Sunday, August 17, 2008

Shabana's comments unfair, says BJP

NDTV

The BJP on Sunday lashed out at film-actress-turned-social activist Shabana Azmi, for accusing Indian polity of being unfair to Muslims, and termed her comments as "uncharitable and irresponsible'". At a news conference in Bangalore, senior party leader M Venkaiah Naidu termed Shabana's remarks "very, very unfair and uncharitable comment against the nation and the majority community".He stressed that Muslims are safe and secure in India than any other country in the world.In a television programme, Shabana had accused the Indian polity of being unfair to Muslims, making only "token gestures", instead of addressing the real issues.Naidu said that Muslims have went on to occupy high positions in India, including President of the country, Chief Justices of Supreme Court and captain of Indian cricket team, and noted that 'Khans are ruling the Bollywood' with people appreciating their work."Nowhere in the world, minorities get such importance than in India", he said.Dismissing her comments as an "irresponsible statement, that would send wrong signals", Naidu said: "This is the mindset that has to change".

The problem with the Muslims is that they expect to be treated specially. This is a hangover from the Mughal times when they were ruling the country and were its first citizens (with Hindus having to pay Jazzia and all that). Whatever problems the Muslim masses have today are common to the problems the rest of Indian masses have. They are problems relating largely to economic deprivation. Greater transparency in governance alone would ensure an equitable society where the benefits of economic prosperity would trickle down to the weakest of the weak in society. Muslims must treat religion as a personal affair and seek to see themselves socially as and indivisible part of the Indian society.

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080061904

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