We must tap India's diversity to make it a hub of scientific research: UK based Indian scientist

Observing that India is a hugely diversified country where Hindus and Muslims have co-existed peacefully for ages, Dr. Mumtaz Naiyer, post-doctoral scientist and researcher from Bihar who is currently based in the United Kingdom, while speaking to Asif Moazzam of ummid.com said, "The more diverse a society, the more productive it is. We must tap this diversity for making India a prosperous country not only on the economic but also on the scientific front. But this will be a distant dream as long as we remain divided and at war with each other."

At the same time, he advised the youth of India, not to become part of the mad crowd and indulge in any rubbish engagement, rather create rational and scientific temperament, which may lead you and the county to prosperity.

Excerpts:

Q. Please share with us your journey from Kishanganj to the UK. What made you keep moving despite all sort of constraints?

The journey was full of a roller coaster. I was born and brought up in one of the remotest villages of Bihar. My father passed away when I was just 8-year old. It was extremely difficult for my mother to support us. After my father’s demise, one of my eldest brothers Zainul Abedin had to discontinue his studies to support the education of two younger brothers.

I wanted to become a doctor because I had seen young children die in my village due to lack of medical facilities.

Even though I was unable to crack medical examinations, I was selected for Bachelor of Dental Studies and B.Pharma at reputed institutes but could not take admission due to the high fees. So, I finally decided to do a simple, affordable but promising course. Luckily, Jamia Millia Islamia had recently launched B.Sc. (Biotechnology) programme and I got enrolled in it. Soon, I started getting a merit scholarship from the Central Wakf Board, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India for two years.

After my bachelors, I joined Jamia Hamdard for my masters. I was the recipient of Tasmia Merit Scholarship for best academic performance at masters’ level university exams in Jamia Hamdard.

After my masters, I joined National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, an autonomous institution of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, for my Ph.D. This is considered to be one of the top biotechnology research institutes in India and is also a national cell repository. Here, I was able to work under one of the best Immunologists in the country Dr. Bhaskar Saha, who is also a Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Awardee.

At the end of my Ph.D., I received offers for post-doctoral fellowships from world-famous universities like University of Montreal, Canada; John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; National Institute of Health, Bethesda, USA; and Imperial College London, UK. I decided to join Khakoo lab at Imperial which was later shifted to the University of Southampton.

Q. what exactly is your research work and how it’s going to benefit humanity at large?

My current research work focuses on studying the immune response of Natural Killer cells to flaviviral infections especially Hepatitis C, Zika, Dengue etc. I am working on understanding how flaviviral peptides bound to MHC class I may activate Natural Killer cells through activating receptor KIR2DS2.

Traditional Vaccines work by stimulating the immune response to the coat of proteins on the virus, enabling the body to fight off the virus and recognize it in the future. However, the viruses are able to escape the immune system because they can change their coat proteins by a process called mutation. In the recent study published in Science Immunology, we have shown that the NK cell receptor KIR2DS2 is able to target a non-variable part of the virus called the NS3 helicase protein, which is essential in making the virus work properly. Unlike other proteins, the NS3 helicase protein does not change, which allows the immune system to grab hold of it and let the NK cells deal with the threat.

We believe that by targeting this NS3 helicase region of the virus, we can make a new type of vaccine based on natural killer cells, which can be used to help protect people from these infections. Since this NS3 protein is conserved in more than 60 flaviviruses, a single shot vaccine for multiple viruses can be developed.

We also believe that this work can easily be translated in the field of cancer for cancer therapeutics.

Q. While working in a developed country, how do you see the educational system in India?

First, we must concede that there is a deep crisis in our education system. A nation’s progress and prosperity rely on its education system. There is a huge disparity between the rural and urban education system of India, which resulted in huge talent loss from the rural areas, and we can see the stunted growth of our country in comparison to other major Asian giants like China, Japan, etc.

The challenges are many that our education system is facing. The foremost of all is a reduction in the allocation of funds (percentage GDP) in Health, Education, and Research. Our peers like C. N. R. Rao and Krishnaswamy Vijay Raghavan FRS have addressed these problems in their interviews and cited how complex bureaucracy is ruining our education system and I must say medical research is the worst casualty.

