Surrogacy debate heating up in India

Surrogacy debate heating up in India
Syed Ali Mujtaba

The debate around surrogacy is really heating up in India with a PIL being moved in the Calcutta High Court on the issue of surrogate mothers and export of children produced by in-vitro fertilization (IVF) (test tube baby) to foreign countries.

The PIL alleged that poor women and girls have become victims of this recent trend in the country and the fertility centers are responsible for their condition.The PIL urged the High Court to direct the central and state governments for introduction of a law to protect the surrogate mother and the child and that the entire issue be investigated by the CBI.

Hearing the PIL, the division bench of Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the central government to file an affidavit within eight weeks.

The petition claimed that production of children through surrogate mothers has become a booming business for fertility centres. It alleged that there was no government control on fertility centres in India and more than 1000 test-tube babies are born every year. There are about 1,000 registered and unregistered fertility centers in India.

A Kolkata-based NGO, India's Smile, had filed a PIL which cited the recent trend of fertility centres charging huge amount of money from couples who cannot, or do not want to bear children.

According to the petition, there is no law in the country to protect surrogate mothers or to stop the malpractice by fertility centres. Advocate Ajay Roy, counsel of the NGO, said the fertility centres force poor women and even girls to sell their eggs to meet the demand of the couples who cannot bear children.

The petition mentioned the incident of a 17-year-old minor girl, who reportedly died after the process of egg donation, was conducted on her by one Routanda Centre for Human Reproduction in Mumbai.

Another malpractice that the petition complained of was that many couples who cannot bear children or do not want to take the pain of bearing one, hire wombs of women for the purpose.

Fertilised eggs are placed in the 'hired' wombs of these women, who agree to go through it for money. After childbirth, the fertility centres issue a false birth certificate for the child where there is no mention of the surrogate mother. The couple then takes away the child, mostly abroad.

Notwithstanding the facts, the matter of surrogacy has become a serious issue in the country. Surrogacy in India is estimated to be a $445 million business with the country becoming a leading service provider. Each year, an estimated 25,000 foreign couples visit India for surrogacy services, resulting in more than 2,000 births.

This is because of the low cost of treatment and the ready availability of women willing to rent their wombs. In comparison to USA where surrogacy cost is about $70,000, it is a bargain in India — running anywhere from $18,000 to $30,000. A surrogate is generally paid about $5,000 to $7,000 for carrying a child to term.

Traditionally lax regulations surrounding the industry have made India a popular destination for couples from European nations and Australia, where surrogacy is not legal.

The issue shot into limelight in 2008 when a surrogate mother gave birth to a girl ‘Manji’ in Gujarat. The baby's parents, Ikufumi, 45, and his wife Yuki, 41, came to India and hired the service of a surrogate mother from Anand town in Gujarat.

However, before the baby was born the couple separated and divorced. Manji's father claimed the custody of the child but laws in India do not permit this and the issue got entangled in legal battle.

The Supreme Court finally granted Manji's custody to her 74-year-old grandmother but this was contested by an NGO named ‘Satya.’ The NGO claimed that Manji was an abandoned baby.This made the Supreme Court to ask the central government to clarify its stand on issues related to surrogacy, particularly parentage and citizenship.

There was another case in which a Norwegian woman was stranded for over two years in India with twins born by an Indian surrogate. The mandatory DNA tests showed that the children were not biologically related to her, the Norwegian embassy in India refused to issue her travel papers for the twins. The case stretched out until 2012 and when the babies eventually were allowed to travel back to the parents’ country of origin, other complications continue to haunt the lady there.

In 2010 a French gay man, who had twins through an Indian surrogate, was allowed to travel back to France, where surrogacy is illegal. He is still engaged in a court battle even as the government there took away the twins and placed them in foster care.

Even though still there is not much clarity on the issue, the surrogacy debate is really heating up in India. In December 2012, India’s Home Ministry circulated to Indian missions abroad, stipulating that gay couples, single men and women, non-married couples and couples from countries where surrogacy is illegal be prohibited from hiring a commercial surrogate in India.

As of an unspecified date, foreigners who want to hire a surrogate must be a “man and woman,” the new rule says, “[who] are duly married and the marriage should be sustained at least two years,” Indian Mission circular added.

The opinion seems to be building for having relevant laws regarding this issue that should not only protect the surrogate mothers, but also some clarity on the foreigners who come to India looking for renting wombs.

