Committee Representing a Broad Range of Community, Professional, and Academic Institutions to Oversee a New Mosque Study

USA,(Deccan Samachar Service DSS) July 15,2010) ISNA announces a new study of U.S. mosques. The "U.S. Mosque Study 2010" will be led by Dr. Ihsan Bagby, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Kentucky, and sponsored by ISNA and CAIR. Co-sponsors for the Study include: International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), The Mosque Cares (Ministry of W. Deen Mohammed), Muslim American Society (MAS), Muslim Alliance of North America (MANA), and Muslim Guide. The Study will be conducted in cooperation with Hartford Seminary, the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB), and Faith Communities Today (FACT).A Research Committee conducting the Study includes includes in alphabetical order: Nihad Awad (CAIR), Ihsan Bagby (University of Kentucky), Zahid Bukhari (ICNA), Rich Houseal (ASARB), David Roozen (Hartford Seminary and FACT), Iqbal Unus (IIIT), and Safaa Zarzour (ISNA). "The Mosque Study will provide useful information and insights for community leaders and organizations as well as the academic community to assist them in both scholarly research as well as community development," states ISNA Secretary General Safaa Zarzour. Information included in the U.S. Mosque Study 2010 will be collected from online surveys and phone or in-person interviews. The survey will be available online and will address a range of issues, including: quality of mosque programs, mission and identity of the mosque, diversity and needs of mosque participants, leadership and organizational dynamics and history of the organization.A random sample of mosque leaders from around the country will be selected to participate in interviews to discover the perceptions of Muslim religious leaders on a variety of substantive issues, including: Muslim involvement in American civic life, involvement of women and young adults in mosques, concerns about radicalization in the community and evaluations of mosque staffing.Zarzour states, "This collaboration of academic, professional, and community institutions is unprecedented and reflects the desire of all sponsors to produce credible, valid, useful results from this study for the benefit of everyone." ISNA urges all mosque leaders to participate in the survey, which is scheduled to launch this July and run through September.For more information about the "U.S. Mosque Study 2010", please contact Ihsan Bagby, Iabagb2@uky.edu, 859 494-3743.==========================================

Chandrababu Naidu arrested in Nanded

Nanded (Maharashtra), July 16 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was arrested here today by Maharashtra police for violating prohibitory orders Naidu was taken into preventive custody with 70 other politicians as they tried to visit the Babhali dam in Maharashtra to find out whether Maharashtra is grabbing more than its share of water from the River Godavari. Earlier in the day, Naidu launched a "bus yatra" from Andhra Pradesh border to enter Maharashtra following which the district administration went into a high alert.Bus, train and auto services have been badly hit in the state. The protesters reportedly vandalised some buses in Andhra Pradesh. ============================================

Naidu begins 'bus yatra' as Maharashtra sounds alert

Hyderabad, July 16 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N.Chandrababu Naidu and legislators Friday launched a 'bus yatra' to Babli near the Andhra Pradesh border to start a 'national debate' on the controversial dam across the Godavari being built by Maharashtra.The Maharashtra government stepped up security along the border to stop them as four buses carrying Naidu, other TDP legislators and leaders of Lok Satta left for Babli, near the border with Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister K.Rosaiah spoke to Naidu over phone Thursday night, advising him to call off his 'bus yatra' that he said would heighten tensions between the two states. Naidu, however, ignored Rosaiah's appeal as well as the decision of the Maharashtra government not to allow him to enter the state. Naidu had invited Rosaiah and leaders of all parties, including the ruling Congress, to join the 'yatra'. But only leaders of the Lok Satta joined him. The TDP chief and former chief minister told reporters that it was a fact-finding mission aimed to start a national debate on Babli and 13 other illegal projects across Godavari. He alleged that Maharashtra was going ahead with the works on Babli in violation of Supreme Court orders. He said the Andhra Pradesh government was doing nothing to stop the projects, which would prove disastrous for the state and turn Telangana into a desert. Maharashtra has sounded an alert along its border with Andhra Pradesh to stop the 'yatra'. Police have erected barricades and formed check posts to check every vehicle entering the state. The authorities in Nanded district of Maharashtra have imposed prohibitory orders around the project site as leaders of various parties of the neighbouring state have also reached there to protest the visit by TDP leaders. In 2007, the Maharashtra Police used force to stop TDP leaders led by legislator N.Janardhan Reddy from heading towards the Babli dam. The opposition party has alleged that the Congress government was not showing seriousness to stop the illegal projects in Maharashtra which would take away the state's rightful share of Godavari waters. Rosaiah plans to take an all-party delegation to Delhi later this month to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to urge him to ask Maharashtra to stop construction of illegal projects.
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LeT operative sent to 14 days remand

