From Jack the Ripper to Sheikh Abdullah
By Faisul Yaseen
Passing by the narrow alleys of East London on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, I was awestruck by how London’s Whitechapel district remembers its anti-heroes.
A walk by the colourful graffiti walls in the most unlikely of London’s landmarks, the East End, is a lesson in history.
Veteran journalist of the BBC fame, Andrew Whitehead, gave me and seven other journalists from India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka a walking tour of the East End, situated east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames.
During the walk, he informed us about the legacy of the area that has over the past 300 years been home to Huguenots, Jews, and Bengalis and seen cultural as well as visual transformation beyond imagination.
It was fascinating to find out how anti-heroes and anarchists had over the years developed more than a cult following in the East End.
Entering a small by-lane near the Whitechapel Gallery, I was surprised to see two of my favourites, Leo Tolstoy and Noam Chomsky on a black-and-white billboard of 36 anarchist figures hanging from a red-coloured wall.
Seeing the colourful graffiti and anarchist slogans shook me out of oblivion that despite better development and better policing compared to South Asia, there were people in London too who resent the state, the police, and the status quo.
The slogans of anarchism ‘Kill the cop, like kill them like sex f**k, like kill them f**k, just FYI. Boris would get it though’, ‘I don’t look sexy for your p**is’, ‘Not queer as in gay, queer as in f**k the Police’, ‘No Gods, no masters. All cops are bas****s.’ ‘Two-faced hypocritical, leeching, pancing, selfish, lowlife, scambags,’ ‘Hate cops, love donk’, ‘Tranquility, black magic, white angel, dead man walking, and ‘Pompey till I die’ clearly illustrated that these people want liberation from the “oppressive systems” of control from the state, religion, capitalism, racism, sexism, ableism, and speciesism.
Taking a stroll inside the Freedom Bookshop and Publishing House, I found several books about anti-heroes and anarchists like ‘The Slow Burning Fuse: The Lost History of the British Anarchists’ and realised how the legend is woven in London’s literary landscape.
The graffiti outside the bookshop was so eye-pleasing that my fellow journalist and friend from India, Aman Sharma could not resist taking a photograph in front of it. I reckon it can be a good profile picture for his social media accounts.
During the walk, we took a break for lunch and Sharma, two other fellow journalists from Pakistan Riaz-ul-Haq and Muhammad Iqbal Baloch along with me grabbed a lunch at East End’s bustling city centre. The aroma of fresh coffee along with the Indian, Chinese, Central Asian, and continental cuisine pointed at the rich diversity East End has to offer.
The openness of the people indulging in discussions over lunch exemplified why the anti-hero had become a legend in this area.
Returning to join the walk after lunch, I wondered how my native place Kashmir, a conflict-ridden region in the Himalayas, remembers its anti-heroes.
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has a legendary status in the region for the radical land reforms of providing “land to the tiller”.
However, he is also held responsible for the sufferings of the people of Kashmir for the past 74 years as he helped Hindu but secular India in the accession of Muslim Kashmir following the division of the Indian subcontinent in 1947.
Pro-independence National Liberation Front founder Muhammad Maqbool Bhat, who was hanged to death on 11 February 1984 by the Indian government for carrying out multiple militant attacks is another anti-hero.
Kashmir’s most prominent secessionist leader Syed Ali Geelani, and militant leaders Ashfaq Majeed, Syed Salahuddin, Burhan Wani, and Zakir Musa are all anti-heroes in the region struggling for peace and stability.
Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has taken the status of an anti-hero to a new high.
Accused of allowing the state machinery to facilitate the killings of hundreds of Muslim men and the rape of Muslim women in the Gujarat riots of 2002, Modi has surprisingly risen to a stature where millions of Indian Hindus see him as a god.
Modi’s rise may be because people who shine as morally pure and upright no longer ring true to the masses, probably because we are not used to seeing such people around us.
Pop culture too has glorified the anti-heroes and anarchists, changing our attitude towards them.
Author Melissa De La Cruz writes, “We’re the villains you root for in the story.”
From listening to the stories of classical literary anti-hero Robinhood in childhood to watching my favourite TV show Mad Men’s main character Don Draper stealing the identity of his friend who died in the war in Korea, I have always rooted for the anti-hero, caring little about the moral compass.
But don’t all of us feel like that? Don’t we all like the Hulk, the Wolverine, and the Batman? Wasn’t Adam perhaps the first anti-hero? Didn’t he disobey God and instead pay heed to Eve for having the “forbidden fruit”? Don’t we like John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ for its anti-hero, who was once an angel of light? Don’t people still lay flower wreaths at the altar of Julius Caesar? We may not like George Orwell’s Big Brother but isn’t he the anti-hero for ensuring order in society?
In today’s East End, a synagogue has been converted into a mosque as the Bangladeshi population has replaced the Jews who have migrated from the area indicating how Britain welcomes the immigrants. However, the image of a Muslim post-9/11 world is perhaps the new anti-hero.
In today’s China, the Communist Party of China is the anti-hero for taking millions of impoverished people out of poverty over the past three decades. In Russia, Putin is the anti-hero for standing up against NATO’s “expansion”. The US is the anti-hero for standing up for the West while engaging in relentless wars.
Walking past ‘Jack the Chipper’, a fish and chip shop, Whitehead informed us that the shop was named after anti-hero ‘Jack the Ripper’, an unidentified serial killer active around 1888 in the city’s Whitechapel district.
