British Muslim population could double in 20 years

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London, 31 Jan: THE population of Muslims in Britain could almost double to 5.5 million within 20 years, according to new research. According to a worldwide study by a Washington think-tank the growth will mainly be driven by immigration, reports Christian Messenger.

Pew Research Center researchers have made projections that the world’s Muslim population could increase by about 35 per cent over the next two decades.

The report noted that today the number of Muslims make up 4.6 per cent of the population in the UK. However, Pew researchers predict an increase to more than eight per cent by 2030.

Speaking about the Muslim share of the population, the report said: “The greatest increases – driven primarily by continued migration – are likely to occur in Western and Northern Europe, where Muslims will be approaching double-digit percentages of the population in several countries”.

The Pew report also cited high birth rates. It said that “generally, Muslim populations tend to have higher fertility rates (more children per woman) than non-Muslim populations”.

A survey conducted last year revealed that most Britons are concerned about the growing influence of Islam in the UK and believe that Islam is dividing the nation.

The annual British Social Attitudes survey found that 52 per cent of the population believe that Britain is deeply divided along religious lines, with just one in four people feeling positive about Islam.

The survey also revealed that 55 per cent of the population would be strongly opposed if a large mosque was built in their area. The results suggest that unhappiness over the influence of Islam is now a matter of national concern. (Writer-South Asia)

BJP, Kashmir and Article 370

Srinagar, Jan. 30: It is impossible to think of abrogation. It can’t be amended by taking recourse to the usual provision of amendment provided by the Constitution of India, article Zahoor Hussain Bhat in Rissing Kashmir.

At the time of partition of Indian Subcontinent, India was conceived as a federation of States. Upon the creation of the independent Dominion of India, the princely States of the erstwhile British India were offered the choice to join either the Dominion of India or the Dominion of Pakistan.

 A third alternative of remaining independent of the two Dominion was also offered by the Dominion Power. In case of Jammu and Kashmir the Maharaja of Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession to the Dominion of India. Under this Instrument, he surrendered the jurisdiction of three subjects-Defence, External Affairs and Communications. This action of the Maharaja was endorsed by the premier Political Party of the State, National Conference. The accession of the State thus established and was given legal and constitutional validity and sanction by the incorporation of Article 370 in the Indian constitution which defined the State’s special relationship with India.

The State is yet to recover from 2010 shock that has consumed its economy and lives. Now the BJP desires to set the Valley on fire again. The plan to hoist tricolor at Lal Chowk by BJP Youth Wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha’s (BJYM) has already started a war of words with separatists, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah sees it as an unnecessary provocation. Ironically BJYM Chief Anuraj Thakur said, “Tensions were created because of stone pelting incidents. Many soldiers of the country were wounded. Was there no tension then? We are hoisting the flag for national integration. We want Article 370 to go and Jammu and Kashmir to be fully integrated with India.” This clash is nothing but of egos.           

BJP may hoist the tricolor at the historic Lal Chowk but it is impossible to think of abrogation of Article 370. Article 370 can not be abrogated or amended by taking recourse to the amending provisions of the Constitution which apply to all the other states because Article 368 has a proviso that says no constitutional amendment “shall have effect in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir” unless applied by order of the President under Article 370. That requires first the concurrence of the State government and subsequent ratification by its Constituent Assembly.

