Urdu writer Hanif Syed announced Rs one thousand award on book

Urdu writer Hanif Syed of Agra, India has announced Rs one thousand prize for the winner who successfully fills the riddle based on his book titled "Eesaar ki chhaon mein". Following is the form;

MP Chief Minister Chouhan’s efforts lauded by international panel

Ataullah Faizan

Bhopal, March 23, 2011

      It is gratifying that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s efforts for all round development and progress of the state have been lauded by International Development Committee comprising British Members Of Parliament, who met the Chief Minister at Mantralaya here recently and discussed implementation of the ongoing development programmes aided by the Department for International Development (DIFD) United Kingdom. The committee held discussions on the possibilities of cooperation in new areas in development sector.

      Referring to the Indo-British cooperation in development sector, the Chief Minister said that the spirit of cooperation was more important than financial assistance. He said that the state government was efficiently utilising the funds provided by the DFID and is spending in key areas of development from its own resources. Appreciating the technical support provided by the DFID, Chouhan said that the state government has fixed development priorities. Well designed initiatives are being implemented to reduce infant mortality and maternal mortality rates and eradicate malnourishment.

       Chouhan informed the committee members that the well-thought efforts of the state have kept growth rate above the national average growth rate and soon it would touch the double digit from 8.67 percent for which all efforts are being made.

      The committee members discussed about the state's policies and action plans to achieve the millennium development goals. The Chief Minister informed them about strategic steps in health and education sectors. About the newer avenues of cooperation,  Chouhan said that health and nutrition and good governance have immense possibilities. The Committee members appreciated the launching of Atal Child Health and Nutrition Mission.

      The Chief Minister apprised the committee members of the archaeological and natural beauties of the state. The committee included  Hugh Bayley,  Richard Burden and  Michael McCann of Labour Party UK,  Christopher White,  Pauline Latham  of Conservative Party UK,  Sam Sharpe Head of DFID India, Principal Secretary Finance  G. P. Sinhal, Director Institutional Finance  Nitesh Kumar Vyas, Secretary to C.M.  Anurag Jain Su Jaya Verma programme manager DFID and  Sanjay Sharma MP State representative DFID, were present.

It may be mentioned here that a five-year programme (2006-11), called the Madhya Pradesh Urban Services for the Poor (MPUSP) is being implemented with a financial aid of Rs 350 crore from DFID(Department For International Development) of the British government in the State. Nearly half of the funds of the DFID-assisted programme are being spent on development works.  The development works are being carried out in the slums of four cities, viz., Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore and Jabalpur. The remaining amount is being spent on carrying out slum improvement works in other urban local bodies (ULBs).

The objective of the MPUSP programme is to enhance the capacity of the chosen urban local bodies to deliver better services to the urban poor. Under this ambitious five-year programme introduced last year, the State government, with the cooperation of the urban local bodies, is carrying out a number of development works in the slums of the said four cities. MPUSP is working with ULBs and slum communities to improve water and sanitation services including waste collection and provide better roads, drains and streetlights. Further, under the programme, slums are selected in a participatory and transparent manner, of which the ULBs are the owners.

Non-government organisations are being supported to strengthen community partnership for improved livelihood and implementation of community-based projects. An important goal of MPUSP is to facilitate people’s access to government through the e-governance route and other delivery systems which will simplify the services. MPUSP’s activities have been designed to target the poorest and most vulnerable groups; further, co-ordination with the State government’s priorities as well as other urban programmes in the State are sought to be achieved. Moreover, MPUSP supports the pro-poor activities of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and other government and donor interventions.

Muslim Saleem special issue of Adabi Kiran periodical released

(From Left) Ataullah Faizan, Prof Afaq Ahmad, Mr. Laxmikant Sharma, Muslim Saleem and Yunus Makhmoor on the occasion of release of Adabi Kiran’s Muslim Saleem special issue.

Bhopal: March 18, 2011 (Abdul Ahad Farhan): Madhya Pradesh Culture and Public Relations Minister Mr Laxmikant Sharma released a special issue of Urdu periodical Adabi Kiran on noted Urdu poet and writer Muslim Saleem at his residence here. Those present on the occasion included famous Urdu critic Prof Afaq Ahmad, Muslim Saleem, Adabi Kiran’s editor Yunus Makhmoor and khojkhabarnews.com’s editor Ataullah Faizan. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Laxmikant Sharma said that Mr Muslim Saleem, who is a veteran journalist of English, Hindi and Urdu, has been penning poetry for the last 40 years. The collection of his poetry – Amad Amad – has been published recently. Mr Muslim Saleem’s ghazals are on offbeat subjects and he has made many a experiment in ghazal and has assimilated various new issues in his poetry.

In his address, Prof Afaq Ahmad said that Muslim Saleem’s poetry comes from the core of his heart and is connected to ground realities. He has added new dimensions to ghazal and has made the scope of this form of Urdu poetry, in which a poet has to say all in just two couplets. It is to the credit of Muslim Saleem that he has compacted larger thoughts in this cramped space.

