleequr Rahman, Senior Congress Leader from A.P., Qamar ul Islaam, M.L.A. & Former Minister amd Khusru Qureishi, Chairman-Karnataka Minorities Comission

The Gulbarga District in Karnataka state is celebrating the four day long Gulbarga Utsav. It opened with the All India Mushaira on 13th April 2011 at 9 PM and went on till 2 AM. The unique feature of the Mushaira was despite the heavy rains, the entire audience sat throughout enjoying the rains. The Mushaira started with the lighting of the lamp as can be seen in the above picture. The Chief guests of the Mushaira were Shri Dharam singh saheb M.P. and former Chief Minister-Karnataka, Qamar ul Islam, M.L.A and former Minister Govt.of Karnataka, Khaleequr Rahman, Senior Congress Leader and Member-High Level Committee of Govt. of Andhra Pradesh for Monitoring and Computerising the Wakf Properties, Janab Khusru Qureishi, Chairman, Karnataka Minorities Commission and others. It looked as if the entire Gulbarga had gathered in the National College grounds in the bacdrop of Haft Gumbad.

Azm Shakeri reading his poetry

Justaju Milne ki hai...woh mere rubaru hai

Azm Shakeri read his favourite and the selected poetry. He created the lively and the electrifying atmosphere with his poetry in the heavy rains. The compering and the Mushaira management was done by Janab Mohib Kauser saheb, a very senior poet from Gulbarga, renowned internationally. The other poets who attended the Mushaira were Salahuddin Nayyar, Anjum Barabankavi, Afzal Manglori, Sohail Lucknowi, Bedharak, Shyama Singh Sama, Hina Taimuri, Zartaj Hasmi, Naeem Akhter, Hamid Akmal, Fazal Afzal, Khaiser Razzack, Khaiser Rahman, Mazher Mohiuddin, Suleman Qamar, Akram Naqqas and Jabbar Jameel.

Janab Bedharak Saheb in his typical style

The highlight of the Mushiara was the urdu dosti of Janab Dharam singh saheb. Despite the heavy rains, he sat all through and even made farmaish from Azm Shakeri and Hina Taimur. They presented their best kalaam and the crowd was cheering them and applauding them. It was as superb atomosphere and a unique experience for me. I never had thought that Gulbarga would be such a urdu loving city but I was highly impressed and the hospitality, the spirit and the respect for poets really touched my heart. Gulbarga has produced one of the best poets in India. On of them and my favorite in Mizhaiya kalaam is Suleman Khateeb. My favorite of Khateeb is " ek dost dosre dost se kehta hai: Unh barasti hai meri biwi bhi, oole girte hein jaise teenon par, Usko start kar ke dekho na. Dosra dost: Shukar Allah ka kar bhai usko start karna padhta hai, meri biwi hai self starter."

Khaleequr Rahman, Dharam Singh saheb and Qamar ul Islaam enjoying the great poetry in heavy rains fully drenched as can be seen in the picture

A view of the Dias Khaleequr Rahman

                                               One of teh poets presenting his Kalaam

                                              A great view of the audience of the Mushaira

It was a very memorable Mushaira and the poets who were at their best were Salahuddin Nayyar, Azm Shakeri, Hina Taimur and Sama ji. The Mushaira ended aroung 1.30 am.

Khaleequr Rahman: Urdu Lovers Demand Bharat Ratna for Mirza Ghalib

Khaleequr Rahman: Urdu Lovers Demand Bharat Ratna for Mirza Ghalib: "Mirza Asad Ullah Khan Ghalib Great Urdu poet Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib on gets an unprecedented support from judges, politicians, bureauc..."

Urdu Lovers Demand Bharat Ratna for Mirza Ghalib

Mirza Asad Ullah Khan Ghalib

Great Urdu poet Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib on gets an unprecedented support from judges, politicians, bureaucrats and lovers of Urdu in the recently held 12th edition of Annual International Muhaira Jashn-e-Bahar in New Delhi. They all unanimously demanded Bharat Ratan, the highest India's award, for the legendary poet posthumously. Speaking at the beginning of annual international Mushaira  Jashn-e-Bahar , a senior judge of  Supreme Court of India Justice Markandey Katju made fervent appeal to the government to bestow Bharat Ratna to Mirza Ghalib. He said that it would be a befitting and due honour for the 19th century immortal Urdu poet.

He said many eminent personalities were conferred the highest civilian award postmousehtly. His views were equally and forcefully shared by Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi, Janab Salman Khurseed and others. Justice Katju said that the Urdu was living and thriving language despite it was subjected to many injustices after independence.

Justcie Katju quoted a shair he used in a recent judgment. He said “using just one Urdu couplet led to the release of a long term Indian prisoner from Pakistani jail, this is the power of Urdu”, he said.  In a judgment justice Katju quoted Urdu couplet from a poem by Faiz Ahmed Faiz: "Qafas udaas hai yaaron sabaa se kuch to kaho/ Kaheen to beher-e-khuda aaj zikr-e-yaar chale".  “Urdu was dubbed as ‘foreign’ language and certain vested interest tried to suppress it but they cannot succeed in it as the Urdu lives in the heart of the people”, he underlined.

Speaker Meira kumar said it was unfair to identify Urdu with a particular community as it lives in the hearts of Indians.  “The new generation must learn Urdu as it is best example of India’s composite and secular culture”, she said amid applause. The chief election commissioner of India S Y Quraishi said Urdu was alive and would flourish despite facing many odds. “Urdu is only pan-Indian language and linguafranca of the country” he said while admiring  Jashan-e -Bahar’s commitment to reaching Urdu to ever wider audiences..