The, British and American laws forbid surrogate mothers to charge a childless couple, whereas in India there is no such law. It raises the question whether surrogate mothers should be allowed to charge a fee. Besides, what to do with the fact that there is too much money that’s changing hands in this business.

All these issues and many more issues are supposed to be addressed through ‘Assisted Reproductive Technology, Regulation Bill 2010,’ that the government has drafted and plans to bring in the Parliament. It’s high time that this bill is tabled in the Parliament, discussed and debated and then passed to become a law in the country.

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba@yahoo.com

Witness to Environmental Degradation Scene in India

Witness to Environmental Degradation Scene in India
Syed Ali Mujtaba

In the month of January, 2013, I traveled from Paras-Nath, the Jain pilgrimage center in the Jharkhand state to Gaya, Bihar. I traveled in the 'cattle class' compartment of a local passenger train to have the feel of real India.

The Indian states of Bihar and Jharkhand are on the eastern Railway route and the state of Jharkhand that is carved out of Bihar in the year 2000 has hilly terrain and tribal population. The lush green trees cover the rocks making it a perfect setting of a forest.

I have traveled on such train journey before and it used to be a beautiful sight with leaves brushing the windows and one can pluck some flowers or fruit on the way. Alas it’s no more, one can see the plight of the forest with its fallen trees from a distance.

A rampant felling of the trees is going on in this part of the world. Some mafia men operating in these jungles with the help of local tribal’s are cutting the trees in a large scale.

I was caught up in the train, which stopped midway in between the forest and rocks and saw huge amount of logs, (must be more than 100 ton of log) stuffed into the  train. All the passengers suffocated inside the compartment as the guys stacked the logs everywhere in the compartment. They were ferrying this goods from there to Gaya town, the seat of Buddhism in India.

Apart from wood there were many gunny bags of charcoal that was also loaded into the train. These charcoals were meant for the incense sticks (Agarbati) industry thriving in Gaya. The charcoal is produced burning the trees in the jungle, that’s first felled and then left to be dried and to be burnt to produce charcoal.

The activity is taking place in most of the passenger trains on Kodarma to Gaya line within a distance of about 50 kilometres. The train crosses the local stations like Gujhandi, Dilwa, Gurpa, Paharpur and Tankuppa where are logs loaded. Then most of the logs are off loaded between Bandhua and Manpur stations that fall in the outskirts of Gaya town.

The scene on the train is glaring. One is applaud why it’s not reported in the local media and why no action is taken to stop such kind of environmental degradation that’s going on with impunity.

There seems to be a very systematic operation going on in this part of the country. It is done with the connivance of local officials, forest department, and train officials.

The passengers traveling in such train are poor illiterate folks, who are just mute spectators. Even though they may not be happy about the way things are happening, they simply don’t know what to do.  

My inquisitiveness arose to know more about such blatant theft of forest resources happening in broad daylight in such secluded train route. I started inquiring about this and was told by a loader Deepak Marandi who was stacking the logs in the compartment that they pay 30,000 rupees to the train driver and other staff members for ferrying the logs to Gaya.

I saw a huge number of tribal people waiting near the railway tracks with their collection of logs to be loaded in the train. The train stopped exactly where such folks were standing. Some of the loaders were waiting along with the tribals, others traveled in the train. The loaders quickly got into the act once the train stopped. Logs were stacked between two compartments, on the passage and on the door and some near the window.  Some even took the wood up on the roof, but that’s dangerous as its hilly terrain, told Deepak.

The tribals were paid according to the weight of the wood they could collect and bring to the railway track. It appears that in certain cases an entire family was involved in this activity. After the loading was over, the tribals collected their wages and disappear into the forest. They are supposed to come next day with another bunch of logs.

After the loading operation gets over the train starts moving on its journey to Gaya. When the town starts approaching the train slows down at certain specified places and logs are unloaded. There trucks are waiting and logs are again loaded and transport via road to the city.

It appears there are ‘big fishes,’ which are funding this and buy the logs to use it for different purposes. Since the quality of the wood is very good it can be used for making furniture, said Deepak who was very candid in his description.

Its residues are used for burning purposes and replaces cooking coal. Some woods are even burnt to make charcoal that is used for making incense sticks.

With ‘Bodh Gaya’ (Vatican of the Buddhists) at arms distance, incense sticks are in great demand as Buddhist uses them for religious purposes. This is a lucrative business that’s thriving at the expense of the forest wood, explained Deepak my fellow passenger, sitting on the log of woods.

