Comments on: Pakistan’s Impact on Indian Muslims

By: Opinionated

Opinionated — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:13:14 +0000

Unar…

HEAR! HEAR!!!

By: Unar

Unar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:57:46 +0000

Mr. Faisal:

Congratulations on a generally good article. I have a few questions though:

How have the interests and citizenship rights of Muslims been served by the state selectively abdicating its judicial function to Islamic theocratic orthodoxy in civil matters, which continues to push for more and more influence in affairs of the State in the name of religious and cultural identity as evidenced in the whole Shah Bano episode in the 1980s. I would really like to have an understanding of what the Indian Muslims’ idea of cultural and religious identity is in a diverse, multicultural and multi religious society, where the rights of non muslims and their identities as well as the citizenship rights of all individuals – men and women – too must be safeguarded.

Your support for membership for India in the Organization of Islamic countries is telling. If India is a diverse, multicultural nation with many sub identities why should their be a putting forward of a strong muslim identity above all other identities as an Islamic country. If that is the desire of Indian Muslims based on the muslims being the largest minority, how can you fault the 85 percent of the Indian Hindu Majority for wanting a national Hindu Identity.

Incidentally, just as you fault the BJP for harming muslim interests, there are many hindus who fault the so called secular parties for harming the hindu interests to curry favor with the Islamicists. It just might be better for India if people of different communities work to find and serve common citizenship interests and that cannot happen as long as there is a desire for a religious and cultural identity, the substance of which never seems to have been defined with regard for the rights of others or citizenship rights and responsibilities of individuals in a heterogenous democracy.

By: Siva Digavalli

Siva Digavalli — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 20:02:08 +0000

Such a sane, insightful and informative article! Probably one of the best I have read on this site. I think systems/ideologies based on stupidity, inflexibility, narrowmindedness are bound to fail in the long run. This comment applies to all sides.

By: Kaatib

Kaatib — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:33:52 +0000

The continued praing, requests and begging by the Indian dispensation makes me ashamed of being an Indian but I am one. This shame is there because instead of finding the solution for the things like the recent attack, the Indian Government is more intend to hurt Pakistan than avenging the wrong to the Indian Financial capital. This mentality to import systems which ill-fit India e.g. the blasting of houses in Kashmir and use of terms like sleeper cells. Indiscriminate arrest of innocent people making multiple ‘masterminds’ and later releasing them telling that they did not detain anybody so that no damages can be claimed. This made Kashmir to be an occupied territory and made India more of a Hindu state like the Zionist state. While 60% or more people need urgent help, we are trying to arm ourselves to teeth so that we can take on China and Pakistan put together like the country created by UN on the basis of an ancient claim. Is it mere coincident that Hindus claim everything to be Hindu and others only ‘converts’. The courting of US selling the foreign policy is to fulfil the last condition that we need a God father which the Zionists have. Those who say that there are Arab members in the Zionist parliament, we too have many Muslim and Christian MPs and ministers in.
PS: The more we bother about ourselves, the more independent India will be. Aligning with aliens is not proving to be profitable and beficial to us, Indians.

By: R.Alamsha Karnan

R.Alamsha Karnan — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:54:06 +0000

The most important question is “What if, another attack happens?”. Can we attack Pakistan, come what may?. This time, India may not even blame Pakistan to avoid embarassment. Pakistanis are ready for nukes. Are we ready?. No.

Bacause, we are dying to live but they are dying to die.Period.

By: R.Alamsha Karnan

R.Alamsha Karnan — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:28:21 +0000

Reunion is not possible because we want to have our cake and eat it too. Peaceful coexistence is possible, if there is a political will. Then all the concerned parties under SAARC umbrella should decide. We are trying to be politically correct and find a solution. Impossible.

By: Milind Kher

Milind Kher — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:46:11 +0000

There is no problem with having a Uniform Civil Code in India. In a secular nation, all constituent members live as equal citizens.

By: Ram

Ram — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:19:49 +0000

Chandra Mohan’s case once again raises the need for Uniform Civil Code. What are the legal avenues for his first wife and state to try this guy. If this guy didn’t convert, his fate will be entirely different from polygamy case point of view. This is discrimination based on Gender and religion. Is this secular?. The problem is not rss or bjp., it is our secularists, who don’t even understand what is secularism. They are as dangerous to India as Fundamentalists of all religions. They have brought down a great concept like secularism to whatever suits their vote bank politics, just the way fundamentalists bring down religions to whatever suits their agendas.
Many countries with diverse populations like USA have uniform civil code in the sense that religion doesn’t matter. May be it can be accommodated, but it doesn’t drive the whole thing. Aren’t muslims living and migrating happily there. Why can’t India have? India’s problem is the kind of screwed up type of secularism it promotes. It is in my view as distorted as fundamentalist versions of religions.

By: Milind Kher

Milind Kher — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:35:02 +0000

Madan,

You are absolutely right. Chandra Mohan has converted under circumstances which raise serious doubts about how bona fide his intentions are. Yet, it is difficult to make a judgment on somebody’s intentions.

Regarding Indian Muslims, you are absolutely right. They have shown themselves to be true patriots, which they always were. It is time for others to acknowledge them as such.

By: MADAN ARORA, Flint, Michigan, USA

MADAN ARORA, Flint, Michigan, USA — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 02:04:29 +0000

PS: Talking about equality and onenss of law for people of every religion, I also condemn the Haryana Deputy CM CHANDRA MOHAN taking refgue in the loophole of Indian legal system and getting a second wife. No, I am not against become a Muslim ( I beliebe all the religions are good and I have no problem in changing myself). But he converted to Islam not through his deep conviction but only tried to take advantage of the inequality in the law for Hindus and Muslims. In fact, Indian Muslims should condemn also because I feel he indeed showed disrespect of Islam by doing so.