The shop owner did not change its name despite public backlash and criticism. He instead offered a 50 percent discount to women as 'Jack the Ripper' had been involved in the brutal murders of many women.
We concluded our walk at the two tower blocks in Sidney Street – Peter House and Painter House. In September 2008, Tower Hamlets London Borough Council named the two tower blocks after ‘Peter the Painter’, evoking protest by a local councillor and the Metropolitan Police Federation saying that the killer should not be recognised.
‘Peter the Painter’ or ‘Peter Piaktow’, whose actual name was Janis Zhaklis, was a member of the Latvian anarchist gang in the early 20th century. He escaped to Australia after the Sidney Street Siege in 1911 in which two of his three gang members were killed.
As we headed to our hotel, I realised how East End, despite criticism, keeps its anti-heroes alive and how anarchism is a way of life in the area. Some things live on as do ideas.
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Haji Gh Mohiuddin Bhat Headmaster GHS Kachlo Retires from Govt Service
Shakir Bhat
Handwara 27 April 2023: A grand farewell function was organized by the staff members and students of Govt. High School Kachloo on the superannuation of their beloved Headmaster Alhaj Ghulam Mohiuddin Bhat Sahib. The function was presided over by Mr. Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, Deputy Chief Education Officer Kupwara, the Principal Govt. HSS Langate Mr. Bashir Ahmad Malla, Principal Govt. HSS M.H.Pora Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad Langoo, ZEO Langate Mr. Naseer Ahmad and ZEPO Langate also graced the function by their presence. Retired ZEO Mr. Ghulam Mohiuddin Dar, Retired Headmaster Mr. Pir Hussam Ud Din, Syed Mehraj Ud Din Geelani (Ex ZEPO), Mr. Ab. Majeed Dar (Ex Headmaster HS Nutnoosa), Headmaster HS Guloora, Headmaster HS Supernaghama and HM’s of other schools of complex head also attended the function. Besides large number of teaching as well as non teaching officials and students showed their active participation in this grand function. The Civil Society members and V.E.C members of village Kachloo also participated in the function.
All the speaker's threw light of the multi-dimentional personality of Alhaj Gh Mohiuddin Bhat. His services in the department as a teacher, an administrator and a trade union leader were appreciated. The speakers mentioned that the exemplary services of about 34 years rendered by Alhaj Gh Mohiuddin Bhat would be remembered for all times to come. His smiling face, his capabilities and his efficiency to deal with different matters will never be forgotten.
His exemplary work done for the upliftment of students with regard to their academics will always be remembered .The speakers also highlighted his role in solving the problems of teachers as a vibrant trade union leader. It was highlighted that Mr Bhat was always in the good books of his superior officers as he always extended his full support to them in successfully implementing different programmes for the improvement of educational standard. He will always be remembered for his dedication, devotion, honesty and work culture. The civil society members louded his active role played for the improvements of academics and infrastructure as Headmaster HS Kachloo. The parents and their wards were satisfied with his marvellous work. The speakers in their speech expressed that a vacuum will be caused in the department by the superannuation of this multi-dimensional personality. The students also presented different programmes in honour of their of their beloved Headmaster. The grand function was concluded by the Presidential address and after that a gift ceremony was held to present the gifts to Mr Ghulam Mohi Ud Din Bhat. The staff members, students and other participants presented the gifts and the function came to an end. The Media personalities present on the occasion covered the proceedings of the function.
The students and Teachers of Govt High School Kachloo, zone Langate organised a grand function to bid farewell to Alhaaj Ghulam Mohi Ud Din Bhat on his superannuation .
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Criminals, rapists felicitated but political prisoners not released on bail even on health grounds: Mehbooba Mufti
"This is not just about Altaf Shah whose family is waiting for his dead body since morning at AIIMS. Eighty-year-old Stan Swamy did not get bail and died in jail. There are others like Siddique Kappan, activists, political prisoners, who are languishing in jails and are not well, especially people from J&K and separatists," Mehbooba told reporters here.
SRINAGAR — PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said while criminals and rapists are released and felicitated, political prisoners or those against whom there are no solid cases are not released on bail even on health grounds.
Her remarks came after separatist leader Altaf Shah, the son-in-law of late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, died of cancer at the AIIMS early Tuesday, days after he…
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Apni Party Handwara hold 3rd Foundation day at Handwara
Ab Rashid Bhat urged LG Government for early Assembly Elections in Jammu Kashmir.
Shakir bhat
Handwara:08 March 2023
Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) Handwara on Wednesday observed its 3rd foundation day at Wadipora Handwara.
Similar functions were held in all Constituency where in Party workers participated in mammoth numbers. All these functions were organized where in leaders of the party dwelt upon the Party’s genesis and its socio-economic and political agenda.
Hundrands of workers participated today at Wadipora which was headed by Senior leader and District Vice president Kupwara Ab Rashid Bhat.
He was Accompimed by Publicity Secretary Adv. Tajamul, Constituency Coordinator Ab Rahim Wani, Constituency Secretary Mohd Maqbool Bhat, joint Secretary Gh Ahmad Captain, Block Orginser Ali Mohd Lone, Women's District President Kupwara Firdous Geelani ,Block President Zahoor Ahmad, Deputy Vice President Mohd Shafi along others.
Bhat urged LG Government for early Assembly Elections in Jammu And Kashmir.
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