Zulfiqar's committment to build a harmonious Gujarat

This is the kind of orientation our kids need to have, to bring about positive changes despite difficulties.  I was impressed by this kid's commitment, "As for his future plans, he said he was studying to bring Gujarat back to its harmonious days, when there was no fear and aggression." Indeed, that is how cohesive societies are built, that is pure patriotism,  a commitment to build an inclusive and not divisive Gujarat where no Gujarati has to live in apprehension and fear of the others, after all, the inhabitants of Gujarat are humans and not rakhshasas.

 I hope at least the new parents, both Hindu and Muslim do not poison their kids with hatred towards others. After all at least 10% of current 50-60 ish generation of Gujarati's, both Muslims and Hindus are loaded with hate for the other, and live in misery. Even those Gujarati's living in the United States, of a similar percentage are loaded with hate. I wish and pray, that these men clean their hearts, if they can, then they can ask Gujaratis in Gujarat to clean their hearts.

There is an old saying, evil exists not because of the evil people, but because of Good people doing nothing about the talks and acts of bad people. What can you do? The least you can do is to tell bad guys to shut up when they spew hatred towards all Gujaratis instead of individuals villains. Get a few more to say shut up, deep inside, the bad guys are not really bad, because they do shut up when a few people say it - otherwise they think they have the permission to spread hatred or belittle fellow Gujaratis.

Mike Ghouse

Committed to work towards building cohesive societies.

www.MikeGhouse.net

The following piece was sent by Shabnam Hashmi, and I have asked her to provide the link to the source, but the piece is a good piece.

A historic achievement!

A victim and survivor of Gujarat Riots of 2002; now a student of AMU; has beaten all records of hard work and dedication.

AMU research scholar selected for $1,20,000 scholarship:

In February 2002, when 15-year-old Sheikh Zulfiqar Mohmad Yusuf peeped out from the window of his house in Himmatnagar in Gujarat, he saw two communities baying for each other's blood. "That incident didn't take my life or my property but it attacked my sense of belonging and identity. The riots emboldened my resolve to rise above the circumstances," he said.

Today, this research scholar in economics from Aligarh Muslim University whose experience of staying in a relief camp prompted him to research what is now known as the 'Gujarat growth model', has got a scholarship worth 120,000 USD (Rs 74.28 lakh) from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago to study business administration. This way, Zulfiqar has joined a select group of students from across the globe earning distinction for academic, social and extracurricular activities.

Recalling his early days, the madarsa-schooled researcher said his family shifted to a relief camp in Gujarat because "we wanted to stay with the community." "The feeling of mistrust and fear had seeped in so much that there was no escaping from it. We found safety in numbers and gathered around our community members."

Zulfiqar conducted Research on "GUJARAT GROWTH MODEL" and has condemned the claims made by Gujarat Government and admits, they are Fake. During the research, Yusuf said he found that the rural population and members from the backward class have not benefited from any development. "Only the occupational structure of most of the communities has changed".

As for his future plans, he said he was studying to bring Gujarat back to its harmonious days, when there was no fear and aggression.

Zulfiqar admits that Gujarat riots were the failure of administration of Gujarat, "I would like to be a civil servant, because the riots were also the result of administrative failure."

For his above Research work, the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago has selected him for a prestigious presidential scholarship of 120,000 USD (74,28000 INR).

Zulfiqar, a recipient of SEAL (Services, Excellence, Academics and Leadership) award by Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) in 2012, was nominated by Robert G Templin, President of the NVCC for the IIT Presidential Scholarship. The exemplary academic record of Mr. Zulfiqar has earned him a place among the distinguished students of the University whose alumni include a Nobel laureate.

Pope Francis Urges Narendra Modi to focus on inclusion of every Gujarati in the development to succeed, or else it will collapse.

URL - http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2014/01/pope-francis-urges-narendra-modi-to.html


If Mr. Narendra Modi has ambitions to become the Prime Minister of India, then he and his supporters need to go back to the drawing board and begin planning for the next election cycle. 

Even though huge crowds are showing up at his rallies for his oratorical skills, it will not likely to translate into votes. Modi represents a small percentage of Indians who have everything to gain from the business deals including the short-sighted industrialists, but ultimately all the gains will be lost if the cohesive structure of the society remains busted.

What good is the prosperity when fellow Gujaratis live in apprehension and fear of the other?   What good was the prosperity of Germany when everything collapsed anyway?   Like Modi; they focused on growth rather than the social structure.


Pope Francis is the one who can bring sense to the world. His speech applies directly to India, development without inclusion is doomed to fail hurting everyone in the long haul.

