Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:47:17 +0530
From: Marshall Mendonza mmendonz...@gmail.com
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3859250.cms
Excerpt:
Nevertheless, if the Indian state should conduct a soul-searching, so too
should many Indians. The routine discrimination endured by Indian Muslims
and other marginalised sections is no fiction. Yet so pervasive is the
casual acceptance of this prejudice ^ or even indifference to it ^ that it
barely registers comment. At its most benign, this outlook takes on the form of
slights and innuendos. But at its most malignant, it assumes an
uncontrollable frenzied rage.
What is also required is for political parties to make the case for an
inclusive India. That a people with multiple identities can prosper together is
part of the founding ideal of the republic. It is time to reclaim its essence,
[end of excerpts]
Mario responds:
Will this barrage of codswallop never end? Once again a far left wing
journalist demonstrates a state of denial, while accusing everyone else.
Here we see a Rishabh Bhandari follow in the footsteps of Arundhati Roy,
Ramachandra Guha and others in trying to deflect blame for the terrorism
against innocent Indians from the real jihadi perpetrators, all of whom were
recruited and trained in Pakistan, and somehow place the blame on Indians,
using convenient euphemisms like monster in the mirror and soul-searching
and other similar piles of verbal manure.
A series of Indian government reports posted by Marshall unintentionally made
my point - that, while the Muslim community is performing a step behind the
rest of the country, the Indian government bends over backwards in its concern
for Muslims and tries hard to uplift them. There is strong evidence that any
general backwardness that exists among Indian Muslims stems from their own
culture and inability to access the opportunities available to them in India.
Those who do take the initiative are just as well off as anyone else in India
and many are better off.
Other than the new immigrant countries of Australia, Britain, Canada, NZ and
the US, India is the most inclusive country for Muslims in the world - far more
inclusive than all the so-called Muslim countries where normal Muslims,
especially women, are subjected to unbelievable discrimination and pressure
from religious fanatics.
