The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Muslims & polity

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Friday, Aug 22, 2008
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Muslims & polity

One should be bold enough to accept the truth. It is true, and actor Shabana Azmi was right in saying, that Muslims are being alienated in India (“Indian polity is being unfair to Muslims, says Shabana Azmi,” Aug. 17). This can be best understood by a Kashmiri. Our loved ones are languishing in jails for years for no fault of theirs. Even the media do not portray Muslims in an unbiased manner. Why would a person of Ms Azmi’s standing say Muslims are discriminated against? Because they are.

Asiya Drabu,

Pulwama

* * *

Some have argued that Shabana spoke from her experience when she said she could not buy a flat in Mumbai because she is a Muslim. But one wonders whether a celebrity like her can be discriminated against. While it is hard to believe, yes, I know of instances in which ordinary Muslims have found it very difficult to rent or buy a home not only in Mumbai but also in cities like Hyderabad. Many of my Muslim friends have undergone this ordeal.

Swamy Naresh,

Hyderabad

* * *

I can empathise with Ms Azmi. I have been struggling for six months to get a decent flat. But I don’t want to blame the system or the government. It is we, the people, who have to cultivate a secular mindset.

Shabbir E. Kapasi,

Chennai

* * *

Does Shabana know that all Indians are discriminated against for one reason or the other at least once in their lifetime by a fellow Indian? It could be because of anything — language, community, food preference, the State or region to which one belongs, and so on. Talk to someone who has been looking for a house in any of our metros and you will come across stories after stories. A person of Shabana’s stature should have refrained from making statements that can deepen the communal divide.

Murali Saranadhi,

Chennai

* * *

When I first read in newspapers about Shabana Azmi and, later, Sania Mirza, I never thought of their religion. It was their talent that mattered to me. We are proud of them and their achievements because they are Indians. It would be painful for all of us if someone is discriminated against on the basis of religion or caste. We, Indians, should root out such tendencies.

V.F. Vineeth,

Bangalore

* * *

That Shabana Azmi finds it difficult to buy a flat in Mumbai does not mean that Muslims across India face the same problem. As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, one can say with certainty that Muslims do buy houses or lands in predominantly Hindu areas. The two communities coexist peacefully.

E. Sathyamurthy,

Chennai

* * *

Ms Azmi would do well to introspect. There could be a host of reasons other than her being a Muslim for her inability to buy a flat in Mumbai. Many of us belonging to the majority community encounter similar difficulties. But unlike Ms Azmi, we do not have the luxury of wallowing in self-pity or blowing them out of proportion.

Premilla V. Nair,

Thiruvananthapuram

* * *

Muslims perhaps find it difficult to buy or rent houses in Hindu-dominated areas and housing complexes because they are non-vegetarians. But it is equally true that bachelors and single women, and people working in BPOs are not preferred as tenants in many cities, including Chennai. The issue, therefore, has nothing to do with religious discrimination.

Surendra Kumar Srivastava,

Chennai

* * *

There is no doubt that Muslims are among the most backward. But who is to blame? Definitely not the Indian secular tradition. It is a combination of factors — their vulnerability to vote-bank politics, lack of modern education, lack of encouragement to progressive leadership, etc.

Those who criticise Shabana should remember that she described Nehru as the leader of the Muslim masses and gave due credit to the Indian secular fabric.

Suresh Nandigam,

Hanuman Junction

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