Please also read what the victim has to say:
*"Silencing is a hate crime too"*
**
People know a lot about discrimination in judiciary, media, government,
banks, universities, corporate houses and other sectors. But not many
know about discrimination that happens in civil society on the issue of
Muslims. My attempt today is to describe what happens to a young
activist who attempts to speak as a Muslim.
I dare to speak the truth to power and I know that I must speak truth
also to the people. I take the inspiration from Asma bint Abi Bakr,
Mahatma Gandhi, Hasrat Mohani, Begum Anees Kidwai, Paulo Freire, Malcolm
X, Anne Frank, Hannah Arendt, Albert Camus, Bernie Sanders and many others.
You would remember that recently eminent human rights and minority
rights activist Shabnam Hashmi (Shabnam Aapa) had initiated India
Inclusive Platform, and has organised Citizens’ Conclaves (25-27 May
2018). Before the first Conclave, I had requested Shabnam Aapa to
include one Muslim name in the panel titled ‘State of Dalits and
Minorities’. The panel, consisting of eminent speakers, had a Dalit
representative, a Christian representative, and others who speak for
Muslims; but there was no Muslim on it. I even suggested a few names but
my request was refused.
I explained my belief, that three sections of people must be included in
any struggle for justice. One, the oppressed; second, who is suffering
with the oppressed; and third, who is fighting at the side of oppressed.
The narrative of those who experience oppression are often not allowed
to express because it touches the hearts and transform those who are
apathetic. Unfortunately, the majoritarian ideologies enabled an
atmosphere in India, where the primary narratives by the Muslims are not
allowed. Those who speak for Muslims do little to include their voices
and further ensure marginalisation and victimisation of the oppressed
Muslims. The requirement by these human rights and minority rights
activists that the Muslim identity must be omitted is also oppression.
Erasing Muslims from the narrative reinforces a bigoted society’s desire
to erase their existence.
My solidarity visit to Aligarh Muslim University during the protests on
the issue of attack on former Vice President of India Dr. Hamid Ansari,
and a piece ‘Bas ki dushwar hai Hindostan me Musalman hona’ (It is being
difficult to be Muslims in India) based on it published by The Citizen,
became my other ‘crimes’.
I was badly humiliated by a few ‘eminent’ activists during the Citizens’
Conclave, and I realised that my conversation with Shabnam Aapa had been
revealed by her to many people.
This was the beginning of a series of events aimed at my removal from
ANHAD by former trustees and founders Shabnam Aapa and Harsh Mander ji.
Because the real issue was difficult to name, they used a trustee, who
had baselessly labelled me as an autocratic. This was the same person
whom Shabnam Aapa had advised me to remove from the ANHAD trust in the
past, because of her anti-Mahatma Gandhi, anti-Muslim, and communal
leanings – but I had not done so, as I had belief that she will
transform. Just after the Citizens’ Conclave, this trustee resigned and
with the consultation of my fellow board members – resignation was accepted.
Then, a call for a meeting was sent by Harsh Mander ji at his Aman
Biradri office in guise of planning future activities of ANHAD. Although
I felt this was strange and that something was afoot, I attended this
meeting held at Aman Biradari office as a matter of courtesy and because
of my belief in dialogue. Despite the fact that ex-trustees had no
morality and authority of intervening in the organisation where they did
not have any legal locus standi.
It was not a simple meeting – there was no discussion about future
activities. It was evidently my trial held by those who claim to fight
against majoritarian communal forces. I was framed as a fundamentalist,
autocratic, a person who had dragged-down ANHAD’s name, etc. by many
eminent personalities present there all of whom I hesitate to name here.
In this meeting I was advised by an eminent historian that Muslims
should fight only the Minority Communalism, and Hindu will fight
Majority Communalism. I was mocked for organising Insaaf Yatra, from
Delhi to Muzaffarnagar – Shamli to build pressure on local
administration on three issues: one, was the opposition to the
withdrawal of criminal cases related with Muzaffarnagar communal
violence (2013); second, the release of innocent juveniles who were in
the jail as adults for an alleged case of cow slaughtering; and third,
was action on the fake encounters in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli.
