Indian Actress Swara Bhasker Slams ‘Kashmir Files’ Director for Calling ALT News Co-Founder, Mohammed Zubair, a ‘Jihadi Pimp’
New
Age Islam News Bureau
27
February 2023
• Poisoning
Of Schoolgirls Aims To ‘Shut Girls’ Education’ In Iran: Official
• Dubai
Police’s all-Women SWAT Team Shines in Showdown
• Teen
Pregnancies in Sarawak on Downward Trend since 2016, Says State Minister
• Jamia
Millia Islamia Named Its Daycare Centre After Gerda Philipsborn A Founding
Member Who Fled From Germany When The Nazis Came To PowerAfghan women launched
Women’s Revolution Movement in Kabul
• Women
Open Center in Herat to Teach Sewing
• Iran
Releases Spanish Woman Jailed Over Amini Protests
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/actress-swara-kashmir-alt-jihadi/d/129209
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Indian
Actress Swara Bhasker Slams ‘Kashmir Files’ Director for Calling ALT News
Co-Founder, Mohammed Zubair, a ‘Jihadi Pimp’
Swara
Bhasker and Vivek Agnihotri
------
25th
February 2023
Mumtaz
Hussain Bhat
Mumbai:
‘The Kashmir Files’ director Vivek Agnihotri has remained in the controversies
since the release of the film. Various prominent Bollywood personalities and
intellectuals have openly criticised the film. Vivek is now again hitting the
headlines for mistaking the recent award with the prestigious award Dada Saheb
Phalke. Actually, a Muslim journalist and filmmaker’s conversation on Twitter
took a communal turn after latter called former a ‘Jihadi Pimp.’ The journalist
is ALT News co-founder Mohammed Zubair.
Most
people either extended their support to the filmmaker or journalist but what
grabbed eyeballs is Swara Bhasker’s tweet. Swara, who is married to a Muslim
politician Fahad Ahmad, took to Twitter to bash the filmmaker for ‘name
calling’ and ‘accusing’ Indian Muslims for their religion.
She
tweeted, “Vivek Agnihotri name-calling, swearing at, accusing Muslim citizens
on public platforms simply because they are Muslim is a glaring example of how
vile, poisoned, bigoted & majoritarian our public discourse has become in
‘New India’. Sickening.”
Vivek
Agnihotri had earlier shared photos from Dadasaheb Phalke International Awards
where his film The Kashmir Files won the ‘Best Film’ award. He was called out
for mentioning Dada Saheb Awards instead of Dadasaheb Phalke International
Awards which is altogether a different award show.
The
filmmaker tweeted that he hate it when puncture repairers pretend to be fact
checkers after Zubair tried to tell him the difference between the two award
shows. Filmmakers tweet reads, “No, my dear… I don’t hate fact-checkers, I hate
when puncture repairers pretend to be fact checkers. Because you are nothing
but just a jehadi pimp of India’s enemies & I know very well who is behind
you. Har jihadi ka waqt aata hai aur tera waqt jaldi aane wala hai. Sambhal ke
raho.”
Journalist
Zubair then replied to Vivek Agnihotri, “The words used by you shows your hate
towards the Muslim community. DON’T DELETE THIS. Let the World know.” He
further re-tweeted the same and then wrote, “Words like “Jihadi” or “Puncture
wala” against Muslims were earlier used by faceless Right Wing trolls, It’s now
openly being used by Verified trolls like @vivekagnihotri.”
Source:
Siasat Daily
https://www.siasat.com/swara-bhasker-slams-vivek-agnihotri-for-insulting-muslim-journalist-2534741/
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Poisoning
Of Schoolgirls Aims To ‘Shut Girls’ Education’ In Iran: Official
Protesters
shout slogans during a demonstration following the death of Mahsa Amini in
Iran, in Istanbul, Turkey, October 2, 2022 (Photo: Reuters/File)
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26.02.2023
TEHRAN,
Iran
The
poisoning of schoolgirls in central Iran's Qom city, which has snowballed into
a grave public health issue in recent months, got a new twist on Sunday with an
official saying it was aimed at "shutting girls’ education".
