In political or social discourse, or even in the drawing rooms of our country, a mention of Muslims flares up emotions. In most cases, they are extreme emotions: it is rather difficult to carry out an intelligent, rationale conversation based on arguments.
Of course, the polity of the nation has become such that things are completely polarised and false notions and data abound.
Recently, when Manmohan Singh talked about the need for affirmative action for Muslims, once again there was a big hoopla.
But do people stop for a moment to think about the Muslims they see around them?
I have two instances of blatant discrimination around my day to day life.
We bought a flat at one of the hot new real estate destinations in NCR, Indirapuram, a couple of years back.
And this was at the most professionally run of all the builders out there at that time. They were telling us about the kind of people who will inhabit the apartment complex: professionals: doctors, senior executives etc.
And here's the part that shocked me:
We are not selling to any Muslims. When they come asking, we tell them we're all sold.
Another one:
We just moved to a new home last month, and were looking for maids. The rates were way higher than at other places. One girl came in, started out asking a rate that was already 20% lower than the others, and looked clean, earnest and honest. But we didn't hire her. Reason? She was a muslim.
We really wanted to. Believe me, we did. But half of our parents and grandparents would probably refuse to visit us, because a Muslim had touched the kitchen. Perhaps they would have been ok if she did not enter the kitchen, but the response would have varied from " Oh my god, a Muslim" to "what's the urgency to hire a muslim? Aisa to h nahin hai ki hindu bai nahin mil rahin? Phir kya jaroorat hai"?
What is a muslim to do in the face of such discrimination? Don't they deserve some help and push from the people who can?
Of course, the polity of the nation has become such that things are completely polarised and false notions and data abound.
Recently, when Manmohan Singh talked about the need for affirmative action for Muslims, once again there was a big hoopla.
But do people stop for a moment to think about the Muslims they see around them?
I have two instances of blatant discrimination around my day to day life.
We bought a flat at one of the hot new real estate destinations in NCR, Indirapuram, a couple of years back.
And this was at the most professionally run of all the builders out there at that time. They were telling us about the kind of people who will inhabit the apartment complex: professionals: doctors, senior executives etc.
And here's the part that shocked me:
We are not selling to any Muslims. When they come asking, we tell them we're all sold.
Another one:
We just moved to a new home last month, and were looking for maids. The rates were way higher than at other places. One girl came in, started out asking a rate that was already 20% lower than the others, and looked clean, earnest and honest. But we didn't hire her. Reason? She was a muslim.
We really wanted to. Believe me, we did. But half of our parents and grandparents would probably refuse to visit us, because a Muslim had touched the kitchen. Perhaps they would have been ok if she did not enter the kitchen, but the response would have varied from " Oh my god, a Muslim" to "what's the urgency to hire a muslim? Aisa to h nahin hai ki hindu bai nahin mil rahin? Phir kya jaroorat hai"?
What is a muslim to do in the face of such discrimination? Don't they deserve some help and push from the people who can?
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