Mumbai, Karachi journalists come together to protest "violence, threats" against Pak artists, writers, cricketers

Ghulam Ali

By A Representative
Indian and Pakistani journalists from Mumbai and Karachi have come togather to declare their displeasure over "violence and threats against Pakistani artists, writers and cricketers in Mumbai", saying they are "dismayed" at what is happening in India.
The statement says, "As journalists from Mumbai and Karachi, who see each other as colleagues, we are dismayed at the recent violent disruptions and threats against Pakistani artists, writers and cricketers in Mumbai."
The statement follows Shiv Sena activists breaking into the office of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium early this week. At the stadium, BCCI chief Shashank Manohar was scheduled to meet his Pakistani counterpart Shahryar Khan to discuss India's participation in Pakistan's home series in December.
Following the incident, the International Cricket Council (ICC) withdrew Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar from the remaining two one day internationals (ODIs) between India and South Africa, while Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar, who are in India as part of the Star Sports commentary team, declared they would return to Pakistan after the fourth ODI in Chennai.
Earlier this month, the party forced the cancellation of a concert by Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali. This followed Shiv Sena "banning" Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan. It declared it would not to let the actors promote their upcoming films in Maharashtra. Fawad, who made his Bollywood debut with the 2014 film 'Khoobsurat', has more Hindi films in his kitty.
The journalists' statement said, "We would like to assert that this behaviour does not represent the average Mumbaikar. Both Ghulam Ali and Pakistani cricketers are appreciated in our city; and the successful book launch of former Pakistani foreign minister khurshid kasuri’s book shows that the people of Mumbai do not share the bigotry of the Shiv Sena".
It adds, "The Shiv Sena has a hatred for Pakistan in its DNA, and has unfortunately been allowed free rein by all governments. We are ashamed of its goondagardi and want to assert that it neither represents the citizens of Mumbai nor is its conduct a sign of patriotism."
The statement points out, "We journalists in Mumbai and Karachi believe we are colleagues who can work together to lessen hostility between our two countries. We know that is what the majority of our fellow citizens desire."
Those from Mumbai who have signed the statement are Jatin Desai, Jyoti Punwani, Prakash Akolkar, Joel Rebello, Pragati Bankhele, Ketan Tanna, Rachita Prasad, Norma Astrid, Niranjan Takle, Mrityunjy Bose, Priti Sompura and BN Kumar.
Karachi-based journalists who have signed up are Fazil Jamili, AH Khanzada, Rizwan Bhatti, Imtiaz Khan Faran, Iqra Baig, Shoaib Jatt, Aamir Lathif, Shamim Bano, Hina Mah, Akram Khan and Siraj Ahmed.
AIFRTE statement on free speech
In a related development, the All-India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) has expressed its solidarity with writers and artists of the country who have returned their Sahitya Akademi award, saying "this shows the measure of their outrage at the alarming loss of space for freedom of thought speech and creative expression in India today."
Expecially critical of the "ideological support base of the present political regime", the AIRFTE said, it takes a "narrow unidimensional view of our social and historical reality". It added, "The recent controversy over the so called beef ban has dangerously spiralled into fascist attacks against minorities."
"The silence of leaders in government and of Akademi office-bearers in face of such actions has led to the people’s outrage being expressed by the return of awards by writers across the country", the AIRFTE underlined.
Among those who have signed the statement include Dr Meher Engineer, chairperson, AIFRTE, and well-known educationist Prof Anil Sadgopal, former dean, Faculty of Education, Delhi University.

Comments

India's chemical industry: The missing piece of Atmanirbhar Bharat

By N.S. Venkataraman* Rarely a day passes without the Prime Minister or a cabinet minister speaking about the importance of Atmanirbhar Bharat . The Start-up India scheme is a pillar in promoting this vision, and considerable enthusiasm has been reported in promoting start-up projects across the country. While these developments are positive, Atmanirbhar Bharat does not seem to have made significant progress within the Indian chemical industry . This is a matter of high concern that needs urgent and dispassionate analysis.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Urgent need to study cause of large number of natural deaths in Gulf countries

By Venkatesh Nayak* According to data tabled in Parliament in April 2018, there are 87.76 lakh (8.77 million) Indians in six Gulf countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While replying to an Unstarred Question (#6091) raised in the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs said, during the first half of this financial year alone (between April-September 2018), blue-collared Indian workers in these countries had remitted USD 33.47 Billion back home. Not much is known about the human cost of such earnings which swell up the country’s forex reserves quietly. My recent RTI intervention and research of proceedings in Parliament has revealed that between 2012 and mid-2018 more than 24,570 Indian Workers died in these Gulf countries. This works out to an average of more than 10 deaths per day. For every US$ 1 Billion they remitted to India during the same period there were at least 117 deaths of Indian Workers in Gulf ...

Remembering a remarkable rebel: Personal recollections of Comrade Himmat Shah

By Rajiv Shah I first came in contact with Himmat Shah in the second half of the 1970s during one of my routine visits to Ahmedabad , my maternal hometown. I do not recall the exact year, but at that time I was working in Delhi with the CPI -owned People’s Publishing House (PPH) as its assistant editor, editing books and writing occasional articles for small periodicals. Himmatbhai — as I would call him — worked at the People’s Book House (PBH), the CPI’s bookshop on Relief Road in Ahmedabad.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu. He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat

Muslim women’s rights advocates demand criminalisation of polygamy: Petition launched

By A Representative An online petition seeking a legal ban on polygamy has been floated by Javed Anand, co-editor of Sabrang and National Convener of Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (IMSD), inviting endorsements from citizens, organisations and activists. The petition, titled “Indian Muslims & Secular Progressive Citizens Demand a Legal Ban on Polygamy,” urges the Central and State governments, Parliament and political parties to abolish polygamy through statutory reform, backed by extensive data from the 2025 national study conducted by the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA).

As 2024 draws nearer, threatening signs appear of more destructive wars

By Bharat Dogra The four years from 2020 to 2023 have been very difficult and high risk years for humanity. In the first two years there was a pandemic and such severe disruption of social and economic life that countless people have not yet recovered from its many-sided adverse impacts. In the next two years there were outbreaks of two very high-risk wars which have worldwide implications including escalation into much wider conflicts. In addition there were highly threatening signs of increasing possibility of other very destructive wars. As the year 2023 appears to be headed for ending on a very grim note, there are apprehensions about what the next year 2024 may bring, and there are several kinds of fears. However to come back to the year 2020 first, the pandemic harmed and threatened a very large number of people. No less harmful was the fear epidemic, the epidemic of increasing mental stress and the cruel disruption of the life and livelihoods particularly among the weaker s...

Farewell to Robin Smith, England’s Lionhearted Warrior Against Pace

By Harsh Thakor* Robin Smith, who has died at the age of 62, was among the most adept and convincing players of fast bowling during an era when English cricket was in decline and pace bowling was at its most lethal. Unwavering against the tormenting West Indies pace attack or the relentless Australians, Smith epitomised courage and stroke-making prowess. His trademark shot, an immensely powerful square cut, made him a scourge of opponents. Wearing a blue England helmet without a visor or grille, he relished pulling, hooking and cutting the quicks.

Search This Blog