None of the 99 names of Allah stand for force, violence: PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, amid loud chants of Bharat Mata Ki Jai by a large Muslim audience, said that Sufism is an effective antidote to terrorism masked as religious ideology. In his speech at the World Sufi Forum organised by All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB), he said, "Sufism is the celebration of diversity and pluralism. It is the voice of peace, co-existence, compassion, equality; a call to universal brotherhood."
The forum, inaugurated by the PM at Vigyan Bhawan, saw the participation of over 200 Indian and international delegates, including Sufi Shuyukh, spiritual leaders, scholars, academicians and masters of Sufism. "This is an extraordinary event that has come at a critical time. The dark shadow of violence is becoming longer. You are the noor (light) of hope. When world struggles for peace and justice, this is an assembly of those whose life itself is a message of peace, tolerance and love," PM Modi said.
The four-day event will enlighten the attendees on how Sufism and Islam have played a pivotal role in disseminating knowledge, and promoting peace and empathy among world civilizations and cultures. As the PM said, "Here I see different lands and cultures but united by common faith. You represent the diversity of a religion that stands on the solid bedrock of Islam, a religion that reached great heights from the 15th century in arts, science, architecture and literature. None of 99 names of Allah stand for force and violence, and that the first two names denote compassionate and merciful. Allah is Rahman and Raheem."
On the issue of terrorism religion, Modi said, "Terrorism divides and destroys us. It uses diverse motivations and causes, none of which can be justified. The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion."
Recalling the contribution of Sufism in India, the PM said, "Sufism became the face of Islam in India, even as it remained deeply rooted in the Holy Quran, and Hadis. Sufism blossomed in India's openness and pluralism. It engaged with her spiritual tradition, and evolved its own Indian ethos. And, it helped shape a distinct Islamic heritage of India." While reiterating the contribution of Sufism in the development of art, culture and music in India, he added: "We see this heritage in the fields of art, architecture and culture that is part of the fabric of our nation and our collective daily lives. We see it in the spiritual and intellectual tradition of India. It helped strengthen the inclusive culture that is our great nation's immense contribution to the cultural tapestry of this world."
Modi concluded his inaugural speech by saying, "When young laughter is silenced by guns on the streets, you are the voice that heals."
The WSF attempts to seek answers to questions such as, "Is it possible that the Sufi Shuyukh can prevent the increasing discrimination against Muslims in India and help them to continue integrating within Indian society? What is the significance of Tasawwuf in light of contemporary global issues and what would be the methodology to promote it? In light of Sufi teachings, is it possible to prevent global terrorism?"
The World Sufi Forum will be on till March 20 at Indian Islamic Cultural Centre and Ramlila Maidan.

Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher House In Mumbai Being Auctioned

Mumbai: One of Vijay Mallya's flagship properties in Mumbai, Kingfisher House, is being auctioned online today.
The base price for the office at Andheri in Mumbai's western suburbs has been fixed at Rs 150 crore.
The e-auction is being managed by an arm of the state-run State Bank of India, one of the 17 banks trying to recover at least a billion dollars loaned to Mr Mallya's grounded Kingfisher Airlines.
At least 15 offers are reportedly in.
The auction is taking place a day before Mr Mallya has been summoned for questioning as part of an investigation related to one of the bank loans.
Sources in the Enforcement Directorate, which has summoned Mr Mallya, say "it has to be a personal appearance, he can't send his lawyer."
Mr Mallya is reportedly in the UK amid attempts to recover over Rs 6,000 crore loaned to Kingfisher Airlines, which stopped operating in 2012. "I am not an absconder," the businessman tweeted last week.
The banks had asked the Supreme Court to stop Mr Mallya from travelling abroad but the government told the court that he had left the country on March 2.
On a request from the banks, a court recently put on hold the payment of $75 million or 515 crores by Diageo to Mr Mallya as part of a settlement under which the liquor baron would step down as the chairman of United Spirits.
Ranked the 45th-richest Indian with a net worth of $1 billion by Forbes in March 2012, Mr Mallya is known to have lavish homes in Mumbai, Goa, Delhi and also London. His flamboyant lifestyle also features a fleet of luxury cars and a yacht.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was targeted by the Congress in Parliament over the tycoon's "escape", said: "Every penny from Mallya will be recovered."

Royal Enfield launches tourer Himalayan at Rs 1.55 lakh

Royal Enfield launches tourer Himalayan at Rs 1.55 lakh (ex-showroom Maharashtra)
The launch would help the company further consolidate its position to become a leading player in the mid-sized (250 cc-750 cc) segment globally.

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Niche bike maker Royal Enfield today launched Himalayan, an all terrain 411-cc bike, priced at Rs 1.55 lakh (ex-showroom Maharashtra). The company, which is the two-wheeler arm of Eicher Motors, currently sells various popular models like Bullet, Classic, Thunderbird and Continental GT.
“We are creating a new segment of adventure tourer in India. We hope to get a lot of adventure bikers through this. We will have to wait and see if it is adopted very quickly or gradually picks up,” Eicher Motors MD and CEO Siddhartha Lal told PTI.