Friday, July 31, 2009

I Regret It

TNN, *Angry khadims protest against Nazim* The Times Of India - India
Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Ajmer: Hundreds of angry khadims of Khwaja Garib Nawaz Chishti's dargah on Monday organised a protest rally and registered an FIR against Nazim Ahmed Raza of the dargah. They alleged that he had outraged the religious feelings of the community.

An angry mob in the evening went to Nazim's office and beat up Raza. He had to be taken to JLN Hospital. According to doctors Raza has head injuries.

Police have been deployed within the dargah premises and at Nazim's office. The khadims are demanding his immediate removal. They have also sent a fax to UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, in this regard and asked her to intervene. Police claim that the situation is tense but under control.

Nazim Ahmed Raza , deputed by the Centre for arrangements in the dargah, has been embroiled in controversy since the day he was posted in Ajmer. "He never thought twice before speaking anything and many times he used absurd language against the khadims. We requested him a number of times to not hurt feelings of others through his statements," said Zulfikar Chishti, a khadim.

Anjuman Committee, the organisation of khadims, had complained many times to the Centre and demanded Raza 's removal. Nazim Raza was in favour of improving the conditions for zayreen' (pilgrims) coming to Ajmer Sharif.

A fresh controversy arose when a CD that showed Raza expressing his views on Islam and Khwaja Garib Nawaz Chishti, was released in the market. "He is only an employee of the Centre and has no right to speak bad things' about Hazrat Ali. This is a matter of religion and he has hurt our feelings. His statements about Khwaja Garib Nawaz Chishti too were wrong," said Mahboob Hussein Chishti, secretary of Anjuman Committee.

The CD was shown on a local channel here in which Nazim Raza spoke on Islam and Khwaja Garib Nawaz Chishti. "He called the Sufi saint a common man who came here and gone back," accused Iqbal Chishti, vice-president of Anjuman Committee. Khadims then went to the dargah police station and shouted slogans against Nazim. They also warned the district administration that things would get out of hand if the Nazim is not removed.

An FIR under Section 295A of IPC has been registered against Nazim Raza. Anjuman has called an urgent meeting to decide their plan against the Nazim. "We have decided to intimate the matter to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. We have also given a memorandum to the president of dargah committee, Soil Ahmed, asking him to remove Raza immediately," said Kamaluddin Chishti, vice-president of Anjuman.

"This is not a matter of communal feelings but it is a matter of an employee who has been deputed to take care of arrangements in dargah. He cannot speak anything about religion," said Monavar Chishti.

When asked about his statement, Nazim Ahmed Raza said it was not a serious matter. He added that he had only expressed his views about Islam and Khwaja Garib Nawaz Chishti. "I had no intention to hurt anybody's feelings. However, if I did so I regret it," he said.

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Friday, July 31, 2009

I Regret It
TNN, *Angry khadims protest against Nazim* The Times Of India - India
Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Ajmer: Hundreds of angry khadims of Khwaja Garib Nawaz Chishti's dargah on Monday organised a protest rally and registered an FIR against Nazim Ahmed Raza of the dargah. They alleged that he had outraged the religious feelings of the community.

An angry mob in the evening went to Nazim's office and beat up Raza. He had to be taken to JLN Hospital. According to doctors Raza has head injuries.

Police have been deployed within the dargah premises and at Nazim's office. The khadims are demanding his immediate removal. They have also sent a fax to UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, in this regard and asked her to intervene. Police claim that the situation is tense but under control.

Nazim Ahmed Raza , deputed by the Centre for arrangements in the dargah, has been embroiled in controversy since the day he was posted in Ajmer. "He never thought twice before speaking anything and many times he used absurd language against the khadims. We requested him a number of times to not hurt feelings of others through his statements," said Zulfikar Chishti, a khadim.

Anjuman Committee, the organisation of khadims, had complained many times to the Centre and demanded Raza 's removal. Nazim Raza was in favour of improving the conditions for zayreen' (pilgrims) coming to Ajmer Sharif.

A fresh controversy arose when a CD that showed Raza expressing his views on Islam and Khwaja Garib Nawaz Chishti, was released in the market. "He is only an employee of the Centre and has no right to speak bad things' about Hazrat Ali. This is a matter of religion and he has hurt our feelings. His statements about Khwaja Garib Nawaz Chishti too were wrong," said Mahboob Hussein Chishti, secretary of Anjuman Committee.

The CD was shown on a local channel here in which Nazim Raza spoke on Islam and Khwaja Garib Nawaz Chishti. "He called the Sufi saint a common man who came here and gone back," accused Iqbal Chishti, vice-president of Anjuman Committee. Khadims then went to the dargah police station and shouted slogans against Nazim. They also warned the district administration that things would get out of hand if the Nazim is not removed.

An FIR under Section 295A of IPC has been registered against Nazim Raza. Anjuman has called an urgent meeting to decide their plan against the Nazim. "We have decided to intimate the matter to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. We have also given a memorandum to the president of dargah committee, Soil Ahmed, asking him to remove Raza immediately," said Kamaluddin Chishti, vice-president of Anjuman.

"This is not a matter of communal feelings but it is a matter of an employee who has been deputed to take care of arrangements in dargah. He cannot speak anything about religion," said Monavar Chishti.

When asked about his statement, Nazim Ahmed Raza said it was not a serious matter. He added that he had only expressed his views about Islam and Khwaja Garib Nawaz Chishti. "I had no intention to hurt anybody's feelings. However, if I did so I regret it," he said.

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