By HANAN ZAFFAR & HASAN AKRAM
“Shashi Tharoor recently compared our slogan La illaha ha illalah at Shaheen Bagh with Jai Shri Ram at Babri Masjid. There is a stark difference, as Jai Shri Ram was yelled before murdering people and while rioting, whereas our slogan was used in a fight against injustice. So there is no comparison. Brotherhood cannot be a one-sided affair,” HANAN ZAFFAR and HASAN AKRAM interview SHARJEEL USMANI:
Released on bail last week, student activist Sharjeel Usmani spoke to us at length about his time in jail, the future of anti-CAA protests, independence of judiciary and many other issues. Usmani was arrested in July in alleged connection with violence that broke out during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in December last year.
Please tell us how you were treated by the authorities in jail?
Jail was pretty much normal. I was treated in the same manner as other Muslims are treated. I was no exception. I don’t want to go into details as it may demoralise my activist friends. Though overall it was not a good experience there is nothing to be afraid of, and none of my activist friends should be afraid that they may one day land up in jail.
Often you use the terms ‘Sarkari Musalman’ and ‘Ganga Jamuna Tehzeeb’ in your writings on social media, blaming elite Muslims for the plight of Muslims in the country. How fair is that?
In independent India, where have we witnessed Ganga Jamuna tehzeeb? On the societal level this Ganga Jamuna tehzeeb is not visible. There may be individual cases where people belonging to one community show compassion towards the other, like helping to carry out the last rituals of a person of another faith, or Bismillah Khan singing Krishan Lohri or A.R Rahman singing patriotic songs.
Such things are rare and hence it becomes news. But if seen on a wider scale it is not evident. This narrative was earlier sold to Muslims that there are a few black sheep in the majority community, but overall the community is not like that. But this is proving to be wrong. Right wing people are killing people mercilessly on the roads, and even if they are only 10-15% in number no one is stopping them or holding them accountable. The recent Delhi riots are proof of this. People didn’t care to rescue them. Like they didn’t in the cases of Pehlu Khan and Ikhlaq. Did a single family come to the rescue of Ikhlaq in his village?
So, no tehzeeb [civility] is visible on the ground. These are just petty words. They say Hindutva is different and our religion is different but that ain’t visible on the ground.
The media and the state have categorised Muslims into three labels. One, Mazloom [oppressed] Musalman who are lynched like in Dadri and Muzzafarnagar or in Gujarat. They want us to be victims but we want to show that we are fighters. We will fight for our rights like warriors.
Second, Muslim women have been portrayed as women confined to their homes, burqa clad, who are not allowed to study or work a job and are mere baby making factories. But the recent protests depicted a different picture altogether. Aysha Renna, Safoora Zargar, Ladeeda Farzana and Afreen Fatima proved them wrong and showed that Muslim women can fight shoulder to shoulder with the opposite gender.
Third are the Muslim Ulemas, who are shown as people having no concept of democracy or secularism, who don’t know how to vote and are all about issuing fatwas.
Fourth are the Sarkari Muslim category. The namesake ones, who are loved the most. They like wearing Muslim attire during Eid, supporting loudspeaker bans but are silent at the same time about temple bajans, and label people like Sharjeel Imam as traitors. They claim our revolution as theirs and then sell it to the state.
Former AMU VC Lt Gen Zameerudin Shah, for instance, who led the army in Gujarat during the riots. For three days his army stayed inside the airport and didn’t interfere as hundreds were killed. After retiring he wrote a book that revealed the true facts but what was its use? A timely revelation could have resulted in many culprits being punished.
As Akabar Allahbadi rightly puts it,
qaum ke ġham meñ dinner khāte haiñ hukkām ke saath
rañj leader ko bahut hai magar ārām ke saath.
These are sophisticated, good English speaking Muslims who exploit the common Muslims. The Shaheen Bagh protests presented the aspirations of lower strata of Muslims, but then the so called elite Muslims sold out those aspirations on TV debates by claiming to represent us.
Your critics, like many ‘liberals’ within or outside the community, say you can’t counter Hindu extremists by being aggressive or employing similar tactics to theirs?
We are not saying we have to reciprocate the same – like killing or lynching. We have our basic rights and you can’t curtail them. If we have no problem with their bhajans, they should not have problems with our azaan. The same applies to eating habits and attire.
And there needs to be a distinction between aggressors and defenders. Shashi Tharoor recently compared our slogan La illaha ha illalah at Shaheen Bagh with Jai Shri Ram at Babri Masjid. There is a stark difference, as Jai Shri Ram was yelled before murdering people and while rioting, whereas our slogan was used in a fight against injustice. So there is no comparison. Brotherhood cannot be a one-sided affair.
Covid restrictions are easing. What about resuming the protests now?
