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Indian Muslims wary of Modi’s Hindu nationalist ties

  • 03594166677226929.jpg

    An Indian Muslim stands at a market place in Ahmadabad. (AP)
AJIT SOLANKI | AP


AHMADABAD: With his long beard and white skullcap, Mohammed Naseem makes no secret that he’s a devout Muslim in a country where Muslims are often persecuted.
Now, after Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi was sworn in as prime minister following a landslide election victory, Naseem and other Muslims in this country of 1.2 billion are watching the direction of their nation with a mixture of caution and fear.
Modi, who is Hindu like most of India’s population, has long had an uneasy relationship with Muslims, in large part because he, as chief minister of Gujarat state, was in command in 2002 when communal riots there killed more than 1,000 people, most of them Muslims.
“What happened in 2002 still affects the minds of Muslims,” says Naseem, a real estate broker who lives in Ahmadabad, a Gujarat city where some of the worst rioting occurred.
But like millions of others, Naseem despaired of the policy paralysis and economic downslide that marked the last decade under the Congress party.
“On development, (Modi’s) performance here has been very good. Now there are many Muslims who are supporting him,” Naseem said. He added that he hoped the media glare on Modi as prime minister would also keep him in check.
Modi, who was sworn in Monday, has denied any role in the violence, and the Supreme Court said there was no case against him, but the killings continue to affect Muslims’ perceptions.
Muslims account for more than 13 percent of India’s population and face no legal discrimination under the country’s secular constitution. But while many Indian Muslims have held high government offices — current Vice President Hamid Ansari is Muslim — the community is largely poor and fares badly on most socio-economic indicators such as health and education.
Many Muslims say they face discrimination, sometimes subtle and at other times blatant, when looking for jobs or renting a house. Intermarriage between the country’s Hindus and Muslims is still rare.
The center-left Congress party, which has ruled India for all but 10 years but was routed in the recent elections, has traditionally been seen as more favorable to Muslim interests than Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
Modi’s own political career started with the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Dal or the National Volunteers Association, a militant Hindu movement and parent organization of the BJP. The RSS has been widely accused of stoking religious hatred with aggressively anti-Muslim views.
Some Indians fear that Modi’s ties to the RSS may influence his decision-making. But Neerja Chowdhury, a political commentator and analyst, says that Modi, known for his autocratic and independent working style, will resist the pressure.
“The RSS will continue to have consultations with him but they will not be able to micromanage a person like Modi,” Chowdhury said.
“The compulsions of governance will also compel Modi to be neutral,” she added.
One of the BJP’s main promises to its largely Hindu supporters has been to construct a temple at the site of a 16th-century mosque in north India.
Over the years, the dispute triggered bloody communal violence.
In 1992, while the legal case to sort out the dispute lingered, tens of thousands of Hindu extremists, watched over by top BJP leaders and security forces, ripped apart the mosque with spades, crowbars and their bare hands.
The demolition sparked nationwide riots that killed 2,000 people and cemented the belief that India’s Muslims could not trust the BJP.
The area has since been split up between Hindus and Muslims by a 2010 court order, but the issue remains sensitive.
Modi’s convincing victory, however, suggests that many Muslims voted for the BJP anyway, out of concern for India’s economy.
The party grabbed 282 seats in the 543-seat Lok Sabha or lower house of Parliament.
“People were disgusted with corruption and price rise and therefore everyone, irrespective of religion, wanted a change,” said Ahmed Hussain, a school teacher in the northeastern city of Gauhati.
The most recent Congress-led government was mired in corruption scandals, and on its watch India’s economic growth slowed to less than 5 percent. Job growth has been poor and inflation high.
Modi’s campaign focused on Gujarat’s economic successes and promises that he could do the same across India. But for some Muslims, it is his handling of the riots that remains paramount.
“We know Modi’s past. He is communal to the core. His hands are stained with the blood of innocent Muslims,” said Monis Khan, a retired school teacher in the northern city of Lucknow.
“We are not afraid of him but we cannot rely on him,” Khan said.
“We Muslims have to watch his every move.”
Indian Muslims wary of Modi’s Hindu nationalist ties | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.
@nair @Areesh @Cherokee @OrionHunter @Aeronaut @IND151

@Zarvan your an idiot go jump off a building. 2nd this piece of literature does not deserve the waste of bandwidth on this site.
 
Did you even open the second thread that I had provided? Reread my first post and look at the number of Muslim communities that are part of OBC reservations nationawide.

But hey, all that is still not proof enough. Not to you by a long shot. ZERO reservations is what you'll continue to scream. So go ahead and neglect my stupid posts.:coffee:

yup relatively it will count as 0 only.
compared to 50 percent for obc's and sc/st's in states and national level.

in west bengal and up reservation for muslims was struck down so only kerala,karnataka and maybe tamil nadu have some state reservations and it is less.
 
yup relatively it will count as 0 only.
compared to 50 percent for obc's and sc/st's in states and national level.

in west bengal and up reservation for muslims was struck down so only kerala,karnataka and maybe tamil nadu have some state reservations and it is less.

Only a complete idiot or someone with a Himalayan ego would still not get it when told explicitly that many Muslims are part of the 50% OBC quota, and in States like Bihar, MP, Gujarat etc at that.

And which Bathinda logic is this? That any percentage other than 50% is equivalent to 0%?
 
religion sucks and people following a religion blindly suck even more



are u smoking weed??
they have 0 reservation in jobs and education.

reservation is 22.5% for sc/st and 27% for obc's.muslims have nothing.

on the issue of smriti irani,,i am firm she is not qualified enough,anyone who is not even a graduate will have 0 idea of problems here


Muslims have reservation under OBC category ( Azlaf and Arzal ).

again another stupid post.

1)they have no reservation on national level,none
2)what about up,bihar,gujrat,west bengal??

whats the reservation there?
u just provided a 4 percent reservation in karnataka as a proof

It is reservation on national level. Apart from Syed, Qureshi's, Khans and ansari's, all other muslim castes are under OBC reservation, nationally.
 
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Only a complete idiot or someone with a Himalayan ego would still not get it when told explicitly that many Muslims are part of the 50% OBC quota, and in States like Bihar, MP, Gujarat etc at that.

And which Bathinda logic is this? That any percentage other than 50% is equivalent to 0%?
Leave him alone. Why should muslims have reservations based on religion in the first place? He needs to understand that reservations were given to upbring persecuted people in indian society, and not on basis of minority.

anyway, these are words of the Minister of Minority Affairs " Muslims are not minority, the real, minority are parsis" "This is minority affairs ministry, not muslim affairs". People should take a cue from this.
 