Deputy
Health Minister Younes Panahi told a press conference in the northeastern city
of Mashhad that some people were poisoning schoolgirls in Qom to disrupt their
education, state media reported.
Hundreds
of schoolgirls have been hospitalized in the city of Qom, a popular pilgrim
site in central Iran, in recent months in what has been described as a wave of
mysterious illness.
Although
many parents had suspected "poisoning" as the cause of their sudden
hospitalization, authorities investigating the issue found no evidence so far.
Last
week, there were protests outside the provincial governor's office in Qom, with
parents seeking an "explanation" from the authorities.
In
the latest incident reported by local media last week, at least 15 schoolgirls
were admitted to a hospital in Qom after complaining of respiratory problems.
The
first incident was reported in November last year when at least 18 schoolgirls
were transferred to a hospital in Qom after complaining of symptoms such as
nausea, breathing problems, cough and body pain.
Last
week, Iran's prosecutor general Mohammad Jafar Montazeri ordered a judicial
probe into the mysterious illness. The result is still awaited.
"After
the poisoning of several students in Qom schools, it became clear that some
people wanted all schools, especially girls' schools, to be closed,"
Panahi said in statements cited by state news agency IRNA.
Panahi,
a member of the investigating committee, added that the poisoning of
schoolgirls was caused by "chemical compounds" that are not
contagious or communicable.
He
also ruled out "external causes" of the poisoning, saying there is no
credible evidence to suggest that.
It
comes after months of protests in the country that were marred by violence. The
unrest was sparked by the death of a 22-year-old Iranian woman while in police
custody in mid-September.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Dubai
Police’s all-Women SWAT Team Shines In Showdown
February
26, 2023
Dubai:
With their “remarkable endurance, exceptional skills, and impressive
performance”, the all-female SWAT team of the Dubai Police wowed police
leaders, SWAT teams, and spectators during the fourth edition of the UAE SWAT
Challenge 2023 in Al Ruwayyah, Dubai.
The
only women’s team participating in the challenge firmly established their
presence and proved their capability to compete fiercely in all competitions,
especially those designed for all-men SWAT teams.
Leaders
of Special and Tactical Teams participating in the challenge commended the
Dubai Police Women’s Team for their excellent preparation and outstanding
performance during the competition. They affirmed that the competition
showcased Dubai Police’s all-women team’s exceptional shooting skills,
disciplined approach, effective teamwork, and raiding proficiency.
Readiness
Lieutenant
Colonel Yahya Sultan Al Binali, who led the Bahraini team in the UAE SWAT
challenge, praised the exceptional readiness of the women’s SWAT team. He
expressed his admiration, stating that he had watched a short film about the
UAE SWAT Challenge in the cinema before the event and observed the women’s team
during raid scenes. He was impressed by their professionalism in using weapons,
movement, and raiding. Later, he discovered that the women’s team was
participating in the challenge, which took him by surprise.
According
to Lt Col Al Binali, the participation and performance of the women’s SWAT team
took all the other SWAT teams by surprise. He noted that the Dubai Police had
exceptional trainers and experienced coaches, which had a positive impact on
the team’s readiness and performance, enabling them to qualify for all
competitions. Lt Col Al Binali commended the team’s performance, stating that
they deserved praise and admiration from all and adding that he would share this
experience in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
‘Dark
Horse’
The
coach of the Internal Security Forces team in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 1st
Sergeant Saad bin Ayed Al Ghamdi, praised the remarkable performance of the
Dubai Police women’s SWAT team. He referred to the team as the “Dark Horse” of
the competition and noted their exceptional training, discipline, and
persistence, which led to record-breaking results.
Al
Ghamdi said the women’s SWAT team was the standout performer of the competition
and had earned the respect and trust of everyone involved.
“Dubai
Police’ all-women team was surely the ‘diamond’ of the challenge” he said.
‘Strength
& Harmony’
Superintendent
Muhammad Altazi, head of the Moroccan SWAT delegation participating in the UAE
SWAT challenge, stated that this was their first time participating in the
competition. However, the performance of the Dubai Women’s Police team caught
their attention.
“The
all-women team demonstrated solid and harmonious teamwork and worked with the
spirit of unity, which was extremely impressive,” he said.