Founder of Jashan-e- Bahar Trust, Kamna Prasad said the mushaira in its 12th year now, brought the best of contemporary Urdu verse to more than 3000 lovers of Urdu poetry. She also insisted that learning Urdu should be part of school curriculum as this language reflects India’s composite ethos.

This year’s Mushaira brings  the voice of ‘new’ Egypt to India for the first time. When Ahmad Alqadi from Cairo's Al Azhar University rendered his Urdu translation of an Egyptian poet's ode to the martyrs of his country's revolution, a sense of gloom descended over the gathering of Delhi's poetry lovers. Alqadi, who studied Urdu at the Delhi University, now teaches Urdu at the Al Azhar University, and his presence at the annual Jashn-e-Bahar mushaira brought a taste of the Egyptian revolution to Delhi.

"For the cost of a bullet, we can buy a piece of bread...," went out his translation of Egypt's famous poet Farooq Juwaida's verse that he wrote following the January 25 revolution. The mushaira jashn-e-Bahar is the biggest non-official, non-political event in the capital’s cultural calendar and brings Urdu poets from across the globe and lovers of Urdu irrespective of religion and creed. Javed Akhter, Wasim Barelvi and Shaheryar brought the evening alive with their Shayari.

Khaleequr Rahman: Karnataka Zakat and Charitable Trust - A solid fou...

Khaleequr Rahman: Karnataka Zakat and Charitable Trust - A solid fou...: "Mr.Khalil Ahmed, a successful and an internationally acclaimed entrepreneur, founded the Karnataka Zakat an..."

Karnataka Zakat and Charitable Trust - A solid foundation for a noble cause by Khalil Ahmed

Mr.Khalil Ahmed, a successful and an internationally acclaimed entrepreneur,  founded the Karnataka Zakat and Charitable Trust last year on the wisdom of collective zakat with the strong belief that such an initiative can bring about a dramatic change in the lives several of the underprivileged sections of our community through investment in their education. Mr.Khalil Ahmed, is a success story in the India's Bio-Tech industry which has given sleepless nights to the worlds established players in the Biotech industry. He worked for over a decade in the Sultanate of Oman before returning to India in 1994 to establish India's most reputed biotech firm Shantha Biotechnics. He is a true inspiration for the youth of the country in general and community in particular and specially for those who feel that they are discriminated in the society because of their minority status can take a lesson from his success and change their mindset. It was not easy for Khalil Ahmed to compete with the world leaders and the established brands in the country and the overseas markets, but his sheer dedication and hard work made him a great entreprenuer and the success touched his feet and he never let that travel to his head. There has always been a spark and spirit of the community service in him which resulted in the birth of Karnataka Zakat and Charitable Trust. Islam attaches so much importance to education that the first Ayah of Quraan e kareem which came was about education that is IQRA which means READ. The first revelation was the first five verses of Surah (chapter) Al-Alaq: "Iqra bismi rabbikalla dhi khalaq. Khalaqal insana min alaq. Iqra wa rabbukal akram. Alladhi 'allama bil qalam. 'Allamal insana malam ya’lam, " which means "Read in the name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot. Read, for your Lord is most Generous, Who teaches by means of the pen, teaches man what he does not know." This Ayah beacme the guiding force for Khalil Ahmed.

He got inspired by Hyderabad Zakat & Charitable Trust run by Janab Ghiasuddin Babukhan and Mr.Khalil Ahmed modelled KZCT on the successfully established & path breaking initiative in Andhra Pradesh by the Hyderabad Zakat & Charitable Trust (HZCT). The initiative Karnataka by KZCT will attempt to emulate the successes achieved in the past 17 years in Andhra Pradesh through the hard work of the HZCT. KZCT believes that empowerment of the underprivileged sections through education is a sure formula to eliminate poverty, establish social justice and thereby help in the nation building effort of our country. Karnataka Zakat and Charitable Trust is working across the State of Karnataka and elsewhere under the guidance and direction of the Hyderabad Zakat & Charitable Trust, in its initial formative years.

It is the monetary disadvantage that acts as a stumbling block desisting those children and youth with intellegence, zeal and track record to persue their dream of higher education and better themselves in life. The Karnataka Zakat & Charitable Trust (KZCT) is putting in all the effort in seeking and identifying these gems and assist them to glow with education and become responsible citizens capable of ferrying themselves and their families to better demographic levels while making a positive and meaningful contribution to society.

Modeled on the successful and path breaking initiative in Andhra Pradesh by the Hyderabad Zakat & Charitable Trust (HZCT) and through its invaluable assistance KZCT has launched itself in Karnataka in September 2010 with an initial outlay of around Rs. 2.5 Crores. KZCT has planned to distribute a total amount of Rs 2.2 crores among over 3,000 students in Karnataka and in the month of December 2010, about 1,200 selected students from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada received the scholarships. This a tremedous work undertaken by Khalil Ahmed and his team and I wish them and the KZCT all the success in their endeavors. Let us spread this message to one and all.

Those who would like to contribute to this great noble cause, may send their donations  by crossed cheque or DD payable to "Karnataka Zakat Charitable Trust " A/C 007605003187, ICICI Bank Limited, Jubilees Hills Branch, Hyderabad. Indian Resident Donors can also trasfer money to our bank account using the information below.

          ICICI Bank Limited

Address:Jubilees Hills Branch, Plot No.1259, Road No.36
Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad - 500033, A.P, India

• Account Name - Karnataka Zakat and Charitable TrustAccount No. 007605003187IFSC code- ICIC0000076

 May Allah swt may always allow the fire of faith burn inside us all. Ameen