  • 03594166677226929.jpg

    An Indian Muslim stands at a market place in Ahmadabad. (AP)
AJIT SOLANKI | AP


AHMADABAD: With his long beard and white skullcap, Mohammed Naseem makes no secret that he’s a devout Muslim in a country where Muslims are often persecuted.
Now, after Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi was sworn in as prime minister following a landslide election victory, Naseem and other Muslims in this country of 1.2 billion are watching the direction of their nation with a mixture of caution and fear.
Modi, who is Hindu like most of India’s population, has long had an uneasy relationship with Muslims, in large part because he, as chief minister of Gujarat state, was in command in 2002 when communal riots there killed more than 1,000 people, most of them Muslims.
“What happened in 2002 still affects the minds of Muslims,” says Naseem, a real estate broker who lives in Ahmadabad, a Gujarat city where some of the worst rioting occurred.
But like millions of others, Naseem despaired of the policy paralysis and economic downslide that marked the last decade under the Congress party.
“On development, (Modi’s) performance here has been very good. Now there are many Muslims who are supporting him,” Naseem said. He added that he hoped the media glare on Modi as prime minister would also keep him in check.
Modi, who was sworn in Monday, has denied any role in the violence, and the Supreme Court said there was no case against him, but the killings continue to affect Muslims’ perceptions.
Muslims account for more than 13 percent of India’s population and face no legal discrimination under the country’s secular constitution. But while many Indian Muslims have held high government offices — current Vice President Hamid Ansari is Muslim — the community is largely poor and fares badly on most socio-economic indicators such as health and education.
Many Muslims say they face discrimination, sometimes subtle and at other times blatant, when looking for jobs or renting a house. Intermarriage between the country’s Hindus and Muslims is still rare.
The center-left Congress party, which has ruled India for all but 10 years but was routed in the recent elections, has traditionally been seen as more favorable to Muslim interests than Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
Modi’s own political career started with the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Dal or the National Volunteers Association, a militant Hindu movement and parent organization of the BJP. The RSS has been widely accused of stoking religious hatred with aggressively anti-Muslim views.
Some Indians fear that Modi’s ties to the RSS may influence his decision-making. But Neerja Chowdhury, a political commentator and analyst, says that Modi, known for his autocratic and independent working style, will resist the pressure.
“The RSS will continue to have consultations with him but they will not be able to micromanage a person like Modi,” Chowdhury said.
“The compulsions of governance will also compel Modi to be neutral,” she added.
One of the BJP’s main promises to its largely Hindu supporters has been to construct a temple at the site of a 16th-century mosque in north India.
Over the years, the dispute triggered bloody communal violence.
In 1992, while the legal case to sort out the dispute lingered, tens of thousands of Hindu extremists, watched over by top BJP leaders and security forces, ripped apart the mosque with spades, crowbars and their bare hands.
The demolition sparked nationwide riots that killed 2,000 people and cemented the belief that India’s Muslims could not trust the BJP.
The area has since been split up between Hindus and Muslims by a 2010 court order, but the issue remains sensitive.
Modi’s convincing victory, however, suggests that many Muslims voted for the BJP anyway, out of concern for India’s economy.
The party grabbed 282 seats in the 543-seat Lok Sabha or lower house of Parliament.
“People were disgusted with corruption and price rise and therefore everyone, irrespective of religion, wanted a change,” said Ahmed Hussain, a school teacher in the northeastern city of Gauhati.
The most recent Congress-led government was mired in corruption scandals, and on its watch India’s economic growth slowed to less than 5 percent. Job growth has been poor and inflation high.
Modi’s campaign focused on Gujarat’s economic successes and promises that he could do the same across India. But for some Muslims, it is his handling of the riots that remains paramount.
“We know Modi’s past. He is communal to the core. His hands are stained with the blood of innocent Muslims,” said Monis Khan, a retired school teacher in the northern city of Lucknow.
“We are not afraid of him but we cannot rely on him,” Khan said.
“We Muslims have to watch his every move.”
Indian Muslims wary of Modi’s Hindu nationalist ties | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.
@nair @Areesh @Cherokee @OrionHunter @Aeronaut @IND151

They also agree with this fact and more than 100 million muslims voted for BJP.
Pseudo secularism and petty politics will not fill the stomach of poor Indians be it Muslim ,Hindu or any others.
Muslims will get their rights according to the Constitution .No more, no less.
They get their rights like Jain ,Christians,Sikhs etc.But India cant afford extra privilieges for certain community.More over one who talk about India also consider the treatment of minorities in their own countries.
 
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An Indian Muslim's Blog: News, Views & Urdu Poetry Website: An Indian Muslim's letter to Congress leadership: "I am not a BJP supporter but I am glad to see Congress' defeat in Lok Sabha election"

I am not a BJP supporter and there is hardly any chance that I would ever be in future but the rout of Congress in Lok Sabha election 2014, has given me satisfaction.

I find strange that some of my Muslim friends were gloomy at the Congress' loss. I have always found this mental slavery as nauseating. I would have understood had they been disappointed with the performance of non-Congress, non-BJP parties.

Or if you are die-hard anti-BJP man, the stellar performance of the party [and NDA] may have been disappointing for you. But sadness at Congress' defeat is just not understandable to me.

The reasons are here:

GETTING AWAY WITH RIOTS, MASSACRES

1. Congress is the party that can get away with 'massacres' and 'genocides' without even a whimper. Imagine, how more than 50 Muslims were killed in Assam recently, and it was no issue for the 'secular' party. Within three days, it was all forgotten, buried.

There was no demand to sack Tarun Gogoi, who now offers his resignation for poor performance in election! Just over a year ago, there was similar massacre in Bodoland in Assam. Which other party would have been able to skirt it so easily? Congress did, and nobody, not even media, questions it.

THE BOGEY OF APPEASING THE MINORITIES

2. Congress does hardly anything in terms of welfare measures or preferential treatment for Muslims, yet gives the impression, that it has 'appeased' Muslims for ages. It doesn't even deny this false charge, because it suits it and helps it gain sympathy of minorities and their votes.

Where in India are Muslims appeased? Are they in government jobs or private sector? Riots, encounters, killings, continue unabated and yet the minorities are appeased. Wonderful strategy.

TALKS OF GUJARAT RIOTS BUT NEVER IMPLEMENTED MUMBAI 92-93 RIOT REPORT

3. All the parties talk about Gujarat riots [2002] and then it goes back to Congress' failure in handling the anti-Sikh massacre [riots] of 1984. But how conveniently, Congress forgets all the riots during its regime until recently [Assam].

The riots of Meerut, Moradabad, Bhagalpur, Ferozabad, are history. But what about 1992-93 Mumbai riots, when in two separate rounds, more than 2,000 people were killed. That is recent history, much after 1984. Isn't it? Sudhakar Rao Naik was Chief Minister of Maharashtra then.

Yet, Congress that always promised to implement the Sri Krishna Commission report, never honoured the promise. Prosecution sanctions were not given even in cases against police constables who had opened fire on innocent Muslims, let alone officials.

Congress and its bureaucracy was always intent to saving the killers of Mumbai riots, and other riots. There was never firm action. Had the Congress acted against BJP and Shiv Sena's men involved in riots, history would have been different. But it remained soft and today, it is almost finished.


NO ACTION ON SACHAR PANEL REPORT

4. After its defeat in late 90s, it realised that it had lost Dalits, Tribals and Muslims, its core vote.

In 2004, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government lost, Congress again came back to power.

The justice Rajinder Sachar panel was appointed to submit its report over the socio-economic condition of minorities.

The panel's report clearly showed, how much disadvantaged Muslims have been, and how their representation is low, in jobs.

But for the next ten years, it didn't do anything. The party perhaps felt that it would invite 'majority backlash', which has come anyhow. How it feels, Sonia ji, Rahul ji?

INDISCRIMINATE ARRESTS, LACK OF CORRECTIVE MEASURES

5. In the last ten years, Indian Muslims suffered the worst. There were indiscriminate arrests, fake encounters, branding in the name of terror. It was repeatedly revealed in reports that Congress-ruled Maharashtra led in atrocities on Muslims.

Azamgarh was defamed during Congress rule. BJP was not in power, either in UP or at the Centre. But Congress did nothing to erase the perception or take action against those who used such words. Its police, special cell, and agencies, went on with their actions.

Yet, the genuine demand for a judicial probe in Batla House encounter, was turned down. We don't ask you to speak or act for us but we expected you to be at least transparent. You did nothing. In fact, in cases against right-wing extremists too, there was slackness, as you feared 'backlash'.