Continued at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Narendra-Modi-s-Nakshatras-by-Mike-Ghouse-Anti-christian_Bharatiya-Janata-Party_Business_Congress-131227-999.html
Pope Francis’s address works for Modi, the correct title of his speech is, “Pope Francis Urges Davos Elite At World Economic Forum To Serve Humanity With Wealth” which I modified to the above title, as it seems to apply to Narendra Modi.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/21/pope-francis-davos-_n_4638542.html?ref=topbar

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Pope Francis challenged business leaders assembled in Davos on Tuesday to put their wealth at the service of humanity instead of leaving most of the world's population in poverty and insecurity.

In a message to more than 2,500 participants at the annual World Economic Forum, the pontiff urged industrialists and bankers to promote inclusive prosperity, but stopped short of chiding them for excesses laid bare by the global financial crisis.

"I ask you to ensure that humanity is served by wealth and not ruled by it," Pope Francis said in the message read at the opening ceremony by Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Peace and Justice.

The Argentinian pope, who has identified strongly with the poor since his election last year and severely criticized capitalism, acknowledged that business had helped lift millions out of poverty, even if it had led to widespread social exclusion.

"The growth of equality demands something more than economic growth, even though it presupposes it. It demands first of all 'a transcendent vision of the person'," he said in the message.

"It also calls for decisions, mechanisms and processes directed to a better distribution of wealth, the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple welfare mentality."

Rising income disparity and attendant social unrest were flagged as the biggest threat to the world in the WEF's annual "Global Risks 2014" report last week.

Inequality has been widening since the 1980s but the issue has risen up the agenda since the financial crisis that erupted in 2008.

A new generation of young people coming of age in the 2010s, who lack jobs and hope of social improvement, is fueling pent-up frustration, with a wave of protests from Thailand to Brazil.

The richest 85 people in the world now have as much wealth as the bottom half of the world's population, or some 3.5 billion people, according to a report from the charity Oxfam this week.

Oxfam said there a need for some economic inequality to reward those with talent, skills and ambition but the current extreme situation was "damaging and worrying". (Reporting by Philip Pullella and Ben Hirschler; Editing by Paul Taylor and Andrew Heavens)


Continued at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Narendra-Modi-s-Nakshatras-by-Mike-Ghouse-Anti-christian_Bharatiya-Janata-Party_Business_Congress-131227-999.html

Pope Francis’s address works for Modi, the correct title of his speech is, “Pope Francis Urges Davos Elite At World Economic Forum To Serve Humanity With Wealth” which I modified to the above title.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/21/pope-francis-davos-_n_4638542.html?ref=topbar

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Pope Francis challenged business leaders assembled in Davos on Tuesday to put their wealth at the service of humanity instead of leaving most of the world's population in poverty and insecurity.

In a message to more than 2,500 participants at the annual World Economic Forum, the pontiff urged industrialists and bankers to promote inclusive prosperity, but stopped short of chiding them for excesses laid bare by the global financial crisis.

"I ask you to ensure that humanity is served by wealth and not ruled by it," Pope Francis said in the message read at the opening ceremony by Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Peace and Justice.

The Argentinian pope, who has identified strongly with the poor since his election last year and severely criticized capitalism, acknowledged that business had helped lift millions out of poverty, even if it had led to widespread social exclusion.

"The growth of equality demands something more than economic growth, even though it presupposes it. It demands first of all 'a transcendent vision of the person'," he said in the message.

"It also calls for decisions, mechanisms and processes directed to a better distribution of wealth, the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple welfare mentality."

Rising income disparity and attendant social unrest were flagged as the biggest threat to the world in the WEF's annual "Global Risks 2014" report last week.

Inequality has been widening since the 1980s but the issue has risen up the agenda since the financial crisis that erupted in 2008.

A new generation of young people coming of age in the 2010s, who lack jobs and hope of social improvement, is fueling pent-up frustration, with a wave of protests from Thailand to Brazil.

The richest 85 people in the world now have as much wealth as the bottom half of the world's population, or some 3.5 billion people, according to a report from the charity Oxfam this week.
Oxfam said there a need for some economic inequality to reward those with talent, skills and ambition but the current extreme situation was "damaging and worrying". (Reporting by Philip Pullella and Ben Hirschler; Editing by Paul Taylor and Andrew Heavens)

Narendra Modi and India's future

If Mr. Modi can demonstrate that he is a good human being, and put in to practice the above seven points for the next five years, he would earn the goodwill of the people to aspire to lead the nation and get elected out of freewill.

Right now, the thought of Modi as Prime Minister is tearing India apart and his rallies may generate untold miseries of death and destruction. A few Hindu extremists may rejoice killing Muslims and a handful of Muslim extremists may revel in bombing rallies, resulting in a mess for all.  

If Modi wants to bring prosperity without bloodying mother India, he must first earn goodwill of the people, and the wounds need to be healed for sustainability.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/indias-future-narendra-mo_b_4177079.html

Narendra Modi, Muslims and India

NARENDRA MODI - MUSLIMS - INDIA AND MOVING FORWARD

My article is not easy on Modi or Muslim leadership, but offers a solution where everyone can move forward in life, particularly the ones who lost their loved ones, homes and livelihood. My focus is the Victims and their well being.

I am asking a few to obtain a statement from Mr. Modi to be included in the article, and ask you, any one of you, if you can offer a viable solutions - not accusations or blame, but solution to be included as your statement. It's open to all Indians.

If you can get it all for me before 10/27/30. I will use my discretion to use your statement, if I cannot, it will be still a part of the statement in the article that will be posted here at www.TheGhousediary.com and http://MikeGhouseforIndia.blogpost.com

You can leave your comments here or write to me - SpeakerMikeGhouse@gmail.com
The overwhelming majority of Indians, be it Hindus, Dalits, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains,  Buddhists, Atheists and others want nothing but good for India at large, they live beyond their "me, me, and me" and believe in a safe, secure and prosperous India with "Us, us and us."


I do expect the least informed right wing Hindus and right wing Muslims to send hate mails , that is part of the price you pay to participate in public square,  and its nothing new to me.

Thank you.
Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net

  

Dr. Amartya Sen Won’t apologize for Modi remarks

URL- http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2013/07/dr-amartya-sen-wont-apologize-for-modi.html

It was exciting to read a part of the interview of Dr. Sen about 10:30 PM tonight, Friday the 26^th of July 2013. The rest of the interview will be published by Times of India on Sunday. 

Dr. Amartya Sen and Mike Ghouse at SMU

Most people appreciate when some one speaks out against the atrocities of the majorities, powerful dictators, monarchs and bullies. The politically motivated Hindu, Muslim and Christian men and women in particular appreciate it,  if it favors them.

My Hindus friends have rejoiced every time I have routinely stood up for them (incomplete list at: http://standingupforothers.blogspot.com/2012/04/standing-with-hindus.html ), but won't appreciate if a Hindu Dr. Amartya Sen does the same. 

Let me assure you this,  the good people outnumber all others 95:5, eventually  some one or the other from the majority, be it in India, America, Bolivia or South Africa, and even from Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Christians and Buddhist speaks up for the rights of the deprived, disadvantaged, women, minorities and the weak. God of all creation makes sure his creation has boundaries and has enough peace makers to prevent the world from total annihilation. Bhagvad Gita is clear, "Whenever there is adharma, God will bring about some one to restore Dharma" and Quran beefs it up, "To every tribe, every community and every nation God sends his peace makers to keep peace."

The more people speak up, the better the world would be. So, please do your part.
This morning I defended Dr. Sen’s action with a few friends (appended below) and now, when I read the partial interview, it caused me to go searching on my blog of the similar thoughts I have struggled with. 

I have consistently advocated that the peace is the responsibility of the majority; indeed, the civility of a nation is determined by how it treats its women, children, disadvantage, the weak and the minorities. It is in the interest of the nation, particularly the responsible men and women from the political, civic or religious majorities to speak up. It is in everyone's interest for every one to walk well together and not limp.Two of the statements, I wrote resonate with Dr. Amartya Sen’s words

On March 15, 2013, a press release was sent and was published in Bangladeshi News papers and at www.WorldMuslimCongress.com , this was also a part of my speech at Bangladesh Human rights organization in Dallas.

 “The success of a nation depends when her citizens feel secure; in this case, it is   the duty of the state to ensure the safety of Hindus, Buddhist, Shia, Ahmadiyya, Christian and other minorities.

It is also the obligation of the Bangladeshi majority to continue to speak up against the brutal treatment of fellow Bangladeshis who are Hindu. Indeed, the safety of a community is the responsibility of the majority.”
(URL - http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/03/muslims-condemn-brutal-attacks-on.html )

The Daily Times of Pakistan published my piece on Imran Khan, and I wrote, “Humanity in general and Muslims in particular are guided to stand up for justice. Only the civility of majority can change things. Minorities do not have a voice in Pakistan and they live on with apprehensions. The Hindu parents worry when their daughter will be abducted and forced to convert or when the Ahmadiyya girl student will be kicked out of school or their graves are desecrated, Shias ordered out of the bus and shot point blank and Christians will be framed with blasphemy charges. Societies are judged by how they treat their minorities, women and children. Good Pakistanis are letting bad things happen in their names.”

(URL - http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013%5C05%5C08%5Cstory_8-5-2013_pg3_5 )

A note came from a friend, “What irked me was his (Dr. Sen) comment on Modi not doing enough for the minorities.” And, “Sen does not address those issue but more interested in bad mouthing Modi on minority issues because it is a very popular and sophisticated issue.” 

My response was, “I must add that collectively different Indians have to speak on different topics - including far and against to bring different angles to the fore - Dr. Sen has picked one that he probably feels has not been given enough attention. Each one of us has to focus on many strands of democracy.”

Glad to see a positive response about democracy from my friend later.

