Burqa Banning In Europe – Possibility Of A Negative Impact On Local Muslim Women

Like any forward thinking and progressive person I was also elated to know about the decision of the governments of France, Belgium and Italy to ban Burqa in their respective countries. The reason why I dislike Burqa is not only because I feel it to be an unjustified baggage forcibly imposed on my mothers and sisters from the Muslim community. I also dislike it because I sincerely doubt whether the great Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had at all issued any diktat, in the first place, by commanding the Muslim women to wear Burqa. From whatever I have read and learned about the great Prophet’s life and philosophy, he was a pragmatic person with a huge respect for women. And honestly I find it very difficult to accept that he issued any such command.

However, while I eagerly welcome the firm steps taken by the governments of the above mentioned European countries, I have also started feeling a bit uncomfortable about the possibility of certain negative developments. Few days back I read in news that a Muslim gentleman from Italy has said that since his wife can no more wear Burqa in public, therefore now he will not allow her to go out at all. And from now onwards she will remain confined within her home.

It was this news that left me quite nervous. We the progressive people (including the progressive members of the Islamic sect) might feel very jubilant that Burqa is getting banned in certain countries. But have we thought about the possible negative impacts that the Muslim women of those countries might have to face?

I am 100 per cent sure that are some Muslims in all these countries who will never be able to accept these ban on Burqa for their wives, daughters, sisters, etc. But at the same time they will be unable to defy the ban, as it is a government decision. So what will they do? They will put a complete “ban” on the “public life” of the women in their families, forcing the latter to sever all ties with the external world and lead the life of a detainee within the four walls of their respective homes.

I feel the governments banning Burqa in their countries must think about this possible outcome, and take suitable steps beforehand to prevent any such outcome.

Does The Mangalore Air Crash Suggest That We Should Bid Farewell To “Special Airports”?

Among many factors that are being highlighted as the ones to have triggered the tragic Mangalore air crash is the point that the Bajpe airport of Mangalore is a “special airport”.

What are “special airports”? Well, “special airports” are usually the ones which are located in hilly and mountainous regions, and also the ones which lie close to water bodies (such as rivers and seas). Landing and take-off activities on such airports are much tougher in comparison to that on other airports, with just a fraction of mistake on the part of the pilot likely to cause serious mishaps. No wonder that only experienced pilots are permitted to take off from or land on “special airports”.

The Bajpe airport was in the list of the “special airports” of India, thanks to its location on a hillock, and its runway being built on a flat stretch of land. Both ends of the runway slope downwards, with its safety area being just of 90 meters against the 300-metre norm.

The other “special airports” of India include the airports in Leh, Kozhikode (or Calicut), Port Blair, Srinagar and Agatti (Lakshadweep).

After the heartbreaking Mangalore mishap the Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA should take a fresh and analytical look at the existing operational mechanisms that the Indian civil aviation sector adheres to. And one of the issues that they should very seriously look at is whether they should at all retain the use of “special airports”.

Three more issues I will request them to look at.

a.)They should decide whether they will retain the existing bar on “hard landing”. Notably, some experts have pointed out that the existing bar on hard landing might have forced the pilot to try landing in a different way, which eventually resulted in the accident. And significantly “hard landing” is a safe option.

b.)They should also ensure that pilots (and also other crews) get adequate break and rest before flying. This will understandably reduce the possibility of accidents due to pilot fatigue.

c.)Every airline must have a single, toll-free number which can be contacted by relatives and friends on the event of an accident. Every time a plane or rail accident takes place, I find TV channels flashing such “emergency contact nos”, which keep moving away before one notes them down. More importantly, is it possible for a person to sit calmly and watch the TV if he comes to know that the plane or train his relative was traveling has met with an accident? He will be excited, dumbstruck, perplexed, etc. Under such circumstances, it will be very helpful for him or his friends and other relatives to have the ready knowledge of a number where they can contact to make queries about their loved one.

John Shepherd-Barron, Father of ATM, Dead

John Shepherd-Barron is no more. The 84 years old Scottish breathed his last on 20th May 2010 at Inverness’s Raigmore Hospital in northern Scotland.

But who was this John Shepherd-Barron, in the first place?


Well, he was the man credited with inventing something that you and me (and millions of people across the world) use on a regular basis. In fact, it is a key constituent of the modern human civilization. And that is Automated Teller Machine or ATM.


Shepherd-Barron reportedly came up with the concept of ATM in 1965, while he was having bath. And interestingly, he got the idea of ATM from machine dispensing chocolate bars.