Bureaucrats fed you and you believed it, more so, because that was your intent too. Have a nice time, you deserve it. When the trends were coming and it showed 50-55 seats, I wished you would go to less than 50. It happened.

UNPROVOKED KILLINGS AND YET NO ACTION

6. Either in Dhule or in Gopalgarh, Muslims were shot in the chests and head. All these were acts of unprovoked firing. The police were controlled by your government in both states then. But as always, Rajasthan and Maharashtra chief ministers did their best to hush up these incidents.


There is no end to such cases if one starts compiling. The problem is that the mindset is such that atrocities under Congress rule were ignored. Congress was not questioned [even by media]. It may seem harsh but it is the truth that Congress' secularism was flawed, yes.

It lowered the bar and still gave the impression that it was appeasing minorities, though it did the opposite. Just barely a month ago, inMaharashtra's Mumbra, excessive police action took place, and there was no action by Prithvi Raj Chouhan government. Citizens are rid off the arrogant self-styled champions of minorities, great.

SCARED OF ACTING AGAINST TOGADIA!

7. There is tremendous talk of 'appeasement' but whenever there was a case of 'hate speech', Congress governments had a selective approach. Muslim leaders like Owaisi and Imran Masood were booked and jailed and it was a welcome move. But Pravin Togadia was never arrested.

In Maharashtra, after much pressure and media intervention, a case was registered. But the police didn't arrest him. You let down the words like 'secularism', 'justice', and 'law'. You pandered to them and they are having the last laugh, now

PRESIDENTIAL ORDINANCE ROUTE

8. Muslims and Christians among Dalits, Tribals [SCs, STs] can't get benefit of reservation. It is not a law passed by parliament that can make such a distinction that certain communities or religious groups alone are entitled to reservation, while the rest are not.

The discriminatory distinction was made possible by 'secular' Congress through the backdoor entry. They had brought a Presidential ordinance to ensure that the backward Muslims or Christians don't get the benefits of reservation. They have succeeded in it for over 60 years. Despite protests, there has never been a slight attempt to undo the historic injustice.

IDEOLOGY....ERR, WHAT'ZAT?

9. Whether you like it nor not, the BJP has an ideology. Congress doesn't seem to have any ideology. All these years, when BJP targeted it for 'appeasement', Congress did little to spread its ideology or tell its people, or cadre, why secularism is important.

On the other hand, in states, RSS kept expanding. Wherever BJP formed government, the dozens of RSS' institutions in diverse fields, expanded. They got land and all possible help. Today, they are running colleges, hostels, orphanages, doing social work.

In process, its workers and sympathisers also got financially independent. Naturally, they had the freedom to spread ideology while they had no worries about doing something else to earn money. What was Congress doing? Its ground workers have nothing to do except 'kaam karwane ke liye paisa lena, playing the role of middle-men, the euphemism for bribe, for survival.

ABOUT RSS

10. Congress attacked the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), quite often. Its leaders even blamed the Sangh for its cadre's involvement in extremist acts. Definitely, lot of people were arrested. If Congress wished it could have banned the Sangh long back.

It didn't. When people belonging to banned groups are arrested, no one questions or asks if they are indeed member of that group or have a membership receipt. In the case of Sangh, the defence was always that the person may have been a worker but had left us and we keep no record.

Who taught this strategy to them and how you believed it, innocently. Either it had no evidence or it lacked the will. Digvijay Singh was most vocal and said that he had record, but why these records weren't used? Had Congress acted tough, the Sangh wouldn't have grown so powerful. Today, the Congress may have realised the RSS' strength.

11. FEAR OF BJP?

The Congress often said that if BJP came to power, it will be bad for minorities, especially, Muslims. This is unjustified and only aimed at keeping minorities at the Congress' side.

In 1977, Muslims like the rest of India, voted against Congress. Earlier, SVD governments had come to power in many states. In later years, non-Congress governments became the norm in many states. NDA came to power at the Centre.

In states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Muslims have been living in BJP rule, without riots, and in a much better situation than in Congress-ruled Maharashtra or Assam. Muslims are no cowards who would tremble at anyone's name.

It is a democracy and citizens have the right to change the government. If India decided to throw you out of power and vote the BJP, then this is also a welcome mandate. Muslims have no fear or apprehension, after having suffered innumerable riots in Congress-regimes as well as BJP and other regimes in the past.

NO STEPS FOR CORRECTIVE MEASURES

12. The list of damage done by Congress to Muslims is long. The Congress in UP, after independence, acted with vengeance against Muslims. It is the only state in India, where despite being an official language, Urdu medium schools can't be opened.

This is violation of the universal right of a child to be able to study in his mother tongue, and a question of principle and rights. As a result, poor Muslim families who can't afford educating kids in private schools, have no option but to send their children to madarsas.

The law hasn't been changed, despite protests for decades. More than 10 lakh signatures were collected, loaded in truck and taken to Delhi, long back by Zakir Husain. Still, nothing happened. Muslims abandoned Congress in UP-Bihar, and later in the rest of India, wherever there was a third option.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Initially, I thought, it should be titled as 'Letter to Rahul Gandhi (or Sonia Gandhi), but later I realised that perhaps it is all futile. For ten years, they run the government but couldn't honour the basic promises like implementation of Sachar panel report, then what's the point of expecting it from them.

If an ordinary Muslim wants to talk to Congress, there is no option. Other parties and their leaders are on Twitter and Facebook. But not Rahul Gandhi. People don't even have the satisfaction that they have at least conveyed their concern or sent their suggestions.

If you try Congress' in-house portal, Khirki, then also there is no response. I don't know if Rahul Gandhi has ever visited any ordinary Muslim's household to talk about his aspirations and expectations. So-called 'elite' leaders like Salman Khurshid or others like Ahmad Patel are considered 'Muslim leaders'.

Numerous delegations met Congress leaders and PM Manmohan Singh about indiscriminate arrests of Muslim youths, about false terror cases, about inquiry in Batla House, and other issues, but there was never any action.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This blog has been running for almost a decade now. On this blog earlier too, I criticised Congress more often. As there was expectation from it. There was perhaps a feeling that it will ever take some corrective measures.

But Congress couldn't listen and understand. It is this party that has treated Muslims and many other sections of the country, like dirt. No wonder, Muslims voted for AAP and other parties, wherever they had an option.

In Delhi, in all seats, AAP emerged second. One would probably be a fool to imagine or hope that Congress will learn. In fact, it will just hope that five years later, people would give it a chance again. But that is plain wishful thinking.

Indscribe
May 17, 2014
indscribe@anindianmuslim.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
An Indian Muslim's Blog: News, Views & Urdu Poetry Website: An Indian Muslim's letter to Congress leadership: "I am not a BJP supporter but I am glad to see Congress' defeat in Lok Sabha election"

I am not a BJP supporter and there is hardly any chance that I would ever be in future but the rout of Congress in Lok Sabha election 2014, has given me satisfaction.

I find strange that some of my Muslim friends were gloomy at the Congress' loss. I have always found this mental slavery as nauseating. I would have understood had they been disappointed with the performance of non-Congress, non-BJP parties.

Or if you are die-hard anti-BJP man, the stellar performance of the party [and NDA] may have been disappointing for you. But sadness at Congress' defeat is just not understandable to me.

The reasons are here:

GETTING AWAY WITH RIOTS, MASSACRES

1. Congress is the party that can get away with 'massacres' and 'genocides' without even a whimper. Imagine, how more than 50 Muslims were killed in Assam recently, and it was no issue for the 'secular' party. Within three days, it was all forgotten, buried.