Our first and foremost priority is to make sure our leaders are released from jail as our protests/revolution is incomplete without them. After a long time, Muslims have got a leadership that is educated and selfless. Also the procedure pertaining to NRC and NPR has not started yet, so as of now our priority is to release the political prisoners. Secondly, we have been continuing to demand justice for the victims of the Delhi riots. It is also our priority right now to provide legal means to the people who lost everything during the anti-Muslim violence.
On an imortant note, the release of activists like Safoora Zargar or Dr Kafeel Khan is being portrayed as a win for justice. It is definitely though a loss for the government, as they exhausted all the options to detain them and yet failed. NSA can be extended one or two times and then charges have to be framed. They couldn’t frame a chargesheet.
So doesn’t this prove that judgments are independent of executive influence?
Not at all. Their actions prove that. The hearings on Article 370 are delayed time and again. Same is the case with Sharjeel Imam: cases have been registered against him in five different states for his speech at Aligarh. According to law you can’t be put to trial in different places. Sharjeel’s legal team requested to club the cases but the hearing is lingering on since January. But in the case of anchor Amish Devgan [related to the Moinuddin Auliya case] and Arnab Goswami [slander against Sonia Gandhi] a lot of cases were filed at different places but they were clubbed in no time. So you have different laws for different people.
Similarly, in the contempt of court case against Prashant Bhushan, he was charged one rupee but poor people have to pay hefty amounts. I paid about 5 lakh rupees for bail in two cases against me.
There is also the example of Shahrukh Pathan [a man caught with a small countrymade weapon during the Delhi riots] and Sanjay Dutt. According to the Illegal Arms Protection Act a person is jailed for 5-7 years if he possesses arms like an AK-47 and three to five months for a small countrymade weapon. Sanjay Dutt was released within one and a half year for possession of an AK-47 whereas Shahrukh is still struggling to get a hearing. So would you say the judiciary is independent?
In one of your interviews you said you were asked about terrorism?
Yes, they asked me about some people in Azamgarh who had been arrested by them [the ATS] from Nepal. They also asked about money in my account and who funded Shaheen Bagh. Not related to the charges I was arrested on.
Do you think there has been a shift in how Indian Muslims have started viewing the Kashmir issue in the last few years?
Indian Muslims lived in a delusion that only a small fraction of people in the country are responsible for riots and all, and in general the state is not anti-Muslim. In U.P. during the last 70 years the percentage of Indian Muslims in the police reduced to 2% from 40% and in bureaucracy it reduced to 1% from 30%. Similarly, in the case of Dalits we see how they are suppressed.
When the oppression hits you, only then do you understand the pain of others. Till now Indian Muslims had to prove their patriotism by doing two things. One by supporting injustice done to Kashmir and second by opposing and showing hatred towards Pakistan. But now this won’t happen.
I remember in mosques while praying we condemned the injustice done in Palestine but couldn’t do it for Kashmir. So, state policy was followed even in Allah’s abode. Things are changing now, though.
proof- india heading for war-
there are people like the dissatisfied muslims across europe. unable to do well in life they start actions against the west.
despite the states do so much for them- free education, social help, etc
the west has now had enough of this. muslim immigration now banned- and now governments takeing a tougher stand.
same story as in india. will end the same way.
some how muslims behave in different manner in usa- the government there will never tolerate such people. police there is extremely tough against disorder-
look at the many young fromindia who immigrated to uk, usa. they are tops in industry- in big companies –
the young muslims who create problems wherewver will come to a bad end. especially india a poor country.
useing religion to create violence is a lousy act- in some countries -burma, china , srilanka governments have acted very harshly against islamic sects.
most of the young muslims will serve long term in jails- for this they are fully responsible. if they want to serve muslims there are many, better ways- not like shaheen bagh. indian state will not kneel before them.
pakistani muslims have also some absurd ideas. like one muslim soldier is equal to 10 hindu soldiers. got a test of this when 90,000 paki soldiers surrendered to the indian army in bangladesh in 1971,
one mark zukerberg -founder of face book-has given more jobs, wealth to the world thann these muslim rebels.
however the muslims admires such people and probably hate zukerberg.
these rebels are destined to a lousy life
His views are thought provoking especially regarding the double standards shown by Judiciary, Executive, Legislature and Media in treating or targeting the minorities in their struggle against injustice. This has resulted in wide awareness among the Muslims and resulted in their concerted efforts to combat this injustice. The infiltration of dangerous hindutva elements in various areas of administration is of serious concern and the role played by various secular parties in decimation of minorities from administration cannot be forgotten. We need more Sharjeel, Umar Khalid and Dr. Kafeel Khan to face upto this challenge.
one mark zukerberg -founder of face book-has given more jobs, wealth to the world thann these muslim rebels.
however the muslims admires such people and probably hate zukerberg.
these rebels are destined to a lousy life
publish this
Sharjeel is 200% correct.
