The Allahabad High Court urging Indians to accept the Gita as a national dharmashastra has been received with alarm. Delhi-based Hindustan Express writes in an editorial on September 13, “this violates the Constitution and the spirit of it, and is not even worthy of serious comment... (the) advice given by eminent jurists is for Muslims to not react strongly to this. We agree. The Muslim leaders of the country should not make any comment to provoke the majority to support such foolish (ahmaqaana) thinking.” The paper believes that instead of “playing politics with the statement, it must be challenged in court, which undoubtedly would reject this.” In Thursday’s editorial Rashtriya Sahara says, “while Muslims got inspired by the Quran to fight the British, the Gita provided the same inspiration for Hindus. Can any concept of a ‘national dharmashastra’ be actualised in a secular country like India... it is all very well for people to be quiet, but should the government also ignore the Allahabad High Court ruling?”

The ASI affidavit on Ram Setu and the existence of Ram has created controversy. Hindustan Express, on September 13, writes in a page 1 comment, “the absence of any historical proof of the characters of Ramayana is enough to prove that the followers of Ram have been endeavouring for a Ram temple only on the basis of faith.”

In and out

National Herald’s Qaumi Awaz on September 12 writes, “khel khel mein Nawaz aaye bhi, wapas bhi gaye.” The paper says, “Nawaz Sharif knew what was to happen in advance. He announced his plans to return and through that tried to mislead Pakistani public opinion. This was a drama in which members of the Saudi ruling family played an important role.” In an editorial on September 11, Hindustan Express says, “there are reports that Musharraf wanted to escalate the confrontation, and then impose emergency, but was not allowed by the US.”

Bangladeshi game

Jamaat-e-Islami’s bi-weekly Daawat writes in its issue dated September 7 that, “while old regimes in the country have been badly administered, the real motives of the present regime in neighbouring Bangladesh are suspect... its recent activities have made it clear that elections are not a priority.”

In an editorial on Septermber 5, Jadeed Khabar writes, “in Bangladesh, not only politicians but even high-level officials are corrupt and the steps by the present regime cannot address the problem.”

Watch the sting

The ‘sting’ on a Delhi schoolteacher has attracted much comment. Akhbar-e-Mashriq wants to know, “why was the so-called sting performed in a school in Bulbulikhana, where 99 per cent of students are Muslim girls, when the reported scandal was centred faraway in a trans-Yamuna locality?” The paper concludes, “the aim is to keep Muslim girls away from education.”