In some cases, we have to wait for months for getting the chemicals/reagents and by the time researchers lose their interests. Complex bureaucracy literally kills Indian Science. Government and policymakers must look beyond the pigeonhole. The county has immense potential for both science and economic frontiers.

Q. You come from a community, which is on the back foot. You are inspiration and hope for millions of youth. Do you have any message for them?

For past three decades, the Muslim community of India is passing through a challenging and arduous phase. The biggest crisis is the absence of proper leadership followed by least representation of the community in any of the fields. Yet, the future is not totally bleak. Every challenge is a blessing in disguise. Fifty Muslim candidates cleared civil services exam this year, the highest since Independence. This is an indicator of community’s awakening and struggle. Resources should be further explored and utilized for the social welfare, education, and health of the community.

The prime focus of the community should be on education. Let them be self-critical and awake from a slumber sleep. Many parents, who are economically not well off, look at an immediate gain and prefer to send their kids as child labor. Had my guardians thought on a similar line, I would have been serving in a workshop or a similar place. I advocate everyone to move on, despite any sort of constraints. Only firm determination followed by required action is going to pay in the long run.

Q. The cleavage between Hindu and Muslim community is deepening. As a scientist, how do you see it, and what would you like to say to the youth of India.

Hindus and Muslims have co-existed peacefully in India for ages, with some occasional conflict. Unfortunately, the current political dispensation is charged with dividing these communities at its worst. Being a scientist, I see this cleavage as a huge loss for the country.

India is a hugely diversified country. We are diversified not only religiously, but also culturally. The more diverse a society, the more productive it is. We must tap this diversity for making India a prosperous country not only on the economic but also on the scientific front. But this will be a distant dream as long as we remain divided and at war with each other. In a great county like ours, we are witnessing a tense growing atmosphere, which is by and large created by a section of media and some petty politicians to reap political mileage. For sure, this gloomy atmosphere will die down, sooner or later. From the bottom of my heart, I advise the youth of India, not to be part of the mad crowd and indulge in any rubbish engagement, rather create rational and scientific temperament, which may lead you and the county to prosperity.

We have been divided enough in the name of race, color, religion, caste, and creed by the British. Let’s not be foolish to fall into the same trap again. Let’s be united and serve mother India in our capacities best. It’s worth remembering Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of Aligarh Muslim University, who said “Hindus and Muslims are the two eyes of the beautiful bride that is Hindustan. The weakness of any one of them will spoil the beauty of the bride”.

Q. What are your future plans?

I want to contribute more to science and use my knowledge and expertise against the serious threats to humankind posed by dangerous viruses such as Zika, Dengue, Ebola, etc. I would like to establish my own lab and become a principal investigator. If given the opportunity, I would like to return to India and want to contribute to the Indian science. I am looking for ways to support my research work. I am planning to apply for grants in Medical Research Council, UK, and Wellcome Trust, UK.

Q. What are your other areas of interest? Please share with us.

I love interacting people. An important aspect of science and scientists is to interact with common masses as much as possible. I do interact with the common mass on a regular basis. My juniors also write to me to seek career advice, to which I always make sure they are attended satisfactorily. I have interests in creative writing on social and scientific issues. Some of my articles have also been published on various online platforms.

Inspired by the founder of Humans of New York, Brandon Stanton, I along with few close friends, are running “Humans of Seemanchal” Facebook page. The page highlights the success stories of local folks, shares the hopes and aspiration of disadvantaged people belonging to this region. During the recent floods in Seemanchal, through HOS, we raised significant amount (Rs 1.75 lakh) and our team and volunteers carried out relief work in the worst flood-affected areas. Some of my friends call me social scientist jokingly (laughs).

Apart from that, I receive lots of queries on foreign education opportunities by students in India. Again, my friends and I are trying to establish a global education consultancy for academics named SeedingSTEM. It is conducting market surveys now and is scheduled to work from offices in 2019.