This is a true ground report that needs to be highlighted in the national media. It calls for immediate action to stop such wanton destruction of the forest resources. A constant vigil and follow-up is required so that such acts do not get repeated over a period of time.
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Syed Ali Muntaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba@yahoo.com

Indian Muslims View Beg Attention

Indian Muslims View Beg Attention
Syed Ali Mujtaba

Muslim views are seldom highlighted in the mainstream media. There is little attempt to articulate the aspirations and frustrations of the largest minority group in India. As a result their pent up anger continues to grow. Often Indian Muslims are found lamenting that they get bad press. There are some grievances of Muslim community that not only needs consideration but some are in dire need to be addressed immediately. Here  an attempt is made to piece them together so that the pulse of the community could be felt very loud and clear.

 Muslims are being targeted in the name of Terrorism

Its felt that innocent Muslim youth are deliberately being targeted for cracking the cases of terrorism. The modus-oprendi is to first implicate some Muslim youths on fabricated charges and then detain them. Such detainees are then forced to make false confessions through third degree methods. The Nimesh Commission probed into the arrest of Muslim youth in UP has indicted the state government for arresting Muslim youths on concocted charges. This pattern has emerged through out the country in cases of acquittal of several Muslim youth who have spend long years in jails as under trial.  The Muslim community desires the release all such Muslim youth languishing in jails UP jails across the country. The community demands the governments responsible for such false arrest should pay adequate compensation to the acquitted "terror" victims. Their lost years, destroyed careers, and defamation should be taken into account in deciding the compensation.The community feels that the existing laws in the country are enough to deal with the scourge of terrorism and strongly demands the terrorist law POTA should be repealed as under such law innocent Muslim youths are targeted.

Welfare Schemes

The Sachar commission report on Muslim backwardness had prompted the government to announce a slew of schemes to up lift the community. These schemes are meant to be implemented in the so-called Muslim-dominated districts. However, only few schemes are executed so far. Even the educational scholarships scheme is not properly implemented. Last year sixty percent of budget of this scheme was not utilized and had to be returned. The community wants the government should honor its commitment towards minority welfare schemes.

 Reservation Issue

The Muslim community likes to remind the Union government for the implementation of the Mishra Commission report that has recommended reservation for the Muslims. It also wants to know why the government has not yet given its reply to the Supreme Court on including the Muslim and Christian Dalits in the SC / ST reservation list. The Muslim community feels that the exclusion of Muslim and Christian Dalits from the SC / ST quota is against the spirit of the Constitution of India.

Stop Illegal Religious Construction

The Muslim community takes serious note of the dangerous trend of the construction of illegal Hindu religious structure near Muslim shrine, Masjid, Qabristan, or monuments in the country. The modus- oprendi is to place an idol, a picture, or a piece of stone near a Muslim structure. This is followed by Hindu rituals and puja and after that the place is declared as a Hindu place of worship. Such provocation is going on from a long time and the Muslim community appeals to the Union government to wake up to such realities. It is of the view that such development is taking place through out the country and should be handled with the firmness it deserves, else may tar the secular credentials of the country. The Muslim community appeals to the media to report such development in an unbiased manner and the secular NGO's should come forward and file a complaint against such cases for necessary action.

Stop Saffron goons from targeting Muslims

The Muslim community takes note of the growing trend of saffron goons' intimidating certain section of the Muslim community that's traditionally engaged in the meat trade. Opening of new abattoirs and meat shops are resisted, old ones are closed down, and trucks transporting cattle are being hijacked. The Muslim community treats such hurdles an economic assault on a section of the community. It calls upon the state governments to punish the saffron goons, communal elements in the government that includes police found engaged in such activities.

Promulgate Waqf Bill

The Muslim community urges the government to hurry with the Waqf bill through the Parliament. It has to take into account the suggestions made by some Muslim organizations. One of the suggestions was to have the Waqf bill on the lines of Gurdwara Act of 1925. It will lead to the creation of a Waqf Committee that would manage the Waqf properties in the country. The committee can manage various educational institutions, hospitals and charitable organizations from the revenue earned from the Waqf properties. Its no secret that there is huge amount of Waqf properties scattered through out the country and are in utter neglect, encroached upon and illegally being sold. The community feels that many of the Muslim problems in India could be solved if Waqf properties are put into good use for them.

Dispose Babri Masjid Case 

The Muslim community reiterates its full faith in the Supreme Court of the country for the resolution of the Babri Masjid dispute. There are long list of litigation and appeals pending with the Supreme Court in this case. The community eagerly awaits an early disposal of all such cases.

