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Indian expats slam MPs who forced Muslim to break fast
Indian expatriates in the Kingdom have slammed parliamentarians of the Hindu nationalist Shiva Sena party for force-feeding a fasting Muslim, with some calling for them to be stripped of their positions.
The bizarre incident involved 11 Shiv Sena parliamentarians led by Rajan Vichare, a member of the hard-line party, and key ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which swept to power in the May elections.
The MPs pushed a chapati into the mouth of a fasting Muslim catering supervisor at the Maharashtra government’s official guesthouse in the Indian capital New Delhi.
Akhtar Ul-Islam Siddiqui, president of the Middle East Non-Resident Indian Association, said: “This certainly demonstrates their (Shiv Sena) mindset and thinking for the less privileged. How can a member of parliament oppress a powerless canteen caterer for no reason except him being in an advantageous position?“
He said that he does not view this as a religious incident, but one of power relations. “It’s a sad case of exploitation and a labor law violation. A criminal case must be lodged against them and their membership of parliament revoked. What they’ve done is against our constitution,” he said.
Mohammed Quaiser, president of Tanzeem Hum Hindustani, a voluntary non-commercial, non-religious organization of overseas Indians in the Kingdom, said that strong action should be taken against the parliamentarians.
He argued that they deliberately hurt Muslim sentiment because the name of the employee was visible; and that he repeatedly stated that he was Muslim.
“We urge Parliament to uphold the dignity of the august house by taking tough action against the unruly behavior of the members,” Quaiser said.
He said Parliament should direct the government to launch an immediate inquiry and take appropriate action “so that such wanton behavior is not repeated.”
There was an uproar in both houses of the Indian Parliament on Wednesday. Members from the Congress party, All India Majlis-e-Ittihadul Muslimeen and the Indian Union Muslim League, sent a letter to the Speaker demanding a probe into the incident.
Anti-Muslim rhetoric by Hindutva elements has increased in India after the BJP came to power. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Togadia recently made a controversial statement reminding Muslims about the Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar riots.
Earlier, an information technology expert, Mohsin Shaikh, was allegedly beaten to death by Hindu Rashtra Sena followers. Its chief Dhananjay Desai and other members were arrested in connection with the incident.
A Muslim forced to break his fast
AT least 11 members of Parliament belonging to the right-wing Shiv Sena allegedly forced a Muslim catering supervisor, who was fasting for Ramadan, to eat a chapati at the new Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi last week.
This would make any right thinking person angry. These are MPs with privileges, what the heck did they think they were displaying: Integrity and responsibility? How can they be permitted to get away with this terrible conduct? these are your men Mr. Modi, haul them up.
The MPs were apparently angry over not being served Maharashtrian food, the report said. So, they made him break his fast by forcing food down his throat. In the capital of secular India. An MP called Rajesh Baburao caught on camera. No guesses. No need for an investigation. You can see him shoving the food. This is so gross that it takes the breath away. What action has been taken? Where is the response from the central government?
Even if we do, for the moment put aside the religious angle, just for a moment, this was a physical abuse of power and an assault. The MP has to be taken to task.
IRCTC, the Indian Railways subsidiary that was catering for the Sadan, has stopped all operations in protest, and complained to the Maharashtra resident commissioner Bipin Mallick.
IRCTC Deputy General Manager Shankar Malhotra wrote an e-mail to Mallick on July 17 saying the MPs misbehaved with the staff at the public dining and forced the resident manager Arshad to eat a chapati.
Arshad has also complained to the resident commissioner.
“All the guests along with media reporters and staffs of Maharashtra Sadan got into kitchen where I was getting the orders prepared. They caught me and put the chapati into my mouth.
I was wearing a formal uniform set as prescribed by IRCTC and everybody in the panel also knew my name as "Arshad" as I was wearing the name tag. Even then they inserted chapati in my mouth which caused my fast to break on the eve of Ramadan. I was hurt with the thing they have done as religious sentiments are concerned.”
What is the Speaker of the House doing about this? The 11 MPs have been named and shamed and should they not now be suspended pending an inquiry which if it finds them guilty of going against the Constitution disbars them from office and all perks that do go with it.
The state government has said it is examining the matter, and has promised “appropriate action”. Let’s see if they take any.
A Muslim forced to break his fast | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.
