Progressive Dawoodi Bohras

Resolution #1 - Bara'at (Social boycott)

For years the reformist Bohras and other Bohras who sympathise with them have been facing social boycott. The Bohra priesthood uses the powerful instrument of social boycott most arbitrarily without any procedure as laid down in the Supreme Court judgement of 1962. The Apex Court had allowed it only for maintaining religious discipline in the community and the power to ex-communicate was given to the Jamaat, not to any priest and that too after proper show cause notice and after hearing the party.

The priesthood has reduced ex-communication, in flagrant violation of the Apex Court Order, to most arbitrarily used instrument of persecution of the reformist Bohras and their sympathisers and hundreds of Bohras are suffering on account of that. The Central and state governments have been mute witness to this persecution and have, unfortunately, sided with the Bohra priesthood for the sake of votes and under the pretext of non-interference into religious matters.

It has been repeatedly pointed out that the reform movement is not the movement for religious reforms but for social and secular reform and basically opposes authoritarianism in the name of religion. It represents the very spirit of our secular democracy and citizenship rights and fights denial of human rights and individual dignity.

We, the participants of this 11th all World Dawoodi Bohra Conference 2002 urge upon the Union and state governments (of India) to enact a law against the practice of ex-communication and social boycott to uphold human rights and fundamental democratic rights of the reformist Bohras and their sympathisers. The government of India has enacted a law against bonded labours. The reformist Bohras have been reduced to bonded labours by the Bohra priesthood. Their fate is worse than that of slaves and untouchables.

Resolution #2 - Enactment to control Bohra priesthood's finances

We the delegates to this conference, also appeal to the Bohras not to yield to coercion and give huge amounts to the Bohra priesthood. Every paisa given to it adds to the slavery of the community as part of the money spent on buying of political influence. More the financial power, greater the political influence. Thus the Bohras are buying their own slavery by giving such huge amounts to their priesthood.

It also should be noted that money so offered is mostly black money and often no receipts are passed and is deposited in different accounts. It is never given by a cheque. Even big amounts in lakhs are given in cash, not by cheques. We thus also urge upon the income tax authorities to conduct inquiry into these black money transactions running into crores.

Resolution #3 - Waqf Board

In various states like Rajasthan, M.P., Maharashtra and Gujarat there are Bohra waqf properties worth crores of rupees. There are various mausoleums which the Bohras visit regularly and offer money in cash boxes (gullas) kept inside the mausoleums. All these amounts put into cash boxes are charitable in nature. These are also huge amounts which are quietly taken away by the agents of Bohra priesthood and remain unaccounted. This is in addition to monies collected through obligatory taxes. Bohras are also coerced into putting money into these cash boxes.

Also, there is great deal of income from other waqf properties. There is waqf act in Rajasthan, M.P. and some other states. However, the Bohra priesthood tries to influence the waqf board members and gets exemption from waqf board control. Such exemption was granted to the Bohra waqf properties in Rajasthan during the time of Chief Minister Barkat Ali and was challenged by the reformists. The Bohra priesthood is trying to obtain such exemption in M.P. also.

Needless to say, such exemption is in gross violation of the waqf board act. There is no provision for such exemptions in the waqf act. The waqf properties must be controlled by the waqf board. The pretext that these properties are well managed cannot be an excuse for granting exemption. The very purpose of the waqf act is to see that the properties are well managed. And what is the guarantee that if these properties are well managed today they will remain well managed after exemption? That is why waqf board control should be there continuously without any relaxation. In fact these Bohra waqf properties are far from well managed. They are under the thumb of one Bohra priestly family and they flagrantly misappropriate the funds obtained through these properties.

We, therefore urge upon various state governments not to allow the waqf board members to grant such exemptions to the Bohra waqf properties from the waqf act. No Bohra can dare to ask the priesthood what is happening to these properties. Many such properties have been used for commercial profits by the priesthood totally ignoring the purpose for which these properties were donated. In fact, the Bohra waqf properties need much greater control to avoid their misuse by the priesthood. The Chandabhai Gulla case is very good example of how waqf properties are flagrantly misused by the priestly family. Much tighter supervision needed to be introduced to save these properties from misuse.

Resolution #4 -Attack on Asghar Ali Engineer

Asghar Ali Engineer, General Secretary of Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community and well known writer and Islamic scholar was assaulted by the followers of the Bohra high priest Syedna Muhammad Burhanuddin at his instance inside the Airport terminal building in Bombay on 13th February 2000 when he was returning from Bhopal after conducting the police workshop on communal harmony in Bhopal. Apparently Dr. Engineer was assaulted for protesting along with other passengers for delaying the Alliance Air flight for more than forty-five minutes at Indore airport by the Bohra high priest. The passengers were particularly protesting because there was a heart patient on the flight in critical condition who was being flown to Mumbai for urgent treatment.

Almost all the passengers protested but only Dr. Engineer was singled out for attack at Mumbai airport primarily because he has been fighting for the cause of social reform in the Bohra community and has been exposing the inhuman practices of the Bohra priesthood and suppression of human rights of the Bohras in general, and, reformist Bohras, in particular.

It was not only assault on him but also a well-planned attack on his house and office. Both his house and office were totally ransacked, smashing every thing the Bohra followers of the Syedna could lay their hands on. They left nothing, not even toilet seats. They destroyed computers, smashed furniture and threw away books and files. Among more than thousand books thrown away there were several copies of the holy Qur'an. Thus the sanctity of the Qur'an was violated by the culprits. All this was done at the instance of the Syedna and his establishment. Mr. Yunus Baluwala and Rahim Contractor, when they learnt about the attack rushed to Dr. Engineer's house. They were also beaten up by the followers of Syedna gathered there.

