Kashmir Watch, December 31 by S.M.PASHA
It will be nothing but sheer hypocrisy if one denies that the attitude of the hardcore communal elements amongst the non-Muslims in our country ( who, fortunately, do not constitute a majority) is not merely callous but openly hostile. This kind of attitude poses a grave problem and the problem affects almost every aspect of the lives of the members of the majority community as well as the members of the Muslim minority community. Whilst Indian Muslims have a sort of sentimental attachment for Pakistan, rabidly communal non-Muslims hate Pakistan for reasons, which they take and even proclaim to be just, reasonable, expedient and patriotic. The open wars waged by Pakistan in the past and the present proxy armed conflicts in the form of cross-border terrorist activities have highlighted the problem in all its gravity and the gravity of the problem calls for an urgent and honest reappraisal of the attitudes. If this is not done, the Nation will not be able to march towards emotional National integration, which is the foundation of communal harmony, social peace and effective defence of the country’s sovereignty and consequently enhancement of its prosperity.
During the Indo-Pakistan wars, Indian Muslims did not create any disturbance of any kind whatsoever � overt or covert � in the nature of sabotage as a token of their support or sympathy for Pakistan. On the other hand, they rose as one man to defend their Motherland and to contribute the maximum they could contribute for the success of the country. This glorious demonstration of their spontaneous, courageous and noble action ought to have laid to rest all suspicions about their loyalty to the country. Alas! It did not. The suspicion, the hatred and the hostility of the hard core communal elements amongst the majority community continued and still continues so much so, these anti-national elements have gone to the extent of coercing Muslims to exhibit and prove their loyalty to India by adopting non-Muslim names like Rama Pasha or Krishna Khan and the like. If a Muslim face is seen, for them, it is like the fierce ringing of an alarm bell to warn them: “here is a fifth columnist, a secret Pakistani I.S.I agent and in their parlance a ‘ghaddar’”. The more the religious look and the more symptomatic the dress of a Muslim, the more convincing it is considered by such bigots as a sound reason to harass, humiliate, and even man-handle or go to the extent of finishing him or her off Leave alone the commoners, men and women of repute are not spared. It is not the commoners amongst the hard core non-Muslim fundamentalists alone who are hostile towards their non-Muslim compatriots. What is still more distressing is that the attitude of the intelligentsia amongst non-Muslims is equally hostile. Though the latter do not openly and aggressively trouble Muslims it looks as if they rejoice if and when Non-Muslim communal elements “teach Muslims a lesson” since in their view “a Muslim is after all a Muslim and nothing good can be expected of him”.
As stated earlier, the attitude of Indian Muslims towards Pakistan and the attitude of non-Muslims in the country towards Muslims are inter-linked. Hence, let us examine the attitude of Muslims towards Pakistan. Is it the same as it is towards any other Muslim country like Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Iraq or Bangladesh? The simple and true answer is a big NO. It is definitely different. The attitude towards Arabia is one of religious reverence inasmuch as the holy cities of Makkah and Madina and “Kaaba: are located there; towards Turkey, one of nostalgic memories of the historic “Khilafath”; towards Iraq out of hatred towards the U.S.A. for its aggression on that Muslim land and out of admiration for Saddam Hussain , who, in their view was a modern day David who faced bravely against the modern day Goliath viz., America; towards Egypt, out of appreciation for the great seat of Islamic learning � the Al-Azhar University; towards Bangladesh, because of the linguistic and cultural links. But the attitude towards Pakistan is what arises out of blood-ties and dearest and closest relationship. There were and still are several families , which have been split because of the Partition; if a grandfather or father is here, the grandson or the son is there; if a grandma or mother is here, a grand daughter or daughter is there; if a brother is here, a sister is there and so on and so forth. Therefore, it but natural for Indian Muslims to have feelings of goodwill for the prosperity and stability of Pakistan and the peaceful existence of Pakistanis. As a matter of fact, it will be an unnatural and gross violation of the Law of Nature if such natural feelings of affection and sympathy do not exist in the hearts of Indian Muslims. The reflexes of the communal-minded non-Muslims in India are very much diametrically opposite and divided. The reflexes are not even neutral but out and out prejudiced and hostile. If any tragedy occurs in Pakistan or if any news of disturbances is heard, it gladdens the hearts of the fundamentalists among the majority community, whilst it is extremely difficult, if not impossible for the Indian Muslims to look upon the tragedy in Pakistan with composure for the simple reason that their kith and kin, near and dear ones are involved in the happening. Thus it is clearer than daylight that the reaction of Indian Muslims is a reaction not primarily to Pakistan as an Islamic country but as a country where reside their near and dear ones with whom they have sentimental attachment. It is imperative that this fact should be clearly understood by non-Muslims because once this fact is realized and once the genuineness of the sentiments of Indian Muslims is appreciated in the right and proper context, a solution is near at hand. Unawareness of the deeper and dividing reflexes causes emotional conflicts. A dispassionate analysis of the situation will make it clear that a two-way or two-front approach will facilitate the finding of a solution. If and when non-Muslims in the country in general and the hardcore elements amongst them particularly realize that the bonds of Indian Muslims with Pakistan are only of the nature of a blood-tie, a great deal of tension, born out of misunderstandings and baseless suspicion is bound to disappear.
It will not be out of context if it is pointed out that the approach of Indian Muslims to this problem is rather tame and cowardly. Indian Muslims, fed up with sharp tongue lashings and endless innuendos and overt as well as covert insults heaped on them by the fundamentalist non-Muslims and scared of their open and veiled threats, pretend as if they are neither interested in nor concerned with Pakistan and Pakistanis. They, at times, hypocritically, attempt to display their lack of interest in Pakistan and Pakistanis by condemning Pakistan and ridiculing Pakistanis without rhyme or reason., vociferously and vituperatively in and out of season. In short, Indian Muslims and their leaders have miserably failed to face the situation squarely with honesty and moral courage.
As far as the members of the majority community are concerned, it is ridiculous and unjust on their part to expect or demand that the Muslim minority community should prove its loyalty to India by cutting off once for all its links with Pakistan and Pakistanis. The former fail to understand that there is nothing wrong in the latter feeling prayerfully for the safety and the prosperity of Pakistan because their relatives are there. Thus, the fault lies partly with those who do not realize the naturalness of that natural attraction of Indian Muslims towards Pakistan and Pakistanis and partly with the Muslims themselves who, to save their skins, and in their anxiety to be considered loyal citizens follow a sort of an “appeasement” course. This course of action is a clumsy devise to hide the inner heart. It may also be termed as a “conscious camouflage” . The vibrations of the inner heart are too loud and clear to be hidden. When Indian Muslims do not truly give expression to their true inner feelings towards Pakistan and Pakistanis, non-Muslims take the professions of the former of indifference towards Pakistan and Pakistanis to be bogus. Unfortunately, non-Muslims do not realize that there is no inconsistence in an Indian Muslim being at heart fully and really loyal to India � his or her homeland - and also simultaneously wishing the prosperity of Pakistan � the homeland of his or her ear and dear ones.
The imperative need of the hour for Indian Muslims is that they must leave the path of psychological cowardice and hypocritical camouflaging. They must fearlessly and in a straight-forward manner explain their genuine love for their near and dear ones in Pakistan. They should voice it openly and not feel guilty about it. This course will create a new force and this new force will prove to be a force for peace in the Indo-Pak sub-continent. In addition to this, they must advance one step further and become the vanguard of that positive force. Such a fresh appraisal of the entire situation calls for a complete reorientation of the manner in which they express their attitude towards Pakistan and Pakistanis. If this done, non-Muslims in India will realize that Indian Muslims are speaking the language of their inner heart and that there is no hypocrisy or treachery involved in their attitude. Such a reorientation will surely remove the cobwebs of distrust and suspicion. Yet another important result of such a reorientation will be the creation of a congenial climate for Pakistanis to respond in an equally sympathetic, straight-forward manner and courageously demand of their rulers to keep their relations with India and Indians on a friendly, tension-free, non-conflict level. Thus the desire for peaceful and cordial relations between Pakistan and India will become a two-way traffic and God-willing it will not remain an empty dream.
* The author is the President of the MUSLIM MEDIA TRUST based at Chennai and can be reached at: esempee2000@yahoo.com
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