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Who Intruded Minority Rights: South Asia
By Hira Zaheer
Minority Rights….this expression symbolizes the privileges, birthrights and civil liberties to both individual members of a racial, religious and linguistic groups or communal entitlements accorded to concerned group. In the recent couple of days the International electronic and print media particularly the mass media of our so called Secular or should I say “Shallow” republic of India are spammed with this term as Rimsha Masih Blasphemy case aroused.
In August 2012 a 14 year old Rimsha Masih was arrested from Mehrabadi a poor locality in suburbs of Islamabad near sector G-11. She was allegedly involved in vandalizing the pages of holy Quran committing the act of blasphemy. The case took an inverted turn on Sunday 2nd September 2012 when a local cleric named Khalid Jadoon was held in suspicion of forging the evidence against the girl who apparently seems to be suffering from Down’s syndrome and was proved a minor in Medical reports. On September 7, 2012, the girl was eventually bailed out as result of fair investigation of Pakistani law enforcement agencies. In this connection Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik stated that ash produced has been examined and found as burnt timber not of papers. The accusations were strongly condemned by All Pakistan Ulema League. "Rimsha is Pakistan's daughter and if the government cannot provide protection to her, the Pakistan Ulema Council is ready to do so," appealed Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, the Chairman of Ulema Council. He also requested government to provide complete security to the girl if the court releases her and called for Chief Justice Iftikhar Chodhary to take suo moto of the case maintained in local magistrate.
This case has given chance to Indian Broadcasters to make a mockery of blasphemy laws of Pakistan and of our sacred and sanctified religion. It is noteworthy to infamous “Hindustan times” that the blasphemy laws as counterfeited by them are not actually in accordance with our religion in fact 1400 years ago during Caliphate of Usman(RA), Abdullah bin Saad bin Abi As-Srah a notorious blasphemer after he took immunity was forgiven by Holy Prophet(P.B.U.H). Moreover, in Quran Allah (SWT) has asked Muslims to ignore those who commit sacrilege acts. "And when they hear vain talk, they turn away there from and say: "To us our deeds, and to you yours; peace be to you: we seek not the ignorant." Quran 28:55
"And have patience with what they say, and leave them with noble (dignity)." Quran 73:10
"Tell those who believe, to forgive those who do not look forward to the Days of Allah: It is for Him to recompense (for good or ill) each People according to what they have earned” Quran 45:14
The increased uninvited participation of our neighbor in our social subjects is another hoax to sidetrack Vatican and western media from converging to their own inter communal disputes. That is plain clever though. Christianity form 2.3 per cent of India’s population with approximately 24 Million adherents to the faith. From riots in 1960’s to violence against Christian community in August 2008 in Kandhamal and to recent forced conversion of 18 Christian families to Hinduism in February 2009 many incidents are clear cut examples of racial prejudice against naïve Catholic minority. It seems that Indian Authorities find no flaws in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (A large insistent Hindu group) strategy to eliminate minorities from India and make it a pure Hindu nation. It is suspected that this group paid aggressive Hindu extremists to attack Christian Communities in Orissa leading 11,000 to flee from their land as they feared forced conversions. This approach is a solid smack on face of Indian government and it pretty much tells the hollowness of their “Secular Slogan”. The article 30 of their so-called faultless Constitution about secularism and irreligious democracy is merely a blot of ink or something to chuckle about. 19 out of 25 convicts of Orissa killings were also released.
We can certainly say that Mass media can successfully shape public paradigm of any country but instead of positive Cultivation of her own masses electronic and print media of our trivial neighbor are keenly focused on debating around about blasphemy issues in Pakistan. It would be more humane if they can convey the mourns and laments of Indian Christians deprived of civil rights, good employment and even secure refuge in their own land to the concerned authorities.
The extremists Hindu soldiers on the direction of Indian government entered with boot on in Golden temple and killed over 20000 Sikhs on Jun 21, 1984. Indian Sikhs have not been given justice by their own Sikh Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“God forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith
nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for God
loves those who are just” Quran 60.008
The above mentioned verse is another vivid example of concept of compassion and justice in Islam. Therefore misquoting Quranic verses and inventing lies is just another one of the practices of Indian media to malign Pakistan’s Constitution in west which they seem to relish very much. By far they appear to be victorious in shattering peace in South Asia by increasing inter-communal tensions in their developing neighbour and hence applying their policy of “Divide and conquer” on us. So it is my modest request to Leaders of religious groups, political parties and journalists not to make a fuss of the whole issue and let the cases like these be solved quietly in court otherwise our despicable enemy will definitely achieve her ultimate notorious goals. We must also get up to eliminate sectarianism amongst the nation, since our enemies have the desire of exploiting this for weakening our country. Moreover, Islam does not advocate sectarianism and also protects the minority rights as stated in the earlier quoted Verses of Quran.
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