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India At The Cross-Roads
One hundred and fifty million strong Indian Muslim community is the largest
Muslim minority in the world. A history of around one thousand years of coexistence with non-Muslims and interaction with Indian cultures have
given Indo-Islamic civilization its own distinctive texture, which can be seen
in its arts, touched in its crafts and architecture, tasted in its food, heard in
its music, read in its literature and poetry and felt in its general ethos. The
socio-cultural contribution of Muslims in India far outweighs their numbers
and adds richness to the multi-cultural dimensions of India's social life.
The independence of the country in the wake of partition created a very difficult situation for Indian Muslims. Separated by its majority areas which
constituted a separate Islamic state, Pakistan, the community's resources were further depleted by migration to Pakistan and then to the West. New opportunities in the Middle East opened avenues of financial well being but
they also deprived Indian Muslims their best talents. More serious and threatening challenge to the healthy growth of the community comes from the growing discrimination and increasing violence against their social
existence. Each passing day poses new challenges and offers new threats.
The rise of Hindu Chauvinism led by Bharatiya Janata Party and promoted by Vishva Hindu Parishad and systematic organized hatred of fascist
organizations such as Rashtriya Sevak Sangh, Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal now not only threaten the safety of Muslims but challenge the
democratic and secular fabric that has been the bulwark of
Indian independence and a hallmark of its futuristic vision. Few seems to be
moved by the word 'threat to secularism' these days. Even lesser seems to care
about it.
There is an even more serious challenge that Indian Muslims have faced and continue to face, one that comes from within the community and not
from outside of it. The challenge is the Indian Muslims' lack of concern for an objective understanding of their own situation, absence of a long term strategy for future and indecisiveness in making a concentrated effort for
attaining these goals. This challenge more than any other factor threatens the existence of the Muslim community and mars its progress.
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Indian Muslims, since independence, have lived on day to day basis
encountering immediate threats and spending their energies for shear survival. The seriousness of immediate threats have no doubt sapped much
of Indian Muslims creative energies and they are forced by circumstances to live from one crisis to another.
Non-issues like Shah Bano case, Article 370, Babri Mosque, ban on Salman Rushdie
etc. have kept Muslims on the defensive in most of the last 3 decades. I wonder
if at all, they wouldn't be there, how would the community benefit as a whole
but still, the community is branded as that being overly appeased. This situation has made Indian Muslims
one of the most backward communities educationally and economically, in the
world. Whenever and wherever there is a sign of Muslim economic recovery
anti-Muslim violence is a foregone happening. A stream of blood flows from Jabalpur
to Surat to Meerut to Ayodhya to Bombay and, unfortunately there is no end in sight. The
situation may worsen before it gets better, if at all.
To add to the misfortunes of Islamic existence in India is the growing belief
among large sections of Hindus, that Muslims are in fact a privileged community and can have their own way whenever they want. No grim
statistics on anti-Muslim violence, harassment and discrimination can convince them otherwise. Even the worst anti-Muslim violence is reported
in the press in vague terms, and statistics are so generalized that no one knows the truth, even if one wants to know. This is a real shame, since
India has an excellent pool of social scientists who could present statistics on Muslim employment, their numerical strength and political or economic
clout. There are also enough fair-minded Indians who would appreciate the situation and try to ameliorate it in the interest of the
nation.
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Then, there is the existence of the self-righteous belief, even among Indian
liberals, that declaration of India as a secular state and existence of "religious fundamentalism" in neighboring states provides India a moral
superiority, which discounts for all injustices. The uprising among religious, cultural, caste, and linguistic minorities and the level of violence it has
generated in recent years does not make serious minded Indian think about the erosion of Indian values enshrined in the Indian constitution of
secularism, equality and justice.
Human Rights for All Citizens
There is a certain basic minimum that a civilized society expects from its citizens and government, and that is:
Security of life, property and place of worship and freedom of conscience and religious beliefs and religious practices.
Equality before the law. Protection of rights by government and law enforcement agencies.
Equal opportunity for employment & economic development.
A government that cannot provide these minimum safeguards has no right to rule.
This might debar most of the political parties of India and I know, it's wishful
thinking on my part. Indian constitution is one of the finest legal framework adopted by
enlightened fathers. However, in its implementation past governments have faltered. While it is heartening that each Indian government has had the courage to reiterate these principles and Indian high and supreme courts
upheld the traditions of justice, these are but only a few silver linings, because every day life of Indian Muslims has continued to deteriorate. And
that now it faces the most formidable challenge since independence.
In this current situation, the extremist forces have the advantage of organization, expertise in propaganda, and influence in security apparatus.
