Since the election results came out yesterday, I am a bit surprised to find hardly any updates on Facebook on this significant development. I must say my friend list on FB is in double figures only, but still......Maybe a couple of them have come out and congratulated the BJP and Mr Modi on their success.
There is a 'stunned silence' from others. In fact I have also not written anything on this on FB, Though I did write on this in my blog yesterday......
I was thinking deeply about this today.
Muslims were already apprehensive about Modi coming to power before the elections, but the unexpected landslide win for BJP has left them a bit numb. It raises serious questions for them. Naturally they are a bit confused how to react in a public forum like FB. It will take some time to sink in.
The more serious question facing the Muslim community in India is - How should they react to this great change in the country now?
Till now they have vehemently opposed Narendra Modi for his handling of the 2002 Gujarat riots and also for the numerous Fake Encounters of Muslims in Gujarat. They were right in fighting these grave injustices tooth and nail. They shunned Modi as a pariah, and there was a lot of justification for that too.
But, as of today, these are the facts -
1. He has led the BJP to a thumping win in the elections and has got an outright majority in Parliament. He has got a result which even the most optimistic BJP supporter had not imagined. He can take major policy decisions without the constraints of coalition politics.
2. He has been able to achieve such a great success despite virtually negligible support from Muslims. Only 3-5% of Muslims may have voted for BJP.
3. Narendra Modi is now the leader with the highest stature in his party and will become the Prime Minister of India in a few days.
He has been saying now that 'Sabka vikaas hoga'...........'sabko saath leke chalna hai' etc etc. He still refrains from using the word 'Muslim' though.
This is a moment of historic importance for Indian Muslims. They need to introspect as to what is the best way forward for them.Should they continue to treat him as an 'untouchable', or in the light of the above facts, rethink how they can engage with him and his government?
To get some of the answers, let us look at history.
In the First war of Independence or the 'Ghadar' of 1857, a huge number of Muslims fought the British along with the Hindus. They proclaimed Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader. The call of Jihad was given to fight the foreign invader and British Raj. The British suffered heavily but was eventually able to crush the mutiny. After this severe jolt to their imperialist ambitions, the British devised the policy of 'Divide & Rule'. They also started to punish and persecute the Muslims for their role in the Mutiny. In turn the Muslims in India continued to fight them and shunned everything British. They said no to English Education, Girls Education, the banking system British established in India and many other things British started in India.
But the Hindus welcomed these developments and embraced them. The British also started favouring them over the Muslims as per the 'Divide & Rule' policy.
This continued for many decades in which time the Hindus got English education and started filling the government jobs and other important positions which the British were willing to give to the 'natives'. The Muslims kept getting sidelined. And they didn't help their cause by continuing to issue fatwas against English Education and Girls Education. They kept shunning everything British. They kept sliding in the social and economic ladder.
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Till Sir Syed Ahmad Khan came along with the call for Muslims to 'rethink' their relationship with the British and to embrace English Education. He said that the number one priority for the Indian Muslim to uplift themselves is to get Modern English education and for this greater goal they will have to offer the olive branch to the British. Forget the past and start building a better relationship with the undisputed rulers of India at that time. Not because the British had become 'good' but because that was the only way for them to uplift themselves.
Sir Syed was deplored by many Muslims as a 'Kafir' and fatwas were issued against him. But he was made of sterner stuff and was able to forge a close relationship with many influential British apart from other Indian Nawabs and Raja's. This startegy ultimately was instrumental in Sir Syed establishing the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) which was inspirted by Oxford and Cambridge.
.jpg)
Though he was vehemently opposed at the time by many Muslims for becoming friendly with the British, time has proved that Sir Syed was right. AMU brought a renaissance among the Indian Muslims and created a Muslim Intellectual class. More than a century later, is still serving the community in a big way.
There is a 'stunned silence' from others. In fact I have also not written anything on this on FB, Though I did write on this in my blog yesterday......
I was thinking deeply about this today.
Muslims were already apprehensive about Modi coming to power before the elections, but the unexpected landslide win for BJP has left them a bit numb. It raises serious questions for them. Naturally they are a bit confused how to react in a public forum like FB. It will take some time to sink in.
The more serious question facing the Muslim community in India is - How should they react to this great change in the country now?