The environment was sophisticated but highly hostile. After a long
frame-charging phase, I was not being allowed to respond to the
allegations and charges by Harsh Mander ji, which I only managed to do
because of my insistence to speak and on condition that I was not giving
any clarifications.
I told them that I come from a farmer-and-labour family, we are Muslims
but my family and I have never associated with any religious
organisations. Harsh Mander ji and a leader of women’s wing of a left
party who was present in the meeting baselessly associated me with
religious organisations. This was despite the fact that I know that many
present in the gathering had themselves have worked with religious
organisations. Senior leadership of many religious organisations were
present in the recent Conclave, as well as in the past Conclaves,
Meetings and Campaigns organised by Shabnam Aapa and Harsh Mander ji. I
did not confront them about the nature of their association because I
see nothing wrong in it but I did speak up against their baseless charges.
I was even questioned and condemned for my use of a quote Hannah Arendt
on one of ANHAD posters – "If one is attacked as a Jew, one must defend
oneself as a Jew. Not as a German, not as an upholder of the Rights of
Man, or whatever."
I told them that their problem is my Muslim identity. Because I am not a
self-hating Muslim, and I am also not a community-bashing Muslim. I
stand with all other oppressed individuals and communities, but you
reduced me to Muslims issues only. You don’t want to acknowledge and
hear my voice in solidarity with other marginalised.
I explained how I had worked in ANHAD, and how it is now different and
effective in empowering vulnerable voices at the grassroots. I come from
the tradition of Haz’raat-e Gandhi, Mohani, Arendt and Freire, and I
believe in enabling people in transforming their hearts and minds.
In the present crucial time, when Muslims in India have been reduced and
become just facts, events, and phenomenon—not only by the right, but
also by the left-liberals—it is important to reclaim human-ness without
compromising Muslim identity, because no one is treating us as humans
now, even many of those who stand and speak on our behalf. They should
speak, but they must not stop the victims of hate politics to speak and
share their pain. If oppressed will speak in their own way, those hating
and hurting them will also question themselves for their dehumanised
thinking and actions. It will hugely damage the RSS agenda of converting
our Gandhi’s India into Savarkar’s Hindu Rashtra.
Humanising the dehumanised can save India, but it cannot be achieved by
invisiblising and silencing the Muslims and other oppressed.
I was also charged for the resignation of another trustee in the past.
But truth is that board had taken the decision because he was
blackmailing the board members to cancel someone’s lecture a-day before
at ANHAD Oxford Baatcheet with whom he had personal tension, and because
he had used misogynistic slurs for her and two-other highly respected
feminists.
In this gathering of eminent intellectuals and activists, it was said
that there is nothing personal and nobody will be attacking me on this
aspect. But along with many other personal attacks, I was also called a
split personality. There was a proposal-cum-diktat to shutdown ANHAD or
else bring back Shabnam Aapa again in the board.
I told those present in the meeting that I will call ANHAD trustees’
meeting soon, and we will decide these matters. I am not sharing the
whole experience. Because remembering such horrific and humiliating
trial is too painful. I realised that the purpose of this gathering was
also an attempt for my nervous breakdown. At the end of trial, it was
told that I am not accepting my fault. For me it was a different kind
of majoritarian lynching by these fundamentalist liberals.
We had our ANHAD board of trustees meeting. And I asked for a month to
reach out to resolve the issues. I tried but not succeeded because
Shabnam Aapa and Harsh Mander ji were not ready for any reconciliation.
I informed the board accordingly.
I went to Korea for 10 days to attend a UN programme, and just after my
return there was a bereavement in our family and I went to my native
place Amroha. Meanwhile, the other four board members called the board
meeting on 1st August, which I couldn’t attend as I was to return to
Delhi late night on the same day. But I sensed that some wrong was
happening. So, for countering the majoritarianism, I appointed
two-trustees on vacant posts as I had the right to build my team.
But this was not to be the other board members reduced democratic
functioning to ‘rule by majority’. They passed ‘resolutions’ against me
immorally and illegally. They appointed Shabnam Aapa and Harsh Mander ji
in the Trust. According to the ANHAD Trust deed rules the Managing
Trustee can appoint or remove trustee(s)—without or with consultation.
And the Managing Trustee can be replaced only if s/he resigns or dies.
