After Mubarak
Hyderabads leading daily Siasat writes in an editorial on February 13: President Hosni Mubaraks resignation and the power passing on to the people of Egypt,according to their wishes,in a peaceful and dignified manner,are indeed a victory for the people… Now,achieving that long-cherished democracy will depend on how the next ruling class chooses to govern. If those clamouring for power fail to fill the political vacuum created after this pro-democracy movement in Egypt,this vacuum will take on enormous proportions. Only time will tell what other historical role the situation in Egypt will play for the Arab world.
Another leading Hyderabad daily,Munsif,writes in its editorial on February 14 that the Arab worlds individual and dynastic rulers are worried as to what extent the people are affected by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt… Irrespective of how power is transferred in Egypt,if the rulers of other Arab countries voluntarily initiate changes in their governance,it will enhance their prestige and integrity,and their countries will not suffer chaos and disruption. The paper adds: The awakening of the Arab people and the peaceful revolution of Egypt are significant for other emerging democracies (apart from the Arab countries),where,in the name of democracy,those in power and other representatives of the people consider it their right to loot their countrys wealth. Unfortunately,our country is also part of such democracies.
The Jamaat-e-Islamis Daawat on February 10 wonders if the developments in the Muslim countries are caused by popular discontent or by an Islamic awakening. The paper writes that much of the world,and Western media,views these events from the angle of economic hardship and authoritarianism. Yet,a section of the people describes the popular awakening as an Islamic renaissance (Islami nishaat-e-saania). The paper approvingly refers to the Iranian foreign ministrys view of the unrest in the Arab world being an Islamic renaissance,that is a very big thing.
Census alert
Newspapers and Muslim community leaders have been alerting people to the significance of Census 2011. Hyderabad-based daily Munsif writes in its February 10 editorial: In todays situation,ignoring the importance of the census would be harmful for the entire community and the nation… Governmental benefits being given to any community/ caste depends on its population and if we are careless at the time of census,our numbers (in the national register) will be reduced,because of which our share in the fruits of government schemes will be less,and later on,we will only regret this. The paper advises Muslims to verify entries for religion and language in the census form. It suggests that at least one person take responsibility for monitoring the enumeration in every mohalla or locality.
Organisations like the Jamiat Ulema and even the minority cell of the Congress have appealed to Muslims to be vigilant and avoid inaccuracies in the columns of religion and language (mother tongue),reports the Delhi-based daily,Hamara Samaj (February 8).
Chasing Azhar
The Congress MP from Moradabad,Mohammad Azharuddin,has disappeared. Anybody giving information about him would be given a reward of Rs 500. A poster carrying this text was seen pasted on a bus of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation,according to a report in Munsif (February 8). The poster was issued by Bharat Raksha Sena workers,the report says.
Daily dole
According to a report in Hyderabad-based Rahnuma-e-Deccan (February 2),during the cricket World Cup the Bangladesh government,in an effort to avoid any inconvenience to visiting foreigners and presenting a better image of the country,has planned to remove the beggars from the streets. The government will pay daily allowances to hundreds of beggars and request them not to show up on the streets.
According to Manzoor Alam,the mayor of Chittagong,at least 300 disabled beggars will be paid a daily allowance of 150 takas. The report points to a survey conducted in 2005,which estimated that there were more than seven lakh beggars in Bangladesh.
