Daily Times

NEW DELHI –India’s External Affairs Minister SushmaSwaraj has said that the Indian government will continue to ‘monitor’ developments affecting the welfare of minorities in Pakistan and take up the issue at all appropriate meetings.

She said this inher reply to AvinashRaiKhanna – a member of RajyaSabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament.The lawmaker wrote to the External Affairsminister about problems of Hindus in Pakistan.Sushmaalso said that India would also take up with Pakistan the difficulties faced by Hindus there in getting their marriages registered.

“I want to convey assurance of the government that we will continue to monitor developments affecting the welfare of minorities in Pakistan and take up the issues at all appropriate meetings,”she said.The Indian government was aware of reports of problems faced by members of minority communities including Hindus, she said.

Sushma said that the government had taken up the matter with Pakistan in the past.She said that the Pakistan governmentwas fully cognizant of the situation and claimed to be looking after the welfare of all its citizens, particularly the minority communities. Inhis letter, MP Khannahad highlighted the problems of Hindus in Pakistan and said they were facing difficulty in getting marriage certificates.

– Discrimination, prejudice against Muslims in India –

In arecently published piece in the Hindustan Times newspaper, a questioned raised that why do Muslims still face the kind of deep-rooted discrimination and prejudice that keeps them from getting jobs, starting businesses, admitting their toddlers to schools of their choice, finding homes.

“The republic was founded on the ideas of fraternity and equal citizenship. But some political and social formations never reconciled with the idea of Muslims as equal citizens. This is the root of today’s social divisions, prejudice and fear,” said Harsh Mander, director of the New Delhi-based Centre for Equity Studies.

This attitude became crystallised in the BabriMasjid demolition of 1992, followed by the riots and serial blasts of 1993.The demonisation of Muslims following the New York attacks of September 2001, and the ensuing global war on terror, has further fuelled prejudice and discrimination against Muslims everywhere, Mander adds.

“As middle-class Muslims find it increasingly difficult to secure housing, jobs and school admissions, they are attempting to find their own solutions — either by investing in all-Muslim apartment towers, setting up their own schools or encouraging entrepreneurship,” says Sameera Khan, an Indian journalist, writer and researcher.

But this shouldn’t take away from the larger and more heart-breaking concern, which is how these everyday discriminations are affecting Muslims, alienating them from a mainstream India that they very much want to be a part of, she said.