THE high-profile Indian Parliament attack ended up with the hanging of Afzal Guru in a Delhi jail last week. The Indian court wrote in the judgment that though there was no direct evidence, Guru should be hanged to satisfy the collective conscience of the nation.

What is meant by the collective conscience of the nation? Does the Indian nation get satisfaction over hanging of an alleged convict on whom the case evidence is not complete?

This is the state of justice in world’s largest democracy. The plight of Muslims is evident, be it Kashmir, Jharkand, Assam, Mumbai or Gujrat. They are facing a scenario unprecedented in the world.

The distribution of power and quotas in India also keeps Muslims excluded. Take the example of the UP state: the distribution of quotas for jobs and education is: 23 per cent to scheduled castes, 25 per cent to backward classes (Bahojan Samaj), two per cent for the armed forces, while the remaining 46 to 48 per cent go to Brahmans.

Muslims can only seek two to four per cent seats while their population is more than 20 per cent in the state and 73 per cent of the minorities’ population.

Even then they say that India is a secular state while the system easily excludes Muslims from their due rights.

Indian Muslims are patriotic to their country even after such atrocities because they do not have any other alternative. Beyond their borders they see us fighting each other on ethnic grounds.

It is evident that Indian civil society is taking a pragmatic and optimistic approach towards this alienation of Muslims in Indian society.

DR TARIQ ALI     Karachi