A red card for the Secular Indian Muslim
The controversy regarding the conferment of Qatari nationality upon M.F. Husain — and his acceptance of it — has given us the opportunity to revisit an old but neglected debate. The debate on being an Indian Muslim or a Muslim Indian is old hat; but the one concerning the “secular Indian Muslim†— the SIM? — needs our urgent attention. Those who doubt the existence of such a breed and view it as a contradiction in terms would do well to remember the legacy of a long line of distinguished people, from Mirza Ghalib, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Dr M.A. Ansari, Maulana Azad, Dr Zakir Husain to M.F. Husain, to name just a few. Then there are the nameless millions — doctors, lawyers, writers, journalists, teachers, wage earners who are living proof of Indian secularism. Husain is simply another link in this ganga-jamuni chain. He needs to neither establish his credentials nor protest his innocence; his work speaks for him.
Having established the credentials of this breed, let us set out the contours of its present dilemma: one, it exists in sufficiently large numbers to have escaped our notice yet, oddly enough, has never managed to establish a public profile for itself; nor has it, given its numbers, translated into a sufficiently large, and therefore woo-able, vote bank. Two, despite its largish presence (I imagine roughly half the population of Muslims in India), the breed is under severe threat.One is not interested in establishing the presence of the SIM, for that one takes as a given. It has always existed in the weft of the Indian tapestry as the warp that runs alongside. In fact, what ought to concern us is the threat to its existence. That this threat is from two most unexpected quarters adds to the terrible irony of the situation: the first threat has traditionally been from the rest of the Indian Muslim community, that is, the other half that is not secular and sees the secular Muslim as a blot that must be erased. The second threat, and this is more worrying, comes from the government. In the past 60 years of independence, every successive government — even ostensibly well-meaning ones such as the two recent Congress-led UPA regimes — end up inflicting great damage to the SIM. Whether it is Shah Bano or M.F. Husain, the governments of the day (as it happens, in both cases, Congress-led governments with an avowedly secular agenda) have shown their inability to deal with the SIM or safeguard its interests.Instead, these governments have chosen to engage with the SIM in ways ranging from the insidious to the unintentional: by seeking to engage with the not-secular face of the Indian Muslim rather than the secular one; by regarding the strident, illiberal, not-secular factions as representative and thus not only placing them in positions of legitimacy but forcing them upon the entire Muslim community as their spokesmen (which they clearly are not); and worse still — in the guise of benevolence — by appointing, to head the few remaining citadels of secularism in this country, those Muslims who are divisive rather than inclusive, short-sighted rather than visionary.In the light of the debacle over Husain, we must address the following questions, squarely and soberly: why does the SIM elicit support and solidarity in reassuringly large numbers at the private, individual level but almost never at the public or governmental level? Why has every democratically elected government found it so hard to engage with this substantial and substantive section of secular Indian Muslims? Why does every government — regardless of where it is placed on the political spectrum — persist in viewing the SIM as an exception rather than a fairly healthy norm? Moreover, why does it view the SIM as an exception that is quaint and other-worldly, a minority within a minority, to be patted on the back and given the occasional Padma Shri but not otherwise taken seriously?Placed somewhere between a rock and a hard place, the SIM is in an unenviable position. Shakeel Badayuni’s words, made immortal by Begum Akhtar, best summarise the creature’s plight:Mera azm itna buland hai ke paraye sholon ka dar nahi/ Mujhe khauf atish-e-gul se hai ke yeh kahin chaman ko jala na de The right-wing fundamentalists (the paraye shole) can do it little harm; it is the aatish-e-gul (the fire of the flower) that the SIM needs to guard against.The writer is based in Delhi express@expressindia.comRakhshanda Jalil Posted online: Saturday , Mar 13, 2010 at 0235 hrsThe controversy regarding the conferment of Qatari nationality upon M.F. Husain — and his acceptance of it — has given us the opportunity to revisit an old but neglected debate. The debate on being an Indian Muslim or a Muslim Indian is old hat; but the one concerning the “secular Indian Muslim†— the SIM? — needs our urgent attention. Those who doubt the existence of such a breed and view it as a contradiction in terms would do well to remember the legacy of a long line of distinguished people, from Mirza Ghalib, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Dr M.A. Ansari, Maulana Azad, Dr Zakir Husain to M.F. Husain, to name just a few. Then there are the nameless millions — doctors, lawyers, writers, journalists, teachers, wage earners who are living proof of Indian secularism. Husain is simply another link in this ganga-jamuni chain. He needs to neither establish his credentials nor protest his innocence; his work speaks for him.
