A response to Vir Sangvi's Islamophobia

I always read him and admire him for his open and honest opinion on diverse topics including food. He is always a delight to read. Even this time when I saw the title "The real challenge before India..." I was confident that he would bring some insight into the challenge that the Indian security and the Indian sovereignty faces in current time. But he has disappointed on many account.

First, two-third of the article was about Umar - Nigerian accused of attempting to blow up American bound plane on December 25. It was so focused on him and his attributes that it hardly seems that it was written in Indian context. It would have been a better article for Fox News in America than for Hindustan Times.

Second, when he comes to India in the end, he without justifying his arguments jumps to the conclusion that the madrasas are center of terrorism. One cannot deny that there might be a few who are involved in anti-India activities but not all. A large number of them are only to preach religious teachings and morality. One can argue that the content they teach is not good for modern society and students cannot have holistic development with limited teachings. But that is a different issue and the Education ministry talk to them about the content and regulate so that they can contribute to the primary education of the children in the country. In many parts of the country, particularly UP, Bihar and West Bengal, children goes to Madrasas irrespective of their religious background. These are considered as center of education rather center for only religious teaching and far from religious fundamentalism.


When the question of home-grown (it sounds like home-cooked mutton) terrorism comes then religion and youth on the basis of religion need not be segregated. As Vir has himself pointed out in the article there is no set profile who could be terrorist. People, individual or masses, -who Vir has called murderer and not soldiers - takes arms when they see and are convinced that there is discrimination and oppression of their society by others. They might be wrong or right depending on their exposure and how they were brain-washed. 


One third of Indian land is already affected by terrorism - Naxalism. Youths have no direction in these areas and they are ready to die believing they are doing good for their society. Why do they need religious fanatics? Dr. Manmohan Singh and P Chidambaram have already accepted, in public, that the biggest challenge Indian security has is Naxalism. More people die in Naxal affected areas in India every year in violence (and side effects, like poverty and hunger) than in any part of the world because of terrorism.


Why Vir is so apprehensive about Muslim youths only? Only he can answer. Perhaps, he is watching too much NBC and Fox News. God bless him.