Till now they have vehemently opposed Narendra Modi for his handling of the 2002 Gujarat riots and also for the numerous Fake Encounters of Muslims in Gujarat. They were right in fighting these grave injustices tooth and nail. They shunned Modi as a pariah, and there was a lot of justification for that too.
But, as of today, these are the facts -
1. He has led the BJP to a thumping win in the elections and has got an outright majority in Parliament. He has got a result which even the most optimistic BJP supporter had not imagined. He can take major policy decisions without the constraints of coalition politics.
2. He has been able to achieve such a great success despite virtually negligible support from Muslims. Only 3-5% of Muslims may have voted for BJP.
3. Narendra Modi is now the leader with the highest stature in his party and will become the Prime Minister of India in a few days.
He has been saying now that 'Sabka vikaas hoga'...........'sabko saath leke chalna hai' etc etc. He still refrains from using the word 'Muslim' though.
This is a moment of historic importance for Indian Muslims. They need to introspect as to what is the best way forward for them.Should they continue to treat him as an 'untouchable', or in the light of the above facts, rethink how they can engage with him and his government?
To get some of the answers, let us look at history.
In the First war of Independence or the 'Ghadar' of 1857, a huge number of Muslims fought the British along with the Hindus. They proclaimed Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader. The call of Jihad was given to fight the foreign invader and British Raj. The British suffered heavily but was eventually able to crush the mutiny. After this severe jolt to their imperialist ambitions, the British devised the policy of 'Divide & Rule'. They also started to punish and persecute the Muslims for their role in the Mutiny. In turn the Muslims in India continued to fight them and shunned everything British. They said no to English Education, Girls Education, the banking system British established in India and many other things British started in India.
But the Hindus welcomed these developments and embraced them. The British also started favouring them over the Muslims as per the 'Divide & Rule' policy.
This continued for many decades in which time the Hindus got English education and started filling the government jobs and other important positions which the British were willing to give to the 'natives'. The Muslims kept getting sidelined. And they didn't help their cause by continuing to issue fatwas against English Education and Girls Education. They kept shunning everything British. They kept sliding in the social and economic ladder.
Till Sir Syed Ahmad Khan came along with the call for Muslims to 'rethink' their relationship with the British and to embrace English Education. He said that the number one priority for the Indian Muslim to uplift themselves is to get Modern English education and for this greater goal they will have to offer the olive branch to the British. Forget the past and start building a better relationship with the undisputed rulers of India at that time. Not because the British had become 'good' but because that was the only way for them to uplift themselves.
Sir Syed was deplored by many Muslims as a 'Kafir' and fatwas were issued against him. But he was made of sterner stuff and was able to forge a close relationship with many influential British apart from other Indian Nawabs and Raja's. This startegy ultimately was instrumental in Sir Syed establishing the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) which was inspirted by Oxford and Cambridge.
Though he was vehemently opposed at the time by many Muslims for becoming friendly with the British, time has proved that Sir Syed was right. AMU brought a renaissance among the Indian Muslims and created a Muslim Intellectual class. More than a century later, is still serving the community in a big way.
Now let's come back to the present.
Narendra Modi is going to be the Prime Minister of India for the next five years. If he is able to deliver on some of his development promises, and also considering his 'Chanakya' like master strategist, Amit Shah, he may even win the next elections. He is a fact of life and he is here to stay.
Muslims should introspect as to what is priority number one for them now and how can they achieve it. Take a leaf out of Sir Syed's book. Nobody is saying they should start supporting Modi. No, In fact they should oppose him where they feel any policy is against them. They should keep fighting for the secular values of India.
But they should start engaging with him and his government. They should not shun him any more. Modi also needs to reach out to the Muslims and allay their apprehensions.
Narendra Modi is going to be the Prime Minister of India for the next five years. If he is able to deliver on some of his development promises, and also considering his 'Chanakya' like master strategist, Amit Shah, he may even win the next elections. He is a fact of life and he is here to stay.
Muslims should introspect as to what is priority number one for them now and how can they achieve it. Take a leaf out of Sir Syed's book. Nobody is saying they should start supporting Modi. No, In fact they should oppose him where they feel any policy is against them. They should keep fighting for the secular values of India.
But they should start engaging with him and his government. They should not shun him any more. Modi also needs to reach out to the Muslims and allay their apprehensions.
Will this benefit the community?
Well, only time will tell.
Well, only time will tell.
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