Having established the credentials of this breed, let us set out the contours of its present dilemma: one, it exists in sufficiently large numbers to have escaped our notice yet, oddly enough, has never managed to establish a public profile for itself; nor has it, given its numbers, translated into a sufficiently large, and therefore woo-able, vote bank. Two, despite its largish presence (I imagine roughly half the population of Muslims in India), the breed is under severe threat.
One is not interested in establishing the presence of the SIM, for that one takes as a given. It has always existed in the weft of the Indian tapestry as the warp that runs alongside. In fact, what ought to concern us is the threat to its existence. That this threat is from two most unexpected quarters adds to the terrible irony of the situation: the first threat has traditionally been from the rest of the Indian Muslim community, that is, the other half that is not secular and sees the secular Muslim as a blot that must be erased. The second threat, and this is more worrying, comes from the government. In the past 60 years of independence, every successive government — even ostensibly well-meaning ones such as the two recent Congress-led UPA regimes — end up inflicting great damage to the SIM. Whether it is Shah Bano or M.F. Husain, the governments of the day (as it happens, in both cases, Congress-led governments with an avowedly secular agenda) have shown their inability to deal with the SIM or safeguard its interests.
Instead, these governments have chosen to engage with the SIM in ways ranging from the insidious to the unintentional: by seeking to engage with the not-secular face of the Indian Muslim rather than the secular one; by regarding the strident, illiberal, not-secular factions as representative and thus not only placing them in positions of legitimacy but forcing them upon the entire Muslim community as their spokesmen (which they clearly are not); and worse still — in the guise of benevolence — by appointing, to head the few remaining citadels of secularism in this country, those Muslims who are divisive rather than inclusive, short-sighted rather than visionary.
In the light of the debacle over Husain, we must address the following questions, squarely and soberly: why does the SIM elicit support and solidarity in reassuringly large numbers at the private, individual level but almost never at the public or governmental level? Why has every democratically elected government found it so hard to engage with this substantial and substantive section of secular Indian Muslims? Why does every government — regardless of where it is placed on the political spectrum — persist in viewing the SIM as an exception rather than a fairly healthy norm? Moreover, why does it view the SIM as an exception that is quaint and other-worldly, a minority within a minority, to be patted on the back and given the occasional Padma Shri but not otherwise taken seriously?
Placed somewhere between a rock and a hard place, the SIM is in an unenviable position. Shakeel Badayuni’s words, made immortal by Begum Akhtar, best summarise the creature’s plight:
Mera azm itna buland hai ke paraye sholon ka dar nahi/ Mujhe khauf atish-e-gul se hai ke yeh kahin chaman ko jala na de The right-wing fundamentalists (the paraye shole) can do it little harm; it is the aatish-e-gul (the fire of the flower) that the SIM needs to guard against.The writer is based in Delhi express@expressindia.com
Rakshanda : You have touched the raw nerve… struck at the achille’s heel.
“Why does the Govt. view SIM as an exception that is quaint and other-worldly, a minority within a minority, to be patted on the back and given an occasional Padma Shri……… but not to be taken seriously, otherwise !”
In real politics., (and not an academic debate); you are respected for your LETHALITY. Justice is dispensed / rendered out of fear, not for good manners. The Govt (s) may LIKE the secular Indian., but they prefer not to do business with them.
WHY ? Because somehow the PERCEPTION (which is contrary to reality) is that the non-SIM commands better respect within the community. That the non-SIM is a true representative of the community. To put it crudely, the non-SIM is a better Muslim than a SIM ! This is NOT the reality, but a misplaced perception… and this will change with time. Give another 100 years.
