From: gt7242a@prism.gatech.EDU (KHAN,RAHEEL)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: RE: Secularism to Islamisation - Cong(I0 report..
Date: 18 Nov 92 01:52:36 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

Article: 28699 of soc.culture.indian
From: indu@iss700.Columbia.NCR.COM ()
Subject: Secularism to Islamisation - Cong(I) report on Bangla. Problem
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 22:56:11 GMT


                ***************************************
>    Present  Foriegn  Minister  of  Bangladesh announced in a seminar
>    inaugarated by the Ambassador of Saudi  Arabia,  "the  First  and
>    Foremost  concern  of  new  parliament will  be to enact the laws
>    based on the Quran and Sunnah".    -1979, eve of Bangladeshi Elections
                ***************************************
 

>Friends!
> This is a continuation of  the Previous posting  "In the Begining ..".
> Find  the details how the Islamic fundamentalism  which was active  
                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

   What a convenient thing to do.  Pick a euphamism.  I suppose it would
   be easier to dispose of the Muslims if you keep using the term
   "Islamic Fundamentalis" rather than a Muslim.   Painting a group of
   people into an extreme is an easy way of satisfying your concience,
   and appearing reasonable.  It is a familiar tactic used by the 
   hate-mongerers everywhere:  "Dissociate yourself from THEM and 
   then 'cleanse' yourself of THEIR evil".  Calling Indian Muslims
   "Islamic Fundamentalist" is a tactic similar to the one used by 
   the Serbs: they call Muslims 'Turks' so that its easier to 
   "cleanse" them. 

   
> during the 1947 partition time acted in Bangladesh, and its UPS and
> downs.  Islamic fundamentalism which has been having the tacit support
          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> of Pakistan, was  kept under check till 1980. Then it surfaced back.
> These fundamentalists, HAVE BEEN following this pattern. The ugly question
> of Partitioning the country is surfacing again and again.  WHY ARE THESE
                                                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> FUNDAMENTALISTS SO AGAINST INDIA? ARE WE WRONG SOME WHERE ?
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

   Precisely because of the attitude that you and many others like you have
   displayed many a time on the NET.  Indian Muslims are always living under
   a sword of Democoles, never sure when the "chauvanists" will get into power  
   and deciede to cleanse India of Islam.

> The following are the contents of the CONGRESS COMMITTE report, which was 
> presented to the Prime Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao. The P.M. is pressed to
> act upon this immediately by  his party's General Secretaries.

>-Indu


>Congress-I  report on Infiltration from Bangladesh
    
     [stuff deleted.  See original article for details]


>    4. Quick on the heels of liberation  Bangladesh  became  secular
>    democratic republic. All communal and religion based parties were
>    banned. The four major fundamentalist  parties affected  by   the
>    ban were Jamat-e-Islami, Nisan-e-Islam, Pakistan Democratic party
>    and Muslim league.
    
>    5. After the  assassination  of  Sheikh  Mujhib  in  August  1975
>    Khondkar Mushtaq Ahmed tried to lift the ban but did not succeed.
>    At the social level, however these parties were busy  propogating
>    their  cause.  Mosques were the focal points in  this  excercise.
                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
        You see, those whom you call "Islamic fundamentalists" are
        nothing but ordinary Muslims.  Would you advocate banning 
        congregational prayers and sealing mosques in order to 
        put an end to "fundamentalism"?   
 
>    It was at this  time  the  fundamentalists  scored  their   first
>    victory.  The unifying slogan of "Joy Bangladesh" was replaced by
>    "Bangladesh Zindabad". Similarly the name "Bangladesh Betar"  was
>    replaced   by  "Radio  Bangladesh".  These  were  very subtle and
>    sophisticated moves  remniscent of East  Pakistan days away  from
>    "Bengali Nationalism" to "Bangladeshi Nationalism".
    
    
>    8.  It is instructive to note that in the pre-liberation era, the
>    Jamat  never  gained as many seats. In 1970 elections they failed
>    even  to open their account. Between 1979 and 1988 the persistent
>    efforts of fundamentalism to wean away people from Secularism and
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>    socialism and democracy in favour  of  Islamic  ethos   continued
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

           I get the impression that what is being said here is that 
           Secularism, Socialism and Democracy are religions and that 
           Islam is "weaning away" people from the right path of following 
           these religions blindly!  Islam provides a healthy and
           viable alternative to these archaic and unjust social
           systems.  What is wrong is people deciede to choose Islam
           as their way of life, rejecting these other ways of life?
           
>    unabated. It  was essential to get the student support because of
>    the  revolutionary role they have been playing.
    
>     It  was also  essential that the  constituition be made  Islamic
>    sealing the path of  Progressive  forces. In 1979 just on the eve
                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
          So any non-Islamic force is an Progressive one, while any 
          Islamic force is a regressive force?  We, Muslims, believe
          other-wise.   
 
>    of the  general elections, Lt.  Col   Mustafir  Ur  Rehaman,  the
>    present  foriegn  minister  of  Bangladesh announced in a seminar
>    inaugarated by the Ambassador of Saudi  Arabia,  "the  First  and
>    Foremost  concern  of  new  parliament will  be to enact the laws
>    based on the Quran and Sunnah".
    
         Why should the Laws of an over-whelmingly Muslim country not
         be based on the Quran and Sunnah?  Afterall, Islam is not just
         a religion, it is a complete code of life.   

         However, I wish that Pakistanis and Bangladeshi Muslims would
         apply Islamic Law completely and not selectively.  If they were
         to do so, there would be no question of persecution or abuse of
         minorities because Islam enjoins kindness and justice to all 
         people. So, the problem is not that the Muslims of the 
         subcontienent are "fundamentalist" (if fundamentalist means
         one who adheres strictly to the Qur'an and Sunnah) but it is
         that they are not "fundamentalist" enough!


Raheel Ahmed Khan


-- 
KHAN,RAHEEL
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
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