Tag Archives: Athar Hussain – Spokesperson – Indo Islamic Cultural Foundation

Ayodhya: Muslim Cleric Wins Panchayat Poll in Hindu-Dominated Village

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, , , , , , ,

Hafiz Azeemuddin is part of the only Muslim family in Rajanpur village.

Rajanpur Village (Ayodhya ), UTTAR PRADESH :

Hafiz Azeemuddin after winning the election. Photo: Special arrangement

Ayodhya: 

In an unprecedented show of brotherhood that reaffirms the syncretic soul of Ayodhya, a Muslim cleric who is part of a lone Muslim family in Hindu-dominated Rajanpur village in Ayodhya district won the gram pradhan election with a thumping margin, defeating six other candidates in the fray — all from the majority Hindu community.

Hafiz Azeemuddin, who considers the panchayat poll victory as his Eid gift, attributes his success to his Hindu brethren, who reposed faith in his leadership. This win, however small it may be, once again buried the concept of majority-minority vote-bank politics in what may be considered the symbolic epicentre of Hindutva — Ayodhya.

Azeemuddin and his 27 family members are the only Muslim voters in the village. He received 300 of the total 600 votes polled. “I am sure that of the 200 votes I secured, only 27 will be from Muslims – because in my village there are only 27 Muslim voters,” Azeemuddin told The Wire.

Rajanpur village, which comes under the Mawai police station area of Rudauli assembly constituency in Ayodhya district, has proved that bonhomie and trust between Hindus and Muslims continues to live on.

Azeemuddin is a farmer by profession and graduated from an Islamic madrasa. He also taught in a madrasa for ten years before moving on to take care of his family’s 50-bigha farm.

Reacting to this election result, where Hindu voters came together in favour of a Muslim candidate, Girish Rawat , a local, said, “This is an example of how the fabric of communal harmony is intrinsic to our society.”

“We have not voted on the base of religion, we have voted for the person who would be good for us. Despite being religious Hindus, we voted for a Muslim cleric. This shows to what extent our souls are secular,” said Shekhar Shau.

“It is a manifestation of our pluralism. It is quite obvious that our idea of a syncretic India survives despite all the odds. Let us strengthen such bonds of harmony and fraternity,” said Athar Hussain, secretary of the Ayodhya Mosque Trust.

source: http://www.thewire.in / The Wire / Home> Politics> Religion / by Arshad Afzal Khan / May 12th, 2021

Ayodhya’s Dhannipur mosque project launched with unfurling of tricolour on R-Day

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Travel & Tourism, World Opinion, , , , , , , , ,

Ayodhya, UTTAR PRADESH :

The Dhannipur project includes a mosque, hospital, museum, library, community kitchen, Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre and Publication House.

A plantation drive was also organised to mark the launch of the Dhannipur project(Sourced)
A plantation drive was also organised to mark the launch of the Dhannipur project (Sourced)

The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board (UPSCWB) formally launched the Dhannipur project on the allocated five-acre land at Dhannipur village of Ayodhya by hoisting the national flag and planting saplings to mark Republic Day celebrations on Tuesday.

The Dhannipur project includes a mosque, hospital, museum, library, community kitchen, Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre and Publication House. The land was allotted to UPSCWB in compliance with the Supreme Court directives in the Ayodhya title dispute case in which the apex court, on November 9, 2019, paved the way for construction of Ram temple at the disputed site.

“I believe there is no better way than to start the project by planting saplings on the five-acre land. The plantation was carried out in the area of the project meant to be developed as a green area. The area will have plants and trees from all different geographical regions of India and from different parts of the world in order to create awareness about the imminent threat of climate change,” said Athar Hussain, spokesperson for Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) which has been set up by UPSCWB to look after the construction of the Dhannipur project.

Senior members of the board along with the members of the IICF hoisted the flag at 8.30 am on the 5 acre land in Dhannipuur village. The flag hoisting was followed by plantation drive where members and trustees of IICF planted saplings.

On December 19, the trust had released the blueprint of the mosque and other structures designed by Professor SM Akhtar, a Lucknow-based architect and town planner, whom the trust has hired to design the mosque that would come up in Dhannipur in place of the Babri Masjid that was demolished in 1992.

Akhtar is the founder dean of the Faculty of Architecture at Jamia Milia University, Delhi.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> India News / by HT Correspondent / January 26th, 2021