Pray for unity, not for discord
Arindam Chaudhuri
It is amazing that sections of the Muslim community in the country went
overboard over alleged atrocities on fellow religionists in some distant land.
And, they are supported by so-called secular leaders
Dear Muslim Brothers:
I first thought of writing an open appeal to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
But then I realised that it would be worse than banging my head against a
granite wall. I also thought of making an emotional appeal to Congress
chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi. But then, people far more
powerful, important and experienced than me have tried doing that.
When I read about the riots in Assam, I was slightly perplexed. Why now? And
then I was bewildered when riots broke out in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, a town
that was spared communal violence and divide even at the peak of the Babri
Masjid crisis. I was shocked when I saw visuals of a mob rampaging in Mumbai,
desecrating and destroying even the Amar Jawan Jyoti. I was boiling with anger
and helplessness by the time I read about how bona fide Indian citizens
belonging to the North-East felt so threatened that they were fleeing cities
like Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. And I felt really bad when I saw
pictures of a mob trying to destroy a statue of Buddha in Lucknow.
These are truly dangerous times for India, perhaps even more dangerous than the
1980s when the Shah Bano and the Babri Masjid controversies eventually resulted
in insane communal violence across the country. India had been spared the
madness of communal violence since 2002. Suddenly, they loom again over India
like a malevolent cloud. Predictably, the demoralised, dispirited and disgraced
UPA Government led by Mr Singh has sought to evade taking responsibility for
this mess, by blaming Pakistan. Apparently, morphed and false visuals of
Muslims being allegedly persecuted and killed in Assam and Myanmar originated
in Pakistan and were deliberately spread across India through social networking
websites and text messages.
But my question is: Is that justification for molesting lady constables,
desecrating the Amar Jawan Jyoti, randomly attacking people from the North-East
and threatening them and also destroying a Buddha statue? This is where my
blunt question to my Muslims brothers, who are also fellow Indians, must be
asked: Why are you getting so worked up over the persecution of Muslims in
Myanmar? Why are you not holding rallies and organising protests against the
daily massacre of Muslims in countries like Syria? Why are you not protesting
against the senseless manner in which Shias are being butchered in Pakistan?
Even more important: Is there any dearth of real problems that Muslims face in
India, while they remain one of the most economically marginalised sections of
the society?
The merchants of hatred of all communities make hay while poor people become
victims. What suicidal madness is propelling you on that path of death and
destruction and more prejudice and more hatred? Let me remind you of another
instance: A local Muslim MLA of Delhi is openly defying the orders of the Delhi
High Court to stop building a so-called Akbarabadi mosque and not interfere
with the work of Delhi Metro. What message is he sending to the rest of India?
Gandhiji committed the greatest blunder by launching the Khilafat movement
after World War I, when the Turkish Empire was dismantled. Like now, Muslims in
the then undivided India faced many grave problems. But their leaders thought
saving a faraway Islamic Empire more important. Since then, community leaders
have repeatedly sought to provoke Indian Muslims to stand in solidarity with
Muslims across the world.
Nothing wrong with that. But when you keep doing this, and keep completely
silent when other minorities across the world face persecution and
discrimination, you are painting yourself into a sectarian corner. And it is
incorrect to portray and keep repeating that ‘Islam is in danger’. The brutal
and sad fact of today is, an overwhelming number of Muslims being killed over
matters of faith are being killed by fellow Muslims.
The fact is: Strategists in the Congress and other so-called secular parties
want to continue misusing, abusing and exploiting Muslims as vote-banks. Then
there are the so-called Muslim leaders who continue to impose a separate
identity for Indian Muslims and perpetually portray them as victims. They are
helped to a large extent by a large section of so-called intellectuals of India
who actually loathe the very idea of India. The Muslims as the persecuted
victim is the favourite theme of these India baiters and haters.
My dear Muslim friends, don’t you think it is time Muslim leaders started
paying more attention to things that really matter: Education, jobs, healthcare
and financial security?
There are Muslim leaders and other political parties that insist that the
Indian state discriminates against Muslims. But, the Indian state treats all
marginalised and weaker Indians very badly. They include Muslims, Dalits,
tribals, landless labourers, poor farmers, workers, tea stall and other push
cart owners... So, please do not fall prey to this wrong propaganda that only
Muslims are singled out by the state for discrimination.
It was way back in 1875 that Sir Syed Ahmed Khan had recognised the value of
modern education and established the Aligarh Muslim University. Why cannot the
Indian Muslim community find more such visionaries? Muslims in south India do
far better than Muslims in north India in terms of economic security. The
answer, my friends, lies in education and I wish to see a revolution from the
Muslim community for better access to education and better universities.
My earnest appeal to Indian Muslim brothers is: Please build on the positives
rather than wallow in the negatives. You have been hoodwinked too long by
merchants of hatred and vote-bank politics. Your destiny, and that of our
children and of India, is also in your hands.
The author is a management guru and honorary director of IIPM Think Tank
