Indian Muslims: Challenges and Opportunities

The barren desert of south west Asia has given birth to 3 Abrahamic religions in which Islam is most hyped, dominant and static religion. Indian Muslim constitutes around 13.6% of India’s population and inspite of being the largest minority they are comparable, some time even worse, to SCs by all means of socio economic indicators. Though there are numerous movements which preached to improve the condition of backwards and dalits but unfortunately there is none by and for Muslims.

The Divide et impera policy of Britishers has created the gulf between Hindus and Muslims and the composite culture (and Ganga-Jamuna tehjib), which evolved over centuries and which we inherited from mighty Mughals, was destroyed and ruined with in no time. After the independence, Indian Muslims are being seen as the main culprits of partition by Hindu fundamentalists. This prejudice has created the feeling of in group and out group amongst the Muslims in India. Since independence, due to partition, they are misperceived as a separate group, the interests of which is not seen as same as that of Hindus. Our politicians, who became king (from slaves) overnight, encashed this misperceived conflict of interests between Hindus and Muslims and further widened this gulf and since then they have never been channelized into the main stream of India.

 

Thus the basic problem with Muslims in India happens to be the illusion of identity. They are more interested in maintaining their identity than anything else even some time sacrificing their own socio economic interests. This misperceived conflict of interest has made few shrewd politicians CMs, PMs but the real cause of Indian Muslims was never politicized in the same way as that of Dalits and backwards in India.

Though the periodic steps taken by the government, in the form of Sacchar committee, Rang Nath Mishra committee, minority commission etc, may help them in winning the parliamentarian debates over opposition but the real emancipation of poor fellows would remain a distant dream. Moreover Indian Muslims will continue to live and remain in destitute poverty as long as they would be guided by the leaders who are more interested in satiating their own political ambitions and who treats Muslims no more than a means to earn power.

The real solution of their agony lies in their own political determination. Rather than being guided by such conventional political leaders, they should launch their own version of Mandal movement and that too in consonance with fellow Hindus. This will not only ameliorate the prejudice among both communities but also would help in their empowerment. Muslims in India enjoy a unique position. They have been rulers here, they have been ruled and now they are sharers in power (of course, junior partners). They are not in majority but they are also not negligible minority. Rather than being the mute spectator, they should be proactive towards day to day problems of India. Muslims in India have yet to react on the problems of national and social interests and problems which are secular in nature.

In due course they may have to make some sacrifices too, as the cost  of being largest minority but this would prove beneficial for their own socio economic development in long term.
Because as they say “When Prophet Mohammad entered into a treaty with the rival group at Hudayliyah, it appeared to be abject surrender even to his staunch supporters. However the Quran described that as clear victory and it did prove so. Within a short span there from Muslims entered the Mecca as victors, and not a drop of blood was shed."