Ibaadatkhana Unity Event Denounces Ending Special Status of Kashmir
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Ibaadatkahna,a non-partisan movement, has condemned the abrogation of Article 370 ending the special status of India-administered Kashmir. It also denounced suppression of eight million Kashmiris who are “under unconstitutional detention since August 5, 2019.”
The condemnation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s measure in Kashmir came in a resolution passed at the Ibaadatkahna unity dinner and interfaith dialogue held on December 8 at Chandni Restaurant in Newark CA.
The event was attended by a large number of people belonging to various faiths. Justice Markandey Katju a former judge of the Supreme Court of India, was the keynote speaker.
Other speakers included Mr Javed Ellahie, an accomplished attorney and council member at Monte Sereno City Council; Dr Jasbir Singh Kang, a medical doctor and prominent community leader of the Punjabi American community in Yuba City, California, and Prof. Randolph Langenbach, Prof. at the UC Berkeley. He has served as Senior Analyst for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
A lively question and answer session followed the main speeches. Popular Bay Area activist Maryam Turab and journalist Ritu were the moderators.
The agenda of the event was to highlight growing communal intolerance in the region and to bring people of diversebackgrounds and conflicting opinions- from Kashmir to Kartarpur, lynching of minorities, and growing communal tensions - on one platform.
The Ibadatkhana resolution demanded immediate restoration of the democratic rights of all minorities, Muslims, especially Kashmiri Muslims, Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs, Dalits and Christians.
On the current siege of Kashmir, the resolution condemned “undemocratic revocation of Article 370 and suppression of 8 million Kashmiris who are under unconstitutional detention and curfew since August 5tth 2019.”
It demanded “immediate restoration in Kashmir of the internet and pre-paid mobile services, immediate release of all political prisoners and innocent youth detained under preventive and sedition laws on false and fabricated charges, violating the fundamental right of liberty guaranteed by Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, immediate restoration of freedom of speech and of the media guaranteed by Article 19(1)(a), lifting of curfew and doing all else necessary to enable Kashmiris to lead a normal civilized life.”
The resolution pointed out that the Ibaadatkhana movement is the result of the collective effort of conscious individuals inspired by humanity and secularism and is geared towards upholding dignity of the people of all religions and races.
The Unity Dinner House resolved that December 8th will be observed internationally as Ibaadatkhana Day every year. The House approved the appointment of Tasawar Jalali as the Chairman of the Ibaadatkhana Foundation.
Justice Markandey Katju
In his speech and remarks during the question-and-answer session, Justice Markandey Katju pointed out that up to 1857, there were no communal problems in India; all communal riots and animosities began after 1857. He went on to say that though there were differences between Hindus and Muslims before 1857, there was no animosity between them as the Hindus went to temples and the Muslims went to mosques. In fact, the Hindus and Muslims used to help each other; Hindus used to participate in Eid celebrations and Muslims in Holi and Diwali festivities.
According to Justice Katju, the British collector would secretly call the Hindu Pandit, pay him money, and tell him to speak against Muslims, and similarly, he would secretly call the Molvi, pay him money, and ask him to speak against Hindus.
In 1909, the ‘Minto-Morley Reforms’ introduced separate electorates for Hindus and Muslims. The idea was propagated that Hindi is the language of Hindus and Urdu of Muslims, although Urdu was the common language of all educated people, whether Hindu, Muslim or Sikh up to 1947.
When the British left India, they divided us so that we may remain backward and weak, and not emerge as a modern powerful industrial state (for which we have all the potential). This was the real reason for creating Pakistan.
Justice Katju said this time of the year is a very interesting time as the next few months bring together four significant religious dates when we have Diwali on October 27, the birthday of Prophet Mohammed (Eid un Nabi or Eid al Milad) on November 10, Gurpurab, the birthday of Guru Nanak on November 12, and Christmas on 25th December.
In Dallas, Texas the NRI community is planning to celebrate Eid-Diwali Milan on November 9.
Some people in the Bay Area of California gathered in San Jose in October and decided to take the concept of inter-faith celebration a step further and celebrate Gurpurab and Christmas along with Diwali and Eid.
It was also decided to imbibe into it the concept of Ibadat Khana or House of Worship that Mughal Emperor Akbar started in Fatehpur Sikri in 1575 with the aim to bring the teachings of various religions in a commonplace to discuss and learn.
Dr Jasbir Singh Kang, addressing the gathering,hailed the opening of the Kirtarpur corridor, allowing the Sikh community to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. The opening of the corridor allows the Sikh community to visit Kirtarpur where Baba Guru Nanak spent most of his life.
Dr Kang came from Yuba City to attend the unity event. He was of the view that border crossing restrictions should be removed between India and Pakistan. He said if Europeans can move freely in all neighboring countries why can’twe do the same.
In response to a question Mr Randolph Langenbach, author of the book about Earthquake Resistant Vernacular Architecture of Kashmir, expressed concern over the current situation in Kashmir which remains under siege since August 5 when the Indian government changed its special status under the Indian constitution.
In this respect Langenbach’s attention was drawn to a recent statement of the Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde who said: “The situation in Kashmir is worrying and the government is closely following developments… We emphasize the importance of respect for human rights, that an escalation of the situation in Kashmir is avoided and that a long-term political solution to the situation must involve Kashmir’s inhabitants.”
Mr Langenbach showed a power point presentation about the life of Kashmiris.
Javed Ellahie, attorney and the council member at Monte Sereno City Council, in his remarks said the concourse is the first conference of its type in the Bay Area, if not the US. He pointed out that the event is for promoting unity but ‘I see hate is being spread everywhere’. Attorney Ellahie was of the view that the media has played a disastrous role in the world. The concern is not that there is fake news but how this hate news travels everywhere because of the vast propagation of the media. He said unwittingly we all become fake media. The internet can make hate seem normal, that is why it is so dangerous.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
