War Drums- Asianage - February 14' 07

Sir, With reference to Seema Mustafa’s India has lost a friend (February 10), once again the war drums are beating and numbing our thoughts and actions. This starts at a time when we are still unable to comprehend fully what is going on in Iraq which was attacked under false pretext. The sectarian war there is consuming innumerable innocent lives. As for India-Iran friendship, it was not long ago that during the pre-Independence era, Varanasi was a centre of Persian studies. The mild, subtle and romantic Farsi was widely spoken in northern India, flavouring Urdu by adding innumerable words to its vocabulary. The trade that flourished between Iran and India was voluminous. The Tatas trace their ancestral roots to Persia. Another notable name, the Hindujas, made their wealth through investment in Iran. Both nations were deriving many benefits from these close ties. India did make a breakthrough in the India-Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline talks when Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar was the petroleum minister. It is a pity that now questions are being raised about India-Iran relations.

Yasmin Banu
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Why this day? 6 January 2007- Khaleej Times

I WAS among the millions of viewers who were dumb-founded to see Saddam Hussein facing the gallows without offering his Eid-Al-Adha prayers. The way the execution was carried out was demeaning. When the kangaroo courts categorically decided to sentence him to death. Why did the government of Iraqis select this day to carry out the court verdict?

- Yasmin. B, Abu Dhabi

Gruesome murders in Noida - Khaleej Times - 6 January 2007

THE gruesome murder of innocent children in Noida, India, would never be a way to start a new year. Once again, it explains that complacency on the part of the police force who never relented to the requests of the victimised parents.The suspension of two police officers in the lower strata of the hierarchy could never diffuse the tension and agony of the parents, nor the compensation package received by them could ever emancipate rid them of the trauma. It is impossible to comprehend the fact that the police officers were not ready to lodge an FIR (First Information Report) when news of the missing children was brought to them.Are these children of a lesser god as their parents come from humble backgrounds? Is the position of an incumbent of an equalitarian society above the law of the land? How are the state and Central governments going to react to the dereliction of duty from the state police force?The hue and cry of the public is very much justified, as it was again not the police that sprang to action but the public that did the needful.

Yasmin Banu, Abu Dhabi

Letters to the Editor : Asianage

Sir, Your editorial Desperation within (February 2) succinctly brings out the state of the nation. The recently concluded World Economic Forum meeting at Davos, Switzerland, showcased India as a nation that is an ideal destination for foreign direct investment. The question that automatically comes to mind here is whether we are over hyping our nation as a global destination for FDI, just because our annual growth rate is more than 8 per cent. Is the world really viewing us as an economic giant? Let us not forget that India has many problems and it is addressing these problems superficially. India still has a huge number of poor people. Poverty is an area of serious concern. The country can have a booming Sensex, and can be an international IT hub, but quintessentially, India’s is an agrarian economy. More than 60 per cent of the population depend on agriculture for their livelihood. The suicide of farmers in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh is a serious issue. The kidney-selling racket has been going on for years. Farmers’ apathy should not take such a turn that it takes the form of a national crisis. We definitely have a lot to learn from the American Depression of the Thirties, and the Bengal Famine of the Forties.

Yasmin Banu
Abu Dhabi, UAE

January 20, 2007 - Gulf News
No justice

The gruesome murder of innocent children in Noida, India, once again explains the complacency on the part of the police force ("Parents of dead children given money", Gulf News, January 3). Is this because the children and their parents come from a humble background? How are the state and central governments going to react to the dereliction of duty by the state police force? The hue and cry of the public is very much justified, as it was again not the police that sprung to action but the public who did the needful.

From Ms Yasmin Banu,Abu Dhabi

Letters the Editor : Asianage
Dereliction of duty

Sir, Your editorial Forgotten people (January 15) categorically focuses on the plight of the people whose lives were transformed when on December 26, 2004 several giant waves hit many Indian Ocean nations. It is painful that even after two years of the disaster they have not been properly rehabilitated. Worse, this situation is something not unique to India. Every nation that was affected by the tsunami has similar tales to tell. We thought enough money had been given to the tsunami affected countries by various governments, NGOs and people around the globe. Why is it that the money stays unutilised or underutilised? I think sometimes it is the public that has to react when it sees such dereliction of duty on the part of government officials.