Last but not the least; I have a dream to establish schools, colleges, hospitals and healthcare in every block of Seemanchal, which would be affordable for the last person standing in the social and economic hierarchy. Interested people may contact me to discuss how to realize this dream. 

http://ummid.com/news/2017/Novembr/24.11.2017/dr-mumtaz-naiyer-interview-with-asif-moazzam-ummid-dot-com.html
http://radianceweekly.in/portal/issue/islamic-banking-back-to-square-one/article/prime-focus-of-muslims-should-be-on-education/

Saying no to cow slaughter: Roadmap for Indian Muslim

http://ummid.com/news/2017/May/28.05.2017/saying-no-to-cow-slaughter-roadmap-for-indian-muslims.html
http://worldhinduism.org/2017/05/28/saying-no-to-cow-slaughter-roadmap-for-indian-muslim/

Reverence for Cow
In Hinduism cow is thought to be sacred and is held in high esteem since time immemorial. Steps to prevent cow slaughter have been observed by rulers and civilians from time to time. Mughal Emperor Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir and others imposed selectively restricted bans on cow slaughter.

Bahadur Shah Zafar banned the butchery of cows, forbade the eating of beef and authorized for anyone found killing a cow the terrible punishment of being blown from a cannon.

Hyder Ali, the Sultan and de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, made cow slaughter an offense punishable with the cutting of the hands of the offenders.

Reverence and protection of cow have been in practice for a very long time, and keeping this in mind, Muslim rulers imposed ban on its slaughter. A movement of cow protection was launched by a Sikh sect too, in Punjab in about 1870.

In recent past, leading Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband appealed Muslims to avoid cow slaughter on Eid al-Adha in states where it is banned as a mark of respect for the feelings of Hindus.

Refraining from hurting anyone’s feeling is part of religious duty. If a cow is so much revered by a community, should not members of other communities take care of their feelings?

Should not one change food habit since it hurts the feeling of millions of fellow citizen?

A common Hindu treats cow as its mother and holds it in high esteem, is this reason alone not enough to stop any community from India to say big NO to cow slaughter?

Community Responsibility

BJP is in power today, it may not be tomorrow. Let any so-called secular or so-called communal party come to power, Muslims should act wise and start making decisions that are going to have long-lasting effects. In continuation of the reverence and respect of the feelings of millions of fellow citizen, Muslims should move a step further.

Ulemas of all school of thoughts existing in India, despite any difference they have, should come on a platform on this issue and unanimously issue a fatwa against the consumption of cow meat as formidable and unlawful.

All Muslim religious and social organizations would then carry forward the word from one corner to another. Imams of all masjids would be asked to announce the revoke of cow slaughter in jummah khutbah, reaching villages after villages.

It is argued that cow slaughter is banned in one part of India but allowed in another. It is also argued that India continues to be the world’s largest exporter of beef. True, but Muslims shouldn’t get into it, but get out of the shadow of this vicious politics.

They should stand by a common Hindu and empathize with them. If they oppose cow slaughter, Hindu’s faith will be honored, and Muslims’ moral and religious duties will be fulfilled. This step will bring Muslims closer to their Hindu counterparts.

Love breeds love and hatred breeds hatred, it’s a cycle. This step will definitely unite two alienated hearts and will bring positive changes between the two communities in the long run. This move will be ever remembered and appreciated even by the deadliest critique of Muslims. It will also close forever a convenient window of malign and torture against Muslims.

Another side of Shahabuddin’s untold story

The name of Mohammad Shahabuddin, two-time MLA from Jiradei constituency and four-time MP from Siwan, is a synonym to terror and crime in media. But he has another facet to his personality, hardly known to the world.

In the capacity of an MP, he stood unmatched. He was among rare MPs who spent the whole of MP LAD (Local Area Development) fund in his constituency. His development agenda covered many areas, with prime focus on Education and Health.

