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| Will educated Muslims replace traditional leaders? | | Political Islam is haunting Indian Muslims:Ekhram | | B L KAK
NEW DELHI, AUG. 21: The rank-and-file of the Indian Muslim community is slowly finding itself "sucked into the vortex of pan-Islamic movements sponsored from beyond India's borders". This finding is from Khwaja Ekhram, currently Assistant Professor, Centre for Indian Languages, School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The finding is contained in a paper authored by Ekhram himself.
Khwaja Ekhram's finding number two: The spectre of political Islam is haunting Indian Muslims, which is not helped by certain sections of the them joining pan-Islamic groups, terror outfits and espousing the cause of Muslims in distant parts of the globe. Finding number three: Indian Muslims' sentiments have assumed a pan-Islamic haracter following the US 'invasions' of Afghanistan and Iraq. The poverty and low literacy that increasingly marks the general profile of Indian Muslims have also contributed to this.
Ekhram has, nonetheless, placed himself on record saying: "But it must be pointed out that condition of a large section of India's Hindu population is no better either". Ekhram's finding number four: Today, more than 50 per cent of those involved in Islamist terrorism in India outside Jammu and Kashmir are Indian Muslim. The remaining are Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals.
Finding number five: Pakistani military intelligence establishment has been clandestinely helping to spread terrorism to other parts of the country (India) to create pockets of politcal and economic istability, thus trying to prevent emergence of India as a major economic and military power at par with China. They have a much larger agenda of bringing Islam in India "under the influence of Wahabi school of thought by weaning Muslims away from their cultural roots".
Khwaja Ekhram laments: "Indian Muslims have not moved ahead". And the blame for this, he insists, does not lies with the Constitution of India or structural impediments of the Indian State. Had it be so, the Muslim comunity, he argues, would not have provided a scientist like APJ Abdul Kalam who pioneered, developed and structured India's missile programme. The distinguished members of the Muslim community, Ekhram says, rose into prominence "not because of any system of political reservations or political favours but because the country provides equal opportunites to all its citizens".
Ekhram's finding number six: A vast majority of Muslims wishes to move forward and share India's emerging economic prosperity but are being held back by traditional forces that lack vision and instead the guide the people to espouse causes that are relevant beyond India's borders. Finding number seven: The political leadership of Muslims presents a mix of traditional conservaties and religious leaders, who are anti-West (read the US) and anti-Israel and loses no time to protest any move by them in West Asia. In the process, it ignores the socio-economic conditions of Muslims at home, as this suits their politics.
Finding number eight: The ISI-sponsored Pakistani jihadi organisations have, between 1999-2005, spread out to other parts of India beyond Jammu and Kashmir in order to motivate Muslims and intensify their jihad against the state and society. They gave a pan-Islamic orientation to jihad, and started guidng organisations such as the SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India).
Khwaja Ekhram has advanced two suggestions. First, Indian Muslims have to find visionary aznd bold leaders who could thwart attempts by pan-Islamic organisations and have more integrative approaches to the nation. Second, the mosque needs to be separated from politics. It should remain only as a shining symbol of the religion and spiritualism. |
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