Like all my Indian brothers, I see a leader as an Indian first and last, not as a Hindu or a Muslim or a Sikh or a Christian or a Parsi. This constant harping on "Muslim leadership" has strong undertones of vote bank politics played in some form or the other by all parties, though admittedly more by some historically. And we all know which party I am pointing to here.
The Hindus are too huge a population, and will never be united as a single vote bank playing to a religion card. Remember, India today is secular not because the Muslims want it, but because the Hindus do. Plain and simple, numbers matter. One only needs to look at what's happening next door to realise that.
That leaves the Muslim community with the baggage of religious identity issues fostered from the time of Partition when Pakistan was carved out for the Muslims. Those that remained behind, were sadly forever left holding that unwanted child, who nobody wants to acknowledge or allude to or look at or even give it a tangible identity ..... hoping it will magically go away.
The need of the hour today is not further drive a wedge between the Indian muslim community and the rest of India by pandering to this divisive segregationist ideology in the garb of "Muslim" leadership. By all means, like all communities, at a community level, at a socio-cultural level, at a religious level, there will be elders, key opinion leaders, luminaries who will guide the youngsters and work for the betterment of their community. But the muslims need to realise, as I believe they already have, that the betterment of the community is inextricably interwoven by inclusive ideologies and the betterment of the Indian society and nation as a whole.
The community will prosper when it leaves behind the baggage of religious identity exclusivity and rigidity at the altar of inclusive assimilation into the Indian mainstream. The community will prosper by throwing up leaders, doctors, engineers, lawyers, businessmen, teachers, social workers, and soldiers for India. By putting a greater emphasis on formal education for their kids. The muslims of India do not need muslim leaders to give them a political voice. The sad fact of the matter is that historically they have always had hindu leaders providing it for them in return for their block vote. With their so-called "leaders" going along, taking the entire community for a ride.
As long as the muslims do not see this, they will always feel different and in peril, and be made to feel as outsiders by the large overwhelming non-muslim majority of India who would resent this special treatment and the lack of perceived oneness with them.
I must tell you in ending that the early years of my boyhood were spent growing up in a predominantly Muslim area of Jamshedpur called Dhatkidih. Most of my earliest chaddi buddies with whom we used to play gully cricket were muslims. Even as a child I could pick up on the difference between the vibes of the parents of these kids towards me, a non-threatening and mostly inconsequential Parsi, versus some of the Hindu kids who would play with us.
Thankfully I see a lot less of that siege mentality amongst today's generation. But it would be naive to believe that everything is now hunky dory and its not there anymore. Its still there and it needs to be tackled first, for the muslim community to really prosper.
Cheers, Doc