Article 370 of the Constitution is reproduced for the readers;
370. Temporary Provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir
(1) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution.
(a) the provisions of article 238 shall not apply in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir;
(b) the power of Parliament to make laws for the said State shall be limited to;
(i) those matters in the Union list and the Concurrent list which, in consultation with the Government of the State, are declared by the President to correspond to matter specified in the Instrument of Accession governing the accession of the State to the Dominion of India as the matter with respect to which the Dominion Legislature may make laws for that State;
(ii) such other matters in the said lists, as, with the concurrence of the Government of the State, the President may by order specify.
Explanation: For the purpose of this article, the Government of the State means the person for the time being recognised by the Presidents the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir acting on the advice of the Council of Ministers for the time being in office under the Maharaja’s Proclamation dated the fifth day of March, 1948;
(c) the provisions of article 1 and of this article shall apply in relation to that State;
(d) such of the other provisions of this Constitution shall apply in relation to that State subjects to such exceptions and modifications as the President may by order specify:
Provided that no such order which relates to the matters specified in the Instrument of Accession of the State referred to in paragraph (i) of sub-clause (b) shall be issued except in consultation with the Government of the State:
Provided further that no such order which relates to matters other than those referred to in the last preceding proviso shall be issued except with the concurrence of that Government.
(2) If the concurrence of the Government of the State referred to in paragraph (ii) of sub-clause (b) of clause (1) or in the second proviso to sub-clause (d) of the clause be given before the Constituent Assembly for the purpose of framing the Constitution of the State is convened, it shall be placed before such Assembly for such decision as it may take thereon.
(3) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this article, the President may, by public notification, declare that this article shall cease to be operative or shall be operative only with such exceptions and modifications and from such date as he may specify:
Provided that the recommendation of the Constituent Assembly of the State referred to in clause (2) shall be necessary before the President issues such a notification.

A careful study of the text reveals six special provisions for Jammu and Kashmir:

First, it exempted the State totally from the provisions of the Constitution of India providing for the governance of the States. It was allowed to have own constitution within the Indian Union.

Second, Parliament’s legislative power over the State was restricted to three subjects defence, external affairs and communications. The President could extend to it other provisions of the Constitution to provide a constitutional framework if they related to the matters specified in the Instrument of Accession. For all this, only “consultation” with the State Government was required since the State had already accepted them in 1947 by the Instrument of Accession.

Third, if other “constitutional” provisions and other Union powers are to be extended to the State of Jammu and Kashmir the prior “concurrence” of the State Government was required.

The fourth feature is that even that concurrence alone did not suffice. It had to be ratified by the State’s Constituent Assembly. This is often overlooked. Article 370 (2) says clearly: “If the concurrence of the Government of the State be given before the constituent assembly for the purpose of framing the Constitution of the State is convened, it shall be place before such Assembly for such decision as it may take thereon.”
The fifth feature is that the State Government’s authority to give the “concurrence” lasts only the State’s Constituent Assembly is “convened”. It is an “interim” power. Once the Constituent Assembly met, the State Government can not give its own “concurrence”. Still less, after the Assembly met ad dispersed. Moreover, the President can not exercise his power to extend the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir indefinitely. The power has to stop at the point the State’s Constituent Assembly drafted the State’s Constitution and decided finally what additional subjects to confer on the Union and what other provisions of the Constitution of India it should get extended to the State rather than having their counterparts embodied in the State Constitution itself. Once the State’s Constituent Assembly has finalised the scheme and dispersed, the President’s extending powers ended completely.

The sixth special feature the last step in the process, is that Article 370 empowers the President to make an order abrogating or amending it. But for this, also “the recommendation” of the State’s Constituent Assembly “shall be necessary before the President issues such a notification”.Writer can be contacted at:  zahoorbhat786@yahoo.in

After Blair's conversion to Catholicism, his sister in law says: I'm a Muslim

Conversion: Lauren booth chose to become a Muslim after a holy experience at a shrine in Iran

By David Wilkes
London : It could certainly make family get-togethers interesting. Tony Blair’s sister-in-law Lauren Booth has converted to Islam. The former prime minister is also a religious convert – he became a Roman Catholic after leaving office in 2007.

Miss Booth, who is Cherie Blair’s half sister, decided to adopt her new faith after what she described as a holy experience in Iran.

She now covers her head with a hijab when she leaves home, has given up alcohol and visits a mosque ‘when she can’.

The 43-year-old mother of two, who has long sympathised with the Muslim cause, described how she had a religious awakening six weeks ago on a visit to a shrine in the Iranian holy city of Qom.

‘I sat down and felt this shot of spiritual morphine, just absolute bliss and joy,’ she said. The former reality TV contestant decided to convert immediately on her return to Britain.

‘I always felt that the ummah [Muslim community] is a very loving, peaceful place and I am proud to be a member of it,’ she said.