But they illegally ‘elected’ Shabnam Aapa as Managing Trustee.
I received an offensive email from my fellow-trustee about ANHAD Gmail
password. She said that it is breach of trust that I had not informed
them of the password. I didn’t respond because this was again baseless.
Why should the trustees who are not involved in day-to-day
administration of ANHAD or even attend programmes more than a few times
in a year be given passwords to official email account?
On 2nd August 2018, when I reached ANHAD office, I found that all
documents have been locked. Our senior most staff member Pratap Singh
Negi ji who had to reach office at 9 am, kept giving me some excuse or
the other for the delay until 11 am and thereafter switched off his
phone. He did not arrive. ANHAD car was unusable because of deliberate
tinkering. I was shocked beyond belief. This intense antagonistic
situation was unexpected. I spent the day in ANHAD office making and
signing certificates for interns who had worked at ANHAD. As they day
passed my sense of hostility against me heightened.
I took my personal belonging and left ANHAD. That was the last I went there.
These developments are upsetting although not surprising. If certain
'issues' and public trusts were considered personal possessions then I
could have been plainly told to ‘give back’ my position as a Managing
Trustee of ANHAD to their ‘rightful owners’. If the ex-trustees and
present-trustees of ANHAD had said that I would have happily resigned
from my present situation. But, unfortunately they have sought to paint
me in allegations of being a fundamentalist and autocratic.
It is possible that their own rigidity and unreasonable exercise of
power is not visible to them but I have been rewarded by this label
because I asked for representation of Muslims on a panel of eminent
voices that speak for Muslims. I am being faulted for representing
communalism in my own way, from my own experience. The founders cannot
see that they violated the Trust rules which they themselves had framed
for their own convenience.
After doing all immoral and illegal activities they are frightened as
they are assuming that I am going to the court, which I had never
thought about. So as expected that had done another nasty thing. A fake
news has been planted in the Urdu daily newspaper /Inquilab/ about an
'RSS conspiracy' against Shabnam Aapa and Harsh Mandar ji of branding
ANHAD a 'Muslim-parast' organisation. According to the report this
'damaging' conspiracy is being affected because I am 'ignorant' and
'witless'. You should know that Urdu daily newspaper /Inquilab/, is a
publication of Dainik Jagran (which is inclined to RSS and BJP’s
agenda). This is the same paper that created the recent controversy
about Congress being a 'Muslim-parast' party after the meeting of
Congress President Rahul Gandhi with Muslim intellectuals. These two
stories are so similarly confused and unlikely that it is nothing short
of being disgraceful.
By now, I had to realise that more nasty slander will come my way. I
know that even if today’s world would not accept my testimony, future
generations of Indians will definitely judge these actions as hate crimes.
I would like to tell you that as the Managing Trustee of ANHAD what I
had inherited from my predecessors was struggle, not power. There was
nothing left when I had taken the responsibility of ANHAD. It bears
remembering that I took over as a Managing Trustee of ANHAD at time when
India’s sky only had black clouds, and there was silent darkness of
self–censorship due to high point of intimidation, fear and violence
against those who struggle in defence of secularism and democracy.
I had seen myself acting as organic manure enabling others to join the
struggle in defence of a secular India and this has been my most
valuable achievement. In this one-year journey, I spoke less and worked
more from grassroots to UN level. I had not done mega-events in Delhi,
deviating from ANHAD’s approach because I found it was not helping
anyone in the present situation.
I knew that many people were not happy with me. They were expecting
something else because they have a homogenous frame of leadership style
and they want everyone to fit-in. I challenged the machismo of big
protest as spectacles from which Muslims themselves were structurally
excluded. I attempted to heterogenise and humanise the protests for more
deep engagement with those new non-activist people who want to join us
but they fear.
During this time, ANHAD had reached to those nameless marginalised
Muslims, Dalits, Women and OBCs who have never had been contacted. I
have never wanted to become the voice of these people; I merely wished
to help them raise their own voice.
I am resigning now from Managing Trustee position at ANHAD. And I would
not like to associate with anyone who believes in anti-Muslim,
Islamophobic, and majoritarian politics, be they are from the Left,
Centre or Right.