By the way, Shepherd-Barron had an “Indian” connection. How? Well, he was born in the small town of Shillong in North-East India.

Having A Test Tube Baby At Rs. 20,000

Are you planning to have a test tube baby, but wary of the huge cost that it entails? Well, now you have the option to fulfill your dream by spending just Rs. 20,000.

A team of doctors at AIIMS has come up with a new In vitro fertilisation (IVF)technique, wherein there will be a limit on the number of egg cells to be produced. This will be accompanied by the use of a lesser number of fertility medications (such as gonadotropins). The ultimate result is a reduction in the cost of having a test tube baby.

Congrats AIIMS!

Why Doesn’t India Have Even A Single Sindhi TV Channel?

Other day I was going through an interesting article named 'Sindhi culture is on a ventilator' in the Times of India (New Delhi edition. Date: 17th May 2010). It contained a touching discussion on the various factors that are causing the gradual erosion of the Sindhi culture. For example, the article highlighted how the “homelessness” of India’s Sindhi community (they lost their entire state to Pakistan at the time of Partition) left them “deprived of the patronage of a state government”, an issue that has understandably posed a strong existential threat to the community. The article also highlighted the reluctance of the rich members of the community in patronizing their art and culture, as they are more interested in setting up hospitals and educational institutions. The article also expressed pain over the Sindhi youngsters’ unwillingness to practice their own culture and language, which is certainly unfortunate.

However, what shocked me to no end was the information that there is not a single Sindhi language TV channel in India. Oh my God! While every other (so-called) major Indian language has at least 2 to 3 channels, then how come there is not a single channel in the Sindhi language?

I just tried to imagine a situation where there is no Bengali TV channel in India, and just that thought left my blood boiling like anything. Under such circumstances it is pretty well understandable how our Sindhi brothers and sisters feel when they find that there is not a single TV channel in their beloved language.

Is it so that because there is no State Government to lobby for the Sindhis therefore the Central Government is taking them for granted? I will request the stalwarts of the Sindhi community to immediately start lobbying with the Union Information & Broadcasting Ministry for launching a Sindhi language TV channel.

I will also request my young brothers and sisters of the Sindhi community to take some initiative to protect and preserve their beautiful culture. Yes, they might ask me that who I am to bother about their culture, given the fact that I am a Bengali. Well, I have a ready answer for that. Every Indian language belongs to every Indian community. And the corrosion of an Indian language is not a loss only for the native speakers of that language, but for the Indian community as a whole. The Sindhi language has its roots in the place which witnessed the genesis of Indus Valley Civilization, of which my beautiful motherland is a product. And that I am an Indian that is enough to justify my concern for the Sindhi language.

The Alarmingly Low Potability Level Of Delhi Water

A survey by two prominent NGOs has exposed a very scary truth about Delhi’s water. In that survey the two NGOs, viz. Hazards Centre and Water Aid, tested 53 samples of the city’s water. Shockingly, only 2 of those samples were found to be potable. All the rest 51 samples were found to be highly contaminated, containing varying degrees of heavy metals, faecal coliform, flouride and even pesticides.

And before you heave a sigh of relief by thinking that you have “Aquaguard” at home, I will like to remind you that this city’s population also includes poor people who cannot afford to have any such household water-treatment facilities.

I do not know whether the NGOs have already submitted their report to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). Anyways, I sincerely hope that DJB will take the matter very very seriously the moment they have the report on their table.

By the way, I genuinely feel that Delhites should immediately resort to Coke and Pepsi for just quenching their daily thirst. Having such soft drinks on a regular basis is certainly not a good habit. But it is definitely a better choice than drinking water that has such a high level of contamination.

Avoid Using Laptops and iPads Just Before Going To Bed

Don’t use devices like laptops and iPads just before going to bed. Because that will disrupt your sleep, eventually turning you into an insomniac.

A team of American researchers has discovered that devices emitting bright lights confuse our brains and sleep patterns. How? By deceiving our minds that it is still day time. And this eventually prevents sleep and enhances the possibility of insomnia.

Please remember that our brains are biologically wired to be awake when the sun is out. And bright light after dark prevents the brain from secreting the hormone named melatonin. It is incidentally the hormone that makes us sleepy.

In case you want to distress your mind before going to bed, then reading a book or watching television will be a far better choice.

News Courtesy: The Times of India, New Delhi, 18th May 2010.