Dutch producer of anti-Prophet film finds tranquility in Haj.

BS Post : 83, Date : 17.10.2013,  Place : Mumbai, By : Mohammed Chand Shaikh.

The Dutchman, who produced a blasphemous film about Islam and its Prophet (peace be upon him) and who has converted to Islam about a year ago after long enmity, has said he has found peace and tranquility in the Haj. He regretted having been a part in the production of the hateful film Fitna (sedition) and said he came to the Haj to wash out his sins.

"I found my self among these faithful hearts. I hope that my tears of regret will wash out all my sins after my repentance," Arnoud Van Doorn said.

He said, as a token of atonement, he will produce a new film that will show the true essence of Islam and the correct personality of its Prophet.

Doorn, a former leading member of the extreme rightist Dutch political party, Geert Wilders' (Freedom Party) described Fitna as a totally wrong movie film which contained a lot of misleading and incorrect information that had nothing to do with the noble divine religion or its great Prophet (pbuh).

He said since he arrived in this holy land he has been living the best days of his life and hoped that he would spend the rest of his days in Madinah to which he was determined to return after the completion of his Haj rites.

"I felt ashamed standing in front of the Prophet's grave. I thought of the grave mistake which I had made by producing that sacrilegious film. I hope that Allah will forgive me and accept my repentance," he said.

Doorn said he read a lot about Islam before converting to it. He regretted his previous hostility to this great religion. —SG

Goa DGP makes passport verification easy.

BS Post : 82, Date : 01.10.2013,  Place : Mumbai, By : Mohammed Chand Shaikh.

Panaji, Oct 1 (IANS) Police officials will now visit homes of passport applicants for verification after Director General of Police Kishan Kumar Tuesday banned calling applicants to the police station for the process.

The order comes two days after several complaints were received by the regional passport officer during a public interaction, about harassment meted out by the police to passport applicants.

"The (office of the) Director General of Police, Goa has taken a serious view of this practice, and also violation of procedure in handling police verification process for issuance of passport," Kumar said in an official statement.

Kumar said concerned officers in plain-clothes will now first contact the passport applicant on phone, then seek an appointment for a meeting at their residence.

"It is for information of all concerned that henceforth officials of the CID centres will contact the passport applicant over telephone, to seek an appointment with him and visit the residence of the applicant for physical verification of address," Kumar said.