There was no demand to sack Tarun Gogoi, who now offers his resignation for poor performance in election! Just over a year ago, there was similar massacre in Bodoland in Assam. Which other party would have been able to skirt it so easily? Congress did, and nobody, not even media, questions it.

THE BOGEY OF APPEASING THE MINORITIES

2. Congress does hardly anything in terms of welfare measures or preferential treatment for Muslims, yet gives the impression, that it has 'appeased' Muslims for ages. It doesn't even deny this false charge, because it suits it and helps it gain sympathy of minorities and their votes.

Where in India are Muslims appeased? Are they in government jobs or private sector? Riots, encounters, killings, continue unabated and yet the minorities are appeased. Wonderful strategy.

TALKS OF GUJARAT RIOTS BUT NEVER IMPLEMENTED MUMBAI 92-93 RIOT REPORT

3. All the parties talk about Gujarat riots [2002] and then it goes back to Congress' failure in handling the anti-Sikh massacre [riots] of 1984. But how conveniently, Congress forgets all the riots during its regime until recently [Assam].

The riots of Meerut, Moradabad, Bhagalpur, Ferozabad, are history. But what about 1992-93 Mumbai riots, when in two separate rounds, more than 2,000 people were killed. That is recent history, much after 1984. Isn't it? Sudhakar Rao Naik was Chief Minister of Maharashtra then.

Yet, Congress that always promised to implement the Sri Krishna Commission report, never honoured the promise. Prosecution sanctions were not given even in cases against police constables who had opened fire on innocent Muslims, let alone officials.

Congress and its bureaucracy was always intent to saving the killers of Mumbai riots, and other riots. There was never firm action. Had the Congress acted against BJP and Shiv Sena's men involved in riots, history would have been different. But it remained soft and today, it is almost finished.


NO ACTION ON SACHAR PANEL REPORT

4. After its defeat in late 90s, it realised that it had lost Dalits, Tribals and Muslims, its core vote.

In 2004, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government lost, Congress again came back to power.

The justice Rajinder Sachar panel was appointed to submit its report over the socio-economic condition of minorities.

The panel's report clearly showed, how much disadvantaged Muslims have been, and how their representation is low, in jobs.

But for the next ten years, it didn't do anything. The party perhaps felt that it would invite 'majority backlash', which has come anyhow. How it feels, Sonia ji, Rahul ji?

INDISCRIMINATE ARRESTS, LACK OF CORRECTIVE MEASURES

5. In the last ten years, Indian Muslims suffered the worst. There were indiscriminate arrests, fake encounters, branding in the name of terror. It was repeatedly revealed in reports that Congress-ruled Maharashtra led in atrocities on Muslims.

Azamgarh was defamed during Congress rule. BJP was not in power, either in UP or at the Centre. But Congress did nothing to erase the perception or take action against those who used such words. Its police, special cell, and agencies, went on with their actions.

Yet, the genuine demand for a judicial probe in Batla House encounter, was turned down. We don't ask you to speak or act for us but we expected you to be at least transparent. You did nothing. In fact, in cases against right-wing extremists too, there was slackness, as you feared 'backlash'.

Bureaucrats fed you and you believed it, more so, because that was your intent too. Have a nice time, you deserve it. When the trends were coming and it showed 50-55 seats, I wished you would go to less than 50. It happened.

UNPROVOKED KILLINGS AND YET NO ACTION

6. Either in Dhule or in Gopalgarh, Muslims were shot in the chests and head. All these were acts of unprovoked firing. The police were controlled by your government in both states then. But as always, Rajasthan and Maharashtra chief ministers did their best to hush up these incidents.


There is no end to such cases if one starts compiling. The problem is that the mindset is such that atrocities under Congress rule were ignored. Congress was not questioned [even by media]. It may seem harsh but it is the truth that Congress' secularism was flawed, yes.

It lowered the bar and still gave the impression that it was appeasing minorities, though it did the opposite. Just barely a month ago, inMaharashtra's Mumbra, excessive police action took place, and there was no action by Prithvi Raj Chouhan government. Citizens are rid off the arrogant self-styled champions of minorities, great.

SCARED OF ACTING AGAINST TOGADIA!

7. There is tremendous talk of 'appeasement' but whenever there was a case of 'hate speech', Congress governments had a selective approach. Muslim leaders like Owaisi and Imran Masood were booked and jailed and it was a welcome move. But Pravin Togadia was never arrested.

In Maharashtra, after much pressure and media intervention, a case was registered. But the police didn't arrest him. You let down the words like 'secularism', 'justice', and 'law'. You pandered to them and they are having the last laugh, now

PRESIDENTIAL ORDINANCE ROUTE

8. Muslims and Christians among Dalits, Tribals [SCs, STs] can't get benefit of reservation. It is not a law passed by parliament that can make such a distinction that certain communities or religious groups alone are entitled to reservation, while the rest are not.

The discriminatory distinction was made possible by 'secular' Congress through the backdoor entry. They had brought a Presidential ordinance to ensure that the backward Muslims or Christians don't get the benefits of reservation. They have succeeded in it for over 60 years. Despite protests, there has never been a slight attempt to undo the historic injustice.

IDEOLOGY....ERR, WHAT'ZAT?

9. Whether you like it nor not, the BJP has an ideology. Congress doesn't seem to have any ideology. All these years, when BJP targeted it for 'appeasement', Congress did little to spread its ideology or tell its people, or cadre, why secularism is important.

On the other hand, in states, RSS kept expanding. Wherever BJP formed government, the dozens of RSS' institutions in diverse fields, expanded. They got land and all possible help. Today, they are running colleges, hostels, orphanages, doing social work.

In process, its workers and sympathisers also got financially independent. Naturally, they had the freedom to spread ideology while they had no worries about doing something else to earn money. What was Congress doing? Its ground workers have nothing to do except 'kaam karwane ke liye paisa lena, playing the role of middle-men, the euphemism for bribe, for survival.

ABOUT RSS

10. Congress attacked the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), quite often. Its leaders even blamed the Sangh for its cadre's involvement in extremist acts. Definitely, lot of people were arrested. If Congress wished it could have banned the Sangh long back.

It didn't. When people belonging to banned groups are arrested, no one questions or asks if they are indeed member of that group or have a membership receipt. In the case of Sangh, the defence was always that the person may have been a worker but had left us and we keep no record.

Who taught this strategy to them and how you believed it, innocently. Either it had no evidence or it lacked the will. Digvijay Singh was most vocal and said that he had record, but why these records weren't used? Had Congress acted tough, the Sangh wouldn't have grown so powerful. Today, the Congress may have realised the RSS' strength.

11. FEAR OF BJP?

The Congress often said that if BJP came to power, it will be bad for minorities, especially, Muslims. This is unjustified and only aimed at keeping minorities at the Congress' side.

In 1977, Muslims like the rest of India, voted against Congress. Earlier, SVD governments had come to power in many states. In later years, non-Congress governments became the norm in many states. NDA came to power at the Centre.

In states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Muslims have been living in BJP rule, without riots, and in a much better situation than in Congress-ruled Maharashtra or Assam. Muslims are no cowards who would tremble at anyone's name.

It is a democracy and citizens have the right to change the government. If India decided to throw you out of power and vote the BJP, then this is also a welcome mandate. Muslims have no fear or apprehension, after having suffered innumerable riots in Congress-regimes as well as BJP and other regimes in the past.

