Nasma Hasan
(Dharamshala/ Himachal Pradesh)
As a Nation, we are going through some dark, challenging times. There’s systematic alienation of one community and efforts are made to keep this community away from the mainstream. False narratives that lack logic, are absurd are played out till people start believing those. Politicians are seen mouthing profanities on public forums.
What churns my stomach the most is when I see folks who claim to be ‘educated’ who boast of the ‘right’ pedigree who claim to be ‘progressive’ endorsing this change. Going to a Mayo, Doon or St. Paul’s and hanging out at Gymkhana, seen in the right social circles doesn’t make you an evolved soul. You could’ve lived the better part of your lives in Europe or America and yet you could be rigid in your thinking.
Open your minds, be receptive of others, read to broaden your world view and be inclusive. That is what makes you progressive. We talk about inequality and racial discrimination while on foreign soil, coming from us it’s rich for in every corner of our country there exists a socio-economic- political conflict. There are layers upon layers of friction and discontentment.
Yet we will keep harping on the same old tedious stereotypes of picking on one community. Muslims are dirty and love living in filth, I’ve often heard people say or why do Muslim men have 3 wives? Are you sure that it’s only the muslim men who have 3 wives? Or that these stereotypes extend just to Muslims alone. Have you paused to think about the many factors at play leading to such stereotypes. No. You haven’t. Keep in mind the vast socio economic disparity growing by the leaps and bounds, the lack of equal opportunities in each sphere.
Think about how ‘bastis’ and ghettos have come into existence, think about the kind of infrastructure that exists in such areas or the lack if it. No one ‘enjoys’ living in filth. No one likes to be pushed to the brink. There’s a larger issue that has never been addressed. However, we the privileged folk won’t understand that. We will just make callous, insensitive remarks because that’s all we are capable of. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t count because it only affects our driver, our darzi, our plumber, our electrician who are anyway ‘survivors’ used to roughing it out. And aren’t we doing them a favor by providing them with employment. So how does it matter if we disenfranchise the disenfranchised even further by implementing some brilliant law like the CAA.
Do we ever reflect back and think on many how many of our class mates and college mates were Muslims? Going by how the Muslims pro- create and will one day take over the country show me Muslim kids who are part of the main fold, who make it to decent schools, colleges and universities. We can count these numbers on our finger tips.
I am forced to write this post year after year, it’s become an annual ritual of sorts. Deep down in my heart there’s hope that the darkness shall dissipate and that 2021 will bring inspiration, inclusion and unity. That we’ll all learn to do away with bigotry and discrimination. 2021 I hope you won’t disappoint.