Breaking
prejudice
Milos
Rakonjac, the Police Director Assistant for the Special Purpose Task Police of
Montenegro, acknowledged that the women’s team’s results were impressive, and
their exceptional performance in the competition challenged certain
misconceptions about the role of women in SWAT tactical teams and their
responsibilities in law enforcement.
“I
would like to take this opportunity to express my great gratitude to the Dubai
Police for qualifying and equipping this team, who showed readiness and
excellent tactical shooting skills as evident from their achieved results,” he
concluded.
“The
performance of the Dubai Police All-Women SWAT team was stunning, and the
achieved results are not easy in the various competitions, especially in a
competition designed for men’s specialized teams,” said Burim Kadrijag, a
member of the New York Police SWAT Team.
Kadrijag
was particularly impressed that “neither distances nor weights were reduced for
the Women’s SWAT team during the challenge, they competed equally to men.” He
concluded by emphasizing the team’s remarkable equality in the competition.
Tactical
presence
Ruy
Mello, Head of the Sao Paulo Police Team - Brazil, said: “It is wonderful to
see women competing in a field traditionally dominated by men’s SWAT teams.
They showed an outstanding performance”. “We noticed that the women’s team was
physically and tactically present when performing great tasks; their results
were amazing in many competitions,” he added.
Team
spirit
Andreian
Balpongo Bronales, director of the Philippine National Police SWAT, confirmed
that the Dubai Police Women’s Team own distinguished skills and work with one
team spirit during various competitions. He indicated that the team had proven
their capabilities and readiness to compete in various types of competitions,
congratulating Dubai Police for training and equipping such a remarkable team.
Source:
Gulf News
https://gulfnews.com/uae/dubai-polices-all-women-swat-team-shines-in-showdown-1.94107691
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Teen
Pregnancies In Sarawak On Downward Trend Since 2016, Says State Minister
26
Feb 2023
KUCHING,
Feb 26 — Sarawak recorded a 5.36 per cent decrease in teenage pregnancies last
year, from 1,623 cases in 2021.
In
revealing this, Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister
Datuk Sri Fatimah Abdullah said based on state Health Department statistics,
such cases have been on a downward trend since 2016.
“The
number of teenage pregnancies has gone down by 38.09 per cent between 2016 and
2022 — from 2,481 cases in 2016 to 1,536 cases in 2022.
“New
antenatal cases of teenagers also show a decrease of 1.6 per cent from 6.4 per
cent in 2016 and 4.8 per cent in 2022,” she said at ‘Wanita Calon Syurga’ talk
held at the Islamic Information Centre here Friday.
On
the breakdown of cases according to ethnicity, Fatimah said 49.3 per cent of
teen pregnancies recorded in 2022 involved Ibans, followed by Malays (21.4 per
cent), Chinese (7.3 per cent) and Bidayuh (7.2 per cent).
Meanwhile,
she said there was a drop in the number of divorces among Muslims in 2020 at
1,053 cases compared to 2,998 in 2019, and 2,781 in 2018.
For
Muslim marriages, there were 10,676 in 2018, 10,562 in 2019, and 10,912 in
2020, she added.
As
for civil marriages, Fatimah said there was a steep drop in 2020 with only
6,998 marriages compared to 8,468 in 2019, and 8,054 in 2018.
Civil
divorces also showed a decrease in 2020 with 1,261 cases compared to 1,408 the
year before, and 1,078 in 2018.
For
customary marriages, there was an increase in 2022 with 2,084 compared to 1,560
in 2021, and 2,134 in 2022. The divorce rate for this group was the highest in
2022 with 1,210 cases compared to 731 in 2021, and 1,149 in 2020.
Also
present at the talk were Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim)
Sarawak director Hamdan Jaree. — Borneo Post
Source:
Malay Mail
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Jamia
Millia Islamia Named Its Daycare Centre After Gerda Philipsborn A Founding
Member Who Fled From Germany When The Nazis Came To Power
Nehal
Ahmed
27.02.23
Jamia
Millia Islamia, one of the heritage universities of our country, last year
celebrated its 102nd foundation day. Gerda Philipsborn was a founding member of
Jamia who fled from Germany when the Nazis came to power. Her biggest
contribution to the university was to take care of young children. To
commemorate her, Jamia named its daycare centre after her.