He established Islamia Educational and Social Welfare Trust.  The trust took up major projects for educational and social welfare development. It got registered 300 acres of land for a minority character university. He dreamed of having all the major faculties and departments in the campus such as Law, Engineering, Medicine, and Mass Communication and so on. Presently, Engineering College along with other colleges and courses are running smoothly. To raise fund for the cause, he traveled to different states of India and abroad. He had managed enough of the fund to establish the university, on a personal level.

He had targeted 2006 for the university to come in full swing, but unfortunately, his long-term journey of jail started in 2005, and since then, the larger project came to a halt.

To ensure that the schools and colleges have proper infrastructure and an academic environment, he used his MP LAD fund to good effect. I remember the dilapidated building of Vidya Bhavan Women College, which the MP transformed into a huge building. He ensured that the teachers were present regularly at the schools and tried to improve the educational standards. Irregular and irresponsible staffs either mended ways or got transferred out of Siwan. It was a time when using unfair means in exams in Bihar were common practices. It was only in Siwan that no malpractice was allowed in exams, therefore, non-serious students moved to other districts to get good marks. In exam days, the MP used to visit exam centers on regular basis to ensure fair means practiced.

  

The health sector was given equal importance. ‘HAMARA PRAYAS’, an NGO, funded by the trust worked effectively in the district in the area such as cultural development and healthcare.  The MP then fixed the upper limit of doctors' consultancy fees at Rs. 50 and 70 respectively. The move was widely welcomed and it benefitted the poor immensely.  Besides, the doctors treated the poor on all important festivals for free. With the help of local businessmen, the health committee managed generators and provided regular power supply to the hospitals, which was needed much due to huge electricity crisis across Bihar.

To the surprise of many, Mohammad Shahabuddin is a voracious reader too. He loves to read books on different issues, especially history books. He was awarded the doctorate degree on his thesis ‘First Coalition Government’ from Muzaffarpur University, Bihar. To launch a newspaper was also in pipeline.

This is one of the aspects Mohammad Shahabuddin will be ever remembered and cherished by people of Siwan.

Strengthening Owaisi in UP will give Muslims capacity to bargain

http://twocircles.net/2017feb11/404550.html
During the seven decades of independence, we have seen many parties very closely, and hopefully, have understood well the meaning of secularism. Without going into the detail of their precepts and practices in the decades-long history, let’s have a look at the recent incident in Assam to understand the political game under the garb of secularism.

In Assam, BJP+ AGP+ BPF alliance got 41.9 % of vote share while Congress got 31% and AIUDF 13% of the total vote. Congress and AIUDF put together amount to 43%. Congress didn’t form an alliance with AIUDF and was reduced from 79 to 26 seats. So-called secular party like Congress could afford to see BJP in power and lived through its humiliating defeat, but couldn’t afford to see Badruddin Ajmal in power. In Indian political context, secularism urges to get the vote of Muslims, but refuses an alliance with them, even if it costs dear.

In recent Bihar election, Muslims so vigorously voted for the grand alliance that all six candidates fielded by AIMIM, including the veteran Akhtarul Iman, two-term MLA and very popular candidate, lost to grand alliance candidates from Seemanchal, a thickly Muslim populated area. Soon after, Nitish government reduced the minority budget from 309 to 294 crores. The fact is that in politics, there is no friend or foe, but the truth is that power recognizes power. Our crisis remains because we are a vote bank without a leader.

Any community deprived of its leader is a pushover. Why shouldn’t Muslims, as a marginalized community and not as a religious minority, have the custodian of their votes? Some argue this will lead to polarization, which is not true. Vote pattern in India is now deeply on caste line and not on religious line. Therefore, Muslims voting in unification for their leader and party will be simply a pattern followed by other communities of India.

In this caste based political system in India, each political party is supported primarily by a sizeable section of particular community and caste. Their caste votes bring them electoral strength and real political power with a capacity to rule and bargain.

Following the own leader and the party headed by own leaders will reduce chances of being blackmailed. Such a party will definitely be part of alliance and governance as well. The mass following will strengthen the leader and place him in a position to bargain, which is a must for the community.

