Aijaz Zaka Syed’s column, “Muslims need to choose their battles carefully” (Feb. 11) correctly reflects the plight of Muslims. It was good job!
While reading this piece I was reminded of Bernard Shaw’s famous quotation, which says: “Islam is the best religion and Muslims are the worst followers.”
Indeed, Shaw knew very well that Islam stands ideologically supreme among other religions and that part is enough for a rationalist to ponder for salvation of his own. In present scenario when Islam’s image is taking a beating with the colonial masters cornering Muslims in every walk of life, it is high time Muslims utilized their treasure of capabilities, leaving an impact greatly on society in changing the perceptions created by people like Arnab Goswami with their toxic, vague and fake rhetoric.
Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam was also a part of the same bogey. If he is so honest, why did not he make a film on demolition of Babri Masjid, Muslims’ genocide in Gujarat state, Hindu terror, the death of former ATS chief Hemant Karkare during 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks? These scripts could have earned him a commercial success but along with the dislike of the perpetrators.
I admire Amartya Sen’s book “The Idea of Justice” and respect his concern over Indian Muslims’ conditions in terms of poverty, health, sanitation and education. The plight of Muslims in India cannot better be explained than the Justice Rajinder Sachar’s report, which clearly highlights the areas in which Muslims are lagging far behind the rest of country. — Saif Ul Islam Farooqui, Riyadh