Comparing
Suhra Hasan to Gerda Philipsborn may be a stretch, but Suhra somewhere touches
the motive of Gerda’s foundational ideas. She hails from a village in Kerala,
from a family that was expected to marry her off before the age of 20. She
fought with her family and a patriarchal society at large to pursue higher
education, overcoming many hurdles.
She
does not call them hurdles, though, but serendipity. However, for a Muslim girl
reaching college and university was a dream, mainly because of compromised
economic conditions and societal and religious pressure.
What
is tougher? Being a woman in our society, being married, being a mother, being a PhD scholar? Suhra is
everything: a married woman, a mother, a scholar who recently finished her PhD
at my university, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
Mother
scholar
Suhra
joined Jamia for her PhD in 2015. She met her future husband on campus and got
married in 2017, giving birth to a daughter in 2019. Usually, couples practise
family planning according to comfort, affordability, etc, but Suhra planned
everything around her PhD schedule.
She
planned to be pregnant after fieldwork in Kerala because that needed a lot of
travelling. Transcribing the fieldwork can be done sitting at home, and Suhra
mentally prepared herself to go through her pregnancy during this phase because
there would be less need to go out.
But
nothing went to plan, and she had to take her daughter to fieldwork in unknown
places in Kerala, meeting new people and exploring other dimensions of research
work. “Nothing went according to plan; everything happened simultaneously,”
Suhra says.
She
had become pregnant in her third year of PhD, and had to visit the university
to make use of the library. It was a bit awkward for her initially because this
was something new on the campus. The BA students, in particular, would stare at
her.
But
it all turned out beautifully — people started giving her extra support, which
encouraged her to be on campus during her pregnancy. Even the security guards
gave her tips on how to take care of herself and what to eat during this time.
She returned to her home in Kerala in the ninth month of pregnancy and took six
months of maternity leave.
She
returned to campus when her daughter was five months old. She did not have
anyone to help her raise the child. She and her husband raised her while doing
their PhD work.
The
recent trailer of Anjali Menon’s film Wonder Woman has the line that “it takes
a village to raise a child”, but in Suhra’s case it took a university to raise
a child. “My pregnancy, my baby, my husband never become a hurdle to my PhD,”
Suhra says.
Supervisor
For
a PhD scholar, choosing a good supervisor is most important. Suhra got a very
good supervisor who helped her with everything.
“Pregnancy
is not a disease; it is something very beautiful. You are giving birth to a
human, so rather than feel awkward, make good use of this time because once you
give birth, you won’t have much time to study,” she advised Suhra.
Suhra
lived up to the advice and made good use of her time on campus, where friends
helped her with food and reminded her to take her walks and drink juice, etc.
Her
husband, also being a scholar, had a busy schedule and his meetings collided
with Suhra’s. So her supervisor made a comfortable space for the baby in her
cabin where she brought toys and stationery. So, along with supervising her
students on research, she also babysat.
Gender
roles
Suhra’s
husband managed to be a part of the baby’s care. But Suhra believed that in the
initial stages, a baby needs its mother more than anything else, and considered
herself the primary parent to some degree. But in the past one year, during her
PhD submission, her husband became the primary parent. He played with the baby
outside the library while Suhra studied late. She would step out of the library
in time to feed her.
Talking
about her husband’s support, she says: “I know we should not glorify the
parenting responsibilities he has taken but considering the patriarchal set-up
we are raised in, and the conditioning we have received, his role as a primary
parent is immense while my presence was limited to nights.”
Umm-e-Alaa
Umm-e-Alaa
is Suhra’s Instagram handle. Alaa is her daughter’s name, and Umme-Alaa means
“daughter of Alaa”. Her daughter has given her a new identity: on campus,
people know her daughter more than Suhra.
Suhra’s
friends keep saying stuff like “Alaa’s first walk was in Jamia”. Suhra says:
“For us, Jamia is a university but for her, it is home.”