Check Ecological Catastrophe in J & K 

Muslim community shares the anxieties of the Kashmiri brothers over ecological catastrophe due to the increasing activities and infrastructure development by the Amarnath Trust in Jammu and Kashmir. The activities going on to cater to the ever-growing number of pilgrims to Amarnath, is having disastrous impact on the area's fragile ecology. Muslim community appeals to the government to limit the visitors only to the ecologically permissible limit. It is learn that pilgrims has grown from a few thousand in pre-1990 to around 6.5 lakh in 2012.

The Muslim community's views as expressed here are of 'Muslim Mushawarat Committee,' an umbrella organization of several Muslim groups. Their exclusive narrative vouches an inclusive growth story. It definitely  deserves consideration. There is a silver lining in the litany of their demands, that is the Muslim community's unstinted faith in their motherland.
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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba@yahoo.com

Muslim Profiling and Vishwaroopam

Muslims Profiling and Vishwaroopam

Syed Ali Mujtaba

The controversy centering on the profiling of the Muslim community in the movie Vishwaroopam has fallen into the quagmire of the hackneyed debate of right of expression vs right to protest.

The liberals are flagging the freedom of expression agenda, while those at the receiving end are vehement about asserting their fundamental right to protest for being profiled as terrorist.  

 The fire power of the media is used by the freedom of expression protagonist to convince their commands are the final words of wisdom on this subject. While those publicly humiliated, are using the democratic armory to score some brownie points. 

Call it vote bank or the seize mentality of the minority community, this time the voices of dissent cannot be trampled, courtesy the government of the day has to take cognizance of the ground reality and is backing those who are crying hoarse of being hurt.  Who is winning and who is losing in this debate is left to the individual judgment as there are other nuggets in this story to be explored. 

   

There is a tug of war between Federal and the state government over this controversy. The central government is asserting its right saying the state cannot over rule the Central Government’s Censor Board that has given approval for the screening of the movie.  

 The state government on the contrary argues that when public peace is in jeopardy and law and order situation is likely to be tampered, the local government is within the constitutional right to maintain peace. Since law and order is a state subject the central government has no over riding powers over this subject. In the case of Vishwaroopam, the state government is convinced that public peace is paramount and banning the movie is for the larger social good.

 The judiciary too seems to be divided on the issue of banning the movie. When the state government banned the movie, a single bench stayed the government’s order and ruled in favour of the release of the movie. The government went for a appeal and a dual bench turned down the single bench ruling and justified the ban.

 The matter may be heard in the Supreme Court and its likely that the Apex court may quash the ban citing precedents. However, the question remains, will the release draw full houses or people may keep away from the theaters fearing untoward incidents.   

A similar situation had emerged with the release of the movie Arakshan and “Jodha Akbar.” Both the movies were banned by the state government first and then the Supreme Court ordered the release of the film.  Even then the damage was done as many movie goers stayed away from the theaters fearful of the shadows of the guns and the prospects of bomb blasts. Ultimately both the movies became victim of their controversies.

Coming back to the profiling of the Muslims, the nineties have been full with movies that depicted Muslims as anti social and terrorists. The Hindi – Hindu – Hindustan paradigm of the majority right wing India society that momentarily triumphed following the destruction of Babari Masjid cast its spell on the Indian film makers.

A glut of films with negative shades of Muslim characters was produced by the Bolloywood. In the topics of patriotism and nationalism Kashmir and Pakistan provided the set piece for villainy. If the plot was terrorism, then Kashmir and Pakistan has to be on the fore. The logical deduction was the characters have to be Muslims.

In this added another big picture, the 9/11, and US quest for infinite justice and enduring freedom. The celluloid industry became busy churning out movies of good guys’ verses bad guys theme. The holier than though image was straight jacketed for the US and the audience were made to forget about the creators of the bad guys.

One can understand the Hollywood perspective on such themes, but Bollwwood and Kollywood falling in line needs to straighten out.. It’s often discussed Indian movies produced these days are more foreign in nature and hardly have any Indian connect. The language, the dress, the location and many other such things are all foreign in nature and meant for the Diasporas or such international audience who generate much higher revenue. So taping international market gets priority and the Indian audiences are plated with some sleek visual delight. This formula seems to be working and every film maker seems to be in this race.

The movie Vishwaroopam is a classical example of such visual fantasy. The plot develops in the US, travels to Afghanistan and is plated to the Indian audience in Tamil language. Which Indian audience may relate to such a plot? 

