Supreme Court Strikes Down Hajj Policy: Government Asked To End Subsidy Within 10 Years

The Supreme Court has struck down the federal government's policy of giving subsidies to Hajj pilgrims and directed that it be progressively "eliminated" within a period of 10 years. It said it will look into the functioning of Hajj Committee of India and it process for selecting people for Hajj pilgrimage.

The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by the government challenging a Bombay High Court judgment which had directed the Ministry of External Affairs to allow certain private operators (travel agents) to handle 800 of the 11,000 pilgrims earmarked under the VIP quota subsidized by the government.

On private operators, the Bench upheld the government policy for 2012, observing that it did not warrant any interference by the Supreme Court.

Citing “Verse-97 in Surah-3” of the Quran, the apex court stated that according to the verse, the Hajj pilgrimage is only permitted to those who can afford the expenses for “one’s conveyance and provision for residence” in Mecca.

Pilgrims and Travel Cost

Quoting statistics provided by the government for the past 19 years, the Bench pointed out that the subsidy had been increasing every year. This was on account of increase in the number of pilgrims and the travel cost.

In 1994, the number of pilgrims from India was as low as 21,035 and the subsidy amounted to Rs 10.51 crore. In 2011, the number of pilgrims went up to 1.25 lakh and the subsidy amounted to Rs 685 crore.

More than 1.5 lakh pilgrims performed Hajj paying for their own expenses without availing of the subsidy, the Bench pointed out.

The Bench, however, acknowledged that the air fare to Jeddah for the Hajjis was more than double the normal fare during other seasons due to regulations imposed by the Saudi Arabian authorities. In 2011, the two-way air fare for the Hajjis was Rs 58,800 against the normal air fare of Rs 25,000. On account of government subsidy, each pilgrim was charged Rs 16,000 as air fare.

Federal Government’s Plea

The bench while hearing the plea of the federal government had expanded the purview of the plea and decided to look into the legality of the government's policy on granting subsidies to Hajj pilgrims. During the hearing in the case, the government had defended the policy of giving subsidies to the Hajj pilgrims and had said it had framed guidelines so that people get subsidies only once in their lifetime.

In an affidavit, the government had told the court that it has decided to restrict Hajj pilgrimage at government subsidy to Muslims only as a "once in a lifetime" affair as against the existing policy of "once in five years." It had said the new guidelines have been framed to ensure that priority is given to those applicants who have never performed Hajj.

The government, however, had refrained from disclosing the amount of subsidy being incurred by it for 2012, saying, "The exact figure in respect of the travel subsidy to the pilgrims going through Hajj Committee of India for 2012 will be known after the Hajjis completed their Hajj journey and return to India."

The apex court had earlier expressed its dismay at the practice of sending official delegations to accompany the pilgrims and had asked the Centre to furnish entire details regarding Hajj subsidy, as also about the criteria adopted.

The court further observed: "These goodwill delegations need to be scrapped altogether. They are no longer relevant. Even a team of 9 to 10 persons is not required. The court had also pulled up the federal government's practice of ‘politicizing’ Hajj by permitting official delegations to accompany the pilgrims, for which the government offers huge subsidy, saying, It is a bad religious practice."

Welcome Decision

There was near-unanimity among the leaders of the political class in welcoming the verdict, with a few even demanding immediate scrapping of the subsidy and suggesting use of the money for the educational needs of Muslims.

Asaduddin Owaisi of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, an ally of the UPA said: “Why wait for 10 years to scrap it. It should be done away with this year itself, because it does not benefit the pilgrims. In the name of giving subsidy, the government has been fooling people till now, for, it has been investing the money in Air India.”

Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: “The BJP welcomes the verdict but we are of the opinion that the government should continue to help out the pilgrims with basic services.”

There was no need to club the educational needs of Muslims with the Hajj subsidy. “The government should try to implement the schemes for providing scholarship to Muslim girls, which are not getting properly implemented in the first place.”

Communist Party of India leader D. Raja said giving subsidy to any community was a policy decision and the Central government needed to explain its position.

Raja said: “There have been several court verdicts against the policy decisions of the government and it is for the government to explain.”

Referring to Law Minister Salman Khurshid's reaction that the government was considering the Hajj subsidy and discussions had taken place for its rollback, Raja said this was a “vague” stand.

Zafarul Islam Khan, president of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, an umbrella organization of several Muslim groups, said: “The so-called Hajj subsidy is of no use to the pilgrims. We never asked for it.”

