‘Radicalisation Of Muslim Youth Must Stop At Any Cost’

Liyaquat Amar, 70, is the president of Bohra Youth community in Udaipur. Amar feels it is the duty of every progressive Muslim to work against radicalisation of youth. His views:

First and foremost, there cannot be any whataboutry over the gruesome killing of Kanhaiyalal. This was an act of religious fanaticism. Period. Ours has been a very peaceful city. But this incident has shocked me beyond words. I am yet to come to terms with the fact that some people amongst us got so radicalised that they not only killed an innocent but were also boastful about it on camera – all in the name of Islam.

One may criticize Nupur Sharma for her statement against the Prophet; or may argue with those who supported her statement. But killing somebody for it will be the biggest disservice to Islam itself. Islam says that killing of an innocent is equal to killing the entire mankind itself. There is no place for such religious violence in any civilised nation.

I have little doubt in my mind that the killers will get the maximum punishment for the crime they have committed. But the larger issue is radicalisation of our youth. This religious fanaticism must stop at any cost. I therefore appeal to all liberal and progressive people from Muslim community to come forward and join hands against radicalisation of our country’s youth.

There are several enemies of India across the borders and they will leave no stone unturned in creating rift among the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and other communities of India. We have to be watchful of our men lest they fall in wrong hands. For the sake of the future of this country and the youth, we need to stem religious extremism as soon as possible.

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I belong to Bohra Youth, a reformatory movement in Dawoodi Bohra sect of Islam, and feel that every belief system needs reforms not radicalisation. Bohra Youth community has set many precedents that are progressive, liberal and reformist. All this in spite of facing a number of backlashes from the traditional Bohra community.

The old school Bohras do not allow us even inside their mosques but it has not bothered us as we have concentrated on a liberal, progressive society. We never compromised with our ethos. Our sons and daughters are encouraged to study as much as they want and do business as well. We are now a thriving community in Udaipur. Such kind of progressiveness is required across the country.

Every Indian citizen is bound to the Constitution of India and laws of the land. But above all, we are all bound by the law of humanity too. It is the only country on the planet with beautiful cultural diversity, it is sad that some people want to destroy it, but people like us will protect it till our last breath.

As told to Deepti Sharma

Attacks on Christmas Celebrations

‘Christians Faced Subtle Bias Earlier, They Face Violence Now’

Raj Kumar, 24, a Protestant Christian from Bihar pursuing post-graduation in Delhi, says recent attacks on Christmas celebrations in several states is a growing and worrying trend

I’m a Dalit Christian (Protestant) belonging to Siwan in Bihar. Ever since I came to New Delhi for my studies, I have become an even more active member of the Church. Faith is important to me, which is why it pains me to see when one group of people attacks another group of people, just because they are practising their faith.

The recent attacks on Christians during Christmas in several states and the regular attacks on missionary schools is a worrying trend. I believe the very ethos of India, that is pluralism is under attack. As ‘We the people of India’, weren’t we all supposed to be one nation, one people? And I don’t understand the bogeyman of ‘conversion’ that people take recourse to when they attack people of a minority faith. Let me narrate how our family converted to Christianity.

While many people convert willingly because they feel discriminated against, it wasn’t the case with our family. My grandmother is the one who decided to embrace Christianity. My parents had been married for five years but had been unable to conceive. My grandmother went to different places to pray and in that similar vein she visited the church as well.

I was born soon after and she believed it was a miracle, which is why she took up the Christian faith. That was the turning point of her life. Faith is a very private and personal thing and people have different trigger points for different decisions. For me, the church is a like a psychologist, to guide me, motivate me, support me and help me become one with the community as well.

Kumar says radicalisation will have an adverse impact on Indian social fabric

As a child we did feel ‘othered’ as Dalit Christians but not to the extent as it is today. It was subtle, but since the last few years it has become an in-your-face kind of thing. The very people who talk about missionary schools being run by videshi dharm have their own kids getting the best of education in them.

It is the local level leaders and the aam janta that gets brainwashed at the idea of there being an enemy out there. The landlord of our church is a practising, socially active Hindu and says the only thing he wants is the rent on time and nothing more. I wish more people were like him. I worry if individual freedoms will take a complete beating in the coming days.

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Reports of lynching have become relatively commonplace and now alongwith Muslims, Christians are being targeted too. Personally I don’t feel scared because I have faith in God. But that doesn’t mean I don’t worry about the impact it is having on society at large.

As per a recent report, a whopping 80% of the food distribution to poor people was disrupted because it was coming from Christian organisations or countries. Shouldn’t we be caring about the poor? The pandemic finally made people feel how those practising a minority faith feel: socially distanced and isolated.

Back home in Bihar there have been news of pastors etc. being attacked. We need to bring back the idea of India and understand that hate constantly wants new targets and when there’s no one left, it turns inwards. I would like to remind everyone the poetic lines by the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller who said:

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.