Yasmin Banu
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Deccan Herald - Letters to the Editor

Needs condemnation Sir,

Watching former Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein on the gallows (without offering his Eid-ul-Adha prayers) was demeaning. He was a leader of a nation prior to its invasion. Though one can’t take away the tyranny he caused, especially annihilating his own people and halting the progress of his nation, religious sentiments must be respected. The day chosen for his sentence – Eid that commemorates sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismail – is sacrilegious and deserves condemnation.

Yasmin Banu Abu Dhabi, UAE

Letters to the Editor : Urdu and english - Asianage

Sir,
After reading Syed Iqbal Hasnain’s Muslims need more than madrasas (October 4), I can say that it is rather surprising that even after almost 60 years of independence, the Muslim community is still not part of mainstream India. If that is truly the case, then it is high time the community woke up to the fact that it has to be part of India’s progress. As for Urdu, the language is now associated with Muslims, when the truth is that Urdu has its roots in Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic and Turkish. It grew and flourished in India in its entirety and was spoken by a vast mass of people, and not just Muslims. The Muslim community in North India must ensure that madrasas teach both Urdu and English.

Yasmin Banu
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Letters to the Editor : Asianage
Zidane’s head-butt
Sir, Even though a week has passed since Zinedine Zidane head-butted Italian defender Marco Materazzi, to the bewilderment of millions of his fans, who were following the beautiful game and a footballer whose style of play is more ethereal than that of the Brazilians, many questions still persist. Whatever be the provocation, was it right of Zidane to head-butt another player while the game was still on? However, if Zidane’s action is inexcusable, there is no way that we can justify Materazzi’s act of using racial abuses against Zidane. After all, sport is not just about winning trophies, or showing the supremacy of one nation over another. It is about diluting man-made borders. Also, it is sad that all this happened at a time when FIFA’s avowed aim is to eliminate racism from football.
Yasmin Banu
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Khaleej Times - Oil on a high - 27 April 2006

AS WAS mentioned in the opinion column, there seems to be an amicable solution to the surge in oil prices. As an out of box solution to counter the inflation, we have to invest in the hydrocarbons stock and silently witness the cash register ringing.

There's some anticipation that the price could move up to US$ 100 per barrel. Economists have various theories of permutations and combinations for increase in oil price. For an ordinary man, the price increase is a key aspect of worry and frustration, as he has to spend more for deriving the same level of benefit.


- Yasmin Banu, Abu Dhabi

Kaavya and plagiarism - 2 May 2006 - Khaleej Times

IT IS frustrating to note that a budding teenager Kaavya Viswanathan from the renowned University of Harvard has resorted to the act of plagiarism. More so because, the third generation of Indo-US citizens are making faster strides in the US by virtue of their discipline, decorum and perseverance and had deserved the accolades and respects of their counterparts across the Atlantic.

In respect of any piece of works from arts to architecture, from literature to music, it is natural that artists draw inspiration from previous works of the kind which they admire.

Modern day composers, however, to one step further and straightaway lift the tunes of other composers and rename them as a source of inspiration. Over the time, we had noticed that there’s a thin dividing line between inspiration and plagiarism. If a verisimilitude of the original works is produced, it cannot be considered as inspiration but termed as ‘plagiarism’.


— Yasmin Banu, Abu Dhabi

Naushad Ali - Death of a legend - Asianage - 8th May 2006

Sir, Indian film industry has lost one of its greatest composers, Naushad Ali (Naushad dies at 87, May 6). In the age of re-mixes, where songs wither as autumn leaves, his evergreen compositions from Mughal-E-Azam, Baiju Bawra, Kohinoor, Mother India, Dil Diya Dard Liya etc., are still resonating in our ears. He was the first composer to combine the flute and the clarinet, the sitar and the mandolin. In addition, he earned the rare distinction of introducing Hindustani classical music and singers to film music, as Bade Ghulam Ali Khan in Mughal-E-Azam and D.V. Paluskar in Baiju Bawra.

