[Reader-list] The Islamic Flag of Indian Muslims

[Kshmendra Kaul]

Dear Anupam
 
I do not dispute for a moment your expansive understanding of places where you have spent time and perhaps have an in-depth understanding better than that of most others. Nor do I contest that highlighting 'polarities' serves the purpose of Media presentations and coverage that  feeds off the shallowness of sensationalising. We see such highlighting of 'polarities' even amongst such people who one would least expect it of, as on this List.
 
This time not thinking aloud but saying it aloud, there is a patronising in your defining the  video coverage "shot by one of the local reporters" was by a person "whose understanding of Muslim is essentially a Pakistani and therefore, it must be seen in suspicion." But that is your judgemental attitude and not pertinent here.
 
What is pertinent here is that the TV Channel TIMES NOW gave a video coverage supposedly being connected with the 'strife' and showing a Pakistani Flag being flown.
 
There is no doubt in it being a Pakistani Flag. If it was not flown where and when TIMES NOW reported that it was flown then TIMES NOW should be accused of having lied about it and being responsible for stoking communal passions. 
 
I asked just a few days back, "where is the self-regulation' by the Media. 
 
I will now ask the question "whether, if you are convinced that there was a misrepresentation of the facts (as known to you) by TIMES NOW, is it your responsibility as a Media person to complain about it and seek censure?"
 
Kshmendra
 
 


--- On Tue, 5/5/09, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com> wrote:

From: anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] The Islamic Flag of Indian Muslims
To: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 6:38 PM

Dear Kshmendra,



I am glad you think aloud. However, I think you did not understand what I
was trying to state and what I was denying. And let me be very direct here,
that when I am writing something about a place, I have been there and felt
what the place is and then probably I would have written something. Now you
have just highlighted the fact I deny the flags used in Udalguri and Barpeta
districts of Assam during the large scale rioting of the Bodo and Muslim
were Pakistani flag, which you say is my confusion. On the contrary, I feel
that the confused people were the TV news channels because it was shot by
one of the local reporters whose understanding of Muslim is essentially a
Pakistani and therefore, it must be seen in suspicion. Let me reiterate that
these flags were hoisted in the relief camps so that if there is a victim
from the Muslim community, the person can come directly to the camp. It’s
true that such camps were never seen in Assam but it signifies the
polarisation in the state, where Muslims and Hindus co-existed till 1984
Nellie massacre. Even then, it was just Nagaon or parts of lower Assam,
which were occasionally communally tense while other parts never had a
ghetto like thing that happened in other parts of India. There are several
dargahs in the state, where muslims and hindus pray together. There is Hajo,
a place situated west of Guwahati where Powa Makka (quarter of Mecca)
revered by Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists for ages. It is said that if you
have gone to Powa Makka, you need not go for Haj.



Such polarities gain prominence only during the times of strife, when mere
flags are seen major symbols. There was a point of time, I remember, when
drawing a rising sun was banned because it signified ULFA flag. But these
are again apocryphal tales.



Thanks for thinking aloud again,


Anupam

On 5/5/09, Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> QUOTE:
>
> It also carried drawings of two white and black flags, the former being
the
> main flag of Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) and the latter his
> military standard. Even now, black-turbaned TNSM members carry the small
> white and black flags as they walk ahead of Sufi Mohammad. ...... UNQUOTE
>
> This quote is from an article on Maulana Sufi Mohammad written by
> Rahimullah Yusufzai.
> http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=175825
>
> No green flag. No crescent and star on it.
>
> The green flag with the crescent and star on it which is used by Indian
> Muslims has often caused misunderstandings.
>
> One recent example has been Simi Garewal talking about Pakistani Flags
> being flown by Indian Muslims. She apologised later for having mistaken
the
> Islamic Flag of the Indian Muslims for the Pakistani Flag.
>
> The close resemblance between the 2 flags confused even Anupam
> Chakravartty, who inspite of video coverage from Times Now showing it to
be
> a Pakistani Flag, insisted that what was flown in Assam with " sickle
(sic)
> and star on green background  is an islamic symbol"
> http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/2009-April/018755.html
>
> In an earlier mail I had commented:
>
> """""" If this is factual, then the question
arises for the Indian Muslims
> that should they be thinking about using the Islamic Flag without the
> Crescent and Star so that it does not appear to be close to being the flag
> of Pakistan? """"""
> http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/2008-December/017016.html
>
> Just thinking aloud
>
> Kshmendra
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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