Why are the Minorities absent in the Jan Andolans ( so-called
people’s movements ) of India ?
We are witnessing some of the much hyped public protests for
the last thirteen months in India where the urban youth are seen in the fore
front of these protests against corruption. The middle class urbanites have
been supporting their children to go forward and protest. The agitations led by Sri Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev , and recently by Sri Arvind Kejriwal ,have
exhibited the protesting-spirit of the middle class to come forward to change
the political and social scenario.
I have been following these agitations
through my contacts in the local groups in Hoshangabad and Betul and through
the coverage in the media. I have noticed some issues which I would like to
share here.
1.
The
leaders from the Minorities are not seen! : I can see a total absence
of leaders and leaderships from the Minorities in these agitations. Well the
reasons are not known to me still but the thing as I see is, that the major
minority groups in India have almost zero
representation in the frontline leadership in these agitations or movements. The
minorities, especially the Muslims have been targeted both by the local
societies and the ruling Governments in all kinds of terrorists and
anti-government agitations. The proofs of the involvement of the young persons
from the minorities are doubtful from the very first day but the law
enforcement agencies and the courts have done little to reduce the
fear-psychosis among the muslims. The repeated practice from all kinds and
shades of political parties, including the Left parties, have forced the
Muslims to realize that the governments are against the life and survival of
Muslims in India. The Right to Education, equality, Liberty, Fraternity and
Universal Brotherhood is the basic fundamentals of Islam which were practiced
and imbibed by the various Civilizations and Governments all over the world.
Islamic Jurisprudence is one of the best and has been delivering free and fair
justice to the people. The rulers whenever and wherever deviated from the principles
of Islam have been punished and thrown out of power by the Muslims even when
the country was under Islamic laws. The fear is set inside the minds of Muslims
as the long two hundred recent years from the British rule o the present day
Democracies have not shown any kind of resemblance to the basic question of
Justice and fair dealings with the Muslim communities. This persecution complex
within the Muslims have now spread into the other religious Minorities like
Christians, Bauddhs, Jains and the ethnic communities of tribal people. No one
from the leaderships of these mentioned communities come forward to put the
views for the communities while the leaders like Digvijays or Thakres are
allowed to speak all kind of anti-minority or pro-minority statements out in
the open and they usually go unpunished. This becomes more revealing as to how
these events are dealt with by the Courts of India. The common person belonging
to the Minority community are not eager
to approach the Courts for any kind of redresses as they find them to be
working against the basic tenets of Constitutions. The rulings of the Courts
are hardly ever implemented when it comes to the development of the Minorities.
The logic stated is usually that the
ruling party is creating a Vote-Bank and appeasing the minorities. So where do
the minorities go for The question is when Muslims may be doubtful of being
harassed and haggled by their participations still why other religious
minorities are not seen there? The Sikh, Christians, Bauddhs, Jains and notably
the Sunni Muslims are abstaining from these agitations.
2.
Core
Group of these agitations have not made efforts to synchronize their agitations
at the national and international levels where the religious minorities present are a majority percentage in
India viz. the Muslims and the Christians have been doing non-violent and
peaceful protest all over the world. The focus is still in New Delhi , Mumbai
and other State Capitals. The rural and tribal areas like the North-East and
Jammu-Kashmir have not been represented and included in these agitations. We
find the majority of minorities like Muslims , Tribals and Christians in these
areas but these agitations are not having any effect in these areas. Thus we
are able to view the cow-belt with Maharashtra as the major leader in these
agitations. The National picture is still missing. They are becoming the
Hindi-speaking leadership centered protests. The interventions in the areas
affected by the Naxalites and Army have never been seen and the question of
maintaining law and order is the priority of these urban protests. We saw Baba
Ramdev marching in New Delhi on 13 and 14 th. August this year but left Delhi
before 15th.August to facilitate the PM to reach the Red Fort on 15th.August.
Morning.
3.
A
linkage with protests all over the world is missing. We seldom see any
mention of Syria. Egypt, Burma or USA in these speeches. This may be due to the
fear, though valid, that allegations may start that these agitations are funded
with foreign money and so it is clearly and openly not linked to the
International protests however they may be same in orientation and strategy.