Unfortunately, they also have an ally in Muslim emotionalism, lack of leadership and increasing illiteracy. Muslims at this juncture must make a
full and thorough examination of their situation, evaluate the options, develop long term strategies and align themselves with secular and
democratic forces to build a United India as a humanistic society for all. The polarization of the situation between Hindus and Muslims on the basis
of religion is the most fatal blunder the Muslims could make.
The Role of Indian Muslims Abroad
The Muslims in India are not a small minority. They have their faith, history,
culture and resources. The basic optimism of Islamic faith, historical dynamism of Indian Muslims, India's democratic framework and the
support of many rational minded countrymen, offers Indian Muslims many opportunities to grow and prosper and defeat the forces of annihilation and
oppression which threaten both, Indian Muslims and India's long cherished values of peaceful co-existence.
Indian Muslims must rise above the immediate concerns, serious though
they are, and plan a future strategy of development in spite of existing conditions. Such a course of action would obviously come from the rank
and file of Muslims in India, but an important role in this direction may also be played by an economically advanced and intellectually gifted Indian
Muslim community in the US, the West and the Middle East.
The Indian Muslim community abroad must, primarily concern itself with the Muslim's educational and economic
development as a means to their cultural and social advancement, to enable them to play their historic role in
Indian society. We must aim to mobilize the resources of the Indian Muslim community abroad and in India and to find avenues of cooperation with
other fellow Indians for the common cause of peaceful co-existence, national development and spiritual fulfillment. We must cooperate with all
Muslim and Indian organizations which have common objectives.
The issue in India is not Muslims versus Hindus but Extremist Hindus versus Indians. In this struggle Muslims are not a minority but a majority
provided they work with other like minded Indians. We must learn how to present our case and how to take care of our community needs. There is
no ideal secular state in the world, all of them have their own limitations. We must recognize our limitations as a minority and the limitations Indian
government as a proponent of secularism and plan for the next twenty-five years for educational advancement and economic development. The
planning for future needs lot of thinking planning and working. It is not easy but it must be done. Once we lay down clear objectives we may have to ignore many immediate and emotional issues in order to achieve our long
term objectives.
As far as the Muslim community in USA and in the West is concerned, we must start serious thinking about our rule in the community development in
India and that is not possible without full participation in social, economic and political development of the country. We have not unfortunately committed our human, intellectual and financial resources to the task of
building our Muslim society in India or Indian society in general. Our participation in the development of India's development in general has been
minimal, if at all.
For any intelligent analysis, planning and action we need information; scientific information instead rumors, whims and social beliefs. There is
no place in the world where we can find information on Indian Muslims. It is only scientific analysis of authentic information that can provide us true
nature and extent of our problems and help us find solutions. Such information and research centers are needed at every level in India but let
there be to begin with at least, one in India and another in USA. North American Muslims have both financial and human resources to initiate this
work and learn about ourselves and inform others about us.
I urge all Indian Muslim organizations working in USA and intelligent and affluent Indian Muslim community to coordinate their efforts, and establish
a Resource Center on Indian Muslims. The Resource Center must have a database, a library, a paper clipping section on Indian Muslims and on India. We need social scientists to analyze the data, journalists to
disseminate information and community workers to devise plans to achieve defined
objectives.
We need information to arrive at intelligent conclusions. We lack such information both in India and USA. We must also spend considerable time thinking, analyzing and dismissing the issues and formulating various
alternatives. I urge a regular monthly meeting in various areas to brainstorm on specific issues to arrive at achievable goals and derive
concrete action plans. We have not even done this so far. Let us start now.
Remember! In the effort to regain Babri Masjid over the last few decades, we have seen the demolition and burning of hundreds of mosques,
destruction of millions worth of Muslim property killing, injuring, dishonoring of our women and small girls.
No statistics were officially published but everyone knows it.
We must decide whether we should continue on a course of confrontations and let our enemy play its game or wisely adopt a policy whereby even if
we lose something we gain more, or at worst, minimize our losses. In order to win a war many a wise generals have had to retreat. A great general is one who knows how to minimize his losses in retreat, and be generous in
victory.
I have no answers to the dilemma the Indian Muslims face today, what I am suggesting is to let us think before responding emotionally. Whatever
may be our answer to this situation it must be well thought out and have long range planning. The situation is more serious than most of us imagine.
And yet, it is not a lost cause that it may invite desperate reaction and irresponsible action; it is a cause well worth living for and, if need be, dying
for. And we cannot claim to have a serious commitment for a cause unless we commit our resources, of wealth, health time and expertise
on it.
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