Yasmin Banu
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Khaleej Times - Naushad’s magic - 8 May 2006

THE Indian film industry has lost one of the greatest composers of our times. A living legend, Naushad Ali breathed his last in the Nanavati hospital, Mumbai. In the age of re-mix ,where the repeat value of the song and the composer wither like leaves of the fall, his evergreen compositions from Mughal-e-Azam, Baiju Bawra, Kohinoor, Mother India, Dil Diya Dard Liya etc. still resonate in our ears.

Leaving his ancestral home for Mumbai to get a much-needed break as a composer in the films, he had the sobering experience of spending his life on the footpath. Success never eluded him due to his dexterity and love for music.

Finally with Baiju Bawra became a mammoth success and he never looked back. He was the first composer to combine the flute and the clarinet, the sitar and mandolin.

In addition, holding a rare distinction of introducing Hindustani classical music and singers to film music as Bade Ghulam Ali Khan in Mughal-e-Azam and D.V. Pulaskar in Baiju Bawra, he was inspired by the ragas.
- Yasmin Banu, Abu Dhabi

Khaleej Times - May 2' 2006 - Kaavya and Plagiarism

Kaavya and plagiarism

2 May 2006

IT IS frustrating to note that a budding teenager Kaavya Viswanathan from the renowned University of Harvard has resorted to the act of plagiarism. More so because, the third generation of Indo-US citizens are making faster strides in the US by virtue of their discipline, decorum and perseverance and had deserved the accolades and respects of their counterparts across the Atlantic.

In respect of any piece of works from arts to architecture, from literature to music, it is natural that artists draw inspiration from previous works of the kind which they admire.

Modern day composers, however, to one step further and straightaway lift the tunes of other composers and rename them as a source of inspiration. Over the time, we had noticed that there’s a thin dividing line between inspiration and plagiarism. If a verisimilitude of the original works is produced, it cannot be considered as inspiration but termed as ‘plagiarism’.

— Yasmin Banu, Abu Dha

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Lifting - Asianage

Sir, It is frustrating to note that a budding teenager from a renowned university like Harvard has resorted to plagiarism (Publisher says no to apology by Kaavya, April 26). Third generation Indian-Americans are making great strides in the United States because of their intelligence, discipline, decorum and perseverance. And they deserve the respect of the country they live in. This is not the way that they should be hitting headlines. While it is true that to be influenced by a work of art, a story, a novel, a song, is a natural phenomenon, one must realise that there is a difference between "influence" and what is nothing but "lifting." Kaavya is a teenager, and has a long way to go. So it is sad that in pursuit of fame and money she has set such a bad example and brought shame to the Indian community based in the US.

Yasmin Banu
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Social responsibility - Khaleej Times 1 March 2006

A WISE man once said that ‘every society is judged by how it treats its least fortunate amongst them’. The new world order has a distinct picture to reveal as indicated by the verdict of late model Jessica Lal. After more than five years of investigations, the accused were given a clean chit and acquitted.Unfortunately, during long periods of trial, the witness turns hostile due to apparent reasons and the entire filament gets fabricated. The judiciary is forced to give the benefit of doubt to the accused as they do not have sufficient witnesses and there are no proper laws to deal with witnesses who change their story as the case progresses.When an innocent person is brutally murdered, where do we stand collectively in bringing justice to the victim or victimised family? We have a moral responsibility in such situations. Until we act, well-connected personalities who place themselves above the law will remain scot-free and continue to commit heinous crimes in broad daylight.

— Yasmin Banu, Abu Dhabi

Letters to the editor : Khaleej Times - 7st Mar 2006 - What's faith got to do with it?