Won’t apologize for Modi remarks, Amartya Sen says

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Wont-apologize-for-Modi-remarks-Amartya-Sen-says/articleshow/21380639.cms?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral

MUMBAI: Even as the firestorm over Amartya Sen's remarks about Narendra Modi refuses to die down, the Nobel-winning economist said he had nothing to apologize for saying that he did not wish to see the Gujarat chief minister become India's next Prime Minister.

In an exclusive interview to TOI (read the full interview on Sunday), Sen pointed to his fundamental right to raise such issues and also clarified that it was his duty as a member of the majority community to speak up about the fears of minorities.

"I am not apologizing for the statement on Modi," he said, while explaining that "as an Indian citizen I am very worried that we're not doing enough on many things in public discourse, that we're not raising the right viewpoints on several issues."

'Gujarat model not good'

Defending his remarks on Gujarat CM, Nobel-winning economist Amartya Sen told TOI, "I've tried to point to this when it kept being brought up about why I made that statement about Modi. I felt that as a member of the majority community in India it is my duty, not merely my right, to speak up about the concerns of the minority. We often forget that as members of the majority," Sen said.

"Despite the fact that there are many things that Modi has done as CM which are interesting and important — and I've talked about them even though when held up as a model I don't think it makes for a very good one — there's still that scare, that sense of fear," he said.

Quoting 19th-century English philosopher John Stuart Mill, who wrote that the security of minority rights really depends on the majority, Sen also pointed to how debates in the US (where he spends some time teaching at Harvard University) often go on at great length about the need to better secure minority rights.

"I live there as part of a minority and you see how concerned they are about these issues. Here, I have to exercise my duty as part of the majority and bring up my concerns. This is essential to the practice of democracy, which, like liberty, must be vigorously defended. Eternal vigilance is the price you pay for that liberty," he said.

. . . . . 

EDITORIAL: Mr. Narendra Modi, you have a choice

http://www.indianmuslimobserver.com/2012/06/latest-editorial-mr-narendra-modi-you.html
. . . . .


Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in Standing up for others and has done that throughout his life as an activist. Mike has a presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work through many links

Questions about Modi

The article Mr. Narendra Modi, you have a choice was published at the Indian Muslim Observer (http://www.indianmuslimobserver.com/2012/06/latest-editorial-mr-narendra-modi-you.html) has generated a lot of questions. Here is a summary of the questions and my responses.

Question: Do you think Mr. Modi will ever apologize for his misdeed of the 2002 Massacre? 

Ghouse: God gives an opportunity to his creation to repent and ask for forgiveness, it’s an act of easing out of the accumulated anguish (guilt), and restoring the spiritual and psychological balance from within. God is kind, merciful and extends the date for apology and gives a life time of opportunity to seek repentance. There are examples from Prophet Muhammad’s practice, where someone sought forgiveness on his last breath and prophet said, God will accepts that. However, God withholds judgment till the Day of Judgment. No one goes scot free; everyone bears the burden of his karma in one fashion or the other.

As Indians and as Indian Muslims we have many choices, some of them are:

Write him off as a man who would not apologize and engage in a life long battle with him in defeating at every opportunity and place. The down side is finding the resources and time for it.

Our time can be well spent in restoring the lives of the victims of the 2002 massacres. What Indians and Indian Muslims are seeking is justice to the people, and that really should be the bottom line and not Modi’s pound of flesh.

Forgive him unconditionally. A few Indian Muslims may oppose this off the bat even though the Qur’aan says clearly that Allah loves the person who forgives the most. There is wisdom in it and goes towards building a cohesive India that is good for all Indians.

When the Ulemas or religious and civic leaders gather in thousands, as they have done on different occasions, include forgiveness to Modi as one of the items of their agenda; let this be a highly publicized event with the media in full gear.

Invite the national media, and the key leaders from all communities including BJP leadership, let each one of them speak for five minutes about their take on forgiveness and its consequences.

Then at the appointed time, make the announcement that Muslims are forgiving the men involved in the 2002 Massacre including Modi and want to put this behind and focus on pulling the victims out of destitution and restore their hopes and lives. All speeches must be geared for national reconciliation and goodwill.   

Invite Mr. Modi to attend the program, don’t be disappointed, if he chooses not to participate, but if he does, honor him,  and let him know that Muslim are forgiving him as of now with no conditions.

Make an appeal to Modi.

Dear Narendra Bhai,

You have a moral responsibility to the well being of every citizen of Gujarat, whether they personally elected you or not, you still represent them.

Your fellow Gujaratis were massacred under your guardianship, and I hope you feel their pain and anguish.

Narendra Bhai, you have many choices; one among them is repentance, the praischit, and I urge you to seriously consider it. It is the Michami Dukadam of your life that is seeking forgiveness and forgiving others for any grudge you may harbor against others. Right now, you have a choice to start your spiritual and political life with a clean slate.

