Muslims need unity, not leaders: Mahesh Bhatt Submitted by admin7 on 4 July 2011 - 11:46pm Indian Muslim By TCN

Staff Reporter, Lucknow: Aansu Nikle Toh Khud Ponch Lo, Gar Dusre Ponchenge Toh Sauda Karenge. T hrough this couplet, noted Film Director, Mahesh Bhatt urged Muslims to become s elf reliant for their upliftment in the society. Bhatt was speaking as chief gue st in a dialogue on ''Dynamics of Equal Opportunity for Minorities in Education, Economic and Social Empowerment" organised by Foundation for Education and Econ omic Development (FEED) at Jai Shankar Prasad Hall here on Monday. Bhatt said: "It has become the need of hour for the Muslims in the country to be come self dependant instead of asking for everything from the government. Muslim s need unity amongst themselves not leadership as there are many leaders." He ad ded that they can attain their status in the society if they will unite for the purpose or else their condition will remain same as it has been from past 60 yea rs. He stated that Sachar Committee's report has revealed the conditions of the Musl ims in the country which should be changed as soon as possible. "I never asked f or votes for any of the political party in the elections but after seeing the Sa char Committee report, I was compelled for asking for the votes in last Lok Sabh a elections in Uttar Pradesh." He added that Muslims can pressurise the governme nt for the facilities as it s the constitutional right to ask for the facilities. "Now the time has arrived that we should sit and frame things we need and what w e want to do as till now the Muslims are living on helps of leaders and others," he urged. He added that people should not settle for the crunch of rights and f acilities given to them they should come forward and ask for their full rights a nd facilities as now they don't need leaders, brokers and mediators. Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of National Commission for Minority Education al Institutions (NCMEI), Justice MSA Siddique said: "We are responsible for our backwardness in the society as we gave all the importance to the religious educa tion and left out the worldly education which is also important in the present t ime." He added that for the upliftment of the status in the society, Muslims sho uld come forward and attain the religious as well as worldly education too as bo th are necessary for survival in this era. He stated that one of the biggest mistakes that Muslims made was that they deser ted English language by discouraging the generation for learning it because of t heir hatred for the English empire. He added that they should encourage their yo ung generation to learn English as well so that they can make their position all across the world. Vice Chancellor of Arabi, Urdu & Farsi University, Anees Ansari, Padmashree Dr M ansoor Hasan, Prof. Ramesh Dixit, Parveen Talha were also present on the occasio n. Share Comment viewing options Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to a ctivate your changes. Mahesh Bhatt's advice appears Submitted by Rezan (not verified) on 6 July 2011 - 2:32am.

Mahesh Bhatt's advice appears sincere,concerned,wise and practical. But he is a bit naive about the whole issue. There are many young dynamic minded Muslims who want to study,seek employment and improve their future. They are merely given l ip sympathy. When they actually want to join a good school,or a college or Unive rsity does one reckon that they are given easily admission. The Hindu institutio ns are closed for them. Even if they do join they will always be looked upon as 'the other' making them feel uncomfortable,neglected and sidelined. Then comes t he other problem. Muslims too tend to discriminate each other . The Muslim socie ty has various sects and communities who tend to give importance to 'their own p eople'. First thing to solve the issue is to bury these differences immediately. Muslims from all walks of life must come together and join as one community. Th ey must look upon this as a 'Muslim problem'. Not as a Shia problem,Sunni proble m,Memon issue,Bohra issue,Khoja issue etc etc. In this respect Mahes Bhatt is ri ght. Unity is required. If Muslims only understood the noble and powerful princi ple of 'Tauheed' mentioned in the Quran most of their problems will be nearly so lved. THe HIndu community must be watched over their behaviour with the Muslims if the Muslims seek admission in their institutions. There must certainly some rich Mu slims in India who can organize themselves and open up huge academies of learnin g,institutes of technology and Science colleges or Universities. A classic examp le is that of Madras now known as Chennai. There was a time when Muslims were su btly or even openly refused admission in Hindu as well as Christian Universities . The future of the community became extremely worrying.All one saw was Brahmins and other Hindu/Christian communities becoming graduates and holding high posts in government and everywhere. It almost like Jinnah's speeches before the parti tion showing apprehension for the future of Muslims of India were realistic. Then Mashallah,Muslims fought back and responded with a dynamic zeal. Two Colleg es affiliated to the University of Madras Universities started in the early 60's in the city of Madras now known as Chennai. One was the New College for young m en and one for the Muslim women called SIET Women's College. Both these institut ions were affiliated to the University of Madras. They did extremely well turnin g out hundreds of young Muslim graduates from all over the nearby regions of Mad ras who became a pride of the community while economically improving the lives o f their desperate families. In spite of being meant only for Muslim young men an d women both these institutions welcomed also non-Muslims who formed nearly one third in number proving the remarkable principle of democracy in Islam. Many of these young Muslim graduates also went out to make their fortune abroad in the G ulf countries as well countries of the West.Thus education proved to them their best friend. Like Mahesh Bhatt says 'Muslims have to help themselves'. This can' t be a better example. These institutions were started by mere donations from Mu slim businessmen and philanthropists who also took a little help from the donati ons from the Gulf countries. Such an example should be seriously followed by the Muslims of the North. After all let us not forget Muslims had the greatest inte llectuals during Mughal rule and even after. The Aligarh University was one such example. Unfortunately one hears it is almost dominated by Hindus now. Let us a pplaud Mr Bhatt for bringing out this thought of self reliance But this must ver y seriously followed up by all Muslims of the North if they wish not to be pushe d around and live in poverty and doom. Let us hold Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as an exa mple . Let us hold Osmania University as an example. Let us most importantly hol d the New College and the SIET Women's College of Chennai as very examples of in spiration. Inshallah the Muslims will emerge from their 63-year old slumber and rise up. Aameen.