Magazine’s editor Yunus Makhmoor said that through the special issue on Muslim Saleem, he has paid tributes to a sincere man and poet. Khojkhabarnews.com’s editor Ataullah Faizan said that he had launched this and other websites to highlight the poetry of his father –Muslim Saleem and these websites have evoked encouraging response.

At the conclusion, Yunus Makhmoor and Muslim Saleem expressed gratitude towards the Culture Minister for sparing precious time for the magazine’s release despite his very tight schedule in view of ongoing session of Madhya Pradesh Assembly.

Great gestures by CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Madhya Pradesh BJP president Prabhat Jha

By Ataullah Faizan

Bhopal, March 8, 2011

Arjun Singh was a great leader of Congress. He was thrice chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and was elected for the third term when he was shifted by the high command as governor of Punjab and then became Union human resource development minister. Arjun Singh died recently after prolonged illness at Delhi.

The death was indeed a setback for the Congress and not the opposition parties including BJP, which rules Madhya Pradesh. But showing great humanitarian gestures Madhya Pradesh chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan postponed the programmes of 52^nd birthday, which fell on the next day while state BJP president Prabhat Jha visited the state Congress headquarters to pay homage to the departed soul.

As soon as news of Arjun Singh’s death was flashed on Friday, the Madhya Pradesh government announced a three-day state mourning and declared holiday on the next day.

Though Arjun Singh belonged to the rival party, the BJP government headed by Shivraj Singh Chouhan decided to give full respect to him after his death. The chief minister usually celebrates his birthday on low-key. But this time, he cancelled even these low-key celebrations in honour of Arjun Singh. The only programmes Shivraj Singh Chouhan attended were that he went to old age homes and orphanages shared some moments with destitues and orphans as part of his birthday. This is indeed a great gesture by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. In my opinion, Congress and all other parties and their leaders must take inspiration from this grand gesture by the CM and stop politicking in such matters.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh BJP president Prabhat Jha set another great precedent by visiting the headquarters of state Congress to pay homage to Arjun Singh. It was for the first time that a president of a rival party had visited the office of another party in the history of Madhya Pradesh.

Other BJP leaders including Urban Administration and Development Minister Babulal Gaur and Bhopal MP Kailash Joshi, also a former chief minister, have also remembered Arjun Singh emotionally. Guar said: 'It is my personal loss. He was a national leader, an able administrator and my friend. He has given a lot to Madhya Pradesh in the field of education.'

Joshi said that despite their differences, Arjun Singh was always polite to him. 'Even after my differences with him on Churhat lottery issue, whenever he met me, it was with warmth. He respected public feeling and sorted out several issues very sensibly. The impact of his death will affect the state for a long time,' said Joshi, currently an MP.

It may be mentioned that Arjun Singh, 80, was three-time Congress chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. He first became chief minister June 8, 1980 and remained for full term till March 10, 1985. On his second term he took oath on March 11, 1985 but remained for one day only and the Congress replaced him with Motilal Vohra. Again on Feb 14, 1988 he became chief minister for the third time, this time his tenure lasted eleven months 10 days. He was the longest serving Congress chief minister after Digvijay Singh who completed two full terms.

Shamsur Rahman Faruqi plagiarises Dr. Abu Mohammad Sahar’s book

Shamsur Rahman Faruqi plagiarises

Dr. Abu Mohammad Sahar’s book

Shamsur Rahman Faruqi may be a big name in Urdu criticism but a new book has exposed him over the matters lifted by him to write his books and articles. It is alleged  Shamsur Rahman Faruqi has been lifting material from various articles and books and then presenting them in somewhat new shape to own credit of the original idea. The most glaring example, is lifting of matter from the famous book of Dr Abu Mohammad Sahar titled “Urdu Imla Aur Uski Islaah’.The plagiarism came to light when Shamsur Rehman Faruqui’s book “Urdu Ka Ibtidai Zamana” was published. Soon after, literary persons of Bhopal raised a hue and cry over the matter. Some people even wanted to sue Shamsur Rehman Faruqui for copyright infringement but Dr Abu Mohammad Sahar, who was a saintly person, prevented them doing so. Interestingly, Shamsur Rehman Farqui had admitted that his book “Urdu Ka Ibtidai Zamana”  is akin to the book of Dr Abu Mohammad Sahar. He had made this admission in the year 2003 in a letter to Dr Saifi Sironji, the editor of trimonthly Intesab, published from Sirong. This letter has been published in Sada-e-Urdu, Bhopal, edited by short story writer Naeem Kausar. In the letter, Faruqui had written that he did not know that a similar book by Dr. Abu Mohammad Sahar was in existence and he came to know of it only after publication of his (Faruqui’s) book. He said that he would make a mention of it in the book being published in E0nglish (Which he later did, though under pressure after being exposed). Here is the transliteration of the letter by Faruqui, admitting his plagiarism, which throws light on plagiarism-like activities of Faruqui, who has been unfortunately bestowed with top Urdu literary awards in India, Pakistan and abroad. Due to his manipulations and manoevring Faruqui has established himself as a ‘great’ writer and critic. But in the process he has stooped too low. This is despite that fact he Faruqui was most vocal against Gopichand Narnag, whom he had alleged of plagiarism.