NO STEPS FOR CORRECTIVE MEASURES

12. The list of damage done by Congress to Muslims is long. The Congress in UP, after independence, acted with vengeance against Muslims. It is the only state in India, where despite being an official language, Urdu medium schools can't be opened.

This is violation of the universal right of a child to be able to study in his mother tongue, and a question of principle and rights. As a result, poor Muslim families who can't afford educating kids in private schools, have no option but to send their children to madarsas.

The law hasn't been changed, despite protests for decades. More than 10 lakh signatures were collected, loaded in truck and taken to Delhi, long back by Zakir Husain. Still, nothing happened. Muslims abandoned Congress in UP-Bihar, and later in the rest of India, wherever there was a third option.

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Initially, I thought, it should be titled as 'Letter to Rahul Gandhi (or Sonia Gandhi), but later I realised that perhaps it is all futile. For ten years, they run the government but couldn't honour the basic promises like implementation of Sachar panel report, then what's the point of expecting it from them.

If an ordinary Muslim wants to talk to Congress, there is no option. Other parties and their leaders are on Twitter and Facebook. But not Rahul Gandhi. People don't even have the satisfaction that they have at least conveyed their concern or sent their suggestions.

If you try Congress' in-house portal, Khirki, then also there is no response. I don't know if Rahul Gandhi has ever visited any ordinary Muslim's household to talk about his aspirations and expectations. So-called 'elite' leaders like Salman Khurshid or others like Ahmad Patel are considered 'Muslim leaders'.

Numerous delegations met Congress leaders and PM Manmohan Singh about indiscriminate arrests of Muslim youths, about false terror cases, about inquiry in Batla House, and other issues, but there was never any action.
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This blog has been running for almost a decade now. On this blog earlier too, I criticised Congress more often. As there was expectation from it. There was perhaps a feeling that it will ever take some corrective measures.

But Congress couldn't listen and understand. It is this party that has treated Muslims and many other sections of the country, like dirt. No wonder, Muslims voted for AAP and other parties, wherever they had an option.

In Delhi, in all seats, AAP emerged second. One would probably be a fool to imagine or hope that Congress will learn. In fact, it will just hope that five years later, people would give it a chance again. But that is plain wishful thinking.

Indscribe
May 17, 2014
indscribe@anindianmuslim.com
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Mostly ill-informed rants. Congress doesn't gets the heat cause of riots as much as BJP regarding Muslims is because its leaders (allegedly) don't go provoking Hindus against Muslims or use (again allegedly) the state machinery to do so. So if Muslim die, it can be solely attributed to their incompetence and not communal nature - as the Hindus die too, in equal proportion.

About Congress not doing anything - Muslims are eligible for reservation as much as Hindus. They get same treatment. If they still fail to get as many job, they should take a look inside. They keep away from schooling, they don't get higher education, they avoid qualifications in general and than complain they don't get job. They complain how govt doesn't do anything, what they have done for themselves? There are many Hindus operating trust based schools providing cheap education in most cities. Muslims can do the same, create their own charitable trusts providing education for Muslim students.

Whenever a Muslim complains about being persecuted in India, I like to remind him of the Bohra samaj. The rest should take a lesson or two from them.
 
ohhhh....... and the world is wary of the ties of muslim and terrorism.....
and no muslim nation is trying to elevate that fear.....:cry::cry:
 
yup relatively it will count as 0 only.
compared to 50 percent for obc's and sc/st's in states and national level.

in west bengal and up reservation for muslims was struck down so only kerala,karnataka and maybe tamil nadu have some state reservations and it is less.

In kerala Muslims get full reservation under OBC category.
And I dont oppose reservation for SC/ST category because except last 67 years that category of people and (that form majority of population) dont get anything from our country they are always oppressed by upper caste people .
But an unfortunate fact is all these reservations goes to creamy layer in same community.Poor people dont get anything from that.
 
its not that simple either......muslims have 0 reservation,,,,all other religions have reservation,all

Muslims get reservation under OBC category. Muslims aren't the only minority in India, what about others Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains etc.
 
Open Letter to Salman Khurshid - India FactsIndia Facts

During times of deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act” - George Orwell

——–

Not many people know that by using the flawed and fabricated findings of Sachar Committee, Salman Khurshid, the former Minister of Minorities Affairs, robbed the unlettered daughters and sons of nearly 34 crore Hindus living below the poverty line, mostly in rural areas. The High Level Committee chaired by Justice Sachar was born in sin of grave constitutional impropriety. The task assigned to Justice Sachar had been entrusted in 1992 by the Indian Parliament to the National Minorities Commission by enacting a special law called The Minorities Commission Act, 1992. All responsibilities for protection of the rights of minorities and ensuring their welfare had been assigned by the Parliament in terms of the aforesaid legislation to the Minorities Commission. Therefore the very act of the Prime Minister constituting a High Level Committee in March 2005, by an executive fiat for one single religious minority was patently unconstitutional and bad in law. The worst aspect of the sinister move, however, was that Justice Sachar did not inform the PM that what was being was a blatant violation of the Constitution.

For decades an unsubstantiated belief has been propagated across the country that economically and educationally, Muslims are more disadvantaged than the Hindus. This falsehood is being unabashedly used by the powerful pro-Muslim vote bank lobby to bestow many unmerited benefits and concessions, including nearly twenty million scholarships and concessional educational loans exclusively on the Muslims and four other minorities. But it was revealed by Salman Khurshid’s Press Conference on May 29, 2012, that not one single scholarship was given to the daughter or son of the poorest Hindu. Nor were any cheaper educational or entrepreneurial loans advanced to any Hindu poor, while funds worth several lakh crores were advanced to the children of doubly blessed five minorities, namely the Muslims, the Christians, the Buddhists, the Parsis and the Sikhs.

Strategy of Discrimination
This strategy of religion-based discrimination was implemented in pursuance of the communally divisive vote bank policy enunciated in the Prime Minister’s notoriously famous “Muslims First” policy statement made on December 9, 2006. Inexplicably the aforesaid policy statement was made by Dr. Manmohan Singh on the birthday of Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance.

The worst aspect of the ongoing discrimination is that crores of poor Hindus belonging to the perennially famished hoi polloi of rural India have been deliberately deprived of any share in the 20 million scholarships awarded to the five minorities, including four economically and educationally better placed communities than the Hindus. These four super-privileged minorities are the Christians, the Parsis,the Buddhists and the Sikhs all of whom happen to be show stealers in literacy average, economic prosperity and education.

The data pertaining to infant and child mortality, degree of urbanization and life expectancy at birth available in public domain proves that it is the Hindus, not the Muslims, who are the most disadvantaged religious group. Following are the five major globally recognized human development indicators :

i) Infant Mortality;

ii) Child Mortality;

iii) Life Expectancy at Birth;

iv) Degree of Urbanisation ;

v) Literacy.

The Hindus are far behind the Muslims in the first four human development indices, except literacy in which Hindus with 65.1 percent literacy are marginally ahead of Muslims who have the literacy average of 59.1 percent. But Justice Sachar did not have the moral courage to identify and write that one single factor responsible for lower Muslim literacy average was the lower ratio of literacy among Muslim women at a meagre 50.1 percent. It was lower by 3.6 percent than the national average of female literacy at 53.7. Thus, this important cause of lower female literacy among Muslims ignored by Justice Sachar was the diktats of Muslim religious leaders restricting education of girls beyond a certain age and insistence on the customary veil.