Indian expats slam MPs who forced Muslim to break fast | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.
Indian expatriates in the Kingdom have slammed parliamentarians of the Hindu nationalist Shiva Sena party for force-feeding a fasting Muslim, with some calling for them to be stripped of their positions.
The bizarre incident involved 11 Shiv Sena parliamentarians led by Rajan Vichare, a member of the hard-line party, and key ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which swept to power in the May elections.
The MPs pushed a chapati into the mouth of a fasting Muslim catering supervisor at the Maharashtra government’s official guesthouse in the Indian capital New Delhi.
Akhtar Ul-Islam Siddiqui, president of the Middle East Non-Resident Indian Association, said: “This certainly demonstrates their (Shiv Sena) mindset and thinking for the less privileged. How can a member of parliament oppress a powerless canteen caterer for no reason except him being in an advantageous position?“
He said that he does not view this as a religious incident, but one of power relations. “It’s a sad case of exploitation and a labor law violation. A criminal case must be lodged against them and their membership of parliament revoked. What they’ve done is against our constitution,” he said.
Mohammed Quaiser, president of Tanzeem Hum Hindustani, a voluntary non-commercial, non-religious organization of overseas Indians in the Kingdom, said that strong action should be taken against the parliamentarians.
He argued that they deliberately hurt Muslim sentiment because the name of the employee was visible; and that he repeatedly stated that he was Muslim.
“We urge Parliament to uphold the dignity of the august house by taking tough action against the unruly behavior of the members,” Quaiser said.
He said Parliament should direct the government to launch an immediate inquiry and take appropriate action “so that such wanton behavior is not repeated.”
There was an uproar in both houses of the Indian Parliament on Wednesday. Members from the Congress party, All India Majlis-e-Ittihadul Muslimeen and the Indian Union Muslim League, sent a letter to the Speaker demanding a probe into the incident.
Anti-Muslim rhetoric by Hindutva elements has increased in India after the BJP came to power. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Togadia recently made a controversial statement reminding Muslims about the Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar riots.
Earlier, an information technology expert, Mohsin Shaikh, was allegedly beaten to death by Hindu Rashtra Sena followers. Its chief Dhananjay Desai and other members were arrested in connection with the incident.
A Muslim forced to break his fast
AT least 11 members of Parliament belonging to the right-wing Shiv Sena allegedly forced a Muslim catering supervisor, who was fasting for Ramadan, to eat a chapati at the new Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi last week.
This would make any right thinking person angry. These are MPs with privileges, what the heck did they think they were displaying: Integrity and responsibility? How can they be permitted to get away with this terrible conduct? these are your men Mr. Modi, haul them up.
The MPs were apparently angry over not being served Maharashtrian food, the report said. So, they made him break his fast by forcing food down his throat. In the capital of secular India. An MP called Rajesh Baburao caught on camera. No guesses. No need for an investigation. You can see him shoving the food. This is so gross that it takes the breath away. What action has been taken? Where is the response from the central government?
Even if we do, for the moment put aside the religious angle, just for a moment, this was a physical abuse of power and an assault. The MP has to be taken to task.
IRCTC, the Indian Railways subsidiary that was catering for the Sadan, has stopped all operations in protest, and complained to the Maharashtra resident commissioner Bipin Mallick.
IRCTC Deputy General Manager Shankar Malhotra wrote an e-mail to Mallick on July 17 saying the MPs misbehaved with the staff at the public dining and forced the resident manager Arshad to eat a chapati.
Arshad has also complained to the resident commissioner.
“All the guests along with media reporters and staffs of Maharashtra Sadan got into kitchen where I was getting the orders prepared. They caught me and put the chapati into my mouth.
I was wearing a formal uniform set as prescribed by IRCTC and everybody in the panel also knew my name as "Arshad" as I was wearing the name tag. Even then they inserted chapati in my mouth which caused my fast to break on the eve of Ramadan. I was hurt with the thing they have done as religious sentiments are concerned.”
What is the Speaker of the House doing about this? The 11 MPs have been named and shamed and should they not now be suspended pending an inquiry which if it finds them guilty of going against the Constitution disbars them from office and all perks that do go with it.
The state government has said it is examining the matter, and has promised “appropriate action”. Let’s see if they take any.
Indian expats slam MPs who forced Muslim to break fast | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.
