Of Muslim identity, secular facade and the unleashing nationalist forces
India in theory might be a secular state, in-fact it’s a Hindu majority country. BJP has almost declared Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. BJP is free to declare whomsoever it deems fit as its prime ministerial candidate. The Indian political space, however, (by and large) accepting Modi as a popular leader, as if all his past crimes against humanity stand completely condoned, is a highly disturbing trend. A person of Modi’s ill-fame can emerge as a mass leader with a real prospect of becoming a PM leads to a horrible conclusion that India is a Hindu majority country having a scant regard for the secular ideals. The highflying information and broadcasting Minister of India, Manish Tewari, in a vain bid has tried to dispel the strong notion of majoritarianism, “the BJP and its organisation the RSS, has always been trying to define India as majoritarian. It has not worked for last 64 years. And, it will not work in the future.”
The Congress led UPA has every interest to maintain the false facade of secular polity and reject any idea of majoritarianism. The crude reality however is that whims of majority prevail in India, in every sphere of life. The system as designed is deeply biased particularly towards the Muslims of India. The secularism in the constitutional scheme of things has ultimately proved to be [merely] a fig leaf, which has failed to cover the ugly underbelly of Indian polity. BJP and other non-congress political arrangements including, have ruled India roughly for a decade. For the rest of the period since 1947, Congress has had complete sway on the Indian politics. The dismal representation of Muslims in government institutions after the publication of Sachar committee report is now a well-acknowledged fact. The powerlessness and economic backwardness of Indian Muslims is a universally accepted reality. Still Modi revealing his fascist mindset could produce an insult of “Burqa of secularism”. India claims to be a secular state, still why secularism has been reduced to the so-called appeasement of Muslims. What has Muslims in India got other than backwardness, destruction of Babri Masjid, Pota, slur of terrorism, and near complete exclusion from the public life? Yet they are still accused of so-called appeasement. If a gruesome status of complete powerlessness comes to be defined as an appeasement in the modern India, one wonders how the ongoing systematic exclusion of Muslims can be described as.
“Burqa of secularism” a reprehensible and extremely insulting remark of a person who seriously aims to be the next prime minister not only reflects the poisoned mindset of Modi, it also reveals the jaundiced polity of India. Modi has no qualms while describing himself as a born “Hindu nationalist” and still claim to be would-be prime minister of India. One can brazenly claim to be a “Hindu nationalist” yet he can aspire to be the prime minister of a so called secular state, well defines the unbecoming of Indian secularism.
The inexplicable growing dominance of majoritarianism, a creed highly intolerant towards Muslims, disturbingly is long undergoing process of regression in Indian politics. Had Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the staunch votary of Indian secularism, been alive today, how he would have reconciled with the spread of Modi syndrome on the body politics of India? Maulana an authentic Islamic scholar ---born in Makkah, Arabic was his mother tongue--- had with a conviction opposed the two-nation theory. Within few years of the partition, however he reportedly had come to realise the reality of Indian secularism.
Swaminathan Aaiyar a well known columnist has revealed that “I was astounded to find that the greatest communal slaughter occurred under neither Modi nor Rajiv but Nehru. His takeover of Hyderabad in 1948 caused maybe 50,000-200,000 deaths”. Aaiyar further quoting from his sources reports that “the figurehead Muslim Congressman in Delhi, Maulana Azad, prevailed on Nehru to let a team investigate”. As expected “the report was submitted but has not been published; presumably it makes unpleasant reading”. The two-nation theory opposed by the likes of Azad as an “artificial construct”, in the given experience of present Indian looks to be a reality. Perhaps Azad’s foresight failed him to make a right decision, history is yet to make a final call.
Modi can be a proud Hindu nationalist and also immensely prosper in Indian politics. On the contrary only an apologetic Muslim can survive in Indian public life. In present-day India a non practising Muslim only, is a good Muslim. President Kalam, to Salman Khurshid, Hidayatullah to Najma Heptullah, Shahrukh Khan to Salman Khan are some names among the host of highly successful Muslim individuals. What’s common among them? These otherwise highly talented Muslim individuals in order to progress found themselves compelled to be far-removed from their cultural and religious traditions. Why only Shahrukh Khan has to name his son as Aryan to affirm his secular credentials again and again. Why Amitabh bachchan is not burdened with any crisis of proving his secular identity? And can we recall a successful Indian Muslim who could assert his/her identity proudly and was not ostracised from the public life. Muslim has to shun his identity and there is no end to it, even after shedding layer after layer and practically leaving nothing behind of his Muslim identity, still fails to satisfy his secular credentials. It’s as simple as it could be, they will never be happy with you “till thou follow their creed”. It’s a slip towards a bottomless pit.
Lastupdate on : Fri, 19 Jul 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 19 Jul 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 20 Jul 2013 00:00:00 IST
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