Plight of Hindus
Unfortunately most Hindus, including their spiritual gurus, telemedia analysts, self-anointed intellectuals and political leaders belong to the prosperous fraternity and well-to-do middle class. Their children do not need free scholarships. No wonder they have thus remained indifferent to the pathetic economic condition of the poorest Hindu masses, especially those trapped in the terminally ill rural areas. These busybodies strutting across the political and spiritual universe have never cared to know that in four out of the five globally recognised human development indices, the majority community is lagging behind the Muslims, the Christians, the Buddhists, the Parsis and the Sikhs.

That explains how the children of 34-35 crore poorest Hindus were led to slaughter on the altar of Sachar Report! The daughters and sons of nearly 340 million poorest Hindus were robbed in broad daylight of their rightful share in 20 million scholarships by the ruling politicians in an ugly bid to promote the ‘exclusive development’ of five minority communities. And lo and behold, this deprivation of the poorest Hindu children was done in the garb of ‘inclusive development’ !

The ongoing discriminatory policy against the majority religious group, mostly the rural Hindus, was launched by the Prime Minister with great fanfare in June, 2006, in the garb of Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for Welfare of Minorities. Through a sleight of hand, the poorest Hindu children were deprived of any share in twenty million scholarships showered on Muslim, Christians, Buddhists, Parsis and the Sikhs. The most shocking aspect of this biggest post-independence scam is that the Christians, Buddhists, Parsis and the Sikhs are the real show-stealers in literacy and education–way ahead of he Hindus.

Examining the Sachar Report
A careful examination of Sachar Report reveals a series of ugly tricks devised to trample upon the Right to Equality of eighty percent citizens of India on the ground of religion. Could it be that the poorest students belonging to the majority community are being denied proportionate share in millions of scholarships and financial largesse worth thousands of crores because they happen to belong to the politically-pariahed religion called Hinduism? No Hindu or non-Hindu political leader showed the guts to question this implementation of ‘exclusive minority development’ programme tom-tomed as ‘inclusive growth’.

Enumerated below are two prominent instances of fudging of facts by Justice Sachar in his report.

  1. Justice Sachar deliberately refused to consider the documented fact that according to the National Family Health Surveys Nos. 1 (1992-93) and 2 (1998-1999) the Muslims were better placed than Hindus in four major human development indicators, namely the Infant Mortality, Child Mortality, degree of Urbanisatioin and Life Expectancy at Birth. After admitting this important fact on pages 37-38 of his report, Justice Sachar took recourse to suppressio veri, suggestio fallaci, by attributing it to the highly inventive argument that it could be due to better child feeding practices prevalent among Muslims. Instead of candidly admitting that the Muslims were better fed and had access to better medical care the retired Chief Justice decided to weave the yarn of ‘better child feeding’ practices among Muslims. Could there be a worse example of falsification of the data available in public domain?
  2. Another instance of suppressio veri, suggestio falsi is the horrid description of the plight of Muslim women on page 13 (Chapter 2) which was false beyond belief. It boggles the mind:
Everything beyond the walls of the ghetto is seen as unsafe and hostile–markets, roads, lanes and public transport, schools and hospitals, Police Stations and government offices.

Can any Indian honestly believe that Muslim women are treated so shabbily in India ?

Many more instances of fudging of facts can be cited from the report of Justice Sachar. These are being left out because of shortage of space.

To sum up, a systematic and rational analysis of the comparative scores of the Hindus and the Muslims in various human development indices reveals that in the first four globally recognised economic development indicators the Hindus are lagging far behind the Muslims and four other religious minorities, namely the Christians, the Buddhists, the Parsis and the Sikhs. This truth was established four times by four different studies, though Justice Sachar ignored the documented truth for reasons best known to him.

Rebuttals galore for the Sachar Report
The first well-documented rebuttal of the flawed findings of Justice Sachar came on September 2, 2006, when a paper was circulated by Prof. Sanjay Kumar of the Centre of Studies for Developing Studies, New Delhi, in a seminar organized at the prestigious Indian Institute of Public Administration. The research of Prof. Sanjay Kumar presented in a packed hall of distinguished scholars in the auditorium of the I.I.P.A. revealed that there was hardly any difference in the economic and educational status of the Hindus and the Muslims.

The indepth research based on a survey by the Centre for Developing Societies further highlighted that the proportion of ‘the very poor’ Indians was higher among the Hindus than among the Muslims. The survey conducted in the year 2004 showed that the percentage of ‘very poor’ Hindus was 31 percent while the percentage of the ‘ very poor’ among Muslims was only 24 percent. Thus, on the basis of the CDS survey the percentage of the ‘very poor’ people among the Hindus was nearly 25 percent higher than among the Muslims ! It was a very significant finding of Prof. Sanjay Kumar, based on a survey comprising 27,000 random samples.

Mysteriously this important finding was ignored by Justice Sachar despite a clear directive in the Prime Minister’s Notification dated March 9, 2005 to Justice Sachar’s High Level Committee to “obtain relevant information from Departments/ agencies of the Central & State Governments and also conduct an intensive literature survey to identify the published data, articles, and research on relative social, economic and educational status of Muslims in India at the State, regional and district levels” to address the problems faced by Muslims.

More importantly, Prof. Sanjay Kumar’s research paper highlighting these important findings was duly sent to Justice Sachar by a Think tank named Patriots’ Forum. But the former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court chose to ignore the truth altogether.

The second rebuttal of Justice Sachar’s fabricated findings came in October, 2010 when the National Health Survey- 3 (2005-2006) revealed a quantum jump of 5.4 years from 62.6 years in the life expectancy of Muslims within a short span of 7 years, i.e., between 1998 and 2005. The advantage which Muslims had over their Hindu counterparts in life expectancy at birth was barely 1.2 years in 1998-1999, but it grew to 3 years in 2005-2006, as revealed by the National Family Health Survey -3.

And the master mystery of mysteries was that the results of the National Family Health Survey of 2005-2006 were released in October, 2010–i.e. after a long delay of four years! This inordinate delay was responsible for facilitating the implementation of Sachar Committee’s recommendations favouring the Muslim community. The discriminatory largesse of 20 million scholarships and cheaper educational and entrepreneurial loans of several lakh crore rupees was showered on Muslims, along with 4 minorities in gross violation of the Right to Equality enshrined in the Constitution.

The third rebuttal of Justice Sachar’s fudged facts was made public in the findings of Rajesh Shukla, a Senior Fellow of the National Council of Applied Economic Research published in the Economic Times, New Delhi, on April 5, 2007, reconfirming that there was hardly any difference in the economic status of the Hindus and Muslims. Among other things Rajesh Shukla’s survey disclosed that the Sikh community were ‘the Sardars in Prosperity’ with Christians closely following behind them.

The fourth rebuttal of Justice Sachar’s findings came on February 24, 2011, in the reply to a Parliament Question answered by Vincent H. Pala, the Minister of State for Minorities in Lok Sabha admitting that the central government had no data pertaining to the number of persons living below the poverty line according to religious denominations. If as late as the year 2011, the government had no data about the number of Muslims and Hindus living below the poverty line, why were the fudged findings of Justice Sachar accepted and implemented several years ago?



The fifth demolition of the lies propagated by Sachar Committee came on October 24-25, 2011, when in a Seminar jointly organized by the United Nations Development Programme and India’s Planning Commission at Claridge’s Hotel, two scholars of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (Sukhdeo Thorat and Amaresh Pandey) presented a research paper reconfirming that there had been far greater poverty reduction among the Muslims than among the Hindus between 2004-2005 to 2009-2010.

Despite these five research-based rebuttals of the Sachar Report, the multidimensional discrimination against the unwashed daughters and sons of the poorest Hindus, living below the poverty line has continued at a fast pace, perhaps in deference to the policy announcement made by the Prime Minister in December, 2006, on Sonia Gandhi’s birthday.