I have nothing with me now; expect some good and bitter memories from
ANHAD. I had only ANHAD Gmail, Facebook and other Social Media Accounts
and Passwords, which I have given to ANHAD trustees Amrita Nandy Aapa.
I know that I will face the dire consequences of speaking the truth. But
I am not alone. Many people before me have experienced the same, or even
worse. They have been silenced and cornered. So, I stand in solidarity
with all those who have faced similar hidden silencing in civil society.
I also know that many people will say that it is not the right time to
say these things. But as a follower of Mahatma Gandhi, I believe in
calling a spade a spade, and stand against majoritarianism. People must
understand that they have no choice but to take the path of “rage,
refuse and resist.” Behaving like an Ostrich will not end the storm. In
this fascist regime our very survival is at the stake.
It is painful, but good in the larger sense that things have turned this
way with the 2019 general elections on our head. The fight against
fascism and communalism should continue and will continue with more
clarity now.
With grief,
Ovais Sultan Khan
6^th Aug. 2018
(end)
and here is my take since I know Ovais Sultan for many years as an
upright liberal Muslim:
*ANHAD:Secularist veneer falls off the sole spokesman*
/Statement by Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan/
Anhad used to be a secular organisation which fought against communal
forces and purveyors of hate politics during the last 10-15 years. Its
mainstay was Shabnam Hashmi who founded this organisation after parting
ways with Sahmat. Last year she thought of widening the scope of her
activities and for this purpose she decided to pass on the mantle to the
youth in the organisation. Thus a new team was elected out of the youth
volunteers of Anhad and the control over the organisation was passed on
to them with the well-known social worker and human rights activist
Ovais Sultan as the managing trustee. Sultan struggled hard to attract
more youth to the organisation, expanded its reach and brought resources
to the fund-starved organisation. As a result, Ovais Sultan became a
leading figure of Anhad. This caused problems to the old guard,
especially Shabnam Hashmi. Soon this group started a Sangh Parivar-like
whisper campaign saying that Ovais Sultan is a fundamentalist, in other
words a rigid Muslim, and that he wants to convert Anhad into a “Muslim
organisation”.
Last May, Anhad held a symposium called Citizens Inclusive Conclave to
which a number of non-Muslims were invited to speak about the issues of
the Indian Muslims. During a preparatory meeting, Ovais Sultan proposed
that a Muslim should also be invited to speak on this issue. The
secularist group did not take this suggestion well and rejected it
outright, calling Ovais Sultan a “fundamentalist”.
Secularist liberals think that they alone are the spokesmen of the
Indian Muslims. By doing so they immensely benefit, yet they do not
agree to invite a Muslim to speak from their platform. They want to
remain the sole spokesmen of Indian Muslims and wronged sections of the
Indian society without giving them any representation and opportunity to
speak for themselves. Muslims and wronged sections are supposed to
quietly stand behind them in support. This group is interested in
Muslims only as victims and as crowds so that it may send a message that
it has a hold over the community.
A plot was hatched to oust Ovais Sultan. The group of conspirators,
including Shabnam Hashmi and, sadly, even persons like Harsh Mander,
used all kinds of fascist and undemocratic means, took over the
organisation overnight and showed Ovais Sultan the door. This group
occupied the office and files illegally and undemocratically. Now this
putschist fascist group is using its sympathisers in media to plant fake
news, calling Ovais Sultan an agent of the RSS who wants to turn Anhad
into a “Muslim organisation”, which has no iota of truth and should be a
matter of shame for those who are propagating it. This has made it clear
how sincere are our liberal-secularist sympathisers. Let /milli/
organisations and well-wishers of Muslims realise that those we hold in
high esteem are in fact allergic to even our presence in their
programmes except as a crowd.