IT IS quite incongruous that worldwide demonstrations on the cartoon issue are equated by the Dubai Port taking control of the US ports. The port issue is solely a mercantile venture of the two parties involved, and no faith is challenged in it.The zeitgeist of today’s world is freedom for everything, but there are inhibitions with which the Press has to adhere. The public cry emphasises the solidarity for ridiculing a reformist who had exemplary characteristics that transformed into an Islamic civilisation spanning five continents.Peace protests are a norm of life to show dissent for matters that need consideration. If these demonstrations turn violent by arson, looting and death of innocent lives, an aberration needs to be condemned. Furthermore, to invade a sovereign nation under a false pretext for perpetual flow of fossil fuels is in no way justified. In the mayhem, an entire generation of growth, prosperity and security of the denizens is lost.Islam advocates peace and promulgates tolerance and non-violence to its followers. Therefore, the final messenger Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) is a mercy for mankind, and he being humiliated cannot be taken in a lighter vein by his followers.
Yasmin Banu, Abu Dhabi

Think of the poor - Asianage

Sir, A wise man once said, "A healthy society is known by how it treats its less fortunate." Did the Union Budget take this thought into account (PC keeps status quo, March 1)? There is no question that for three successive years Indian economy has seen more than 7 per cent growth. It is also a fact that the Indian elite and the middle classes have made huge strides. But, lest we forget, India is essentially an agrarian economy. We still have millions of farmers who are completely dependent on the monsoons. Many parts of the country are yet to see proper irrigation systems. Though the money allocated for rural infrastructure development has increased significantly over the years, the allocated funds often fail to reach the grass roots and help the people who need that money the most. The developed countries have huge subsidies lined up for their farmers, and, therefore, their products are cheaper, whereas our farmers get a negligible subsidy and are unable to compete with outsiders. If India considers itself a growing economy at par with the developed economies, it cannot marginalise its rural population.

Yasmin Banu

Indian policy - Asianage

Sir, Dr A. Gopalakrishnan is absolutely right in saying that India has no reason to follow the West when formulating its foreign policy (Don’t follow West on Iran, March 14). It is well known that in politics there are no permanent friends or foes, but only permanent interests. The United States’ newfound interest in India is because of the latter’s growing economic stature, and because of the US’ own interest in propping up a power in Asia to counter the emerging giant China. India is an active member of the non-aligned movement and the founder of the Panchsheel doctrine. India has also had a long-standing credible relationship with Iran, socially, economically, politically and culturally. We should remember that it was not too long ago that the US refused to sell us supercomputers. After that, our team of indigenous scientists designed the supercomputer Param. Sharing knowledge or indigenous technology development is a requirement for every nation. Iran should not be an exception to this golden rule, if its aim of enhancing its nuclear facilities is for its own domestic use. Also, the India-Pakistan-Iran pipeline will immensely help India’s hydro-carbon starved economy.

Yasmin Banu
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Dance bars - "The Hindu - Apr 17th "

Targeting a category in the name of decency is unjustified. With no alternative sources of livelihood, the dancers' lives were thrown out of gear. The verdict is a godsend for the bar girls.

Yasmin Banu, Abu Dhabi

Ethical dwarf

Ethical dwarf - Asianage

Sir, Suhel Seth in his article Silliness is in fashion (April 3) forgot that we are living in an instant world. It is the world of instant food, instant drinks and instant success. The reverberations generated by a Fashion Week should not come as a surprise as the younger generation is all geared to catch the limelight. It was not long ago when one television channel was garnering votes for the retrial of Jessica Lal’s case to present it to the President; hardly 200,000 people voted. But another channel while airing a popular talent search contest got around five million votes. After all, in beauty pageants the contestants always claim Mother Teresa as their role model. Then they use these pageants as a launch pad for a lucrative career in films. We may have become a nuclear giant, but we have also become an ethical dwarf.

- Yasmin Banu Abu Dhabi, UAE