There cannot be 2 different sets of Laws for 2 different Religions, except in a Gobar Rashtra.
Not to worry, life in this world is short, Almighty Allah will mete out Divine Justice on the Final Day of Judgement. ( there is only one God not crores of false gods)
Tyranny ends, but faith is everlasting!
For simone, are you allowed to teach the illiterates in the puppy IT cell considering you are so weak in writing in English.
Spellings, use of capitals for first alphabet — shakha is not spending on teaching gobar-bhakts…
in some countries in west people want muslims to leave.
should muslims leave.- considering many dislike them
should they leave or stay- what your opinion.
first hindus should through out form gulf countries , here millions of hindus are working like you rss terrorist day is coming to out all of them and begged outside of ram temple
let arabs decide- you have no say. – arabs have now made peace with israel, and support india.
in any case the two cases are different..
europeans are decideing-no more muslims- and deportations have started.
however muslims still trying to enter europe-in sealed trucks and tiny boats.
its amuseing- you are in no position to influence arabs. they have made peace with israel, and strongly support india.
u leave india- settle in arabia
Economic and security burden carried by Indians is thousand time more than any economic benefits Indians get by working hard in Gulf. India will be way more secured and happy if transfer of population is done in timely safe manners by 2027-2030 . After giving 34 % of land for exclusive use of Muslims , there is not a single positive, intelligent reason for Indians to waste their natural resources on partition makers.
have studied in british university
senior engineer in exxom
is it ok mullah
typical- final day of judgement etc
Democratic India need more of Sharjeel Usman who are true patriot. They’re fighting for the community inspite of odds against them, hats off to selfless service these people are doing for the community and for the India democracy.
shaheen bagh was an example- terror mounted by muslim bigots against the govt- trump was comeing
in no western country do people protest and create disorder as muslims do.
result- muslim immigration banned- and people want to deport muslims.
you guys have your minds screwed wrong. christians sikhs not following your ways. they are mostly law abideing.
one does not fight for democracy by throwing stones, bombs.
indian state has been given a wake up call-
long prison terms. fight for democracy in your muslim countries.
dont need lessons on democracy from you guys.
whuch muslim country has democracy- you guys believe in gods laws
across the world huge number of muslims in jails for all kinds of crimes
violence and disorder are your favoured weapons- seen across muslim world and in western countries.
rss and bjp are the clear example of terrorist and biggest terror group in world according to international media
bigger then aby bakar of iss, bin laden, taliban, boko haram
yesterday eric trump -son of presdent- praised hindu american community,
read it.
what international media.
on 17 pm modi got congrats from trump, boris johnsen, angela merkal, putin.
you would not be alive if rss,bjp were terror groups
look at tiny parsee community.
how much they have done for india,
compare yourself with them,
large population increase, backwardness in all sectors-
religious extremism-
how much you did for india compare yourself first and your gobour brain pradhan mantri ,how he destroyed indian economy,social harmony
gobur,gobur-
insane
govt should close muslim universities.paid by taxes of hindu ,nonmuslim community.
its silly to pay for bigoted islamic students who have an islamic agenda. their agenda is to destroy and disrupt
have no other interest in art science, technology. will never be of any use to society. they should leave india- which they will not.no other country -muslim countries-would tolerate such people. can one imagine oxford, cambridge , harward with such students.
never seen such folks in my university days in britain.
Hey, I’m a hindu but neither I blv in myths nor I hate other religions. I ask u to do the same for the sake of whichever god u blv in. All Ur delusion such as the situations of Islamic countries, the greatness of Trump r wot is taught frm shakhas. Be progressive man. Be a man who love pluralism n peace. Shame on u to demonize other religious ppl while our community’s terrorists suppress n lynch Dalits, Muslims n Christians in horrific ways. Try to educate hindus abt wot their religion truly is.
Sharjeel is an extremist who has insulted Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru and Maulana Azad. I do not blame Sharjeel’s views since Muslims are suffering however I hope people atleast recognise that what he is saying reflects the same Hindu phobia that some non-muslims have against muslims due to terrorism. I voted and all Hindus I know voted for Modi because we felt Rahul was an incapable leader not because we hate muslims. Judging Hindus and Hindu-Muslim relations on the basis of few mob lynchings is wrong because India is not like other countries we are much larger each state having population of a country so cant generalise. All indians are more likely to suffer from poor health care or corruption or domestic violence than religious violence.
Whenever there are Muslims,there always lie problems..even so called moderates are kattar from inside..They support terrorists more,not development.pehle Pakistan banae ,ab fir ek tukda karna chahte ho Kya?But wat can be done when their Quran teach them to do so..