In Uttar Pradesh, in 73 of 403 assembly constituencies, Muslims form more than 30% of the electorate. AIMIM is contesting around three dozen seats. Muslims must vote unanimously across Uttar Pradesh to defeat communal force but shouldn’t they throw their weight behind Owaisi contesting few seats and give him a chance to lead and represent the community?

Asif Moazzam Jamai

Dept. of English

University of Bisha

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Should Muslims trust Samajwadi Party?

http://twocircles.net/2017jan29/403718.html

http://muslimmirror.com/eng/should-muslims-trust-samajwadi-party
http://english.khabartak.com/national/82091

Samajwadi Party came to power in 2012 with lucrative promises to the people of Uttar Pradesh. Sixteen points, pregnant with best-sounding promises were dedicated to the Muslim community, in the election manifesto. At the end of five years of governance, let’s have a review of promises and their delivery before we are taken to view new mirage.  Below is a rough translation of most of the promises made in the Election manifesto of SP 2012.

1.     SP government will pressurize the center to implement the recommendations of Rangnath Mishra Commission and Sachar Committee. It will immediately implement the recommendations that fall under the jurisdiction of state government.

2.     In the light of recommendations of Sachar Committee report, Muslims being educationally, economically and socially backward, will be given reservation on the lines of scheduled castes on the basis of their population.   

3.     Innocent Muslim youths arrested in fabricated cases will not only be released immediately but also be compensated.  The accused officers will be punished too.

4.     In Muslim pockets, new educational institutes will be opened.

5.     In Muslim pockets, Urdu medium schools will be opened on primary, middle and high school level.

6.     The separate budget will be allocated for the technical education of madrasa.

7.     In order to instill confidence among the community, special provisions will be taken to recruit them into State Security Forces.

8.     The special budget will be allocated for the protection of graveyards and to remove the encroachments.

9.     One representative of the community will be appointed to every government commissions, boards, and committees.

10.   A separate law will be enacted to safeguard Waqf properties. Waqf properties will be cleared from all encroachments and handed over to its waaqif. Waqf board properties will be kept away from Land Acquisition Act.

11.    Minority’s profession like handloom, handmade art, carpet industry, bangles, locks, bidi, jardoz, scissors industry will be given subsidy for their promotion. Outstanding electric bills and their interest on looms will be waived off to relieve them. In order to produce skilled hands for small and cottage industries, ITIs will be opened on block levels.

12.    Weavers, like farmers, will be given free electricity.

Rihai Manch, a political front for resistance against repression, raised as many as 40 questions related to minorities, on the completion of four years of Samajwadi Government, on 14^th March 2016.

Most of the questions were based on the promises made by the Samajwadi government in its election manifesto 2012. It reminded and sharply rebuked the government for the failure of its promises. It raised questions about the release of Muslim youths falsely arrested, compensation for the youths acquitted by courts, 18% of reservation for Muslim, compensation for the Muzaffarnagar riot victims, as promised in the manifesto. Rajeev Yadav, member of Central Executive Committee, Rihai Manch, says, ‘To speak of release is a remote dream, especially against the deceptive attitude of the government which went to the length of  appealing to the high court in Feb 2016, to revoke the release order of six Muslim youths who were acquitted of all charges with full honor and dignity by the lower court.

Rihai Manch also asked why no recruitment in State Security Force and why no representative of the community in every government commissions, boards, and committees, as per manifesto. It also reminded the government of its promise to waive off outstanding electricity bills and interests, to extend subsidy, and to open ITIs which remained a distant dream for Muslims associated with small scale industries.

The condition of State minority commission (SMC) in the state is almost null and void. The State minority commission doesn’t prepare any annual report on minority’s issues. Things climaxed when no representative of the commission visited either Muzaffarnagar or Dadri, while incidents there had shaken up the nation.  According to the guidelines of the commission, every district welfare officer should come from minority, but this is not followed in the case of Uttar Pradesh SMC. In Unani medical courses, Urdu is removed from courses like nursing and pharmacy. The government has put a ban on Urdu as a language to appeal in RTI, from RTI regulation Act, with effect from 3^rd Dec 15. Waqf data is not yet computerized under Waqf data computerization scheme.

