Middle East

Salman Khurshid: Why do Muslims speak only about Muslim victims?

By accusing Congress of appeasement, the BJP has created stress in political vocabulary, Congress leader says

Dubai: Indias Congress leader Salman Khurshid, who held several federal ministerial positions, including foreign affairs, law and minorities affairs, is an outspoken politician.

Khurshid, 65, was Congresss head in Uttar Pradesh, a state that sends the largest number of elected lawmakers to Parliament and is widely regarded as the Muslim face of the party.

A practising Supreme Court lawyer, he is on a visit to the UAE to attend arbitration proceedings at the International Cricket Council between cricket boards of India and Pakistan over a $70 million dispute.

In an interview with Gulf News on Tuesday in Dubai, he spoke on issues impacting Muslims in India.

Excerpts of the interview:

India is home to around 200 million Muslims. Today, they feel marginalised. What do you have to say about this sense of hopelessness?

I hope what you are saying is not true, that it is not hopelessness. But I will agree there is a distinct difference in their attitude. Some of the schemes that the UPA [United Preogressive Alliance], based on Sachar Committee had planned, were outstanding and exceptionally far-reaching. Unfortunately, the time period that we had left for seeing results was too short and much larger divisive issues were raised by various opponents of the Congress party and we lost that battle.

Are Muslims then the new untouchables, the new Dalits in todays India?

See, the good thing is that there is a very powerful, very determined liberal society in our country and all of them are not Muslims. The activists who are taking up Muslim issues very vigorously and aggressively are not all Muslims. The tragedy of course is that the more you seek justice for Muslims, the more you give a handle to those who calculate anti-Muslim politics as being their guarantee of success. So, the approach of defending Muslims has to be more sophisticated … inclusiveness has to be provided, security has to be provided as a general proposition for security for all vulnerable and disadvantaged people, not by notifying and labelling them only as minorities or Muslims.

So, you mean to say Muslim is a bad word now?

Thats what the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] has done. The BJP, by accusing Congress party of appeasement, has created stress in the vocabulary of the politics. I think it is both unfair and something that cautions us that if we are really concerned about the welfare of Muslims and minorities we must approach it with sincerity, dedication and devotion. But we shouldnt give a handle to the BJP and it can be done. For me, it was possible to do this if we as a government had succeeded in implementing the equal opportunity commission. We failed because somehow people in India think that affirmative action is only limited to reservation [in jobs, education] … security is a major issue for Muslims today just as it is for many other citizens. In the [police] encounters in Uttar Pradesh, many of the encounters were against Muslims but not all … many encounters are against other vulnerable groups. There is this atmosphere of arrogance and atmosphere of we dont care about the law … the worst hit would undoubtedly be Muslims. But the answer lies in fighting together.

Are you saying that Muslims must stop identifying themselves as a separate set of victims?

Yes, right. Why do these Muslims speak only about Muslims being hurt by lynching? Why doesnt the Muslim speak equally strongly when a Dalit is hurt, when another caste person is hurt. That is as much a concern of the Muslim as it is of the other person. And the hurt of the Muslim is just as much a concern of others. Why should we scream only when something goes wrong with Aligarh [Muslim University]? We should scream when something goes wrong with Banaras [Hindu University]. Similarly, those who are genuine liberals in our country must not only worry about Aligarh …

Do you share the concern that mob lynchings, love jihad are part of a systematic campaign?

I dont think theyre coordinated. I think it wouldnt be fair to say theyre coordinated or pre-planned or done schematically. I think that theres a general feeling that this will not displease the bosses. And when you have this kind of feeling then the law is shredded completely, and destroyed completely …

… the criminals who are doing this, among those who are to protect the citizens from the criminals who are doing this, and the general atmosphere is as if this has the approval of powers that be. And that allows people to take the law into their own hands. Now, we havent seen strong enough action taken against … you know … both in Pehlu Khan and in Akhlakh [cases], even the charge sheets had not been filed and its been several years … So, this is all an indication of signals being given to people that what youre doing is fine, its not unacceptable. Though periodically once or twice with great effort the people have persuaded the prime minister to speak up. He has spoken up against it but I dont see the same passion in him to protect the lives of Indian citizens as I see in him to clean up the streets and shauchalayas [toilets].

On Muslim issues, public discourse is led by two kinds of people — Asaddudin Owaisi who takes extreme positions and then we have people like Salman Khurshid who Muslims think is unable to truly understand their issues.

Owaisi has a problem, I dont have a problem. Im willing to vacate my seat, my place, my territory to anyone, anyone, who has a better idea of representing Muslims of India. I have no problem there at all. They cant simply say, we dont understand this guy. They must say we understand this guy better, and I would say please welcome. Now this is what I have to fight. This is more hurtful than having to fight the lynching crowds and mobs because there the moral spectrum is very clear. We may be weak and we may not be able to protect but the moral spectrum is clear that we are morally superior to those who are attacking people. But when we come to discussing leadership, the moral spectrum is not clear and what more can one say but instead of abusing and cursing those who say you dont understand us, what more can one say except to offer, as the final service, please bring somebody who understands you better.

As a Muslim, what would be your message to Indian Muslims?

My message to the community is if you have iman [faith] then a lot of the other things dont matter. But if you dont have it then youre Muslim in name. The moral strength of faith and belief must be your constant companion. But God doesnt say that because youve faith in me, you have to do nothing else. You dont have to educate yourself, you dont have to work hard, you dont have to get your muscles, you dont have to be willing to ward of attacks, you have to be able to argue your case. God doesnt say that. God says, I want you to do all this. I want you to equip yourself, I want you to prepare yourself, so that when you go into battle, youre not weak. For the rest, Im there to look after you. But this you must do on your own. Himat-e-marda de maddad-e-Khuda — thats the message that He [God] has. We cant become Muslims as victims and forget that were Muslims, when we have to show the courage for battle.

Profile: Salman Khurshid

■ Born in Aligarh in 1953, Salman Khurshid started his political career as official on special duty at Prime Minister Indira Gandhis office in 1981.

■ His father also served as foreign affairs minister of India.

■ He was elected twice to Parliament from Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh.

■ He became a minister for the first time in 1991.

Related Articles

Back to top button