10.2.21

Indian Muslims should be proud, says Azad

If Muslims from any part of the world should be proud of themselves, it should be Indian Muslims,” leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, contrasting the situation in India with unrest in various Muslim-majority nations like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq on account of infighting between Muslims. Referring to terror-hit Pakistan during his farewell speech in RS, the former J&K chief minister said while one should ideally not comment on the social ills prevalent in another nation, “but we can say with pride that God forbid, these social evils should not touch the minds of our (Indian) Muslims”. “I read, watch and hear via Google and You-Tube…I’m one of those fortunate persons who has never visited Pakistan. But when I read how the security situation is there, I feel proud to be an Indian Muslim,” he added.

“In the past 30-35 years, from Afghanistan to Iraq, we have seen how Muslim nations are witnessing infighting within and between one another. There is no Hindu or Christian there…it is the Muslims fighting among themselves,” he noted, while contrasting these examples with Indian Muslims, an apparent pointer to peaceful coexistence among sects and also other religious communities.

Recalling his days as J&K CM when he addressed his first public meeting in militancy-hit Sopore, Azad recalled telling people that he would be ashamed if any minister of his government did justice on the basis of one’s religion or party affiliation.

No comments: