[nukkad] My replies Re: Why not a Muslim in the ministry?

["Muthu Vairavan" <muthuvairavan@hotmail.com>]

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Since 'nukkad' has a policy of limiting the number of mails per day, I 
waited for a while for the mails to come in so that I can reply to all in 
one mail.

Even though only 5 or 6 mails were approved by nukkad, I had received quite 
a lot (25+) on my personal account. But, I am going to restrict my reply 
ONLY to the mails that were approved in nukkad.

Yes, I do agree that UP Muslims (ONLY UP and no other state, I trust) have 
voted strategically stopping BJP. But, I don't believe that BJP would ignore 
Muslims because of it. BJP has started changing its face since 1996 and 
wants to represent each and every citizen of India and has started dropping 
all issues that create a problem. May be it is power hungry or may be it has 
come to its senses or may be it wants to bring those issues after it secures 
necessary mandate. Whatever it is, the fact remains!

What I wanted to say in brief in the previous para: BJP is no more just for 
Hindus. It is for every Indian (whether resident or NRI)

Now, regarding reservations in the cabinet: Believe me, whether you want to 
believe it or not, we have an un-written reservation in our country in each 
and every thing, not only just the cabinet.

Let me restrict it to the cabinet. Each and every ministry formation was 
done not only to form the ministry but also to represent each and every 
community. Not even a single ministry from 1952 is an exception to this. Not 
just the central ministry, all the state ministries too divide the 
ministries based on the community. You may not want to believe it, but thats 
the fact.

Now, we know that people like Advani, George Fernandes, Murasoli Maran, 
Jaswant Singh, ... got their ministries because THEY DESERVE and they are 
one of the best in the country to handle those ministries.

But, why was Syed Shahnawaz Hussain given the ministry of Food Processing? 
ONLY because he was a Muslim. Don't tell me that he has excellent back 
ground in Food Processing!

And, why was N T Shanmugham given the ministry of Health & Family Welfare? 
ONLY because he belonged to the party PMK. Don't tell me that he has 
excellent back ground in health and family welfare.

More than 50% of the ministries are given just to appease the allies and the 
communities.

This is an un-written reservation.

One person wrote
>Maybe let's have reservations in the Indian armed forces as well.

Unfortunately, we do have similar casteism and religionism in our army. I 
don't want to go into details due to lack of time, but regarding resources, 
just watch the discussion forums on India in this cyber world and you will 
get to know it.

That person also wrote
>maybe lets have the post of the president rotate between the major
>religious groups in the country.

You are so naive! Yes, we selected a few presidents ONLY because of their 
religion and Caste in the past.

Why did I raise this question? Am I communal? Everybody who knows me (even 
ONLY through the internet) knows how secular I am and I don't need to defend 
it.

The issue is: Every minority wants to be represented and the first thing 
they do is to form an association. For example, in Delhi you will find Tamil 
Sangam, in Tamilnadu you will find Punjabi Sangam and so on.

In addition, the first thing Indians do whenever they go to a country is to 
form an Indian association. And the second thing they do is to fight among 
themselves to divide it into many Indian associations, ;-)

And then they fight for their rights. Is it wrong? Whenever there is no 
representation, they ask for it, even though they went there only for a 
better life. They did not belong to that land in terms of history. But, it 
is their land today, because they live in it and so, they demand it.

NOT just Indians, even Spanish/Chinese/Italians/... fight for their rights 
in countries like USA.

There is nothing wrong in asking for representation so that you can raise 
your voice in case of necessity.

So, when a ministry is given to a person because he belongs to a particular 
Caste or he belongs to a particular party, there is NOTHING wrong in 
demanding a ministry in the name of religion.

It is WRONG to demand a ministry in the name of religion ONLY IF the 
ministry was given to people who deserve it and NOT JUST to appease some 
other people.

It is similar to our reservation system. We started with reservation to SCs 
and STs. Later OBCs were added. Later BCs were added. Now, Muslims and 
Christians demand reservation.

Yes, I am NOT a supporter of reservation. But, if reservation is given on 
one basis, there is NOTHING WRONG in asking for reservation an another 
basis.

Of course I do agree that Congress is ALSO ONE OF THE party that looks upon 
Muslims as nothing more than a vote bank.

There is another person who wrote

>It is precisely this mentality which is affecting our nation badly

NOT AT ALL. Just like I said above, ministries were given on the basis of 
caste/allies/religion and so there is NOTHING WRONG in demanding, even 
though it is wrong in the first place.

>There is no ther democratic country which does not have uniform
>civil code

That is because no other country was a mixture of different 
culture/language/religion/... like us. Every kind of country was formed 
based on a group of people having the same culture and language and 
religion. Or countries were created and enforced people to have same culture 
and language and religion.

But, India did NOT exist as a single entity. India existed as a mixture of 
different culture/language till the Muslims invaded. And since then religion 
also started forming part of this mixture.

We need to realize this and try to live with tolerance and harmony rather 
than trying to force one's idealogies onto others.

Of course I do support single uniform code, but it needs to be understood 
clearly.

For example, non-Hindus are not permitted in a few Hindu temples. What would 
the uniform civil code do to it? Will it make every Indian visit every 
religious place in India or will it say that non-Hindus cannot go to any 
Hindu temple and non-muslims cannot go to any mosques, etc.

I am just giving an example. It needs to be analysed and discussed in 
detail.

>constitution designed and implemented had a lot of drawbacks

True and one of those is the lack of enforcing a rule that our country 
should not have an election more than once in 4-5 years.

>People cry over why this religion, this cast does not have
>representation

Of course people do, because they have fears that their religion would be 
dead if it is not checked. Even VHP is against religious conversions. Why? 
Wouldn't religion a personal issue? Shouldn't I worry about what I God I 
want to pray? Because VHP is concerned that it would reduce the Hinduism at 
the end. Which makes sense to me.

>we are a victim of reverse racism

TRUE! Throught the world, it is a major problem. Even in USA, sometimes to 
keep the racism equal some people are recruited just to keep the race 
balance at check.

>It gives me immense pain to see an average student from open
>category with 90% marks in PCM does not get admission in any decent
>college and his friend coming from a BACKWARD CLASS gets admission
>to any A grade government engineering  college with 80-85%.

I myself am a victim of the reservation system. So, I can understand this 
pain very much.

>there should be no reservation anywhere else apart from the education 
>system.

Why should we have it in the education system?

>All wars historically, currently and in the fture will be fought on
>religous grounds

Very true. Very few wars were conducted for capturing more land and power. 
Most of them were because of religion. We should learn to be tolerant of 
others' beliefs and should NOT force one's idealogies onto others. At the 
same time, there is not anything wrong in trying to preach one's idealogies 
without forcing.

Another person wrote
>Is it not enough if the ministry gets work done?

Of course, I would be one of the happiest persons, if Vajpayee had given the 
ministries ONLY to those who deserved. He did not and so, naturally my 
question came up!

>Why is it that we haven't heard any Muslim complaining about the
>constitution of the ministry?

We don't need a Muslim to complian about a problem. A human being is enough.

Abraham Lincoln was NOT a black. But, he fought for them.
Mahatma Gandhi was NOT a SC or ST. But, he fought for them.

I am NEITHER Lincoln NOR Gandhi. I don't even deserve to be compared to 
their level. But, I want to use it as an example to show that anybody can 
fight/ask for anybody's rights and dignity. NOT necessarily that person who 
suffers.

Many men fight for women's liberation. None of them, naturally, is a woman!
Thanks for reading
Muthu

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