Activities of IOS Headquarters

G.C. Meeting

The six-monthly meeting of the Governing Council (G.C.) was held on 25.3.2004 at 11.00 a.m. in the Committee Room of the IOS, 162, Jogabai, Main Road, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi-110025

The following were present:

1.        Dr. M. Manzoor Alam

2.        Mr. Manzoor Ahmad

3.        Prof. Z.M. Khan

4.        Dr. Ishtiyaque Danish

5.        Prof. A.R. Momin

6.        Prof. Z.A. Nizami

7.        Dr. M.K.A. Siddiqui

8.        Prof. M. Quddus

9.        Mr. Mahmood Ali

The meeting started with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an by Dr. Ishtiyaque Danish.

Before taking up the agenda items and starting the business Dr. M. Manzoor Alam, Chairman, IOS welcomed the members for attending the meeting and moved two condolence resolutions: the first on the brutal assassination of Shaykh Ahamd Yasin (the spiritual leader of Hamas) by Israel and the second on the sad demise of Justice V.M. Tarkunde, one of the advisors of Human Rights Today (Quarterly Bulletin of IOS). These were accordingly adopted. Dr. Ishtiyaque Danish was requested to forward the resolutions to the press, Palestinian Embassy and to the family of Late Justice V.M. Tarkunde.

Then the minutes of the Governing Council (G.C.) meetings dated 2.8.2003 & 23.1.2004 were presented and approved. The meeting decided to publish the lecture delivered by Justice A.M. Ahmadi on Article 21: Judiciary Derived Rights as Fundamental Rights on September 14, 2003. The meeting also decided to expedite the process of organizing lectures by eminent scholars on the following topics:

1.        Constitutional Guarantee of Multiculturalism: Implications for Law and Policy.

2.        Non-Discrimination and Pluralism: Durban Declaration’s Mandate.

3.        Inadequacy of Protection of Minority Language under the Indian Constitution.

4.        Directive Principle of Uniform Civil Code and the Group Right to Culture.

5.        The Constitution, Minorities and the Judiciary.

6.        Article 22 and Requirements of the Human Rights Standards under ICCPR.

7.        The NCRWC and the Fundamental Rights.

8.        The International Bill of Rights and the Indian Constitution.

9.        Affirmative Action under Articles 15 (4) and 16 (4) and Minorities.

10.     International Human Rights, Norms for Protection of Minorities and the Indian Constitution.

11.     Right to Equality and Non-Discrimination: Institutional Mechanism for Effective Realization.

A fresh committee comprising the following has been constituted to take up the matter expeditiously so that all the 11 topics decided about the ‘Lecture Series on Constitution of India’ may be covered as early as possible

1.        Prof. Z.M. Khan           Convenor

2.        Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad  Jt. Convenor

          (Advocate)

The G.C. also noted with satisfaction that the IOS was able to organise the book release function of 2 volumes (out of a total of 11 volumes) on 9.3.2004. First volume was entitled as “The Empowerment of Muslims in India: Perspective, Context and Prerequisites­” by Prof. A.R. Momin; and the second was “Empowerment of Muslims in India through Education” by Prof. M. Akhtar Siddiqui. While releasing the first volume, Janab Saiyid Hamid, Chancellor, Jamia Hamdard emphasised problems relating to health and hygiene besides security and education. Empowerment in areas of health and hygiene should also be included in priority areas. He further mentioned the rising problem of habitation and ghettoisation of Muslims. It was also mentioned that these volumes should be translated in Urdu and Hindi for wider publicity and outreach among masses.

Janab Saiyid Hamid also provided a Concept Paper to IOS in this regard.