By Syed Ali Mujtaba
Chennai: Zia Us Salam, the renowned author of “Being Muslim in Hindu India,” addressed a gathering in the city, urging Indian Muslims to confront the recurring injustices perpetrated against them nationwide. The acclaimed book serves as a comprehensive account of daily media reports documenting atrocities against Muslims by Hindu extremists during the BJP’s rule.
Salam, addressing a sizable audience, emphasized that anyone keeping abreast of the news acknowledges the besiegement faced by Indian Muslims. He asserted that the present era poses the most significant challenge to their identity in India, with the constitutional concept of a secular nation being consistently trampled under BJP governance.
“To be a Muslim in India today is to live with the reality of daily stigmatization, ever-increasing threats of violence, and the very idea of existence,” Salam poignantly highlighted the challenges faced by Muslims in India.
The author detailed instances where Muslims are compelled to conform to the majority’s preferences, facing violence based on suspicion of cow slaughter or simply due to their appearance. Attacks on attire, language, and culture underscore the targeted hate crimes against Muslims.
Salam lamented the recent deterioration in Indian polity and society, citing denial of political representation, exclusion from electoral rolls, and an attempt to erase the history of medieval India from textbooks. He praised the 2020 Shaheen Bagh protest, urging Muslims to engage in democratic protests against the injustices they face.
During the Q&A session, it was suggested that, among the available choices for Muslims—executive, judiciary, media, and civil society—the first two offer little hope. Instead, leveraging civil society and media, particularly social media, was proposed as powerful platforms to organize public opinion against atrocities.
Salam’s talk served as an honest and impassioned plea for attention to the plight of Muslims in contemporary India. The audience was visibly impacted, maintaining a pin-drop silence as the author detailed the grim realities. The essence of Salam’s lecture resonated in the poignant lines: “Na Sambloge tao Mit jayoge aie Musalmano, thumhare dastan tak bhi na gee, dastanoo mein” (If you don’t get alert, oh Muslims, your story will not be there in the History of India).
Zia Us Salam’s discourse left a profound impact, provoking contemplation among the attendees about the challenges faced by Muslims in India.