Welcome Note

Importance of developmental agenda to set up direction for the uplift of Muslims in Uttar-Pradesh

Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Rehnuma means leader. Muslims in Uttar-Pradesh are politically mobile yet socially fragile community. Over the years, they have been used for political manipulations. Both the secularists as well as the communalists, both the Hindutva brand as well as the brand claiming their 'own', have failed them. The real issues of the community never come to the fore. Saftey and security of the community became a challenge in a state which has seen large mobilisation on the basis of caste and other kind of identiteis. The Muslim leadership tried to shun this away, living in a denial mode.

The various communal riots or simply state orchastrated massacres followed by the demolition of Babari masjid and the targetting of the community by the rabid nationalists communalists agenda further isolated them and pushed them to the wall. The state protection became minimal. Every one was being looked as suspicious. His, her loyalty was questioned. Every one of them was termed as a 'Pakistani'. Like history books, Muslim history in India also became victim of the hyper nationalism and communal agenda. Muslims looked for leadership from the political class that miserably failed them. The so-called secular politicians did not have the guts to take on the backward looking fundamentalists element in the community. In the absence of any positive programme, anything that bashed Hindutva became secular. Without understanding the fact, that we need our own programmes and action agendas to uplift the community. The politicians did not have the courage to say so because they have rarely raised the issue of Muslim participation in power structure.

Despite tall claims of the political parties to adhere secularism, why is Muslim participation abysmally low in our power structure. Are they not there ? Every inquiry report of the communal riots in Uttar-Pradesh has indicated involvment and bias work of the PAC. In fact, Allahabad High Court once observed that it was a ' gang in uniform'. Unfortunately, despite this, no attempt were made to change the basic structure of the PAC. Muslims remain out of bound in our services, administration and everywhere, and seculars and every variety of class, was opposed to their participation.

Often, political parties working on hate agenda oppose the demand for Muslims participation in power structure. Word reservation is virtually hated by them. Problem with them as that they want to eliminate the reservation for even the Dalits but there compulsion force them to live with this reality. They know that once the Muslims get quota, it would be difficult for them stop the growing Muslim Dalit-OBC bonhomie. Justice Rajinder Sachchar's report on the Muslim community reveals various facets of the community. The growing chasm between the Muslim elite and the rural poor. There is virtually no Muslim middle class in India, a middle class which is the opinion maker. Where are they among the Muslims.

There are media biases against the Muslims. About their loyalty to the nation, about their growth, about their food habbits and so on. These charges are already rebutted but they resurface in close collaboration of the media to hound the Muslims. The Muslim political leaders busy with their own political game plans and adjustment with power politics, find little time to venture out and visit their community. They visit once some thing happen. This wait for a mishap to happen has made the community's future thoroghly uncertain.

Despite all this, this are not that depressing as being seen. Muslims have survived in India and particularly in Uttar-Pradesh because of their hard work and enterprenuial skills. Right from the Banarase Sarees of Banarase, to the locks in Aligarh, to sports items in Meerut or metal work in Moradabad, the work of Muslim artisans is a matter of pride for all us. Many historical towns and cities marvel on the work of Muslim craft workers. In Saharanpur, the work of the Muslims wood workers is simply superb.

On the dark side, Muslims too have the caste problem. However, the difference is that it is not divinely sanctioned as elsewhere in the original formatt. But the impact of social assimilation is so powerful that marriages are not easy among various sects. Today, community like Halalkhor, Gadh-ladda, Hailas, lal begis, are doing the lowest menial work and are thoroghly excluded from the community. Their isolation is far more painful and ironical.

Keeping in view of this, a number of grassroot organisations predominantly run by the Muslims with the Muslims as well as Dalits, have come together to push a developmental agenda for their community in Uttar-Pradesh. A movement for the social change will usher under 'Rehnuma'. There are varuious initiatives already taken by the Muslims but that rarely get highlighted in the media. The Muslim religious organisations just highlight te religious work. This blog intend to bring Uttar-Pradesh's stories in it so that readers could benefit from this. This blog also intend to make a direct interface with the grasroot organisations with those interested to support their work. It will bring success stories, stories of the heroic battle of individuals, Muslim women's issues and lot more from Uttar-Pradesh.

We would be happy to hear from you. We want to emphasise that this platform would totally secular and will be as strong against any kind of parochialism as we have been doing in the past. It is a non political platform but definitely issues concerning the Muslim community would be discussed here wheter they are political in nature or not. We welcome the stories and grassroot initiatives from Uttar-Pradesh.