[sacw] [ACT] FWD: Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer Attacked

[Harsh Kapoor]

Please send messages of support to Dr. Engineer at <csss@b...>
Harsh Kapoor
(South Asia Citizens web)

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From: suklasen@y...
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 08:22:11 -0800 (PST)
To: Mihir Desai
Subject: Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer Attacked

Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer Attacked

On 13 02 2000, Sunday, in the afternoon, Dr Asghar Ali
Engineer, the internationally renowned Islamic
scholar, human rights activist, ardent champion of
inter-faith dialogue and understanding , and Bohra
reformist was physically assaulted at the Mumbai
(Bombay) airport by the cronies of Syedna, the chief
of Bohra priesthood. As a result, badly bruised and
bleeding, he has been admitted in a nearby hospital
for treatment, investigation and observation.
Subsequently, his residence and office (Centre for
Study of Society and Secularism) was also ransacked by
a gang of hoods owing allegiance to Syedna. As per
available report three persons have been detained by
the police.

Dr. Engineer, as is well known, has dedicated his life
to the cause of liberating his community, the Bohras -
a small Islamic sect, whose members are generally
engaged in trade and business and mostly found in
Gujarat and Maharashtra, from the medieval and brutal
stranglehold. As a consequence, he had to suffer not
only social ostracism by a significant section of his
community members - being blackmailed by the reigning
priesthood, but also physical assaults from time to
time both in India and abroad.

This time he was on his way back from Bhopal. On the
way, the plane had a scheduled brief stopover at
Indore. There, however, the aircraft was detained for
more than an hour so as to enable Syedna board the
plane along with about a dozen of his followers. As a
result, the stranded passengers got annoyed and
protested. Dr. Engineer also joined his voice against
the unjust treatment meted out to the passengers just
to appease a powerful VIP. And this was enough of a
provocation for the Syedna and his followers to single
out the internationally renowned scholar and activist
and launch a brutal attack against him at the
departure lounge in the Mumbai airport, without any
consideration for his sixty-plus age and frail health.
Not only that, the vindictiveness of these fascists
propelled them to vandalise his office and residence
as well. And it is these subsequent attacks, which
clearly show that the assault on him was not the
result of any momentary pique, but out of
long-standing grouse and a feeling of insecurity and
threat perception of the community priesthood and
their cronies at the prospect of losing their control
over the community and its not-too-insubstantial
wealth.

Many prominent personalties of Mumbai have strongly
condemned the fascist attack and called upon the
Maharashtra government to bring the culprits and their
instigators to book with appropriate promptness and
provide Dr. Engineer proper security. They have also
drawn the attention of both the state and central
governments and also the common citizenry to the
long-pending demand of trimming the irrational powers
of the Bohra priesthood and its near total control
over the lives of the community members. The attack
against Dr. Engineer has underscored the fact that
action in this respect brooks no further delay.