Radio silence from Hindu secularists say
It is, however, for the self-anointed Hindu secularists to analyse and explain why no poorest of the poor Hindu child was considered eligible for even one single scholarship out of twenty million freeships showered by Salman Khurshid on the privileged children of Muslim and Christian parents. According to a half page advertisement published in The Pioneer, New Delhi, on February 15, 2014, “over Rs. 1,95,000 crore of bank credit was showered on 5 minorities”. In sharp contrast, not one rupee worth of bank credit was made available to anyone of the 35 crores Hindus living below the poverty line.

Most importantly, Prof. Suresh Tendulkar’s research had revealed that in 2009 approximately 37.2 percent Indians were living below the poverty line. It meant that roughly, the unwashed children of 34-35 crore Hindu les miserables were debarred from applying for scholarships and educational loans in an unethical bid to consolidate a vote bank of five minorities. Such a policy of robbing the poorest on the ground of religion by recourse to a sleight of hand has no parallel in the history of any democratic country. Only a legal eagle like Salman Khurshid could do it with remarkable dexterity and finesse !

Now the time has come for the hon’ble Minister to explain to 34 crore Hindus living below the poverty line, mostly in rural areas, why their hungry, emaciated and unlettered children were robbed of the rightful share in 20 million scholarships and educational loans totaling several thousand crore rupees.

- See more at: Open Letter to Salman Khurshid - India FactsIndia Facts

- See more at: Open Letter to Salman Khurshid - India FactsIndia Facts
 
Their solution is schools rather than madrassas; more interaction rather than ghettoization, less sharia more civil regulations and removing their aversion to nationalism.

The more they stay in Arab mindset, the more they will hate the host majority communities.

The more they say 'we Muslims' rather than 'us Indians' the more tensions and communal violence they will cause against everyone.

Indians have to be careful of such arab agents and closet jihadis. They should be monitored like how Chinese do.

What is arab mindset? o_O Does anything like that exist? ......well even if it does i don't think it would be as worse as primitive hindtuva mindset. So u should just take a chill pill and let muslims be the way they want to be. :agree:

Btw do learn the meaning of terms such as sharia and madrassa before typing those ignorantly. It doesn't take much brains or time to google......... oh sorry do hindutvas even have brains?:confused:

Btw what's your problem if a muslim doesn't care abt nationalism?

Muslims (particularly the poorer ones) need to start assimilating with the larger Indian society. If they for example have a problem with access to water, it automatically becomes a "vendetta against Muslims" and not a civic problem. They need to lose that chip on their shoulder and realize that India has its fair share of problems affecting everybody and not just Muslims.
Explain what u mean by assimilating? If it means giving up Islamic principles that a muslim must abide by in his/her private life then unfortunately for u whatever u r dreaming of ain't coming true. Whether its france or India islamophobia and bigotry against muslims will always backfire. :)
 
Btw what's your problem if a muslim doesn't care abt nationalism?

We don't want people to put religion before the nation. Religion is just a private thing between you and god.

Every Indian must strive to be Indian first then Hindu, Muslim Sikh or Chirstian
 
What is arab mindset? o_O Does anything like that exist? ......well even if it does i don't think it would be as worse as primitive hindtuva mindset. So u should just take a chill pill and let muslims be the way they want to be. :agree:

Btw do learn the meaning of terms such as sharia and madrassa before typing those ignorantly. It doesn't take much brains or time to google......... oh sorry do hindutvas even have brains?:confused:

By that word, I mean elitist, exclusivist mentality. Hindutva (the term originates in those living beyond the Indus river) is for all Indians. Just like Bharat is the Sanskrit name for India, Hindutva is the Sanskrit name of Indian nationalism. As you know that there is no word called 'India' in Sanskrit.

Btw what's your problem if a muslim doesn't care abt nationalism?

Sure. One can be selfish and look at one's own life.

But the Arab mentality of 'giving in to our ways' by such types will not be tolerated.

Explain what u mean by assimilating? If it means giving up Islamic principles that a muslim must abide by in his/her private life then unfortunately for u whatever u r dreaming of ain't coming true. Whether its france or India islamophobia and bigotry against muslims will always backfire. :)

Assimilating means adopting the common national stand without bringing in 'this is incompatible with what prophet said".

Keep convincing yourself of an imaginary backfire.

An Indian Muslim's Blog: News, Views & Urdu Poetry Website: An Indian Muslim's letter to Congress leadership: "I am not a BJP supporter but I am glad to see Congress' defeat in Lok Sabha election"

I am not a BJP supporter and there is hardly any chance that I would ever be in future but the rout of Congress in Lok Sabha election 2014, has given me satisfaction.

I find strange that some of my Muslim friends were gloomy at the Congress' loss. I have always found this mental slavery as nauseating. I would have understood had they been disappointed with the performance of non-Congress, non-BJP parties.

Or if you are die-hard anti-BJP man, the stellar performance of the party [and NDA] may have been disappointing for you. But sadness at Congress' defeat is just not understandable to me.

The reasons are here:

GETTING AWAY WITH RIOTS, MASSACRES

1. Congress is the party that can get away with 'massacres' and 'genocides' without even a whimper. Imagine, how more than 50 Muslims were killed in Assam recently, and it was no issue for the 'secular' party. Within three days, it was all forgotten, buried.

There was no demand to sack Tarun Gogoi, who now offers his resignation for poor performance in election! Just over a year ago, there was similar massacre in Bodoland in Assam. Which other party would have been able to skirt it so easily? Congress did, and nobody, not even media, questions it.

THE BOGEY OF APPEASING THE MINORITIES

2. Congress does hardly anything in terms of welfare measures or preferential treatment for Muslims, yet gives the impression, that it has 'appeased' Muslims for ages. It doesn't even deny this false charge, because it suits it and helps it gain sympathy of minorities and their votes.

Where in India are Muslims appeased? Are they in government jobs or private sector? Riots, encounters, killings, continue unabated and yet the minorities are appeased. Wonderful strategy.

TALKS OF GUJARAT RIOTS BUT NEVER IMPLEMENTED MUMBAI 92-93 RIOT REPORT

3. All the parties talk about Gujarat riots [2002] and then it goes back to Congress' failure in handling the anti-Sikh massacre [riots] of 1984. But how conveniently, Congress forgets all the riots during its regime until recently [Assam].

The riots of Meerut, Moradabad, Bhagalpur, Ferozabad, are history. But what about 1992-93 Mumbai riots, when in two separate rounds, more than 2,000 people were killed. That is recent history, much after 1984. Isn't it? Sudhakar Rao Naik was Chief Minister of Maharashtra then.

Yet, Congress that always promised to implement the Sri Krishna Commission report, never honoured the promise. Prosecution sanctions were not given even in cases against police constables who had opened fire on innocent Muslims, let alone officials.

Congress and its bureaucracy was always intent to saving the killers of Mumbai riots, and other riots. There was never firm action. Had the Congress acted against BJP and Shiv Sena's men involved in riots, history would have been different. But it remained soft and today, it is almost finished.


NO ACTION ON SACHAR PANEL REPORT

4. After its defeat in late 90s, it realised that it had lost Dalits, Tribals and Muslims, its core vote.

In 2004, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government lost, Congress again came back to power.

The justice Rajinder Sachar panel was appointed to submit its report over the socio-economic condition of minorities.

The panel's report clearly showed, how much disadvantaged Muslims have been, and how their representation is low, in jobs.