US at Sunset: China Captures No 1 Position in World

The United States is the most powerful country of the world. Nobody differs with this idea. The US is now at its highest peak. But many people think that this country will steadily proceed toward its sunset.
The world has a huge number of instances bearing the testimony that many nations had experienced their gradual downfall after reaching the highest level of advancement. The Roman and Ottoman empires are the glaring examples of this. It is not a story of very far past when the Sun never set over the British Empire. Now the condition of that country is very fragile. The country does not have any influence in the international fields. Economically the country is passing through a very hard time. Democracy has been in practice in that country for nearly 800 years. Britain is still the palpable symbol of democracy. Britain has presented the world with Magna Charta, which is considered as safeguard of democracy.
Democratic values born out of the Magna Carta. The absolute authority of British monarchy was curtailed by dint of Magna Charta and Petition of Rights. The British monarchy was deprived of right to capture lands anywhere. Britain had been recognized as the greatest nation of the world till the Second World War. Since then the downfall of British supremacy has begun. This empire was fallen apart after 1947.
Ongoing War on Terror
The journey of the US began after the Second World War. Despite its rising strength, the economy reached a very fragile state. President George W Bush (second) and Republicans are virtually responsible for this. Defying opinion of the international community George Bush engaged in war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bloodletting began in the US at this is still continuing. The indomitable superpower the US has started suffering from anemia.
Recession in the US economy has begun to fall since the second tenure of President George W Bush. The Bush administration did not take any measure to check it. His successor at the White House President Barack Obama is now paying the price for that. The Republicans are now shamelessly shifting the responsibility of the recession to the shoulder of Obama. It is surprising that the Republicans are harassing taking advantage of their majority in the House. But George did face any obstruction to proceed with his political programs. During the second tenure of Bush, the democrats had majority in both the houses- The Senate and House of Representatives.
The mass media of the US has described as a 'political revolution' the capture of the House by the Republicans. Many analysts believe this is an expression of racism. Obama is the first black president and he has some 'Muslim smell' in his body. The racists in the United States and Europe could not tolerate the two aspects. And accordingly they have come furious.
Many have failed to understand why Obama is blamed for the responsibilities of George W Bush. It is misfortune for Obama that during his administration the US standard as a creditor has been brought down to two 'A' from three 'A'. And as a result, a storm was created in the world economy, which is still raging through.
The Republicans and the Democrats at loggerheads on the issue of reducing US budget deficit and desire for enhancing time frame of receiving credits. The Republicans want to save money putting the burden on the poor. They want to reduce expenditure in the heath sector. They also want to curtail the money of social security. The Republicans are dead against imposing additional taxes on the richer people. The main reason behind this is that the richer people and organization bore the big chunk of election costs of the Republican candidates in the last election.
At present a worldwide uproar has been created that the US dollar is not main recognized currency in the international market. The Chinese currency - Renminbi - is the claimant of that position. The price of the US dollar in the international market is decreasing. The greenback is in upswing only in the currency market of Bangladesh. The International Monetary Fund [IMF] thinks China will achieve the recognition of the number one country by 2025 superseding the United States.
Many analysts, however, believe China has already captured that position. The responsibility of overcoming the world recession has been shifted on the shoulder of China. And Beijing has successfully performed that responsibility.
International Economy
One analyst with The New York Times has expressed the view that one will be able to suppress the US dollar as the number one international currency in the coming 10 years. The present status of the greenback is very important for the international economy. The cause of this is that the biggest chunk of the world' saving is in the US dollar. The exchange rate of the dollar has been reduced by one third in the last 10 years. Before the greenback, the UK pound was the king of international currencies. The dollar took 10 years to replace the pound as the king of currency market. The US dollar covers 61 percent of the 5.3 trillion foreign currency fund. The Chinese currency Renminbi is still related with the dollar.
The world is now confronted with two major problems. One of the problems is inflation and the other corruption. There is no country in the world, which is not suffering from the two problems. The experts believe that the global economy will take a significant time to make a turnaround.
One Publication Ceremony and Some Sagas: A few days ago I joined a publication ceremony of two books written by ABM Saleh Uddin, who is like my younger brother. It was a jam-packed and lively function with huge participation of guests. The function earned the praise of all. I am passing days like a man under house arrest. And as a result, I gladly accept whenever any invitation comes. I always put forward a condition to the hosts. The condition is the hosts have to arrange my transposition to the functions.
I do not feel ease in discussion of literatures. Because, I have a very little knowledge about the subject. My conception about literature comes from Abu Rushd and Rashid Karim, who are like my elder brothers. However, I had gone through the novels -- Agatha Kristhi and P G Woodhouse -- just after passing the matriculation examination. I had gone though the novels of Rabindranath, Bankim and Sharatchandra Chattopadhaya at that time. I had no dearth in the supply of novels. My elder sister-in-law Sabera Tayeb was the librarian of reputed Lady Brebon College. The library of the college had also reputation across the country.
Inevitable Criticism
Rabindranath was known as the great poet while Bankim the novel king. But in the selling of books, Sharatchnadra surpassed the two. All most all the novels of Sharatchandra transformed into movies.
Movies were made more than one time on Sharatchandra Chattapadhaya's 'Devdas' and Shakespeare's 'Romeo Juliet.' None can determine which is the best one?
In the thirties and forties, condition of Bengali Muslims was very sad. They were backward in education. They could not cope with the situation. Awakening them was a difficult job. Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Haque was the first person who could realize the pains of Bengali Muslims. He realized that there was no alternative of education to free the Bengali Muslims from the miserable condition. Thinking this, A K Fazlul Haque had launched Islamia College and Lady Breborn College in Kolkata and Eden Girls College in Dhaka. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the student of that Islamia College.
Kazi Nazrul Islam, Maulana Akram Khan and his daily newspaper-The Azad and monthly Mohammadi- were the pioneers of Bengali Muslims' awakening. Songs of Abbas Uddin, paintings of Joynul Abedin, winning spree of Mohammedan Sporting Club against the British teams were also the important factors. Jasim Uddin, Golam Mostafa, Farrukh Ahmed, Abul Hossain and Talim Hossain came out as their supportive force. No discussion on Bengali literature without making any reference to the above mentioned distinguished personalities could get perfection.
I have spent more than two decades in journalism. But many newsmen in New York have doubt about me and they frequently ask me by dint of what I claim myself as a journalist. In this regard, I will request all to remember the immoral saying of British poet and critic T.S. Eliot -- "Criticism is inevitable like breath."
But it is not wise to take cognizance of all criticisms. There are some criticisms whose acceptance helps achieving progress. For example Professor Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed a few days ago advised Saleh Uddin to read the holy Quran, the Bible, the Upanishad and the Ramayan-Mahabharat. Poet Bulbul Khan appreciated his courageous role. There are many writings in English literature, which are based on the Bible. The 'Paradise Lost' of Milton is an instance of that.