This means making good with the people who have suffered under your leadership; it will bring Mukti (salvation) to you. The other choice is to resign and show the strength of your character.

Your moral character in the only sustainable legacy you can leave behind, and not the wealth you create for a few. Gujarat has been around and will always be there with or without you, and I hope you are humble enough to see it.

You may consider working on earning genuine respect from every Gujarati, particularly the downtrodden living in the refugee camps. Uplift their lives. You will be uplifting a huge moral burden of fellow Guajarati and fellow Indians. Your honesty and integrity will be transparent in how you handle the situation.

As a leader of one of the industrially advanced states, you have a duty to establish Gujarat as a state that respects law, where justice will be served to every Gujarati, whether they live in a Jhompdi (Huts) or the castle. Every Indian should feel safe, as the law would take care of the wrong doers. You need to express your courage to speak up and follow dharma, the right path.

You can begin by mustering the courage to apologize to the citizens of Gujarat and restore their lives and bring justice to them. It will bring peace to every Gujarati and every Indian. It takes a man to do it, and I hope you are man enough to do it and turn things around for the 16000 men and women living in refugee camps. Do them good, restore their life and earn their goodwill. Once they see the results of restoration of a genuine man, they will forgive you and support you and, they will stand up for you, if you stand up for them.

Question:  Should a person like Modi who is known for his partisan role and
for being anti-minorities be projected as a candidate for Prime
Ministership of a secular and multi-religious country like India?

Ghouse: Yes, if he apologizes on his own, and there shall be no compulsion. Again, listen to the wisdom of Qur’aan, freewill endures, compulsion is short lived. Apology in words will not cut it, it has to be followed by action by uplifting the downtrodden living in the refugee camps and bringing a positive change in their lives. If their lives are restored and Muslims feel genuinely hopeful, then Modi should be given the chance. The bottom line is not revenge, but restoration of justice to the people to whom injustice was done.

Question: Prestigious "Time Magazine" and Brookings Institution have lauded
Modi in recent days. What do you think- was it not wrong on their part
to shower praises on such a controversial man known for caring a damn
about human rights and human values?

Ghouse: Times and Brookings institution failed in their responsibility to write an objective report, which is challenged anyway. Modi’s men are working diligently, spending the time and money to project Modi as the leader of India. I believe both the institutions were unduly influenced and have lost their respect for integrity. I wish Modi’s men had spent that money and time in helping the refugees out of the squalor and put them in homes.

Questions: Do you see the gulf between Hindus and Muslims in Gujarat will
narrow in near future?

Ghouse: Nothing will ever change if everyone sits around and expects miracles. Miracles will not happen. God helps those who help themselves, its God’s promise to mankind including Muslims. There are a number of things Muslims can do – develop good relationships with fellow Guajaratis. Get involved in the civic affairs of the state and be a part of everything every Gujarati does. Ask Muslim to write columns in how to improve the bonding and relationships with fellow Guajaratis. I will be happy to write it, but there are many out there. Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer and a Gujarati Doctor who lived in the United States are doing a great job in writings articles to bring the communities together. I just cannot think of his name now, but he and I have had correspondence once a year. He can really guide Muslims.

If there is a conflict, blame the individual and not the religion. It will contain the conflict to individual and will not spread. It is a culture that has to be developed and established, it will take some time.

Here was an advice from my father. During the communal riots in Jabalpur in the early sixties, both Muslims and Hindus were killed in the mayhem. I wish every father in India, teaches the following lesson to his kids, as my father taught me. He told us that the "individuals" are responsible for the bloodshed and not the religions; he was very clear. He said, you cannot blame the nebulous understanding of religion and expect justice. The individuals responsible for disturbing the peace should be punished under the law, and a resolution to the conflict must result by serving justice. He said you cannot annihilate, kill, hang or beat a religion, then why bark at it? It is not the religion; it is the individual bad guys that are the problem.

Crime is always committed by the individuals, and each individual must be brought to justice to restore faith in the society. When you believe that your rights will be protected by your government, you feel safe and secure and that is how you build cohesive societies.

The role of a Muslim is to mitigate conflicts and nurture goodwill. If you study Prophet’s life from this point of view, you will see that was the main drive. I give a speech on the topic, Insha Allah, when I visit India, I will be happy to give a talk on the topic.. . . . . .

Mike Ghouse is an Indian Muslim American committed to building cohesive societies, in the Indian context he hopes no Indian has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other. Mike Ghouse is committed to building to offer pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily.

Narendra Modi's choices

Narendra Modi is one of the most loved and hated politicians of India. He is the Chief Minister (Equivalent of State Governor in the US) of Gujarat, touted as one of  the most industrialized states of India.  He is loved by those who prospered and became wealthy, and hated by those who cried out for help, but got none.