*5-8-18*
regards
Zafarul-Islam
On 09/08/2018 12:22, Dr Ram Puniyani wrote:
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: *shabnam hashmi* <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>
Date: Thu, Aug 9, 2018 at 12:12 PM
Subject: ANHAD STATEMENT : THE TRUTH ABOUT THE RESIGNATION
To: Shubha Menon <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>, Amrita Nandy
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>, Harsh
Mander <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>,
abanraza . <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>, mukhtar.
uri <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>
ANHAD STATEMENT
*THE TRUTH ABOUT THE RESIGNATION***
ANHAD was formed on March 6, 2003 in the aftermath of the 2002 carnage
in Gujarat. Witnessing the hate and atrocities on the ground Harsh
Mander, Shabnam Hashmi and KN Panikkar came together to form ANHAD to
ideologically challenge forces of divisiveness and to take the vision
of an equal, just and harmonious India to the people at large and the
young generation in particular.
Over 15,000 young people have undergone ANHAD’s democracy and
secularism training camps in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Odisha, J & K, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand and Rajasthan.
ANHAD worked at multiple levels from working in over 50 villages in
J&K, Mewat, Bihar at one time to organizing the first ever tribunal in
2008 challenging the narrative according to which innocent Muslim boys
were being targeted as terrorists. ANHAD provided livelihood to over
700 families after the earthquake in Kashmir and floods in Bihar
provided literacy and basic education to over 5000 women in Kashmir,
Mewat, Bihar, and Delhi.
ANHAD has celebrated India’s cultural diversity and engaged with
artists to create new repertoires of cultural expression around peace
and harmony. Anhad has traveled across India with Youth Aman Karwan (
2004) and Reservation Express ( 2010) for women 's political
participation reaching out to lakhs of young people and women.
Similarly Anhad traveled with artists' karwan to cities and villages.
ANHAD along with Janvikas was in the forefront of the fight for
providing the compensation to the victims of 2002 carnage, which took
5 long years.
ANHAD has stood up against the tyranny of the state on many occasions
when there was complete silence and atmosphere of fear.
ANHAD has been a hub of all activists and groups from across India
and has bubbled with energy and ideas and resistance. ANHAD was a
space that welcomed all. Everyone considered it their own and people
did not hesitate to enter it or being scrutinized before being helped
in any matter they brought to ANHAD.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS:
In June 2017 after deliberations, ANHAD's founding and other
senior trustees decided to move out and hand over the running of the
Trust to the next generation.
Aban Raza , Amrita Nandy , Dhruv Sangari , Leena Dabiru, Mukhtar
Sheikh, Ovais Sultan Khan and Shubha Menon took over the Trust in June
2017. Harsh Mander, KN Panikkar, Saeed Akhtar Mirza and Shabnam Hashmi
moved out. Shubha Menon, Aban Raza and Dhruv Sangari (managing trustee
at that time) who were inducted earlier, continued on the Trust. Dhruv
Sangari vacated the managing trustee 's post in favour of Ovais Sultan
Khan.
After one year, many friends of ANHAD felt that it would be good for a
few of the founding trustees to rejoin the Trust, at least for a
while, to ensure continuity of Anhad’s values along with change. A
meeting of the Trust was convened by the new trustees, which all
except Ovais Sultan Khan attended, despite notice and consent.
The trustees jointly decided to request Shabnam Hashmi and Harsh
Mander to rejoin the Trust. There was no proposal to ask Ovais Sultan
Khan to step down as Managing Trustee. The young and new trustees
would still be in a majority. Shabnam and Harsh agreed reluctantly to
join for a limited period to help the transition.
But Ovais Sultan Khan did not abide by the unanimous decision of the
remaining trustees and instead, three hours before the Trust meeting
unilaterally appointed two other trustees, whose names were never
discussed either in the trust or otherwise. Due to this, and the need
to sustain greater democratic functioning, along with a clear and
consistent adherence to the uncompromising secular politics that are
the hallmark of ANHAD, the trustees decided to not have him continue
as Managing Trustee and passed a resolution unanimously to that
effect. He would continue as a regular Trustee.
It was after this that Ovais Sultan Khan went public with his
resignation and his long and factually incorrect public statement,
which diverts from the real facts of what led to his exit from Anhad.
We do not want to get into any public dispute with Ovais. We reiterate
that we wish him the best. We believe our battles must be against
rising hate and division, and even with some differences, we are all
allies in this battle. Only the facts needed to be clarified, hence
this brief statement.
TRUSTEES:
Aban Raza
Amrita Nandy
Harsh Mander
Mukhtar Sheikh
Shabnam Hashmi
Shubha Menon
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