Islam and Extremism: An Overview

Islam is the universal religion of peace, humanity, and welfare of the mankind. In fact, Islam is not a religion of mere formalities and performance of a set of general or traditional rituals. Rather Islam is an eternal and universal religion and the only recognized and selected religion by Allah. It has clearly mentioned in the holy Quran that 'Surely, Islam is the only recognized religion and acceptable life-process (Sura Al-Imran, Verse 19 of the Quran).

Welfare of Mankind

The religion that is approved by Allah, selected by Allah, and respected by Allah cannot be a religion for destruction of evil purposes. It cannot be against the welfare of mankind. Similarly, it cannot be the source of terrorism or extremism. It is not a one-sided version, or an exaggerated statement, or any whimsical or emotional expression. Neither is it a communal feeling. Rather it is definitely a biggest truth and realistic utterances. This is the reason for which being a non-Muslim Guru Dutta Sing, Bar-at-Law (Lahore) was circumstanced to say: 'On principle, Islam is not in favor of war. Moreover, in consideration of manpower and military might, Muslims were never in a position to play the role of an aggressor. They were never in offensive but always played the defensive role.

So, it is a mere laughing matter if somebody wants to put aspersion on Islam as an attacker and warmonger for grabbing others' land in the name of the Prophet Mohammad or Allah. It was not possible for a wise and intelligent man like the Prophet Mohammad to even think of making a big nation like the Arab hostile against Muslim that was a very tiny entity in the Arab world. Under the then prevailing circumstances during the Prophet's era, Islam was a very tiny, unarmed and helpless community in the Arab world.'

Oppressions and Repression

However, there is a saying that when the back of any person dashed with the wall behind, he has no option but to jump forward. In that case it has become indispensable to take up arms in hand for the sake of self-existence and survival. Right to self-defense is a recognized human right. There is a limit of oppression, repression, and annihilation in this world. It is not a sign of gentility or decency if some one remains silent if that limit is crossed or violated. This is rather sign of cowardice and weakness. Heat of fire not only makes water hot but at the same time the flame of fire also makes other heated. The conditions of Muslims were also like that water. Muslims had to undergo inhuman and barbaric tortures in the hands of non-Muslim Arabs for their offence of embracing Islam.

