By M Reyaz,
Naseeruddin Shah Starrer 1980 classic film, Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai (What Makes Albert Pinto Angry?) captured the angst of a worker in Mumbai, exemplified by a young Christian car mechanic. He earlier blames the workers, who frequently go on strikes, for their mideanmous, but later realizes that it’s actually the capitalists who are the enemies of the poor. As the film ends, Pinto still remains an angry man; but now his anger is directed against the capitalists, not the striking workers.
Every time, I see our fellow Muslim brothers expressing rage against everything they see as “hurting the sentiments of Muslims,” I am reminded of this critically acclaimed film.
With a slogan of `Go back Taslima’ Imam of Tipu Sultan Mosque Maulana Nurur Rahman Barkati and Idris Ali holding a press conference in Kolkata.
Not that their grievances are fake, certainly we have several issues at hands. Our community as a whole – not only in India, but across the world – today lag on most socio-economic parameters. However, as I see it, often their rage is misplaced, if not totally uncalled for.
Every time, there is outrage against ‘hurting sentiments’ of Muslims, I am left wondering why so much rage? Is the rage simply because of what it appears to be, for example against the work of an author, against purported negative portrayal of Islam/Muslims in certain films, against purported hate speech, etc.? Or is there larger socio-political backwardness, the sense of being neglected, a sense of ‘siege’?
To be fair, the fear that the West will expound on ‘our’ culture, our history, our religion; is not totally unfounded. Certainly there can be arguments in favour. However, at this point, I am not going much into details into that aspect, for people have endlessly written about that. What I intend to do here though is to try and place a mirror, stand a bit away, and attempt to reflect upon the state of affairs.
Take for example, the recent rage over a new Bengali series ‘Dusahobas’ that was supposed to be telecast on a Bengali TV serial based on Bangladesh author Taslima Nasreen’s script (after protest and threat to go on street, the serial has now been indefinitely postponed).
Now, we all know the anger the controversial feminist author has generated amongst Muslims in general, and clerics in particular through her writings. But how far are we justified to oppose her even stay in the city and country, and even to let her work on a script?
The serial was not yet broadcast and despite assurances from the producers that there is nothing in the serial against any community in particular, although the author stressed that the serial will portray women in strong roles, fighting against oppression and demanding their rights.
“In her writings, she routinely seeks to ridicule Islam and vilify our revered Prophet Mohammed. In this serial, she might come up with something to show Islam in bad light again,” Syed Mohammad Noorur Rahman Barkati, the Imam of the Tipu Sultan mosque told media.
Last year, as I joined TCN, in one of my first assignments, I supervised over a series on “the logic of protest,” where we spoke to Muslim academician, community leaders, senior journalists, etc. and tried to understand the reason for the rage of the community.
Zahid Ali Khan, Editor in Chief of the Hyderabad based Siasat Urdu daily and Polit Bureau member of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), was forthcoming in accepting that the growing sense of betrayal and victimization leads to illogical protest. He, however, blamed the mainstream media of instigating Muslims. Nonetheless, he had acknowledged that “the real culprits are the hate mongers and instigators within our community, who by their hate speeches instigate youth, then hide in their homes and make the gullible youths a fine target of victimization.”
Hilal Ahmed, an associate fellow at the Delhi based Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) who specializes on political Islam, Muslim’s political representation and the evolution of Muslim modernities in South Asia, gave a more nuanced explanation, adding, “Muslims participate in all kinds of politics without giving up their Muslim identity.”
He had argued that we need to better understand the ways in which certain popular and mediatized debates become ‘Muslim issues.’ “These processes are complex, very complicated, and without unpacking them it would be inappropriate to mark a few ‘protests’ as Muslim protests! I think we need to make a distinction between the everyday lives of Muslims and the media type images of Muslims,” he had noted.
But why don’t we see similar rage and protests against problems that are ‘internal’? Maulana Abdul Raheem Qureshi, the assistant general secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board and President of All India Majlis-e-Tameer-e-Millat, had argued, “Protests is not the solution to address the conflicts within the community, reasonably they have to be taken care by reconciliation and dialogue. Protest becomes necessary when the oppressor is an outsider.”