The
child is familiar with all the places on campus because she has friends
everywhere. Suhra writes messages on social media about her work on campus and
asks people to babysit. Many come and spend time with Alaa, and that is how she
(Alaa) became friends with so many people from different regions of the
country.
Alaa
loves the place. She has her own accreditation to departments and libraries.
Jamia has a statue of Mirza Ghalib with a book in hand. Alaa calls him “Uppappa
(grandfather) with the book”, her mother’s department “Ummichi’s Mam’s House”,
and her father’s department “Vaappachi’s Mam’s House”.
Suhra
has given her a childhood without compartmentalised relationships. For Alaa,
the whole university is family, and when she goes back home she is unable to
understand the concepts of “our family” and “their family”.
“Often
people ask me whether it is having a child that took me longer to do my PhD.
But I would say pregnancy and childbirth have been instrumental to facilitating
my research,” Suhra says.
“I
was in the field for data collection during my pregnancy and resumed fieldwork
when Alaa was three months old. My daughter’s presence acted as a research tool
that made rapport-building with families of prisoners easier. The motherhood
identity acted as a cushion, and I was met with empathy by those families.”
At
last, when I ask about her PhD journey, Suhra says: “My thesis is also her
thesis.”
Source:
Telegraph India
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Women
Open Center in Herat to Teach Sewing
By
Nasir Ahmad Salehi
A
women's tailoring training facility has been created by two sisters in the
province of Herat for young women who have been denied access to education.
"We
have more than sixty students here, which includes housewives, girls, and
university students,” said Yalda Yousefi, the head of the sewing school.
Girls
studying at the center asked the Islamic Emirate to reopen schools and
universities for girls in the country.
"Girls
can continue their education if schools and universities are opened to them.
They should be allowed to pick a path for themselves and determine their future
instead of staying home and wasting time,” said Samira, a student.
"We
ask them to reopen our schools, so that those who are interested in the school
can go to school and get an education,” said Fatema, another student.
Some
female students who learn sewing in this center said that they suffer from
psychological pressure due to the closure of schools and universities.
"Most
of the women turned to sewing once schools, universities, and educational
centers were closed,” said Suhaila, a student.
"A
person's spirit grows stronger while they work. At home, we were feeling tired
and unpleasant, and there was nothing to do,” said Asma, another student.
For
girls in Herat, several sewing and other trade training facilities have opened
in more than a year and a half.
Following
the closure of schools, universities, and educational centers for girls, most
girls have started learning handicrafts.
Source:
Tolo News
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/provincial-182242
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Iran
releases Spanish woman jailed over Amini protests
27.02.23
A
Spanish woman imprisoned in Iran for three months on espionage charges after
she was arrested during anti-government protests has been released, Spain's
government said Sunday.
Ana
Baneira Suarez was 24 years old when she was arrested, the US-based Human
Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) revealed at the time.
"She
was freed yesterday, but we didn't want to announce it publicly before her
plane had taken off from Iran," Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel
Albares told journalists.
"I
was able to speak with her ... she is well," he said, adding she was on
her way to northwestern Spain, where she is from.
Spanish
football fan still in jail
Albares
said that another Spanish citizen, Santiago Sanchez Cogedor, was still in
Iranian custody but that he hoped for his release soon.
"Today
is a happy day, but our happiness will be complete when Santiago is also
freed," said Albares, referring to the football fan who was trying to walk
to the World Cup in Qatar when he was detained in Iran.
The
Iranian government did not respond to requests for comment on Baneira's
release.
Activist
supported Mahsa Amini protests
Suarez
was detained during nationwide protests sparked by the death in custody of a
young woman in September.
Tehran
has blamed "foreign adversaries" for the demonstrations that erupted
after 22-year-old Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini died while in custody
following her arrest by Iran's morality police.
Amid
was accused of violating the strict dress code for women.
The
protests continued for several weeks despite a violent crackdown and this week,
demonstrators hit the streets once again in the southeast of the country.
In
September, Tehran said nine Europeans had been arrested for their involvement
in the protests.
Last
month, the European Union approved a fresh round of sanctions on the Iranian
government over the protest crackdown.
Source:
Telegraph India
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