Miss Booth, also a journalist and human rights campaigner, has stopped eating pork, reads the Koran every day and has not ruled out wearing a burka in the future.

‘I also haven’t had a drink in 45 days, the longest period in 25 years,’ she said. ‘The strange thing is that since I decided to convert I haven’t wanted to touch alcohol, and I was someone who craved a glass of wine or two at the end of a day.’

Miss Booth works for Press TV, the English-language Iranian news channel, and has worn a head scarf on screen. She announced her conversion at the Global Peace and Unity Event in London on Saturday. To cheers, she said: ‘What I wanted to share with you today is that I am Lauren Booth and I am a Muslim.’

Miss Booth’s conversion follows a turbulent time in her personal life, during which her marriage to actor Craig Darby hit the rocks. She described publicly how she had fallen on hard times and was being forced to return to Britain after six years in rural France with her family.

Miss Booth was a vocal opponent of the Iraq war and recently criticised Mr Blair, accusing him of bias towards Israel.

She said: ‘Your world view is that Muslims, are mad, bad, dangerous to know. A contagion to be contained.’Her conversion was welcomed on Muslim internet forums. One post read: ‘Now a war criminal has an innocent sister in law! God bless her!’

But not all the comments were so favourable. Another read: ‘Lauren Booth craves attention, that’s all.’

Plight of ‘kind Muslim man’ wrongly held for Mecca Masjid led Swami to confess: Police

Mumabi, Jan 27: Investigators claimed that a curious change of heart led Swami Aseemanand, 58, arrested for his involvement in the Mecca Masjid blast, to reveal details of the conspiracy behind five major blasts, including the February 2007 attack on the Samjhauta Express.

Key to this, senior officials said, was Aseemanand’s interaction with a 21-year-old he met in Chanchalaguda Jail, Hyderabad, during his judicial custody in November-December last year.

The man, Sheikh Abdul Khaleem, was among 15 arrested earlier by the Hyderabad Police investigating the Mecca Masjid blast. On November 13, 2008, The Indian Express reported that an Andhra Pradesh government panel had confirmed that these Muslim men, picked up for the Mecca Masjid blast of May 18, 2007 and the Lumbini Park and Gokul Chaat House blasts of August 26 that year, were tortured for as long as six months.

Khaleem, 19 then and working as a lab technician, was arrested soon after. According to the panel’s report, he was blindfolded and taken to an unknown destination, beaten on the soles of his feet, stripped and then administered shots through a “small machine”.

Aseemanand was arrested on November 19 last year from Haridwar in Uttarakhand, after he had changed location over 30 times, travelling across several states over two years to evade arrest. According to investigators, he was “not cooperating” in the initial days after his arrest.

Though he was in the CBI’s custody for a few days in between, he spent most of the period from November 20 to December 24 in judicial custody, in solitary confinement in Chanchalaguda Jail where nearly 70 per cent of the inmates are Muslim. It was here that Aseemanand came in touch with Khaleem.

Blast-accused Muslim praises Aseemanand, calls him 'great'
Woh bahut great hain. It takes a lot of courage to accept your mistakes, admit guilt. Not everyone can do it. Even when we were in jail together, I felt he was a good man,” Abdul Kaleem, 23, a Mecca Masjid blast accused, said on Monday following his release on bail.

He was referring to Swami Aseemanand who is reported to have confessed to his involvement in the Mecca Masjid blast of May 18, 2007. Kaleem was arrested as a suspect in the case and spent one-and-a-half-years in jail before all charges were quashed by a court and set free.

On October 12, 2010, Kaleem was arrested again at Cherlapally Jail on charges of trying to pass a mobile phone to his jailed brother Abdul Khaja alias Amjad, an alleged terror operative who was arrested from Chennai in January 2010.

“The first time I saw Aseemanand was about a month-and- a-half ago and I was not aware why he was in jail. He was in the cell next to mine, we started talking on and off when we came across each other in the courtyard. A few days later, I came to know that he was arrested in the Mecca Masjid blast case,” Kaleem says.