Hyderabad, July 15 : LeT operative Viquaruddin Ahmed alias Vicaruddin, wanted for the murder of a policeman and a home guard, was today sent to Cherlapalli jail on 14 days remand.Vicar and five of his associates were arrested from Parsigutta in Secunderabad yesterday. Vicar was produced before the Nampally magistrate in connection with the murder of the special branch constable Ramesh at Shalibanda area in the old city in May this year and shooting at a special branch person in Sultan Bazar in May last.Police sources, however, said they would seek Vicar custody for the killing of home guard Bala Raju in the police outpost Falaknuma in December 2008 along with shooting special branch policeman at Medhipatnam in 2007.Vicar on whom Rs.5 lakhs bounty was announced by the Andhra Pradesh police was also wanted in case at Ahmedabad in Gurajat.
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AP CM meets legal expert to present state water dispute case

Hyderabad, Jul 15 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K.Rosaiah today reiterated that the interest of Andhra Pradesh 'should and would be protected under any circumstances' in the inter state irrigation project including Almatti on river Krishna and Babli on river Godavari and met legal luminary here to forcefully represent the state case on the disputes tribunal. The Chief Minister held a special meeting with Senior Supreme Court lawyer Mr Dipankar P Gupta, Major Irrigation Minister and other officials on the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal at Secretariat. The Chief Minister discussed the working of legal and technical teams of Andhra Pradesh on Krishna Tribunal headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar. Mr Gupta, who was also former Solicitor General of India, specially flew from Delhi for this meeting and apprised the Chief Minister regarding the arguments and stand taken by Andhra Pradesh before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal. He also gave a brief over view of the likely scenario emerging in the report of the Tribunal. Senior Counsel Dipankar P Gupta was confident that Andhra Pradesh had argued their case before the tribunal in a very forceful and effective manner and expected a positive outcome.The Chief Minister reiterated that the interest of Andhra Pradesh should be and would be protected under any circumstances. He told the senior advocate and other top officials that the State's case should be presented in the most effective manner and we should see that our interests are protected.The Chief Minister directed the legal and technical teams to take all possible measures and ensure that no stone remains unturned for vindicating the case of Andhra Pradesh in all respects in the Tribunal.The Chief Minister also will lead an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister to represent the case of Andhra Pradesh on the Babli issue. The Chief Minister who met the Prime Minister yesterday already briefed on the subject. Dr Rosaiah was confident of strongly presenting the issue before the Prime Minister during the meeting. He reiterated that the interest of the State in this case is upper most in his mind and will pursue the case strongly in all platforms.Major and Medium Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmiah, Principal Secretary, Irrigation, S K Joshi, Irrigation Advisers, offiicials and engineers were among attended the meeting, according to a release from Chief Minister's office here.
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Salman Khurshid launches investor education website in Telugu

Hyderabad, July 15 : Minister of Corporate Affairs Salman Khurshid today launched the Telugu version of the Investor Education and Protection Fund Website here.also released Beginner's Guide to the Capital Market in Telugu language at a function organized by the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) in partnership with the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) as part of India Investor Week (IIW) 2010. With this launch in Telugu, the common man now can access the Investor Education and Protection Fund Website in five Indian languages: Assamese, Bangla, Hindi, Marathi and Telugu. India Investor Week is a part of the year long programme of the Ministry to mainstream investor awareness in partnership with SEBI, RBI, ICAI, ICSI, ICWAI, CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, UTI-MF, BSE, NSE, MCS-SX, IMC,IAIA and PHD Chamber.During the IIW, Khurshid has been outlining the need to reach out to the common man to not only make him aware but also encourage and hand hold him so that he can gainfully channelize his savings into the corporate economy through informed investment decisions. He has stated that the investors' programmes are an effort to bring the aam admi into the mainstream of economic growth. During the year the Ministry of Corporate Affairs will be organizing 3,000 programmes throughout the country. The India Investor Week is being organized for the first time by the Ministry to bring a national focus on the subject of investor awareness.
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Opposition demands probe into firing on Srikakulam Thermal Power Project protestors

Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh), July 15 : Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam District have demanded a judicial probe into an incident of police firing on protestors, who refused to vacate their lands for a proposed 2,000 MW Srikakulam Thermal Power Project.The opposition Telugu Desam, Praja Rajyam, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) demanded a judicial probe into the incident of police firing, in which two fishermen were killed and over a 100 people injured."All the men from the village went for a meeting at the power office. There the policemen fired at them," said Subbamh, a villager.The opposition also called for the suspension of police officials and cancellation of license for the 2,000 MW thermal power project.Apart from the locals of over 30 villages, a forum of environmentalists, academicians and other experts opposed the Srikakulam Power Project, saying it could create a critical imbalance in the ecologically sensitive zone.The demonstrators staged a peaceful sit-in protest on Wednesday and chanted anti-government slogans.The deployment of security personnel to quell the crowds, however, led to a violent backlash by the people."For thermal power plant, they don''t have any permission. The Supreme Court also did not give its judgment over the issue, the judgment was reserved for the environmental system," said K. Narayana, State Secretary, Communist Party of India."So without giving any permission how the state government gave permission to this Nagarjuna Construction Company to construct the project," he added.
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Legislators protest over police firing in Andhra, suspended