In the Gujarat Mayhem a decade ago, both the criminals and victims were ethnic Guajarati. A majority of them did not like the death and destruction of fellow Gujaratis. Nearly a thousand of them were killed and several thousand were displaced and still living in the refugee camps.

No decent Gujarati should be offended with the reporting on rampage, it is not about them; it is about the criminals among them, regardless of the religious label they wear. Religion does not permit one to murder others. It is an embarrassment and a dark part of their history.

During the communal riots in Jabalpur in the early sixties, both Muslims and Hindus were killed in the mayhem. I wish every father in India, teaches the following lesson to his kids, as my father taught me. He told us that the "individuals" are responsible for the bloodshed and not the religions; he was very clear. He said, you cannot blame the nebulous understanding of religion and expect justice. The individuals responsible for disturbing the peace should be punished under the law, and a resolution to the conflict must result by serving justice. He said you cannot annihilate, kill, hang or beat a religion, then why bark at it?  It is not the religion, it is the individual bad guys that are the problem.

Crime is always committed by the individuals, and each individual must be brought to justice to restore faith in the society.  When you believe that your rights will be protected by your government, you feel safe and secure and that is how you build cohesive societies.

It is disappointing to see the depletion of humanness among a few vocal fellow Indians. They have no empathy for the pain and anguish of families who were massacred in broad day light in Gujarat.  It is a shame that a few of them even justify it, and a few others believe that the victims deserved it.  Indeed, it is an assault on the sense of morality of all religions.

The long term well being of the individual and the society hinges on the morality of the people and not the wealth and economic prosperity. No nation has ever lasted on the basis of economic prosperity alone, it is the collective morality and adherence to the justice for all that defines the idea of a civilized nation. 

This piece is written in Indian context; hence, a self introspection for the Indians and Indian Americans may be necessary with the following five questions.

1.      Am I communal (sectarian) minded person?
2.     Am I capable of seeing another Indian as Indian without the religious lens?
3.     Do I blame others and not jettison my own share of responsibility?
4.     Do I feel bad, and not speak for fear of offending friends?
5.     Do I have a moral chip in me?

No society attains long term prosperity while oppressing a minority amongst them.

A “few” Hindus have rejoiced the massacre of fellow Gujarati Muslims, shame on their humanity and shame on them to call themselves Hindus. A few Muslims find it difficult to reconcile the situation, shame on them for not listening to their own religion. God declares in Quraan, that the dearest among you, is the one who forgives. It is not easy to do that.  A few Muslims rightfully want nothing but punishment, I wish they rather seek justice.

We have a choice to correct the situation, to begin with, at least in our own hearts.

An appeal to Chief Minister Modi  

Dear Mr. Narendra Modi, 

You have a moral responsibility to the well being of every citizen of Gujarat, whether they personally elected you or not, you still represent them.

Your fellow Gujaratis were massacred under your guardianship, and I hope your humanness is alive to feel their pain and anguish.

Mr. Modi, you have many choices; one among them is repentance, the praischit, and I urge you to seriously consider it. It is the Michami Dukadam of your life, that is seeking forgiveness and forgiving others for any grudge you may harbor against others. Right now, you have a choice to start your spiritual and political life with a clean slate.

This means making good with the people who have suffered under your leadership; it will bring Mukti (salvation) to you. The other choice is to resign and show the strength of your character.

Your moral character in the only sustainable legacy you can leave behind, and not the wealth you create for a few. Gujarat has been around and will always be there with or without you, and I hope you are humble enough to see it.

You may consider working on earning genuine respect from every Gujarati, particularly the downtrodden living in the refugee camps. Uplift their lives. You will be uplifting a huge moral burden of fellow Guajarati and fellow Indians. Your honesty and integrity will be transparent in how you handle the situation.

As a leader of one of the industrially advanced states, you have a duty to establish Gujarat as a state that respects law, where justice will be served to every Gujarati, whether they live in a Jhompdi (Huts) or the castle. Every Indian should feel safe, as the law would take care of the wrong doers. You need to express your courage to speak up and follow dharma, the right path.

You can begin by mustering the courage to apologize to the citizens of Gujarat and restore their lives and bring justice to them.  It will bring peace to every Gujarati and every Indian. It takes a man to do it, and I hope you are man enough to do it and turn things around for the 16000 men and women living in refugee camps.  Do them good, restore their life and earn their goodwill. Once they see the results of restoration of a genuine man, they will forgive you and support you and, they will stand up for you, if you stand up for them.

I am not sure if you are aspiring to run the national ship, or the ones who benefit from it want to prop you up, either way, you have the responsibility to fellow Gujaratis.

Your chamchas may not care if you did not get the visa to the United States, but you may want to remove the ugly stain from your character. The Hindus and Muslims are willing to help you, provided you are willing to do the praischit. The choice is yours.

