RIYADH, 20 October — Two eminent editors, one from Saudi Arabia and the other from India, put different interpretations on the minority syndrome in India. However, they agreed that it does reflect the Muslim community’s lack of confidence in itself and an attitude of abject dependence on others.
M.J. Akbar, editor in chief of "The Asian Age" (India) and Khaled Al-Maeena, editor in chief of Arab News, were participating in a debate held at La Sani Restaurant here yesterday.
The topic of the debate was "Indo-Arab Relations with Special Reference to the Problems of Indian Minorities." Akbar also spoke on "Implications of the Terrorist Attacks in the United States — the Indian Perspective." It was organized by Sunita Mainee Ahmad, wife of the Indian ambassador, at the Indian Embassy auditorium yesterday. Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad was also present. Earlier, Al-Maeena sparked the debate with his observation that India as a secular state keeps harping on its minorities unlike the US, Turkey and Malaysia which, too, profess secularism without rubbing it in.
"It gives rise to suspicion when you talk in such terms, since India prides itself on its unity in the midst of diversity," he said.
Al-Maeena also spoke of the majority community’s exclusive claim to patriotism and said it was tantamount to questioning the patriotism of others. He recalled the words of the renowned lexicographer Samuel Johnson who described "patriotism as the last refuge of a scoundrel." Referring to the Indo-Arab relations, he said India as a major regional power should extend its hands of friendship to its smaller neighbors in the Arabian Gulf.
Such an approach would help to forge closer ties among the countries of the region. Referring to what he called "a fundamental issue" raised by Al-Maeena, Akbar said the minority syndrome was a byproduct of the Muslim community’s lack of self-confidence. As a result, it had banked upon political parties and leaders in hopes of solving its own problems. Akbar said the concept of ‘minorityism’ did not exist at the time of the Moguls or earlier Muslim rulers, even though Muslims constituted a smaller segment of the population.
He said the only way in which they could get out of the minority psyche was to learn to exercise their vote. "You should also believe in yourself and in your own strength." Dilating on the situation in Kashmir and human rights violations, Akbar said he would not justify all that has been going on in Kashmir. Earlier, at a function organized by Aligarh Muslim Old Boys Association at the Riyadh Palace Hotel last night, Akbar pointed out that Islam lays stress on imbibing knowledge. He said: "It’s an anachronism and completely fatuous to say that education didn’t exist among Muslims before Sir Syed. Recalling the passage of Edward Gibbon in his "Decline and fall of the Roman Empire," Akbar said the Arabs had made valuable contributions to then decadent Christian West.
Thus, an important aspect of Islam is its ability to foster the spirit of revival after decline and fall. That was how Sir Syed, founder of Anglo-Indian Muhammedan’s College (which subsequently became Aligarh Muslim University in 1920) was able to revitalize the Muslim community from the depths of despair and despondency into which it had sunk in the early part of the 20th century.