Protest against Anti-Islamic film `Innocence of Muslims’in Kolkata in 2012.
He also chided the media for the negative portrayal of the community. “Positive aspects of the (Muslim) community are totally neglected in the media, even if there is some positive story it will be presented in a weak manner, but negative story of the community often are exaggerated and blown out of proportion. Media is playing a negative role, as far as presenting Muslims in the society is concerned,” he had complained.
Last week, much to the displeasure of ‘devout’ Muslims, I noted with a sense of ridicule, how community leaders are fighting cases against ‘homosexuality,’ when more serious issues concerning us as the single biggest minority, like empowerment, communal strife, educational and economic backwardness, security concerns, fighting suspicions, etc. loom large. Protests and rallies for getting relief to victims of Muzaffarnagar riots, for justice, for reservations, for educational and economic equity are few and scattered.
Protest is the fundamental right of every citizen in a democracy, but are we stretching it too far? From Mumbai to Chennai, from Kolkata to Jaipur, in many ways we virtually hold the organizers, the local administration and the government to ransom, forcing them to take decisions subverting all democratic and secular principles – that too, invariably on frivolous issues, and certainly never for more serious concerns of the community.
Perhaps, it serves both our so called community leaders and the ruling establishment; while the community leaderships, particularly the clergy and their coteries appear to be vigilant for the rights and issues of the community by presenting “Islam khatre me hai (Islam is in danger)”; and for the ruling establishment, it is much more easier to “appease” the most important “voting bloc,” by fulfilling such frivolous demands, for delivering on more important issues of empowerment, justice, security, dealing with communal riots, reservations, etc. would require more political will and resources. Is it mere coincidence, that the Imam who spearheaded the protest against Taslima Nasreen’s serial, is literally ‘rakhi’ brother of the West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, and has now been nominated to lead Didi’s ambition in UP for the coming general elections?
On the question of angst against purported negative portrayal of Islam/Muslims, agreed that freedom does not mean ridiculing other’s faith or individuals. Agreed that no freedom in absolute and we all must maintain some degree of restrain. But should not we Muslims too learn to restrain ourselves? Why do we forget that even several of our beliefs and practices, for example eating beef or for that matter any non-vegetarian food, would be offending to a large number of people in this country?
Why have our sentiments become so extra-sensitive to be hurt by every incident? Where is the humor gone? Why are we so much in siege? Seeing the present state, I wonder is this same country, where Mughal courts had Zataalli (he one who uses curse words), or jester. I wonder what would have happened to Jaffar Zatalli, Chirkeen, and Mullah Nasruddin had they lived in our times!
PS: As I was writing this column, news of an FIR registered against Salman Khan and producers of Big Boss, for “hurting the sentiments of Muslims” by depicting Jannat and Jahannum (Heaven and Hell).
Related:
Alienated and angry Muslim youth
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Note: “They call me MusLib” would be my (not so regular) column, where I would try to justify my position as ‘MusLib.’ I would intend to try and place a mirror, stand a bit away, and attempt to reflect upon the state of affairs.
While coining the term “Muslib,” Editor of TCN, Kashif-ul Huda had alleged that the liberal Muslims “are neither fully Muslim nor fully liberal.” He had argued, “Liberal Muslims can play an important role of reformers in the community and also act as a bridge in the communication gap that exists between Muslims and the larger Indian population. But unfortunately they remain cut off from the general Muslim population and they appear in media only to serve a specific purpose.”
I shall not only look critically at the community events, but would play the Devil’s Advocate in an attempt to induce our readers to introspection. I hope the readers read this space, as it is intended to be, and is not simply offended. My job here is not just to portray the rosy picture, but to prick the conscience and offend the readers in proportion, for them to look within and to bridge the communication gap that exists between Muslims and the larger Indian population.
I, however, assure that I will not bore the readers every week or very frequently, but only as and when my conscience too is pricked.