Saturday, November 10, 2012

India's minority political leaders should emulate Obama - By Javed Sayed, ET Bureau - Economic Times, Mumbai, India

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-11-08/news/34994176_1_barack-obama-white-house-black-presidency

The Economic Times


Poke Me:

India's minority political leaders should emulate Obama

Javed Sayed, ET Bureau Nov 8, 2012, 05.07PM IST
Barack Obama's re-election lacks the sense of history and the drama of his first victory. Five years ago, when Obama announced his intention to run for president, it seemed incredible that an African American could become the resident of the White House. It may still not be the new normal, but what then appeared unbelievable has been the reality of the last four years.
In 2008, Obama built his campaign around the twin pledges of hope and change. His personal history positioned him to be the perfect messenger for these inspiring promises. In stark contrast, he fought a darker, negative, and far more attritional campaign this year. He tore into his opponent and tapped into the fears of his supporters. If his first victory was greeted with unrestrained euphoria, the celebrations were more muted, the second time around.
And yet, it would be a mistake to underestimate the significance of Obama's victory on Tuesday. He has demonstrated that it is not necessary for a minority leader to always tug at the heartstrings of the voter and base his appeal on lofty ideals and soaring rhetoric. Why cant he fight a hard-nosed campaign like a mainstream politician? Why cant his campaign be as tactical as say George Bush or any other politician?
His re-election will also make it impossible for anyone to describe a black presidency as an aberration or a flash-in-the-pan. Not everyone in the US is overjoyed at the prospect of an African-American as president. His opponents tried their best to highlight his 'otherness'. Around 60 per cent of America's white population did not vote for him. But a large number of white women and younger whites did. As did white males in the crucial battleground of Ohio. A coalition of African Americans, Hispanics, women, and young voters may have propelled Obama to victory but older white males, too, will accept him as their president.
For minority leaders, all over the world, and particularly in India, there is much to learn from the US president. Race and colour are probably more divisive than religion and language. If Obama has breached these seemingly insurmountable barriers to become a two-term president of the US, what stops Muslim politicians in India from emulating his example and aspiring for the top job in the country? Why don't they try to forge the kind of coalition that Obama has? Why don't they set their sights higher?
Blacks and Muslims account for 13-14% of America's and India's populations respectively. Muslims have historically not faced the kind of discrimination here that African Americans have in the US, where in the south, until a generation ago, they were not allowed to sit in the front of buses and eat in restaurants with whites. No black movie star has reigned in Hollywood the way the Khans have held sway in the Indian film industry.