There have to be SIM success stories… SIM must sell within the community… SIM must display success(es) in various fields… to be taken notice of. If there is a religious “IJTEMAA” (gathering); you have lakhs attending. If there is a Seminar., you have an attendance of 200 ! [The same is applicable to the majority community too… a public meeting addressed by Praveen Togadia attracts lakhs of listeners… whereas a meeting addressed by M.S. Swaminathan will attract only a 100 !… but then… you cannot apply the same yardstick to others].
Democracy is afterall a game of numbers. India is not Hindu-Majority… cuz there are huge divisions among Hindus themselves. However., they are all united on one thing : ISLAM… and aversion to Islam and its adherents… some are crude in it… some are sophisticated and do not display it… but an under-current exists. This is due to manufactured history of hatred., spoiling young minds… from K.G. itself… the stories… the history… Shivaji… Afzal Khan… Aurangzeb… the stereotyping.. “Sherwani-Ghar mein Pareshani”… the ridicule… etc. etc.
How will things change ? With time. Perception change needs time… maybe a century. Education. The Muslim Woman is not just a child-bearing factory or a hatchery. She is an individual and she must educate herself. Parents must educate the girl-child. If they dont., she will remain a hatchery. As the journey continues., muslims must graduate to INSTITUTION-BUILDING. If they dont., they will do small businesses (cycle-puncture… cleaning cars… small restaurants [bhatiyaar-khanas]… or forced to travel to Dubai, working in the restaurants owned by Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle in Dubai, as cooks and waiters… cleaning plates… or work as clerks and/or Drivers in the homes of their FELLOW-BRETHREN Arab Muslim brothers in Dubai… while Hindus slowly but surely regain control the Economy of UAE ! ]. Why are Muslims step-by-step surrendering their economies…
Once you see Muslim success stories around the world… and in India… it is only then that SMI will be respected. Until then., its running around the tree of stereotyping… unfortunate… but thats the grim reality.
1)To Rakshanda Jalil: Although I liked your article, the way you have attempted to put the whole Indian Muslim community(which numbers 160 million!) in 2 boxes is quite foolish. Infact you may have unwittingly used the same approach as those on the ‘right’ side of things-break stuff into black or white and then demonize the ‘black’
2)To dastagir: Dude, when I started reading your article, I liked it….but later on it acted as a huge disappointment.Especially, your statement “while Hindus slowly but surely regain control the Economy of UAE ! ]. Why are Muslims step-by-step surrendering their economies…”…i mean….get a life….Is India a Hindu economy or America a christian/jewish one(depending on which one you hate more)?…then why is the ‘Muslim’ yardstick applied to Arab countries…It is this thinking which may lead to greater harm than millions of ‘Hindus’ in the Gulf ever could…
Mr. Rumi,
Its never about red card to any secular group in India. it is all about baking political motives over emotional quotient of Indian Public.Mr Husain is no doubt a Indian pearl but unfortunately we lost him. Even though at present literacy rate of whole world will be better then what it was 50 or 100 year ago still most of the decisions we take by emotions . Mr Husain just try to portray his art or imagination in the form of Mother India but few guys felt hurt and attacked him but dont you think it is narrow mind of few due to which whole this episode happen ..so is it right to point finger to whole country ? by the way same episode happen in Europe too when some painter painted Prophet Muhammad’s cartoon ..in fact i too rebuke that but its all about how one’s religious feeling get hurt.
@dastagir: well done Mr. dastgir …”this is due to manufactured history of hatred., spoiling young minds… from K.G. itself… the stories… the history… Shivaji… Afzal Khan… Aurangzeb… the stereotyping.. “Sherwani-Ghar mein Pareshaniâ€â€¦ the ridicule… etc. etc.”….don’t you think you forget to add : Great AKBAR ,Jahangir..a long great history of MUGHAL kingdom… you talked about manufactured hatred .it seems you have taste of it. see one thing is sure no single king ..no religion or any country can conquer this world . it is true that due to our narrow mindedness we keep on fighting with other fellow human beings but just think what religion tell us …take any religion .Hindu ..Islam or Christianity message of all of them is same ..live with peace and harmony and let other live too. when message of all the religion is same then who the hell we are to differentiate them.just because of their ease and dominance our religious leaders divide us over religion . no archive in India showed religious riots in India before 1800 th century .please preach love not hatred ….
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