Muslim Reservation Quota

The legacy of Muslim rule in India lasted for almost 1000 years. How come then Hindus progressed and Muslims are still struggling on the farthest fringes ?

Why do they have a Reservation Quota

This was my question to my father K.V.Narayanmurti. His reply:

Muslim Reservation Quota

The reply to the one billion dollar question is that no one has the will or the courage to speak about it. Everyone, including every Muslim knows it. It is so simple, and yet no one recognises it or wants to. Much like the Upanishadic ideal of BRAHMAN which is everything in the Universe and elsewhere, including you and me and everything and everyone around us, and yet no one recognises it. In fact,to be told that YOU ARE THAT (that twam asi)iis such an outrageous idea that you will be considered to be mad! And, yet, that is the truth!!

The Mus;im rule over India lasted over a thousand years, and they truly ruled over us and rolled over the Indians and their social fabric. History has recorded mass conversions at the point of the dagger, destruction of places of worship and plunder of all sorts. A study of any book on Indian History uring the medieval period will confirm this.

The Indians lost much in wealth- and customs, but their respect for tradition and will-power were not lost. They did not lose heart or direction, lied low and struggled to preserve what was left of their faith and intellectual empowerment. Most importantly, they had no misunderstanding of the respective roles played by the secular as well the sacred practices inherited by them. Each had an end, and each had limitations. They would not blindly put their entire faith and endeavour into one of the these to the neglect of the other. Also, they were dynamic in mind and outlook, and would reorient their practises and faith to suit the times and the environment.

Look at the Upper castes of India. How comfortably they gave up religious rigidities ith regard to prayers, food, dress, language of communication, social structure etc. to suit the times and to be able to get the best- mileage from any situation. How soon, easily and totally, they earned the confidence of the British rulers and rose to positions of eminence. In one word, the Indian always remained "EMPOWERED". No power on earth could stop him from educating his family members in the best stream available and to seize every opportunity to ascend the steps to success. Nor was he a blind adherant to any illogical custom or tradition. He ould give up the tuft and the turban, the traditional dhoties and take to Western look, manners and dress, lke fish take to water.

The Indian is convinced that the quantity of hair on your head, the covering of your body fully, the number of times you pray or relate to God, is not life in its entirety. True, these are essential adjunctsthat are preparatory, but they are not the end. They do not elevate you, which is only possible by true passion, hard and sincere work and empowerment of oneself. Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita:

UDHARETH ATMANAH ATMAANAM

NA ATMAANAM AVASAARAYETH

AATHMAIVA ATMANO BANDHUH

ATMAIVA RIPUH ATMANAH

meaning DO NOT DESPISE YOURSELF

UPGRADE YOURSELF BY SELF EFFORT

YOU ARE YOUR OWN FRIEND

ALSO YOU ARE YOUR OWN ENEMY.

Back to the question. If any one, or any community is struggling for existence, it is because they REFUSE TO EMPOWER THEMSELVES OR BE HELPED BY OTHERS TO DO THIS. THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO THINK, BELIEVE AND DO WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING SO FAR AND WOULD NOT LET ANYONE POINT OUT WHERE THEY ARE GONE WRONG. Much like a traveller sitting on a wrong train, and refusing to listen to others telling him that unless he changed his train to the right one, he cannot reach his desination.

To sum up, no one can help the Muslims to come up, until the hold of religion and Mullahs is totally removed, and they join the main=stream of Indian social life and customs. They should stop wanting to look different from everyone else. Look at the Christians, how completely they have merged with the Indian social structure. Their church rituals, dress, demeanour, nbames etc. have completely amalgated them with the rest of the Indians, who are marching forward in all walks of life.

All this needs leadership of a different kind, which Muslims do not have, nor the willingness to accept from elsewhere. So, the bottom-line is, GRIN AND BEAR IT!