Mike Ghouse is an Indian American committed to building cohesive societies, in the Indian context he hopes no Indian has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of the other. MikeGhouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily. Mike Ghouse is associated with IndianMuslimObserver.com as Foreign Editor. He can be contacted at ghousemike@gmail.com 



Published at: http://www.indianmuslimobserver.com/2012/06/latest-editorial-mr-narendra-modi-you.html


andhttp://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2012/06/narendra-modis-choices.html 

Modis Ratings

As an Indian I am embarrassed that the two American Journalists did not even verify the material tossed to them.

By HARTOSH SINGH BAL

http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/24/narendra-modi-gujarats-chief-minister-gets-off-too-easy-with-the-foreign-media/ 

Sam Panthaky/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesNarendra Modi in January 2010.

NEW DELHI ” Narendra Modi, the leading figure of India's right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.), didn’t make Time magazine's list of the 100 most powerful people in the world this year. Midway through the online polling, after Modi’s stock had started to surge, liberals in India organized a counter-campaign. In the end, 256,792 votes were cast for him and 266,684 votes against.

Too bad for Modi: it’s an election year in the state of Gujarat, where he is chief minister, and he is known to be eyeing the country’s prime minister slot. But I, for one, am relieved: finally a defeat for Modi’s formidable PR team, which routinely manages to whitewash his responsibility for fueling sectarian strife and oversells his economic accomplishments, especially to Western journalists.

Modi has been accused of doing little in 2002, the year after he became chief minister, to prevent largely Hindu mobs â€” led in the main by people affiliated with the B.J.P. and allied organizations — from attacking Muslims throughout the state in retaliation for the death of 58 Hindu pilgrims in a train fire. According to government records, says the BBC, 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed in that outburst, making it one of the worst incidents of anti-Muslim violence since India’s independence.

Since then Modi’s PR machine has worked hard to undo the damage by portraying him as an efficient administrator. Foreign journalists have served that mission well. Their concern for striking a balance in their copy seems to have demanded that they offset the stain of the 2002 riots by praising Modi’s achievements. Modi, in turn, has played his part by granting them access to him, which he rarely does for Indian journalists.

In a 2009 profile for The Atlantic, Robert Kaplan wrote, “I have met Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and both Bushes. At close range, Modi beats them all in charisma.” Kaplan also relayed some of Modi’s self-described achievements with little question: “What he gave me was not the usual promotional brochures, but long lists of sourced statistics put together by an aide. Gujarat had experienced 10.2 percent annual GDP growth since 2002. It had eight new universities. In recent years, almost half the new jobs created in India were in Gujarat. The state ranked first in poverty alleviation, first in electricity generation.”

Last month, just a week before Time’s online poll — and the very day that a profile of Modi in the magazine made the cover of its South Asia edition — William Antholis, the managing director of the Brookings Institution, posted “India’s Most Admired and Most Feared Politician” online. He, too, extolled Modi’s work: “Gujarat’s economic performance is without peer in India, growing an average 10 percent each year for a decade. That is faster growth than almost any place on earth, including most of China.”

Neither Antholis nor Kaplan treated the facts and figures that Modi’s team threw their way with enough skepticism. The decade of growth for which Modi gets so much credit is the decade during which the Indian economy as a whole averaged over 7.5 percent growth. Several Indian states of a comparable size, like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, have come close to matching Gujarat (pdf) on this count while doing better at improving living conditions for their citizens, especially marginalized groups.

The 2011 Human Development Report for India states that hunger and malnutrition are worse in Gujarat than in India’s other large states. According to the report, almost 45 percent of children in Gujarat are malnourished. A larger percentage of children go to bed hungry in Gujarat, one of India’s richest states, than in Uttar Pradesh, one of its poorest.

In terms of infant and maternal mortality, Gujarat’s record during the decade that Modi has run the state is poorer than that of the country at large. In 2006-2010, life expectancy in Gujarat was two years shorter than the national average (about 66 years). Gujarat ranked 17th among all Indian states in terms of literacy in 2001, the year Modi took over. Now it ranks 18th.

These figures belie Modi’s reputation as an efficient administrator. But you wouldn’t know it reading the foreign media. In fact, the coverage is so complimentary that Modi’s people have collected it in a 49-page e-book called “The World Lauds Narendra Modi — Excerpts from TIME, Brookings & The Economist!” and made it available on his Web site.

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Hartosh Singh Bal is political editor of Open Magazine and co-author of “A Certain Ambiguity

The Extreme Makeover of India's (Possible) Next Leader

Narendra Modi is in international News, a whole lot is being written about him, here is one by Dr. Pervaz Ahmed. 