Obviously the audience that most likely to connect with the movie will the Muslims. In the construct of villainy, they found their religion being denigrated in this film. If they chose to protest then what’s harm? It seems the freedom of expression protagonist like to cease the right to cry for being hurt. They want such slapped to sanity. Even in ‘demoncracy,’ this is not permissible.  

Vishwaroopam, as the name suggests tries to portray the shape of the world. According to the filmmaker's world view; “all Muslim are not terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims”.  This is simple message the movie wants to convey.

When the controversy has reached its nadir, the question is being asked, is it the ignorance or the arrogance of the film maker that’s on display padding the anti Islamic visual contents in the movie Vishwaroopam? Belting US agenda, why the film maker did not thought of its viewers sentiments. 

From Iraq to Afghanistan, from Syria to Egypt, the .entire Muslim world is up in flames due to the hegemonic agenda of the US. In this backdrop a Tamil movie tries to blow the trumpet of Stars and Stripes.     

Embarking on such superlative projects with prejudiced world view is bound to ruffle feathers. Can a film maker afford to do this in a market driven industry which judges the success of the movie purely on its cash returns.

 Here a mention can be made about few movies that did the profiling of the Muslims with outmost sobriety. ‘New York’ ‘Kurban,’ ‘My name is Khan’ all tried present the problem of terrorism against the US in a holistic way. The Islamic content in the movie My Name is Khan is beautifully highlighted and this was well appreciated by the Muslims audience as well as others.

 A mention has to be made about a documentary Allah Hu Akbar (Allah is Great). This shows the protagonist Salim taxiwala, a devout Muslim who prays five times a day and firmly believes that Allah’s commandments run supreme on this earth. He carries a white foreigner in his cab to the airport but his follies during the journey make his passenger miss his international flight. Little did this cab driver realize that his carelessness inadvertently saved the life of the passenger whose flight was high-jacked by international terrorists who blew up the plane shouting Allah Hu Akbar. Such plot of good Muslim vs bad Muslim has a straight connect with the Indian audience. 

 ‘Vishwaroopam’ no doubt can be a great feast for the celluloid but its presentation has rough edges that are bound to poke those whom it tries to paint in negative shades. This takes us another area and that is the approval certification for its screening issued by the Censor Board of India. 

 The movie Vishwaroopam has raised eyebrows at the members of the Censor Board who has given it the clearance fit for screening. Their negligence for assessing the repercussions over clearing the anti Islamic content is glaring in this case.  Is the Censor Board a Holy Cow that needs to be worshiped? Can we blindly approve all that it clears for public viewing as an epitome of infallible truth?

  

The free flow of blood and gore, explicit sexual content finds its presence in the large body of the cinematic art that the Censor Board approves fit for entertainment. There is no control on the screen play, dialogue, lyrics that are full with innuendos and filth. Umpteen examples of highly sexual and lewd content can be cited that the Censor Board has cleared as fit form of cinematic expression.

Can we gulp such pulp fiction without making any hue and cry, just because the Censor Board has approved it? The general view is no film these days is worthy to be watched with family and children. Some argue that growing crime in the society is directly proportional to the immoral cinematic content licensed by the censor board. Who will address such concerns? 

In this money spinning industry where astronomical amount is spent on the making of the movie, a trend has developed that the seal can be bought by greasing the palms and the censor board is reduced to selling certificates.

The way out to the ‘Vishwaroopam’ controversy is found through an out of court settlement with the group objecting to its contents. But is this the right way to do so? How long a movie or any piece of art can lean on the crutches of the government or judiciary’s protection for its viewing. This question has to be addressed by those in the field of the creative art even before they start working on their storyboards.

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba@yahoo.com - Earlier writeup of the author on the same theme can be checked here 

1- Bollywood and the Indian Muslims

http://www.indianmuslims.info/book/export/html/12167

2- The new Bollywood Muslim

http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/ywfzO7eB5mIxAR1NXXP0bO/The-new-Bollywood-Muslim.html

With You Without You

With You Without You 
Syed Ali Mujtaba

The post ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka has many sordid stories to tell, some about the woes of the war, others of its aftermath. Depicted is one such story in the movie "With You, Without You" (Oba Oba Ekka Nathuwa) that was screened at the 43 rd International Festival at Length Goa, India from November 20-30 2,012th.

