QuoraED! This is when we pick up a trending or interesting thread from Quora and spin a story around it.
Nowadays when communal politics is on the rise and almost everything has started having a religious undertone, when people are accused of supporting the Muslims while all they did was demand justice for little Ashifa who was brutally raped and murdered recently, one cannot help but question the environment in which Indian Muslims are forced to live in this day and age.
When I look at this country and what it has become, I don’t see the diversity, the harmony with which people of different religious and ethnic backgrounds used to live in; all I can unfortunately notice are escalating hate crimes against minorities.
And if you raise your voice against them: congratulations, you are now branded an Anti-National!
According to a report by The Wire, over the eight years since 2012, 29 people have been killed in cow-related hate crimes out of which 25 were Muslims.
With all this happening around us, I could not help but contemplate upon the kind of discrimination Indian Muslims face in this country.
And as always I looked for answers on Quora which has always been our go-to for quirky and honest answers.
What I came across left me speechless.
So let us look at some of the incredible answers written to the original question on Quora:
As an Indian Muslim, what kind of discrimination did you ever face?
#1. Syed Naser writes:
I have faced discrimination a lot of times. Some of the instances are:
- During Ramazan, my friends discriminate against me and tell me to go home while they manage all the work. How rude is that?
- Whenever I have a party with my alcohol drinking friends, if they are bringing the stuff, they discriminate against me and bring only soft drinks for me.
- Every day, when I offer my afternoon prayer beside my table at my workplace my friends discriminate against me and leave the room so that I can pray at peace.
Coming to the main point, he writes he doesn’t remember being discriminated against anywhere ever! Further, he writes, he got the job without facing any problems, he got a promotion based purely on merit.
Simply put, he progressed in his career without feeling as if he lost opportunities because of his faith. And yes, he is proud of being an Indian!
Wow, this certain breaks commonly held stereotypes and sheds new light on Indian Muslims who still love their motherland, no matter what.
Also Read: Who Are These Sick Perverts Searching For Asifa Rape Videos On Porn Sites In India?
#2. Mohd. Azhar writes:
I feel obliged to answer this question because I have faced so much discrimination all my life for being a Muslim in this intolerant country:
- Early 2000s – A lower primary student, Ashish, comes to me and shares his food. Can you believe this? How can that intolerant jerk do that instead of bullying me for being the only Muslim in class?
- 2012 – While I am in 10th standard now, another kid of school, Akhil, along with his mother runs into me in a marketplace only to drag me to their house and make me eat all the sweets they had saved for me when I didn’t attend their Diwali party. Do you see how outrageous it is?
- 2014 – I joined graduation in a Hindu college. Every Friday, from 1-2pm I was given attendance even for not attending the class because I needed to attend Jumah prayer. Can you see how discriminated I was?
Behind the sarcasm, we can all see the pure love and affection with which Azhar has written this answer to give the message that no matter what happens, India always has and always will be a secular country where we respect each others’ faith and religion and aspire to live in peace and harmony with one another.
Because the strength of Mother India lies not in its military prowess or its economic growth, but in its unity in diversity.
Sources: Quora, The Wire
Images Source: Google Images
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It’s imivtarpee that more people make this exact point.