The Extreme Makeover of India's (Possible) Next Leader  

Posted: 04/18/2012 2:54 pm http://www.huffingtonpost.com/parvez-ahmed/the-extreme-makeover-of i_b_1434606.html

That Narendra Modi was featured on the cover of Time (March, South Asia edition), around the tenth anniversary of an anti-Muslim massacre in the Indian state of Gujarat, was not surprising. Sparking outrage was the headline (Modi Means Business), which was viewed by many as an extreme image makeover for India's most divisive politician. It was under his watch that an anti-Muslim carnage started on February 28, 2002 and continued unabated for the next three months. The violence was justified as a reaction to events that took place the previous day when 59 Hindu pilgrims, who were returning after paying homage to the site of a destroyed sixteenth century mosque, were killed by a fire that started in a section of their train. To many Hindus, the fire was a deliberate act by a mob of Muslims. To most Muslims, the fire was an accident. Two official commissions (Nanavati and Banerjee) yielded conclusions that favored one narrative over the other, leading detractors to charge that the commissions were politically tainted.

What is incontrovertible is that within hours of the tragic train fire, an organized retaliation against Muslims spread across Gujarat like wildfire. The ferocity of the carnage was unprecedented, even for a country with episodic spates of sectarian violence. By the time the bloodshed had stopped 2,000 people were brutally killed, many mutilated. Women were raped before being burnt alive. Muslims, who make up 9 percent of Gujarat's population, witnessed the entire state security apparatus standing still while vigilantes went on a rampage destroying 5,000 homes, 500 places of worship and 10,000 shops. Over 150,000 Muslims were displaced, with 16,000 remaining so a decade later. An iconic picture of a Muslim man by photographer Arko Datta epitomized the fear that had gripped the state.

Although some of the rioters have been held responsible, the state government under the leadership of Narendra Modi has so far escaped unscathed. Not a single high level official paid the price for their abject failure to maintain law and order. To the contrary, the electorate has repeatedly serenaded Modi with victories at the ballot box. Despite his obvious failures, the United States Congressional Research Service, a bi-partisan think tank whose research is advisory to the U.S. Congress, is speculating that Modi stands on the threshold of becoming India's next leader. Latest polling shows Modi beating both Rahul Gandhi (scion of the famous Nehru family) and current Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by double-digit margins.

The battle lines for the 2014 parliamentary elections are being drawn with an extreme image makeover for Modi. Leading the charge is the Washington-based PR giant APCO, which has also serviced other controversial clients such as former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha, Kazakhstan's Nursultan Nazarbayev, and Russia's Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The core narrative in Modi's extreme image makeover is that he is as an economic miracle worker, with a clean anti-corruption record in a country where corruption remains an anathema. The story in Time quotes Modi as saying, "It is not luck. It's a carefully devised process."

But Modi's choreographed routine has several discordant notes to it. Abusaleh Shariff, Chief Economist at the National Council of Applied Economic Research, India's premier research institution, asserts that masking the apparent prosperity of Gujarat are high levels of poverty and great income inequality. Hunger levels in Gujarat are shockingly high, with only three other Indian states faring worse. Economic and social minorities continue to remain marginalized. Poverty rates for Muslims in Gujarat are eight times higher than Hindus. Only 12 percent of Muslims have a bank account and a paltry 2.6 percent are able to secure financial loans. According to data from India's Planning Commission, a whopping 31.8 percent of people in Gujarat are poor, leading many social NGOs to question the veracity of Modi's "Vibrant Gujarat" slogan.

Contrary to the carefully cultivated image of Modi's business acumen lie an inconvenient truth -- other Indian states such as Maharashtra and Delhi outclass Gujarat in drawing foreign direct investments, often by 3 to 5 folds. Modi has reaped the benefit of ruling a state whose people have always been known for their business perspicacity and industriousness. Gujarat's economic growth has generally ranked above India's national average, both before and after Modi. Recently, Modi's image of a clean politician has also taken a hit. Three major scams have come to light. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has charged the Modi government with massive financial irregularities worth 167.07 billion rupees (approximately $3 billion).

Earlier this year, the Gujarat High Court criticized Modi for his inaction in stopping the violence of 2002 and ordered the restoration of the many houses of worship, which were damaged during the carnage. Failure to protect places of worship and shrines, which are invaluable to India's cultural heritage, is a flagrant violation of the Hague Convention of 1954.

All people of conscience, who deeply care about India's secular and pluralistic character, are relentlessly demanding justice and remain doggedly in opposition to any attempts that may give India's most controversial political figure an extreme image makeover. American lawmakers Keith Ellison and Frank Wolf have introduced resolutions condemning Modi and held congressional hearings respectively. The State Department continues to uphold its visa ban on Modi.

Underneath Modi's economic success lay a story of brutality and systematic marginalization of economic and social minorities. To quote Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth, "Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand." The Indian national motto succinctly states, Satyameva Jayate -- Truth Stands Invincible. Nothing less than a major truth and reconciliation effort can set Gujarat free of one of the most shameful episodes in its modern history.

[Parvez Ahmed is an Indian-American who teaches at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.]