The movie depicts the life in a society which still has unhealed wounds of the war, a war that lasted over three decades, killing over tens of thousands of people and rendering many more homeless. The film is set in the months after the Tamil Elam war and explores the emotional fall-out of such trauma on the lives of ordinary people in Sri Lanka

The movie tells the tale of the confrontation between a man from the majority Sinhalese point of view and a woman from the Tamil minority community. Their struggle with their own past is the main theme of the movie a metaphor that is used for the struggle within the tear drop island itself.

Selvi (Anjali Patil) is a beautiful but quiet Tamil refugee girl who catches the eye of a middle-aged Sinhala pawnbroker (Shyam Fernando) when she comes to his shop to cash in her last jewel. The Buddhist pawnbroker captivated by the Tamil beauty follows her to her temporary home. He discovers that his love interest is about to get married to an old man for wants of money.

The pawnbroker throws all caution to the winds and proposes to marry the Tamil girl. Selvi too breaks all barriers that divide the Tamil and Sinhala societies and moves into her savior's house. They slowly but surely fall in love with each other but neither of them ever talks about their past.

All was hunky-dory until an old army friend of the pawnbroker turns up in the house, and a terrible secret emerges, that unstitches the wounds of the war. Selvi, comes to know that the pawnbroker has army connection and the trauma of her past begins to hunt her.

The pawnbroker in order to unburden himself confides to Selvi, that he was in the Army before and was involved in the operation at Killinochi. He further tells her that in the operation the soldiers accompanying him had raped a Tamil girl who died subsequently and he got disgusted with such acts brutality and decided to quit the Army and have taken up the business of running a pawn shop.

The confession of the pawnbroker brings the memories of the ethnic conflict to the fore and Selvi becomes hysterical. The trauma of war over powers her and no amount of cajoling has any sobering effect on the Selvi. The pawnbroker tries to coax to be normal and promises to take her to India for sight seeing tour. He even sells his pawn shop and gets ready with his travel plans but Selvi is totally withdrawn. She has bouts of depression and has little interest in life.

It's a very romantic evening; Selvi watches from the high rise window the dark clouds hovering over the hills, playing hide and seek, signaling the coming of the beautiful bout of rain. The pawnbroker who has gone to the city is returning home riding a motor cycle. He has smiles on his face as he has got the air tickets to India and had purchased goodies for Selvi. He is trying to race with the clouds, avoiding being caught in the rain, the background score hinting for an emotional union, but the climax has a gory side.

Selvi, lost in her seems to be enjoying the spectacle of the nature and appearing to have a better view of the clouds, climbs up to the window and lo and behold, she then jumps out of it to her death. The pawnbroker on return finds that he was late to unite with his lady love, even though was able to beat the rain. This is the most haunting scene of the movie. This has a political message that represents Tamil - Sinhala divide. The lady after weighing her options to choose between love and politics, eventually sacrifice herself rather than giving herself to the protagonist lover, that too a former army man, whom Tamils hated awfully.    

The expression of the woes and miseries of the poor Tamil girl is powerfully portrayed by Indian actor Anjali Patil, who bagged golden peacock for the best actress at the Goa international film fest. The role of the pawnbroker is played by talented theatre actor Shyam Fernando who makes a debut in cinema. Others in the cast include Wasantha Moragoda and Maheshwari Ratnam.

The film is directed by Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage. Some consider "With You, Without You" Prasanna's seventh directorial venture as his best work so far.

While talking about the creation of his film Prasanna told the media persons at the Goa film fest media conference; "When I was reading Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novel" The Meek One "over and over again, two things stuck into my mind. One was its probe into masculinity and the second was how consumerist values ​​have deprived people of human connection. When adapting this novel to a film, I based it upon the biggest issue facing our country, which is the ethnic conflict, "he said.

"With You, Without You," has a striking resemblance to the film "The English Patient," a 1996 romantic drama based on the novel of the same name by Sri Lankan-Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje. This movie is set before and during World War II, and is a story of love, fate, misunderstanding and healing. Directed by Anthony Minghella, this movie won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

While watching the movie "With You, Without You" I had problem in categorizing this film. The movie is about love, it is related to the post war conflict as well; it is also an exhibition of third world cinema. What could be its proper genre was something that baffled me. Notwithstanding these facts, this co-production by India and Sri Lanka can be described as Sri Lanka 's independent cinema at its best.

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He attended the 43 rd International Length Festival, November 20-30 at the 2,012th from Goa. He can be at Contacted Syedalimujtaba@yahoolcom

Jab Tak Hai Jan – Memoirs of London Rekindled

Jab Tak Hai Jan – Memoirs of London Rekindled
Syed Ali Mujtaba

Last night saw the movie Jab Tak Hai Jan, memories of staying in London lighted up. The snow in London, the rain, the breeze, I saw most of the season while living there. There were many popular spots in film where I had walked as a daily routine.

