Indian Muslims: The Road Ahead * 77

Reforming the Indian Muslims

Background

The Indian Muslims are all coverts from Hinduism and many of them are first generation Muslims who have an ancient Hindu ancestry. This fact galls them and is reflected in their treatment outside the Sub-continent. So much so that even Indian Muslims who venture out to support Baghdadi and the ISI are given only menial jobs and are not allowed to marry or have sex with Arab girls. In effect they are given second class status. Many Arab Muslims refer to them as Hindu Muslims.

In India the Muslims are a backward lot. Almost 80% of their women are denied education by the community and nearly 45% of the males do not attend National schools. They thus live in their own world. Matters are not helped by the fact that the Indian government which was mostly the Congress government actively sided and planned to keep the Muslims in a backward state as they felt they would be good vote banks,.

Indian Muslims

Thus Muslim representation in elite jobs is very small and they are mostly isolated from mainstream politics. They lead an insular life and prevail on their women to accept the Sharia, Polygamy, no education and wear the obnoxious Hijab or Burkha. This is enforced in a draconian way and there are reports of women being killed for not wearing the Burkha.

The Indian Muslims had also actively supported the Muslim league for creation of Pakistan. They had hoped that once Pakistan was created they would be prominent there. Unfortunately a moth eaten Pakistan was created and areas which in effect had asked for Pakistan like the Bhopal Muslims were left in India. They were thus forlorn and saw the mirage of Pakistan slip away from them. They could not reconcile to this state of affairs and accordingly decided not to be emotionally involved with the new state as their sympathies remained with Pakistan. No wonder in a cricket match between India and Pakistan, the Indian Muslims always cheered for Pakistan and a Pak victory was like their own win.

This led to most Muslims being marginlised in India and as India progressed, The Muslims got left behind. They resorted to all sorts of ruses including terrorism to undermine the Indian state, with which they felt no affinity. This led to Hindu-Muslim riots all over the country and the Muslims being a minority suffered more deaths. All this has increased their bitterness and now so many top Muslims are talking of insecurity and intolerance. The fact is the Indian Muslims have not emotionally bonded with India and still think and yearn for the days when they (Muslims) were the rulers of India.

Looking Forward

Muslims have to shed their inhibitions and come forward. The sad part is that it is not happening and many young Muslims are sympathsing with ISI and a local terror group the Indian mujahidin is formed. This is all very dangerous and one wonders where all this will lead to. The Muslims from India are not respected abroad in the Arab lands and even in India they feel isolated. This of course is their own doing and one wonders how this jinx will be broken