^^^^^ BUMP!
@Joe Shearer
The Sangh, and most Hindus, see Muslims in the same way they see themselves.
Why blame the Sangh for it?
You have a number of Indian Muslims here. Jamahir. Aamna Ali. The_Showstopper. Razia Sultana.
.
I respectfully disagree. Indian Muslims, as it has been generally assumed never occupied a monolithic identity. By any framework, be it theological, socio-economic or political, Indian Muslims always acted as any pluralistic group within its single religious confines. The original
Maktabs, within twenty years since its establishment was divided into two distinguished branches, based upon differences in theological lines. Relentless ideological belligerence between the two parties had always been a consistent affair.
In socio-economic and political context, Indian Muslims were far from having a compressed identity.
All India Momin conference, an organization started as a political voice of the
Julaha weaver community who comprised of almost 90% of the weavers in the Gangetic plain resented the Muslim League for its elitist urban character. It always identified itself sympathetic to the anti-feudalistic ideologies of Gandhi led Congress and vehemently opposed any sort of solution other than
Purna Swaraj, as they saw it fit to secure their economic interests and promotion in social status, demands that never left Congress at ease. All India Momin group associated itself with other Politico-Islamic fundamentalist groups like
Jamiat Ulama I Hind, the Khaksars and Majlis e ahrar, groups that were staunch opponents of Muslim League.
Another event that might be relevant in this context is the case of Shah Bano verdict and the consequent events in 1985-86. Although the government saw the fundamentalist groups as the sole representative of Indian Muslims and decided to bend its knee before the fundamentalist orthodoxy, a large number of Muslim women, educated and professional elites saw no dissimilarity between the Supreme Court verdict and Islamic principles. Muslims women’s groups in Calcutta, Bombay, Trivandrum and Patna condemned AIPMLB and Committee of the Protection of rights of Muslim Women was formed in Calcutta. Bandh was called by Muslim women groups on 4th October’85 as a mark of protest. Liberal Muslim intelligentsia and scholars of Islamic law like A G Noorani, Ashgar Ali Engineer, Murtaza Fazal Ali or M H Beg rejected the Bill and defended the rights of Muslim women. What was and still seen as an essentially unanimous ‘Muslim’ refusal to reforms is in reality a mixed bag of response from different parts of the community itself. So, this very assertion that Indian Muslims always act as a monolithic, compact group to secure political or economic interests is nothing but a sweeping generalization of any casual observer of history and politics.
Ask them a simple question. India first or Islam first
Sorry to say, that's a stupid question to ask after 70 years of Independence.