Chennai – Royapuram – Muslim Schools – RSS – Kerala – Water Rights – Oaths – Koran
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Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE Research Response Number: IND32500 Country: India Date: 2 November 2007 Keywords: India – Chennai – Royapuram – Muslim schools – RSS – Kerala – Water rights – Oaths – Koran This response was prepared by the Research & Information Services Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. This research response may not, under any circumstance, be cited in a decision or any other document. Anyone wishing to use this information may only cite the primary source material contained herein. Questions 1. Are there any Muslim schools in Royapuram, Chennai? 2. Are there any disputes between Kerala and Chennai involving water rights or other resources? 3. Is the RSS strongly positioned and anti-Muslim in Kerala? 4. Is there any basis for the claim that Muslims are prohibited from swearing on the Koran during a period of fast? RESPONSE 1. Are there any Muslim schools in Royapuram, Chennai? The sources consulted indicate that there is at least one Muslim school in the suburb of Royapuram in Chennai, and possibly more. There are also several Muslim schools elsewhere in the city of Chennai, which is the capital of Tamil Nadu. The website of a body called the ILM Educational Trust (which describes itself elsewhere on the site as a group composed of “committed and service minded brothers including college professors, businessmen and Islamic scholars”) states that it has established a Muslim primary school in Royapuram with 4 staff members and about 186 students. It outlines the school’s objectives as follows: In order to provide a complete Islamic education and to mould their personalities in Islamic way, students are taught • Arabic as a language • Recitation of Quran with correct pronunciation (Thajweed) • Hadhees • Life of Prophet and life of Sahabas • History of Islam (‘Establishment of I Max Nursery and Primary Schools – Royapuram’ (undated), ILM Educational Trust website http://imaxschools.com/imaxschoolrp.htm – Accessed 30 October 2007 – Attachment 1). There is also a school in Royapuram called the Corporation Urdu Primary School which may cater to some Muslim students. According to one recent news report there is a significant proportion of Urdu-speakers among the Muslims of Tamil Nadu (‘Corporation Urdu Primary School, Royapuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu’ 2007, IndiaStudyCenter.com website http://www.indiastudycenter.com/Univ/States/TN/Chn/Schools/Corporation-Urdu-Primary- School-Royapuram.asp – Accessed 30 October 2007 – Attachment 2; Siraj, M.A. 2007, ‘Urdu and Indian Muslims’, Deccan Herald, 15 September http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Sep152007/panorama2007091425450.asp – Accessed 30 October 2007 – Attachment 3). A list of schools in Chennai from a Chennai District government website at http://chennai.nic.in/schools.htm contains details of Government Schools, Government Aided Schools, Unaided Schools, Matriculation Schools, Anglo Indian Schools, Kendriya Vidyalaya Schools, Central Board Education Syllabus Schools and Special Schools. Several of these have “Muslim” in the title, but none of them are in the suburb of Royapuram. There are other Muslim schools in the city of Chennai, some of them apparently newly established, which are not included in the government’s list. Thus there would appear to be the possibility that there may be other Muslim schools in Royapuram itself which are not listed on the internet. Three examples of Muslim schools in Chennai are below: • The Islamic International School, which requires that the parents of the children attending “dress Islamically”, and that the mother “wear a hijab and attend classes on Islam and the English language if they don’t have background in them” (Abdullah, Amatullah 2006, ‘A New Lease of Life: Islamic Schooling and Parental Partnership’, IslamOnline.net, 7 May http://www.islamonline.net/English/family/2006/05/article03.shtml – Accessed 1 November 2007 – Attachment 4). • The Olive International School which teaches the formal school syllabus “with an Islamic perspective” (‘Olive International School’ (undated), Olive International School website http://snsvo9.seekandsource.com/oliveintschool/ – Accessed 1 November 2007 – Attachment 5). • The Sana Nursery and Primary School which offers an “Islamic environment” including daily instruction in the Koran (‘FAQs’ 2005, Sana Nursery and Primary School website http://sanaschool.org/faq.htm – Accessed 1 November 2007 – Attachment 6). 