What is shocking that though Asghar Ali was attacked the Syedna who claims to be infallible and with whose knowledge all this had happened, made allegations against Asghar Ali that he attacked him (Syedna) and tried to push him down the ladder of the aircraft. It was total lie. Dr. Engineer had not lifted even his little finger at Syedna nor said a single word against him. All passengers, in fact, were protesting against the airlines authorities and not against Syedna or any other passenger.

It is highly regrettable that all political parties including the Congress and BJP (except Communist parties) issued statements, at the instance of Syedna, condemning Dr. Engineer for 'insulting the Syedna and assaulting him'. They did not even bother to check the facts before rushing to issue such statements. It speaks volumes for our political culture and commitment of our political parties to secular democracy.

The Minorities Commission of M.P. under the chairmanship of Shri Qureshi played very partisan role and without holding any inquiry or taking any statement of Dr. Engineer issued a statement condemning him and recommending to the M.P. Government not to invite him for any seminar or workshop. The Indore Police, District Magistrate and District Commissioner, however, held proper inquiry and gave a clean chit to Dr. Engineer and resisted all pressure from the Syedna's side to arrest him.

The Bombay police, on the other hand, acted under pressure from high priest's establishment and not only that did not reach in time when Engineer's house and office were being ransacked, but also tried to even alter the FIR filed by Dr. Engineer. The Bombay CID had to inquire into tampering of the FIR and original FIR was restored. Not only that the Santacruz police did not even hold customary identity parade of the culprits who took part in ransacking of Engineer's house and office, but they were let off without even opposing the bail application.

We deplore the role of politicians and the Mumbai police and demand proper action against all the culprits involved in attacking Dr. Engineer and ransacking his house and office.

Resolution #5 - Attack on Indian Parliament

The attack by the terrorists from Pakistan on Indian parliament on 13th December 2001 is highly deplorable act and no words, however strong, can be sufficient to condemn such dastardly attack. It was a conspiracy to eliminate important political leaders of India including the Prime Minister and others. It was an attack on Indian democracy.

While strongly condemning the attack on Indian Parliament by the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba terrorists we would like to point out that terrorists have no religion. Islam cannot be blamed for such despicable attacks. Islam is religion of peace, which is symbolised by the fact that peace (Salam) is one of the names of Allah. We also condemn the attack on New York World Trade Centre on 11th September 2001 in which more than 4000 innocent people were killed.

We would also like to point out that terrorism couldn't be rooted out by war and counter violence on even larger scale. Terrorism is product of a situation and it could be rooted out only by attacking the very roots of terrorism - social and political injustices, poverty, unemployment and suppression of freedom of people. Any government faced with terrorism should, in addition to taking stringent action against those perpetrating terrorism, should also address these basic problems.

We also urge upon the Government of Pakistan not to allow terrorists to function freely in Pakistan. Terrorism ultimately is great danger to Pakistan itself. Terrorists will destroy all political processes and democratic values which is what is their basic objective. Today Pakistani society is in the grips of violence and democratic space has shrunk. If terrorists continue to operate uncontrolled it will destroy all human values and sensitivity towards life and feeling of compassion. Terrorism is a double-edged sword, which destroys not only its victims but also its perpetrators. No civilised society will allow terrorists to operate from its soil. The terrorists soon become power unto themselves and it becomes impossible to control these monsters.

We, therefore, urge upon the Government of Pakistan to take stringent possible steps to root out terrorism from its soil and re-establish real Islamic values of justice, peace, compassion and wisdom.

We also urge upon the Government of India to restore train, bus and air services to Pakistan so that people to people contacts can be promoted and divided families do not suffer on account of these terrorists for long.

Resolution #6 - Communal situation

It is matter of great concern that communal riots are again occurring with great frequency in India. The Kanpur riot of March 2001 and Malegaon riot of October 2001 with several other riots in between should make us all sit up. The BJP had promised to minorities in its manifesto a 'riot-free' India. This promise, along with several other promises, made by the BJP and NDA government, has remained unfulfilled. The communal situation has been greatly aggravated after the NDA government came to power. Recently attacks have taken place even on Christians, which never used to happen earlier

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The BJP-led government is tampering with the text- books and changing history and noted historians of the country are up in arms at such tampering of history and communalising it. The history text-books are far from desirable and to further tamper with them would be a disaster. We need such textbooks, which would promote secular values and communal harmony and produce future citizens free of communal mind-set.

The VHP and Bajrang Dal are threatening communal peace in India by declaring their own programme to construct Ramjanmabhoomi temple at Ayodhya. Such a step can prove a great disaster for communal harmony and national integrity. The Babri Masjid-Ramjanambhoomi controversy should be resolved through constructive dialogue or through court judgement, not through one-sided action by the VHP and Bajrang Dal. Human lives and communal harmony are far more important than any mandir or masjid. The issue which is basically historical has been politicised by politicians for grabbing votes. As the U.P. elections are going to take place soon the controversy is being revived again.

We deplore such attempts and urge upon the government of India to take measures to promote communal harmony and re-assure minorities for security of their lives and properties and their economic and educational upliftment. Also, we urge upon the Government to take stringent measures against those who disturb communal peace and promote hatred and violence.

Resolution #7 - Dini Ta'alim (Religious education)

Our reform movement has always been conscious of significance of religious education and some efforts also have been made in this direction, particularly in Udaipur. However, it seems to be not adequate. But the problem is not lack of efforts on the part of our leaders and responsible officials but lack of enough incentives for the potential students. Despite all the efforts made we do not find adequate number of students and aspirants. Religious education is a must for flowering of our movement.

We, therefore, resolve to set up a committee for dini talim which will devise ways and means of promoting religious education among reformists, locally in particular, and worldwide, if possible.