The atrocities, tortures, and cruelty the Arab Muslim experienced for mere accepting the religion of Islam were unprecedented in the world history. In the world history, there is no such instance for believers of any other religions other than Muslims who had to suffer such severe magnitude of tortures by their fellow countrymen only for accepting religion. Rather the patience, and sacrifices made by Muslims in the face of grave oppressions and repression of the cruel Qurayish dynasty was also unprecedented in the world history.

Under such a situation when oppression and repression of the Qurayish dynasty exceeded all limits and the weaker Muslims had attained minimum strength, they picked up arms for mere self-defense. History is the best witness that Muslims under the dynamic commending of the Prophet Mohammad demonstrated highest restrained and patience in the armed clashes against their adversaries. The main objectives of military operations of the Prophet Mohammad were for self-defense and establishing religion of Allah.

Allegiance to Allah

Narrating the tales of conquering Mecca by Mohammad, Barrister Guru Dutta Singh said: 'There is no smile of victory in the lips of the Prophet -- there is only sublime sparkles of forgiveness throughout his face. Tears were rolling down his cheeks -- those drops of tears were dedicated to Almighty Allah as a sign of gratefulness.' Guru Dutta went on saying, 'There are many things to learn from Prophet for those who burst into wild laughter after wining a war, or who feels wild pleasures by torturing the defeated enemies after an armed conflict.' Barrister Dutta says: 'Those of you who have just defeated your adversaries in a war appear before the Prophet, the conqueror of Mecca and ask him why there is a war, take lesion how you should behave with your defeated foes. In addition, ask the Prophet how you will enjoy your victory -- do not pride over your victory; rather express your total allegiance to Allah who has given you power and might to win the battle. Only in that case there will be no aspersion on the mankind and human civilization; only then such victory might be of glory and pride for the victors.'

Islam has come to this world to establish peace, equality, and justice and not for patronizing unjust, corruption, wrong doings, unrest, terrorism, extremism, and other vices. The softness of heart, kindness, fellow feelings and sympathy to all human beings in the character of the Prophet Mohammad has been written in the letters of gold in the pages of history of human civilization. Nobody could ever deny this truth or make any slightest controversy over it.

Personal Magnanimity and Richness of Heart

The personal magnanimity and richness of heart of the Prophet Mohammad could be found in the statements and observations of some non-Muslim sages of the world. Noted British historian Gibbon said: 'Although the Prophet Mohammad attained highest level of spiritual power, he could easily forgive even his biggest enemy. The woman who poured poison in his food, the Prophet Mohammad also forgave her. The women who pulled out the liver of the Prophet Mohammad's grand father and chew it for retaliation, the Prophet Mohammad also pardoned her. The man who was the cause of death of one of his relatives (daughter) was also exonerated by the Prophet Mohammad. Even the Prophet Mohammad forgot and forgave those religious opponents who tortured his followers and disciples and made their lives hales. There is no second instance in the world history of such personal magnanimity and forgiveness that were demonstrated by the Prophet Mohammad toward his defeated enemies in the battle fields.'

Islam always teaches his believers to be gentle, police, honest, and magnanimous -- it never teaches anybody to be terrorists or extremists. There is no scope to be terrorists or extremist by any one if the country is run under Islamic command. Rather, Islam has closed the door of terrorism and extremism once for all under Shari'ah. Nonetheless, Islam has closed the doors of all illegal and immoral activities. Islam is a celestial religion; here there is no scope for any kind of fascism or cruelty. Here one comment made by world famous scholar Dr Gustavo William is very pertinent. He said: 'The Prophet Mohammad has enunciated holy laws and judicial systems instead of blood sucking policy and rules of tyrants. He was such a person who propagated universal laws. He was such a person who made comfortable the hellish lives of the slaves. He was such a person who showed the poor, orphans and widows sublime ray of affection, love and fondness. He used to demonstrate fatherly affection to the downtrodden people.'

World famous non-Muslim scholar Stanley Lane Poole said when the Prophet Mohammad used to send troops in any war field; he gave some instructions and inspirations: 'Go ahead in the name of Allah, have confidence on Allah creator and do not kill any aged persons, women or children who have no ability to take part in war. Do not misappropriate wealth and resources that you collect in the war fields. You rather preserve those and deposit it to the national exchequer. Do not lock in any internecine feuds or quarrel with each others. Be sympathetic to each others and try to love and adorn the creations of Allah.'

Famous Indian Pundit Achariya Profullah Chanda Roy said: ' In this world Islam is the best administrative system that attaches highest importance on democratic norms and values. Islam had succeeded to bring people right from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Sea under the same umbrella with amity and harmony among people of all faiths. Through flourishing liberal policy, Islam rose at the peak of advancement and development by tying people with a same rope.'