2. Are there any disputes between Kerala and Chennai involving water rights or other resources? The sources consulted indicate that the state of Tamil Nadu, and its capital Chennai, cannot supply all of its own water requirements and is dependent on surrounding states, including Kerala, for some of its water. There has been a history of ongoing negotiations and sometimes disputes between the state governments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala; and at national level Lok Sabha members from Kerala and Tamil Nadu have clashed over the issue in parliament. It appears that the water issue is of concern to ordinary people in Tamil Nadu since they are directly affected by any shortages; but no reports were found of disputes between the two states that involved the ordinary citizens. The most serious incident found was early in 2007 when the Mullaperiyar Dam, which is located in Kerala but managed by Tamil Nadu, was blockaded by Tamil Nadu security forces. In October 2007 Kerala entered into an agreement on the sharing of water from the Nayyar Dam, following repeated requests by the Tamil Nadu Government. A 2005 policy document by the Public Works Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu states that: Tamil Nadu is a deficit State in water resources and has almost fully exploited all its surface water potential. The neighbouring States like Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are richly endowed with water resources. For further water resources development, Tamil Nadu has to depend upon inter basin water transfers from the adjoining basins of the neighbouring States or even to Long Distance Transfers. Tamil Nadu has moved the National Water Development Agency set up by the Government of India for diversion of surplus waters available in the adjoining States to augment its water resources. (Public Works Department, Government of Tamil Nadu 2005, ‘Irrigation and Buildings Organisation, Policy Note 2004-2005, Demand No. 38, Irrigation’, Government of Tamil Nadu website http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/archives/policy2004-05/pwd2004-2005-1.htm – Accessed 1 November 2007 – Attachment 7). An undated but apparently recent article by Srinivasan from the InfoChange website states that the water shortage in the capital Chennai is so acute during summer that privately operated tankers go out into the surrounding farmlands in Tamil Nadu and buy water from the farmers, who are finding it easier to live from this source of income than from farming: As Chennai (total area: 200 sq km) grows into yet another Asian megacity, it is busy drawing water from sources all around it. The water is being drawn from nearby towns like Mamandur, Palur, Karungizhi, Tiruporur, Puvirundavalli, Meenjur, Gummidipundi and Kanaigiper, using a fleet of over 13,000 water tankers. Private lorries collect water from farms and villages around Chennai; borewells are the main source. This is water taken away not just from agriculture but also from the drinking water supplies of the villagers. Groundwater levels have dropped drastically in all these towns and villages as a result. A policy of enforcing compulsory rainwater harvesting, initiated by the Tamil Nadu government a few years ago, has made very little difference to the water situation in these rural areas. Even villages that do practise water conservation methods are facing a severe water crisis. Disputes over water are common. “In our village, as per government instructions, we carried out rainwater harvesting with the help of district officials; we recovered lakes occupied by various vested interests. We deepened the lakes and de-silted them. But all these efforts have benefited only the private water suppliers,” says Neelavathi Venkatesan, president of the Vangaivasal village panchayat. He says there were already two packaged water companies operating in his area. Now another has been given permission to set up shop. Apart from them, private lorries have also been regularly taking water from the lakes and wells in the village, to sell in Chennai (Srinivasan, R. (undated), ‘Stealing farmers’ water to quench Chennai’s big thirst’, InfoChange website http://www.infochangeindia.org/agenda3_08.jsp – Accessed 30 October 2007 – Attachment 8). The following news and other reports, in reverse chronological order, provide information on some of the negotiations and disputes that have taken place between Tamil Nadu and Kerala over water resources in recent years. An October report from BusinessLine states: Kerala will enter into an agreement with the Tamil Nadu Government on sharing of water from Nayyar dam. The State Cabinet, which met on Wednesday, entrusted the Water Resources Minister, Mr N.K. Premachandran, to sign the agreement on behalf of the Government. The Cabinet decision follows persistent requests by the Tamil Nadu Government for release of water from the dam for agricultural purposes in Kanyakumari district. The