I really loved ‘Embankment’ my favorite spot, where I use walk looking at Thames right up to Big Ben and Parliament on one side and Backfires Bridge on the other.-The Trafalgar square, where I spotted the lion on which I sat, the art gallery next to it -the London Bridge, the hide park. The Charring Cross tube station where SRK kisses Katrina – Your next station is Piccadilly Circus, the announcement still rings in the ears, traveling on the Victoria line.

I stayed at Collier’s high road next to Sainsbury, super market in south London in a rented room. In weekends I use to take the tube from there and get down at Charring Cross and walked up to Piccadilly Circus, the most happenings place in the city.  I have been to one of the weekend clubs like the one in Ishq Shava song, it’s really the same.

When I was to leave London, I knew the city so well, that I was guiding people to find their way. I also remember how difficult it was for me to negotiate the places when I first landed there. To me Jab Tak Hai Jan – was like a photo album, I was seeing London after 1994.

Here I am trying to pen my thoughts on my visit to England in 1994. That year I was awarded field grant by the School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi to pursue archival survey of the British sources for my doctoral research on Partition of India. My PhD thesis demanded incorporation of British perspective to the Partition debate particularly with reference to its India policy during the Second World War.

So there you go, I packed my bag at the Brahmputra hostel of JNU and Indira Gandhi international airport in New for six months stay in good old London. The Air India flight that was to come from Mumbai was abnormally delayed due Delhi fog, and it was a harrowing experience in Delhi airport where I was stranded from midnight till noon. It was for the first time I saw the misty morning from glass windows of the Delhi airport. I went hungry all night till the midday, as everything was at international rates and I could not afford to buy. It was almost 2 pm when the Air India leapt into the sky to take me to England. A sumptuous food was served and all the trial and tribulation was unburdened in the deep sleep that followed it. A movie was going on the screen that was inside the aircraft and when I woke up it was the end. There was no seat screen those times in the air India aircraft.

As I hurried my way out of the aircraft at Heathrow airport, my heart pounced what would happen if the folks do not show up at the airport to receive me. As I walked out, I saw a battery driven car, carrying some Sikh passengers to the aircraft with Indian flag flying passing by me and that soothed my nerves. I smiled at them and they waved at me. The officer at the immigration desk asked the purpose of my visit and I told him topic of research. He stamped my passport with a smile and as he raised his head up to return my document he saw the novel Shylock Homes in my front pocket. I could see the blinking of his eyes that was appreciative as he wished me good luck for my stay in England.

I was based in London and lived in a rented room at the 45 Colliers High Road, South London. It was quite close to Sainsbury supermarket where I use to frequent for my groceries.

The building where I lived was owned by a Pakistani of Indian origin. It had some very interesting people living there. There was a Pakistani couple in the ground floor, a group of Korean students in the second floor. There were two Romanians gentlemen and an English couple besides me in this building.

I use to take the southern line tube and go waterloo from where I use to walk to the backfires bridge where the India Office Library was located at that time.

During my stay in London I use to visit the School of Oriental and African Studies library the Record office at the Q’s gardens and the British Museum.

Some time I use to get down at Temple tube station walk to the High Court side either to visit the Indian consulate office or to the LSE, while on some other day I may be walking straight to the Kings College to attend some Talks organized there.

I used to be spent my evenings sometimes at the Piccadilly Circus, the China town, the globe theater and the Charring Cross. Some times I use to walk along the embankment watching the flow the river Thames, go up to the Big Ben and see the time, take a round of 10 Downing Street and walk along the British Parliament.

At times in the evenings, I use to go to the Indian YMCA, British Museum and Baden Powell Hall for some programmes. King college was another place I use to go for listening to lectures. Some times, I use to get down at temple tube station cross to embankment side and take a long walk to the college. SOAS was another place I used to frequent.

While staying in London, I use to frequent Oxford University for my research. Normally I use to go the St Anthony College to meet some Professors or to sit at Bodleian library at the Oxford University.  I had an opportunity to have a glimpse of Mr. Beans who too was in the campus when I happen to be there.

Similarly, I use to travel to the Cambridge University and even stayed with some friends for few days there. At the Cambridge I had given a talk at the Darwin College, mostly to the Indian students studying there.  