Shamsur Rehman Faruqui to Dr Saifi Sironji.

Aap ka taaza shumaara abhi mila. Is shumare ke sufha number 204 par aap ne bradaram mukarram professor Abu Mohammad Sahar ki kitab par tabsira karte huey bilkul durust likha hai ke unhon nay is kitab mein Urdu-Hindi ke mas’ale say muta’alliq baaz haqaaiq meri kitab “Urdu ka ibtidai zamana” kay shaya honay say pehlay bayaan kar diye thay. Koi shak naheen ko baaz baton mein un ko awwaliyat haasil hai. Meri kotahi aur laa ilmi thi ko mein nay unkaa mazmoon us waqt na padhaa tha jab wo awwalan shaya huaa tha aur unki kitab mein nay tab dekhi jab meri kitaab chhap chuki thi. Main nay apni kitaab kay angrezi roop mein (jo zer-e-taba hai) Abu Mohammad Sahar Sahib ko munasib khiraj-e-aqeedat pesh kar diya hai. Meri kitab ka zer-e-bahas hissa “shab khoon” mein chhap chukka tha. Lekin Abu Mohammad Sahar Sahib ki be-niyazi dekhiye ko unhon nay us waqt mujhe mutawajjah na kiya ke tum meri tehrir to dekh lo. Ab kitab milnay par main nay un say ihtijaaj kiya to us mard-e-darwesh ne kaha ke koi baat naheen. Aap munasib mauqe par eiteraaf kar dein. Eitezaar ghair zaroori hai.

(Taken from monthly Intesab, volume 43 December 2000).

Union budgets disappoint Madhya Pradesh

By Ataullah Faizan

Bhopal: March 2, 2011

Both the Union Budget and Railway Budget have grossly neglected Madhya Pradesh and therefore people of Madhya Pradesh find them disappointing. People in general described the Union Budget as completely disappointing, directionless and suffers ad-hocism. They feel said that the Union Budget does not offer solutions to existing problems, especially inflation.

The provision of seven per cent rate of interest on farm loans gives no relief to farmers and the provision of lowering it to four percent for timely repayment is also negligible. People are of the view that the Union Government should lower it to one per cent as done in Madhya Pradesh.

The allocation for Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana was negligible and would not resolve farmers' problems. Keeping in view multiple problems plaguing the farm sector, the increase is inadequate.

The 17 per cent increase in social security head is insufficient in view of increasing number of the poor. The limit of income tax to Rs 1.80 lakh could have been extended to three lakh considering high inflation.

Besides, there was no special package for the backward and developing states while Madhya Pradesh demanded special package for inclusive development of Vindhya and Mahakoshal regions.

The Budget does not mention adequate provision for Bharat Nirman, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan or Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. States lack sufficient resources for implementing the Right to Education Act. The Budget does not mention anything special about this.

In fact, the 9 per cent growth rate has no meaning until benefits reach out to the common people. No concrete steps have been mentioned to combat the problem of black money. The Budget does not give any hope to the common people, farming community, women and the poor. The increase ambit of service tax will finally cause the financial burden to common people.

Similarly, Union Rail Budget presented in the Lok Sabha on Friday has also been disappointing for Madhya Pradesh the. Justice to Madhya Pradesh has been eluded by ignoring its interests.

Madhya Pradesh is a progressive state that requires expansion of transport infrastructure. But the density of railway lines is low. Districts that are strategically important in terms of faster industrial development remain without railway facilities.
Madhya Pradesh has been drawing attention of the Union Railway Ministry towards the need of expansion of railway facilities in Madhya Pradesh for last five-six years but interests were being ignored.

There were great expectations from this year's Rail Budget, but they have not been fulfilled. Madhya Pradesh is the heart of Incredible India and deserves top priority. What the Union Railway Budget offers is far from satisfaction. Paying special attention to a particular state and ignoring other states brings disgrace to the dignity of Centre-State relations.
Madhya Pradesh had demanded extension of Satna rail line up to Mirzapur, conversion of Jabalpur-Gondia route, construction of Bopal-Ramganj Mandi new rail line, extending Rajkot Express to Rewa, extending Shaktipunj Express to Bhopal, laying of Bhind-Koch track, stoppage of Shatabdi Express at Bina, Indore-Mumbai and Delhi-Mumbai rail facilities and train for Biohari-Katni-Bina via Singrauli and Bhopal-Singrauli train. These demands have been ignored in the Railway Budget.