India has had no problem accepting Muslims as presidents, chief justices, and senior bureaucrats including cabinet secretaries. To be sure, there will be resistance to the idea of a Muslim aspiring to be a prime minister of India. But, it will not be much different from the resistance that Obama faced in the US.
Yet, in the six-and-a-half decades since independence, no Muslim politician has aspired to be a national leader. While there are several legitimate constraints, it is also true that the Muslim leadership in India, such as it is, has been hobbled by its excessive focus on community specific issues. It has been largely content to espouse 'Muslim' causes and has jockeyed for position and influence within this limited space. It has seen its role as primarily delivering the Muslim vote to a political party. Political parties, too, have viewed these politicians through this prism. Their importance has been judged by the influence they wield in their community.
Ironically, the Muslim voter is aware of this equation and realizes the limitations of his so-called leaders. He realizes that his need for law & order, employment, education, electricity, and an improved standard of living cannot be met by politicians who are solely focused on him and have no clout independent of him. He knows many of his requirements are similar to those of his fellow citizens and he looks for leaders and parties that have the capacity and the scale to fulfill his aspirations. So, he looks to support Mulayam Singh, Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar, the Congress, and others.
Till the time, Muslim politicians take up national causes and broaden their appeal, they will remain bit players feeding of the crumbs that political parties will throw their way. There will never again be a Rafi Ahmed Kidwai or a Maulana Azad. For a strong and viable Muslim leadership to emerge, it has to look beyond the community, find common ground with other social forces, and form alliances and coalitions across communities. It has to embrace national issues with the conviction that what is good for India cant be bad for Indian Muslims.
Obama can prove to be a valuable role model. He has never disowned his roots but has not let race define his politics. When asked to respond to criticism that he not done enough for black business, without batting an eyelid, he replied that he was not the president of Black America. " I want all businesses to succeed. I want all Americans to have the opportunity. I am not the president of Black America. I am the president of the United States of America,'' he said. When his opponents made not so subtle digs about his "otherness'' he refused to take the bait. He knew that his silence would diminish the opposition.
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While the webpage carries the title of the article as Why India's Minority leaders should emulate Obama; Economic Times Saturday issue in print carries the title of the article as India's Minority Leaders should emulate Obama --- dropping the word 'WHY". The subject is politically incorrect in current divided nation, where Brahmin elite rule in the same fashion as Whites in the USA. The divide is so poisonous that even the mention of Muslim name is looked upon as sacrilege or a big taboo..For 65 years of Indian's independence, the Brahmin minority has faked a 'Hindu' majority with the slick propaganda of demonizing Muslims as the other. Even liberals that would be matching America's Democratic Party in ideology and practice, in India, as run by Brahmins, is deeply distrustful of Muslims and pays lip service to Muslim causes, on to counter Hindu Rightist onslaught. They are least interested to do anything positive for Muslim Minority. That makes picking up any analogy from Obama's America, rather wishful, if not difficult or impossible.

Ghulam Muhammed, Mumbai
<ghulammuhammed3@gmail.com>

Muslims not safe under SP [Samajwadi Party]: Abu Asim Azmi - Maharashtra SP President and MLA - The Indian Express, Mumbai

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/muslims-not-safe-under-sp-rule-azmi/1029676/0

The Indian Express

Muslims not safe under SP rule: Abu Asim Azmi

Faisal Fareed :


Lucknow, Sat Nov 10 2012, 05:52 hrs

After being denied permission to visit the riot-hit areas of Faizabad district on Friday, Samajwadi Party MLA from Maharashtra Abu Asim Azmi accused Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav of ignoring Muslims’ issues.

Azmi, the president of the SP’s Maharashtra unit, stated that Muslims are wrong in their perception that they are safe in the Samajwadi Party rule. “It is a wrong notion. Muslims are at the receiving end. The government is not reacting. No leader from our party cared to visit Faizabad. Ideally Akhilesh himself should go, but I don’t know what is stopping him,” Azmi said.

Azmi, who had planned to visit Faizabad while returning from Azamgarh, was asked by SSP Dharmendra Singh to cancel his visit. “He pleaded that since he took charge only yesterday, it is better to avoid the visit,” Azmi told The Indian Express. “People call me from violence-affected areas. They want me to convey their sufferings to the Chief Minister. But even I cannot meet him. He is so busy that he hardly gives one minute’s time to me in three days.”

He added, “I am not saying this just because I was denied permission to visit Faizabad, there may be a law and order problem. But Akhilesh has failed to fulfil the promises he had made to me. I am disappointed with his working.”

As part of an SP delegation, Azmi had earlier visited Asthan village of Pratapgarh in June after houses of Muslims were burnt after the rape and murder of a Dalit girl. The delegation had submitted a report to the Chief Minister.

Azmi said the CM had promised him that the Goonda Act slapped on four Muslim youths in Pratapgarh would be revoked, but it turned out to be a false assurance. Also, Akhilesh had personally promised him that full compensation would be paid to the victims of Pratapgarh violence for their loss. “Where is Akhilesh and his promise?’’ Azmi said.

He also said the Chief Minister appeared to have lost control over the police force and officials. “His grip seems to be too loose and such incidents are recurring in the state. All our hopes are dashed. Muslims had high expectations from the government. But when even I am not able to get audience with Akhilesh, there is no scope left for Muslims. The community is trusting the SP blindly and living in a fool’s paradise,” Azmi added.