Jab Tak Hai Jan brought to me the fond memoirs of London after many years. Thank you Yashji – may your soul rest in peace.

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba@yahoo.com

CMS Bridging the Religious Differences

CMS Bridging the Religious Differences
by   SYED ALI MUJTABA

Lucknow: Interfaith is a subject that has to be taught very young, and doing a yeoman service is the City Montessori School, (CMS), Lucknow. Here a typical day starts with an assembly during which the children first sing and pray one God, irrespective of their religious faith. Extracts of Holy Scriptures from all religions are read and explained during the assembly.

This spiritual time is followed by an interactive discussion between the children and their Principal or teachers about the ‘Virtue of the Month’ and the various ways to implement it on a daily basis.

For each month of the year, one virtue is picked up by a ‘Board of Virtues’. Friendliness, Justice and Truth are some examples.  The ‘Virtue of the Month’ is written on the black board of the classrooms.

‘It is at as early as six or seven a child should be introduced to moral values, virtues, cultural and inter-faith diversity. The children understand many things, but are often prêt to outside influences’, says Archanaa Pande, Principal of the Asharfabad Campus.

In case the family environment cannot give such constructive social education, it is the role of the school to impart some positive influences, she explains.

The day at CMS witnesses a succession of courses with an impressive level of enthusiasm and discipline from the pupils as well as interaction with the teachers.

The school develops team spirit and ability to hold responsibilities by gathering the children in four different Houses - Hope, Love, Peace and Unity, mixing classes and ages. These Houses have tasks to fulfill and targets to match in various fields all the year round.

Similarly, as an introduction of each school happening, an all religion prayer is performed by the children wearing traditional costumes of others' religion to generate awareness, reverence and unity.

Deepa Tiwari, Principal of CMS Rajendra Nagar -I campus, says extracurricular activities encourage the children to be creative and to remain in a constant learning mode. It goes from a Book Fair Exhibition with books written by the children, to cultural dance performances, plays, seminars, competitions, and religious festivals, she says.

CMS also familiarizes the children with Indian and international personalities who contributed to the social growth and progress of the world so that they can become a real source of inspiration.

Each year, CMS organizes a series of activities to celebrate the World Interfaith Harmony Week. Each day comes with an event that encourages not only the pupils but also their parents to share and engage with others. There is a time for shared meals, exchange of cards between the children, singing, dance and quiz competitions involving the parents.

With the same purpose, Dr. Jagdish Gandhi, the founder of CMS has invented a concept of world Parliament for children where they become world leaders and discuss about the issues faced on the international stage. This exercise incites the children to find solutions and take collective action for the welfare of the humanity.

‘CMS does not content itself to provide a high-rate education, it feels entrusted with a much broader responsibility vis-à-vis the children. The school aims at helping the children to become vectors of social change for a better world’, Mr. Gandhi says. ‘CMS teaches why and how to respect others in their differences since ultimately 'God is one, Religion is one, and Mankind is one,' he adds.

'A good teacher is like a candle, it consumes itself to light the way of others'. These were the words written at the gates of the Asharfabad and Rajendra Nagar-I, Campuses of the City Montessori School in Lucknow, says Muriel Potherat, Project Manager of a Delhi-based NGO promoting interfaith harmony and called Faith Matters, who attended an International Conference on Promoting Interfaith Harmony organized by CMS’s Asharfabad Campus in July 2012 and was later there for a three-day training and observation programme.

This eye-catching quote is one among many others promoting a spiritual education, human virtues as well as oneness of God and mankind. It is even more mesmerizing to realize that these words do not only hang beautifully on the walls of CMS, they are mirrored in the daily schedule of the children, says Muriel, who works with students at enhancing interaction and respect between faith communities.

When I saw many performances of the children showcasing an inspiring model of interfaith harmony, I realized that as a child I never had such an experience during my school days, the social worker, who hails from France, said.

A child is both a hope and a promise for mankind and I can affirm with much admiration that CMS gives more than full justice to these words. I could figure out how much level of expertise CMS has developed in this field as it equips the children with the required means to overcome the continuous challenges of life and make a difference in the world. It’s not mere education, rather a way of life. And each one at CMS believes in it with humility and conviction, concluded Muriel.

As Indians if we like to pursue the philosophy of unity in diversity and relish the idea that our country never faces the scourge of communal riots, then City Montessori School, Lucknow is a role model for such nation building. It would be a beautiful dream to see each school of the country trying the CMS model of interfaith harmony and prepare the tiny tots how to live in peace and harmony.

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba@yahoo.com