But for the next ten years, it didn't do anything. The party perhaps felt that it would invite 'majority backlash', which has come anyhow. How it feels, Sonia ji, Rahul ji?

INDISCRIMINATE ARRESTS, LACK OF CORRECTIVE MEASURES

5. In the last ten years, Indian Muslims suffered the worst. There were indiscriminate arrests, fake encounters, branding in the name of terror. It was repeatedly revealed in reports that Congress-ruled Maharashtra led in atrocities on Muslims.

Azamgarh was defamed during Congress rule. BJP was not in power, either in UP or at the Centre. But Congress did nothing to erase the perception or take action against those who used such words. Its police, special cell, and agencies, went on with their actions.

Yet, the genuine demand for a judicial probe in Batla House encounter, was turned down. We don't ask you to speak or act for us but we expected you to be at least transparent. You did nothing. In fact, in cases against right-wing extremists too, there was slackness, as you feared 'backlash'.

Bureaucrats fed you and you believed it, more so, because that was your intent too. Have a nice time, you deserve it. When the trends were coming and it showed 50-55 seats, I wished you would go to less than 50. It happened.

UNPROVOKED KILLINGS AND YET NO ACTION

6. Either in Dhule or in Gopalgarh, Muslims were shot in the chests and head. All these were acts of unprovoked firing. The police were controlled by your government in both states then. But as always, Rajasthan and Maharashtra chief ministers did their best to hush up these incidents.


There is no end to such cases if one starts compiling. The problem is that the mindset is such that atrocities under Congress rule were ignored. Congress was not questioned [even by media]. It may seem harsh but it is the truth that Congress' secularism was flawed, yes.

It lowered the bar and still gave the impression that it was appeasing minorities, though it did the opposite. Just barely a month ago, inMaharashtra's Mumbra, excessive police action took place, and there was no action by Prithvi Raj Chouhan government. Citizens are rid off the arrogant self-styled champions of minorities, great.

SCARED OF ACTING AGAINST TOGADIA!

7. There is tremendous talk of 'appeasement' but whenever there was a case of 'hate speech', Congress governments had a selective approach. Muslim leaders like Owaisi and Imran Masood were booked and jailed and it was a welcome move. But Pravin Togadia was never arrested.

In Maharashtra, after much pressure and media intervention, a case was registered. But the police didn't arrest him. You let down the words like 'secularism', 'justice', and 'law'. You pandered to them and they are having the last laugh, now

PRESIDENTIAL ORDINANCE ROUTE

8. Muslims and Christians among Dalits, Tribals [SCs, STs] can't get benefit of reservation. It is not a law passed by parliament that can make such a distinction that certain communities or religious groups alone are entitled to reservation, while the rest are not.

The discriminatory distinction was made possible by 'secular' Congress through the backdoor entry. They had brought a Presidential ordinance to ensure that the backward Muslims or Christians don't get the benefits of reservation. They have succeeded in it for over 60 years. Despite protests, there has never been a slight attempt to undo the historic injustice.

IDEOLOGY....ERR, WHAT'ZAT?

9. Whether you like it nor not, the BJP has an ideology. Congress doesn't seem to have any ideology. All these years, when BJP targeted it for 'appeasement', Congress did little to spread its ideology or tell its people, or cadre, why secularism is important.

On the other hand, in states, RSS kept expanding. Wherever BJP formed government, the dozens of RSS' institutions in diverse fields, expanded. They got land and all possible help. Today, they are running colleges, hostels, orphanages, doing social work.

In process, its workers and sympathisers also got financially independent. Naturally, they had the freedom to spread ideology while they had no worries about doing something else to earn money. What was Congress doing? Its ground workers have nothing to do except 'kaam karwane ke liye paisa lena, playing the role of middle-men, the euphemism for bribe, for survival.

ABOUT RSS

10. Congress attacked the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), quite often. Its leaders even blamed the Sangh for its cadre's involvement in extremist acts. Definitely, lot of people were arrested. If Congress wished it could have banned the Sangh long back.

It didn't. When people belonging to banned groups are arrested, no one questions or asks if they are indeed member of that group or have a membership receipt. In the case of Sangh, the defence was always that the person may have been a worker but had left us and we keep no record.

Who taught this strategy to them and how you believed it, innocently. Either it had no evidence or it lacked the will. Digvijay Singh was most vocal and said that he had record, but why these records weren't used? Had Congress acted tough, the Sangh wouldn't have grown so powerful. Today, the Congress may have realised the RSS' strength.

11. FEAR OF BJP?

The Congress often said that if BJP came to power, it will be bad for minorities, especially, Muslims. This is unjustified and only aimed at keeping minorities at the Congress' side.

In 1977, Muslims like the rest of India, voted against Congress. Earlier, SVD governments had come to power in many states. In later years, non-Congress governments became the norm in many states. NDA came to power at the Centre.

In states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Muslims have been living in BJP rule, without riots, and in a much better situation than in Congress-ruled Maharashtra or Assam. Muslims are no cowards who would tremble at anyone's name.

It is a democracy and citizens have the right to change the government. If India decided to throw you out of power and vote the BJP, then this is also a welcome mandate. Muslims have no fear or apprehension, after having suffered innumerable riots in Congress-regimes as well as BJP and other regimes in the past.

NO STEPS FOR CORRECTIVE MEASURES

12. The list of damage done by Congress to Muslims is long. The Congress in UP, after independence, acted with vengeance against Muslims. It is the only state in India, where despite being an official language, Urdu medium schools can't be opened.

This is violation of the universal right of a child to be able to study in his mother tongue, and a question of principle and rights. As a result, poor Muslim families who can't afford educating kids in private schools, have no option but to send their children to madarsas.

The law hasn't been changed, despite protests for decades. More than 10 lakh signatures were collected, loaded in truck and taken to Delhi, long back by Zakir Husain. Still, nothing happened. Muslims abandoned Congress in UP-Bihar, and later in the rest of India, wherever there was a third option.

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Initially, I thought, it should be titled as 'Letter to Rahul Gandhi (or Sonia Gandhi), but later I realised that perhaps it is all futile. For ten years, they run the government but couldn't honour the basic promises like implementation of Sachar panel report, then what's the point of expecting it from them.

If an ordinary Muslim wants to talk to Congress, there is no option. Other parties and their leaders are on Twitter and Facebook. But not Rahul Gandhi. People don't even have the satisfaction that they have at least conveyed their concern or sent their suggestions.

If you try Congress' in-house portal, Khirki, then also there is no response. I don't know if Rahul Gandhi has ever visited any ordinary Muslim's household to talk about his aspirations and expectations. So-called 'elite' leaders like Salman Khurshid or others like Ahmad Patel are considered 'Muslim leaders'.

Numerous delegations met Congress leaders and PM Manmohan Singh about indiscriminate arrests of Muslim youths, about false terror cases, about inquiry in Batla House, and other issues, but there was never any action.
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This blog has been running for almost a decade now. On this blog earlier too, I criticised Congress more often. As there was expectation from it. There was perhaps a feeling that it will ever take some corrective measures.

But Congress couldn't listen and understand. It is this party that has treated Muslims and many other sections of the country, like dirt. No wonder, Muslims voted for AAP and other parties, wherever they had an option.

In Delhi, in all seats, AAP emerged second. One would probably be a fool to imagine or hope that Congress will learn. In fact, it will just hope that five years later, people would give it a chance again. But that is plain wishful thinking.

Indscribe
May 17, 2014
indscribe@anindianmuslim.com
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Awesome writing.

But our Arab-wannabe neighbours won't understand.

I hope there is an Arabic translation for them :D
 
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