The leaders are also trying to bring forth the view that these agitations are _
grassroots, indigenous, Indian in origin, led by Indians and are funded by the
Indian citizens. Donations and funds are locally being raised and expenses are
shared to show that these are totally Indian in nature.
4.
Ethnic
Minorities also absent : We do not find a tribal or a semi-tribal(
married to a tribal or a convert from tribal community) in these agitations
when they form more than 25% of total Indian Population. The leadership is
present in the tribal dominated States like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and the
North- eastern States , still we find an absence at the top level leadership.
5.
Absence
of Women-Power – I agree that the Muslim women may be prevented by
their families and communities to come forward openly in the support of these
agitations but why are women reduced to a “ Minority” in these agitations is a
question which I cannot find answer to. The women in India have been putting
efforts to come at par with their male counterparts but all kind of agitations
and religious movement rooted in Indian society have been partially blind to
the contributions of women. They are eager to increase the numbers of women in
the crowd they lecture but they are not eager to share the dais with
gender-biased groups of women.
Now if this is the state of the situation what can really be
dine to change this ?
1.
Identify
and involve the persons from the religious minorities : When these
agitations claim that they have branches and shakhas all over India than who is stopping them to do this ? Are there NO deserving and capable persons
from these communities? Are all tainted, persecuted, punished and terrified of
going into jails? Why they are not motivated to join these agitations? The
mindset of the top leadership of these agitations have to change and the word
“secular” has to to redefined by these agitations if they are to address to the
major sections of the Indian Society. We saw Anna ji saying from the last day
that the political party will be formed on “secular” basis. This still remains
to be seen as to what his “secular” means ! We have seen the secular of Indian
National Congress, the Bhartiya Janta Party and the Communist Party of India.
They have been using the religious minorities to meet their political-ends
without aiming at the development and empowerment of these minorities. Some are
into vote-Bank politics and another into appeasements. These agitations have to
avoid these concepts of “ use-and throw” minorities. They have to think long
term more and involve the participation of the religious minorities at a
priority. Same goes for the other ethnic minorities of Jammu , Kashmir, North
East, central India and the Some southern States.
2.
Avoid
pseudo-Minorities and Semi-Minorities personalities : let me explain
this through examples. We have some in Bollywood like Shahruk &
Amir ( married to non-muslims ), Salman (
worships many kind of non-Islamic idols ), etc, in Political Parties like
Salman K.( married to a Christian lady, who
lost the last elections even though he is a Minister at the Center and
was looking for reservation of Muslims! ), Shahnawaz H., M. Abbas Naqvi, etc.
and in the field of Art and Culture. I am disputing their contribution to the
field of their activity but what I am talking of here is what goes inside the
minds of Muslims in India is not reflected in the actions of these
personalities. The situation arises where even we start hating these
personalities once they start believing that they represent Muslims and they
are their true leaders. So now we may be left with a handful of personalities
that may represent the religious minorities in India and they may be judged on
the basis of – education, family background, religious faiths and adherence to
the basic fundamentals of religion and experience to lead the agitation,
3.
Educate
Minorities on the advantage of these agitations and participation of women
: Special efforts are required
to do this in the coming time. Classes meetings, workshop , training materials,
social websites, networking with NGOs and Media can bring about a change in the
minds of the Minorities and they will address the fear in their minds with the
knowledge base that may come through these efforts. These would require money
and time but the time demands that they have to be started if these movements
are to remain relevant to the minorities. The organizations of these
communities can also play a crucial role in helping these movements.
4.
India
needs Muslims and other Minorities : We have seen recently that some groups are
propagating the idea that these movements can do without the involvements of
the minorities. My point is do these minorities need you or you need these
minorities ? If you want to be successful you need these minorities. And
remember that the way you deal with these religious minorities you must be dead
sure that your actions will be watched by their fraternity all over the world.
Being a non-minority hat group is much more dangerous to these movements while
it is fruitful to become a minority-lovers in the long run.
Dated 26th.
August,2012.
All these are my
personal views and have nothing to do with the associations with which I am
associated with and working for .
parvezameer.blogspot.com ( development issues
)