The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Approach to Muslims

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Friday, Oct 03, 2008
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Approach to Muslims

This refers to the article (Restoring Muslims’ confidence, September 30). It is well established that Muslims can be protected only by a Hindu leadership which believes in secularism, pluralism and universal brotherhood supported by an accountable, transparent and humane media. The media have been accepted as an integral part of the democratic process. Freedom of the press and free speech are being enjoyed by the Indian electronic and print media on a grand scale which is beyond imagination in some countries. But the second largest majority of India — Muslims — is not getting its due from the media when it comes to problems of socio-economic backwardness, illiteracy and unemployment. Muslims have travelled a journey from prosperity to penury since independence. Although they are in the news for the wrong reasons, there are certain pertinent questions: Are the media exclusionary in their approach towards Muslims? Should they not bring to the fore the real and positive image of Muslims and help them develop a constructive place in society?

Nafees Ahmad,

Aligarh

* * *

I could not stop laughing at the author’s attempts to analyse the “methods used by the police and the investigating agencies and their effect on Muslims — a community increasingly feeling under siege.” If you are in denial, surely you have to do something about it. How can this be someone else’s responsibility? The underlying state of fear is because the community has let itself be brainwashed into believing “Dar-ul-Islam.” They need protection from themselves.

Bala Sethuram,

Australia

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