Hyderabad,July 15: The police firing on villagers protesting a thermal power plant in Srikakulam district rocked the Andhra Pradesh assembly Thursday with the speaker suspending opposition legislators for stalling the house.For the second consecutive day, Speaker Kiran Kumar Reddy suspended 55 legislators of main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the lone member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when they stalled proceedings demanding the resignation of Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao. The speaker announced the suspension of the legislators from the house for one day after Endowments Minister Gade Venkat Reddy moved a resolution. As the suspended legislators refused to leave the house, the speaker called in marshals to physically lift them out. The legislators resisted the marshals, leading to scuffles. Angry opposition members uprooted the mikes before being carried out by the marshals. They later staged protest outside the chambers of Chief Minister K.Rosaiah in the lobby and urged him to sack the revenue minister. Earlier, the house had to be adjourned twice as TDP members stalled the proceedings and protest near the speaker's podium, demanding the revenue minister's resignation for allegedly supporting police action. Two people were killed when the police opened fire on fishermen and farmers protesting against a proposed thermal power station at Sompeta in Srikakulam district. They alleged that the project would destroy ecology and jeopardise their livelihood. Earlier, making a statement in the assembly, Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy defended the police firing, saying the police had to fire as a "last resort" and in self defence as the protesters had attacked them with stones. She said two people were killed in the firing and 145 people, including 37 policemen and six mediapersons, were injured in the violence. "As the protesters attacked the police with stones and all the attempts to disperse them proved futile, the police had to open fire in self-defence as a last resort. The police used short weapons like 9 mm pistols and revolvers and did not use rifles or other weapons," Sabita Indra Reddy said. TDP legislator M. Narasimhulu lashed out at the revenue minister and demanded his resignation for stating that nobody can stop the power project. He also demanded a judicial probe into the police firing, action against the police officers responsible for firing and compensation of Rs.10 lakh each to the families of the deceased. "Has the government declared a war on the people by mobilising 3,000 policemen in Sompeta," Narasimhulu asked. He alleged that the government colluded with Nagarjuna Construction Company to build the project at the cost of the livelihood of local people.
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BJP demands judicial inquiry into Sompet firing

Vijayawada, Jul 15 : The Bharatiya Janata Party today demanded judicial inquiry by a High Court judge and resignation of Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy and Srikakulam district in-charge Minister D Prasada Rao over the police firing in Sompet in which two persons were killed and more than 100 injured.Addressing a press conference here, BJP official spokesman, Srinivasa Raju and party state secretary L Vengala Rao Yadav said apart from judicial inquiry into the firing incident yesterday, police officials concerned also should be immediately suspended.Vehemently condemning the firing, Mr Raju demanded the resgination of Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and District in-charge Minister D Prasada Rao for the police firing.Demanding that the state government announce an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to each family of the deceased and Rs 3 lakh to the injured, the BJP leader alleged that District in-charge Minister Prasada Rao had been provocating the people by his statements over the construction of thermal power station at Sompet.Stating that the area where the government intended to establish the power project was farm land as paddy was cultivated in 52,000 acres, he said the farmers of the area were apprehensive that if the project was constructed it would not only spoil the farm land but also lead to drinking water scarcity.Making it clear that the BJP was not against establishment of projects, he said the projects should be constructed in the barren lands without affecting the environment and topography of the area.The BJP will extend full solidarity to the agitating people, he said.Mr Vengala Rao Yadav alleged that the Sri Krishna Committee, constituted by the Centre to examine the demand for separate Telangana was only dragging the issue. Reiterating that the BJP did not recognize the Sri Krishna Committee, he accused the TDP and Congress leaders of opposing the creation of separate Telangana, only to protect their properties which were centralized in Hyderabad.The BJP in Coastal Andhra Pradesh will launch a massive 'Jai Andhra' agitation shortly in favour of bifurcation of the state, he said.
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Andhra district still tense after police firing

Hyderabad, July 15 : The situation in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district continued to be tense Thursday, a day after police firing on villagers protesting against a thermal power project killed two and the ensuing violence left about 150 injured.People in Sompeta area and surrounding villages of Srikakulam district, around 600 km from here, lived in fear as police forces continued raids to arrest those who were behind the violence. Hundreds of armed policemen were deployed in about a dozen villages and orders banning assembly of five or more persons were imposed to quell fresh protests against a proposed mega thermal power project. "A curfew-like situation is prevailing as security personnel are not allowing us to move out of our homes. There are policemen in every nook and corner, we are living in fear. Anything can happen any time," said a villager. Two fishermen were killed and dozens were wounded as police opened fire on protesters trying to obstruct construction work on the project, saying that it will harm the ecology and destroy their livelihood. Unconfirmed reports have put the death toll at four. About 150 people were injured in the clashes between stone-pelting protesters and police which used baton charge. The injured include 45 policemen. Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) is building the 2,640 MW electricity project at a cost of Rs.1,200 crore (USD 250 million). Farmers and fishermen of the region have been protesting against the project as it is coming up on 1,890 acre on a wetland and is close to the sea coast. They fear the project will destroy the ecology and will take away their livelihood.
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