Muslims & The Straight Path [Published 2010]
Part - 1-H
WHAT THE FUTURE BEHOLDS
It is commendable that
there were thinkers who understood the real plight of the Muslim community
nearly 40 years back and suggested immediate corrective measures. MRA Baig
wrote: “Muslim Indians therefore must either change or sink into oblivion. The
choice rests with the next generation.” Unfortunately no heed was paid to his
words, even when he said: “Surely, the time to bring Islam up to date has not
only come but is already past, and Muslim Indians must prepare their minds for
the inevitable modernization.” One reason why MRA Baig’s concerns didn’t get
the right support was because the solutions he suggested were way off the mark,
unrealistic and unIslamic.
Unfortunately, if the
Muslim was the problem child of the Indian family way back in ’74, he still
continues to be the same. “Steeped in superstition, mentally bound by dogma,
governed in daily life by usages and customs which are both irrational and
irreligious, he depends for his social needs on the intellectual charity of the
more healthy members, and looks to the head of the family (government) for
special treatment and favours.”
It is not true that there
are not enough schemes by the Government to provide opportunities for
self-employment or for social support of the Indian citizens. These schemes are
open for all Indian citizens and do not discard the Muslims. But in most cases
it has been found that either there are not enough Muslims fulfilling the
eligibility norms or there is an inherent aversion towards availing these
facilities.
Take for instance the case
of Okhla, the Muslim-dominated constituency in Delhi. Okhla has been taken as example
because this region not only sends a Muslim MLA and a few Muslim Corporators
but is considered the residing point of the most elite and educated segment of
Muslim community. When certain social welfare schemes of Delhi Government were
launched in this area, the number of Muslim applicants was miniscule, compared
to the applications received from the members of the Hindu community. A Muslim
MLA, Muslim corporators, residence of the Social Welfare Minister in the Union
Government and the presence of countless educated Muslim families were unable
to motivate the Muslims to avail the scheme open for all Delhiites.
A
local Muslim youth leader from Delhi
complaint to me recently that Hindus do not vote for a Muslim candidate at all.
He said that leave alone the BJP workers, even the Hindu Congress workers too
don’t give vote to Congress, if the candidate happens to be a Muslim whereas
Muslims have no choice but to vote for Hindu candidates from various parties.
The only solution that he could think of was to have Muslim candidates, even if
they fight independently, at all the constituencies where Muslims form a significant
part of the voting population. In response, I asked him: “You have been a
political activist and a social worker since years now. How many times have you
visited the house of a Hindu resident to address his problem? While living in
the typical Muslim clusters, you have alienated yourself from the majority
Hindu community. Even a lot many of those who live in mixed populations leave
no stone unturned to show that they are different from the rest of majority. In
such a situation where you have kept no or very minimal contact with the
majority Hindu community, do you think that they will vote for a Muslim
candidate when he stands up during elections?” I asked further telling him that
there are several cases where Muslim candidates get elected from Hindu–dominated
areas and if this happens at a few places, it is only because that particular
Muslim candidate went out of the way to build confidence among the Hindus that
he will work for their benefit, if elected.
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