In a nutshell, Samajwadi party hardly implemented any of the promises made in the manifesto. Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are all set to defeat a communal force against a secular force. I hope, Muslims this time, will be smart enough to identify their foes and friends.

Does Owaisi’s Election Strategy help BJP? An Analysis

http://muslimmirror.com/eng/does-owaisis-election-strategy-help-bjp-an-analysis

Era of Identity politics

We are heading in an era where Identity has become an important phenomenon in the modern politics. Identity politics gained legitimacy in the 1950s and 1960s in the United States and Identity Politics has become a prominent subject in the Indian politics in the past few decades. The rise of low castes, religious identities, linguistic groups and ethnic conflicts has contributed to the significance of identity politics in India. Experts say Identity politics and Caste Identity Politics is the result of numerous aspects of oppression and powerlessness. The emergence of regional parties and caste-based leaders followed hugely by their caste members is a testimony to it. Owaisi is no exception.

Did Owaisi really help BJP?

In Bihar Assembly election, AIMIM contested only in Seemanchal area hoping to win seats there since it is a Muslim dominated area. Had it nursed the intention of helping BJP, it would have contested in a maximum of areas. In Assam, BJP+ AGP+ BPF alliance got 41.9 % of vote share while Congress got 31% and AIUDF 13% of the total vote. Congress and AIUDF put together amount to 43%. Congress didn’t form an alliance with AIUDF and was reduced from 79 to 26 seats. So-called secular party like Congress could afford to see BJP in power and lived through its humiliating defeat, but couldn’t afford to see Badruddin Ajmal in power. When Kejriwal launched AAP and contested Delhi election, no one shouted his coming into the fray will help divide secular votes and help BJP electorally. In Maharashtra Assembly election, there were as many as 12 parties in the field excluding independent candidates. Muslims constitute around 11.5% of Maharashtra population and AIMIM secured only 0.9% of the total votes. More than 10% of Muslim votes went to other parties by choice, even then some allege that AIMIM divided Muslim votes and helped BJP win in Maharashtra.

In West Bengal, NDA contested 294 seats, won 6 seats securing 10.7% of total votes and witnessed a vote swing of 5.92%. This is true that BJP was not a key party in West Bengal, but didn’t it have any dream there? If Owaisi’s electoral strategy really meant to help BJP, couldn’t AIMIM presence help the latter in West Bengal where Muslims are around 27%? The larger question is that should Owaisi withdraw from all such states where BJP is in the fight, in order to prove that AIMIM is not BJP B-Team. In near future, if BJP will be in a position to contest heavily in all the states, should Owaisi bar his party from contesting any election to prove his secularism?

 Muslim vote bank in UP

Muslims don’t vote en bloc. Muslim support for the SP, BSP, and Congress fluctuates across sub-regions of the state. In 2007, the SP led all other parties across the state, while in 2012 the party’s support base among Muslims seemed to have declined in Rohilkhand and Purvanchal. The BSP, on the other hand, gains more Muslim support from Avadh, Rohilkhand, and Purvanchal than other regions of the state. The Congress draws its Muslim support from Western UP, Rohilkhand, and Doab.

EPW (Economic & Political weekly) published a report by Rahul Verma and Pranav Gupta on 31^st Dec 17. The authors traveled to eight districts in Central and Eastern Uttar Pradesh to get a sense of how voters make up their mind about whom to vote for in the upcoming assembly elections in the state in 2017.They concluded that Muslims vote in the same pattern as other communities. ‘…their (Muslims) vote choice is also driven by performance, party preferences, candidates, welfare policies, and leadership among many other things. And any attempt to misrepresent the sensibilities with which Muslims participate in India’s political arena is surely a work of fiction, perhaps biased, and is just a misguided opinion without any credible evidence’

In coming Uttar Pradesh election, all parties including AIMIM are going to get their share. It is inappropriate to say that Muslims in UP are going to vote en bloc and that Owaisi presence is meant to split them to secure BJP a victory.

ASIF MOAZZAM JAMAI

Dept. of English

University of Bisha

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia