As I write this article, a window that opened on my desktop has a story about a video released by the Islamic State (IS) on involvement of Indian Muslims in instigating terror in my homeland India. Some of my friends don’t mince words when it comes to showing hatred towards the majority among minorities in my country. Time and again, I come across news pieces that put Islam in a state of shambles. A bearded man with the customary white cap on the head is treated as a prospective terrorist.
On the contrary, my experience with the religion founded by Prophet Mohammed has been one worth remembering. If my days in the country’s premier university were spent with Muslim royalty, the most precarious period of my life has had and still has a brush with what you call unconditional friendship from a person who has been a pivot in my life. She may not be wearing a burqa but she is a devout Muslim. Yet, she doesn’t exude communal feelings. The day my niece (a girl child in my family after 80 years) is born, she calls and says, “Saraswati is at your doorstep.” She could have avoided reference to a Hindu goddess, but she didn’t.
Given my experience with Muslims, I would not dare spewing venom at their patriotism. The three Khans (Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir) still rule the roost in the Hindi film industry. It’s been more than 24 years, and we are still on the hunt for an actor to match up to their skills. The multi-crore revenues can only be associated with the Khans. The rest are content sticking to the Rs 100-150 crore limit. The sight of Yusuf Pathan toying with bowlers is worth a dekko. Sania Mirza making it a habit of winning Grand Slams makes me blush with pride. Muslim girls practising yoga strengthen the very fabric of secularism enshrined in our constitution.
I worship Kishore Kumar, but a Kya hua tera waada is a must in my car’s music system when I am on the wheels. The ever popular Nafrat ki duniya mein from the film Haathi Mere Saathi personifies the true essence of life. Yes, Mohd. Rafi has a place in my heart. I am not much into ghazals and shayaris, but here and there the sweet tone of Urdu takes me to a different zone.
The strikes in Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, France, Belgium and my own India are condemnable. But to castigate a whole religion for the sins of some isn’t worth approving. Umar Khalid can be termed anti-national. Consuming beef can be a taboo. The logic behind these notions is left to rigorous debates. But to exploit a particular community in the lucrative interest of vote-bank politics would better be kicked aside.
All Muslims are not bad! It’s time we turned our back on bias and gave our Muslim brothers and sisters a platform to breathe on. The days of offering namaaz covering your head with a white saree and mention of Allah at political rallies to play around the Muslim sentiment are numbered. Presenting a unique form of Quran to the spiritual leader of an Islamic country might not pay rich dividends when a north Indian state with a substantial Muslim population goes to the polls next year.
Dil ke aasmaan pe gham ki ghata chaayee aayee aayee aayee teri yaad aayee: the lyrics penned by Anand Bakshi for the film Romance (1983) starring Kumar Gaurav and Poonam Dhillon in the lead will be a regular feature in the day-to-day lives of the so-called opportunists who indulge in selfish politics on religious lines. They run the risk of cherishing the 'good-old-days' when vulnerability coupled with blind belief on the part of Muslims earned them resounding mandates.
On a parting note, yes I am a proud Hindu. But more importantly I am not a biased Hindu.
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