A very prestigious book entitled the Islam and Prophet Mohammad was jointly written by Sree Nagendra Nath Bandopaddya and Dr M. Zahurul Haque. The book was published by Makhdumi Library of Calcutta (Kolkata) in 1934. In the preamble of this book, Profullah Chandra Roy wrote: 'Islam is a religion of pace, not a religion of vandalism or muscle power. The Prophet Mohammad took birth only to establish peace in this trouble-torn world.' This truth was established in this book with sufficient documents and arguments.

True Picture of Islam

It is not possible to glorify Islam and its believers by merely such one or two books. An epic or a world almanac can be written on the qualities and good sides of Islam and its true followers. But this is not our objectives. We want to convey to the world community only one message about Islam. We want to unveil the true picture of Islam and Muslims before the international community.

Needless to say that the comments made by the non-Muslim pundits, scholars, historian, and research activists about Islam, the religion of peace are enough to give befitting replies to the critics of Islam. But it is exceptional in case of those who can see bright sun lights in the deep darkness of midnight. There is a universal saying that there are some exceptions in everything of this world. In Islam also there may be some thing exceptional. But exception is always an exception -- it is not an example ever.

Communalism and Narrowness

The holy Quran, Hadith, and observations of non-Muslim scholars have sufficiently proved that there can be no relations of Islam with extremism. Nonetheless, Islam has the strongest position than any other religion of the world against terrorism and extremism. Rather it is the Islam religion, which can give protection against all forms of extremism, terrorism, arson, genocide, and all other forms of destructive designs.

So, raising over all debates sand controversies we can tell it boldly that Islam has no slightest relations with extremism. Islam is the most liberal religion in this world. There is no room for communalism and narrowness in Islam. Sooner this realization came to our minds better it would be for the entire mankind.

New Bangladesh Women Development Policy 2011

The Bangladesh Government has approved the "Women Development Policy 2011" with a provision of equal rights for women and men to inherited property. If it put into action, a drastic change will take place in the existing practice of inheritance in the light of the stance of the holy Quran.

It is known from the published reports of newspapers that for the interest of economic empowerment of women this policy has included almost all issues of the policy of 1997, including the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) charter of the United Nations. This policy has utterly included the issue of "inherited" instead of the previous "immovable-movable property."

Salient Features

The draft policy approved by the cabinet includes the declaration to ensure the "equal rights of men and women" in family, society, and work places. The policy has also ensured women's full control on their earned property, credit, land, inheritance, and market management. Moreover, it has also said about ensuring 33 percent representation of women in various political organizations in phases and about initiatives of direct election upgrading the reserved quota of women in parliament to 33 percent. According to the policy, all discrimination against women and contradictory provisions against the CEDAW charter would be abolished. Moreover, there has fresh pledge for enacting new laws to ensure equality between men and women.

It is true that the women in our society are being a prey of discrimination and being deprived form their rights in many ways. For this condition influential groups of our society blame religions specially Islam instead of finding the main reasons and remedies behind these. But the formulators of the women development policy have tactfully avoided implementing the main part of the Islamic system where women are being awarded a glorious place.

Protest Against Decision

Just after the declaration of this draft policy, top Islamic scholars vehemently protested it. They have started their protest with statement, speech, and demonstration. But the Grand Alliance government led by the Awami League ignoring their opinions campaigned relentlessly that there is nothing against The Quran in this policy. To protest the government's stance on this issue a dawn to dusk hartal (closure strike) was observed on 4 April across the country called by Mufti Fazlul Haq Amini, leader of the Islami Oikko Jote. In favor of the hartal demonstrations were taken place across the country on the day before the hartal. Without any kind of instigation police attacked a rally in Jessore.

The police shot and killed a hafiz (one who memorizes the entire Quran by heart) when he fell down in sewerage after a chase by them. On the day of hartal police and government-supported armed cadres attacked the ulema during the picketing and about hundred ulema were injured. About two hundred protesters were apprehended by the police. Hartal is a universally accepted democratic right for movement.

Ignoring Opinions of Oppositions

Opposition parties call for a closure strike to show their public support when an autocratic ruler runs a country by ignoring the opinions of oppositions. Through the reflection of public opinion government and opposition can realize about their positions. But the autocratic force always ignores the democratic movement by dint of their power, although that cannot be possible at the end of the day. The history teaches us that every dictator always falls down to people's power.

We believe that a democratic government should not behave like a dictator. Democratic values cannot evolve through this behavior. The people have achieved the independence and democracy through supreme sacrifice. They will protect their achievements by all possible means, if needed they will sacrifice more. But they will not move away. Therefore, we think that the government should rule the country showing respect to democratic norms and values.