To outsiders, Indians stand united

This refers to the article, “Who has hijacked the idea of India?” by Aijaz Zaka Syed. (Dec. 6)
I get sick when I read Zaka’s ill-thought-out articles. It is evident that he is playing to a select audience with select emotions. In none of his so-called articles he has ever tried to highlight anything meritorious about India or Indians and he is most regrettably one who has never noticed anything good about his motherland. We expatriates represent the fabric of India in front of a global audience. Like in every household there might be frivolities and some moments of discord but this does not mean that we burn the house down. When you stand in front of outsiders you stand as one. To a lesser-trained eye after reading his articles the reader might conclude that in India Muslims have been reduced to a secondary role in the society and they have neither role nor right to do anything productive. However, we know it well that it is far from the truth. In fact he dares write such stuff repeatedly as he knows that he is untouchable and the freedom of expression guaranteed to him by the fundamental rights contained within the constitution of India is being encashed to the fullest. He will use and abuse his rights to sell his name wherever he can.
Does he have nothing positive to speak about Indian society and Indians? We are in excess of 1.2 billion people and all he needs to discuss is Bal Thackery and his hijacking of India. The import of his article, which mentions about the “900-year rule by Muslims,” is dangerously potential to provoke radical Hindus. Is he personally proud of what happened in those 900 years? I may hold him accountable to that. Why did he not even for once try to cover the communal harmony, which exists between people of all faiths, besides of course between Muslims and Hindus? Why did he not write an article on Muslim successes in India. All the ministers, parliamentarians, IAS, IPS, military men and so on, who are Muslims, and yet are leaders in their respective streams of profession. Recently a Muslim was appointed to head the country’s intelligence department, the Research and Analyses Wing (RAW).
I urge upon Zaka to write responsibly and not to portray India as a communal and biased one, which it is indeed not. India is probably the last bastion of a truly functional democracy where people have all their rights protected and delivered in letter and spirit. — A reader, By email