HVK Archives: A conscienceless community of black and white
A conscienceless community of black and white - The Asian Age
Seema Mustafa
()
1 March 1997
Title : A conscienceless community of black and white
Author : Seema Mustafa
Publication : The Asian Age
Date : March 1, 1997
Delhi is a capital which is not just polluted but which tends to pollute the finer
senses. If desensitises, de-culturalises and encourages behaviour which justifies
the "Delhiwalla" description. Genuine concern is replaced with artificial
nothings, warm handshakes are turned into affected pecks on the cheek, ethnicity
is associated with the rather deliberate dhoti, sherwani or the big bindi and
bangles, liberalism with scotch and cigarettes, conservatism with saffron and the
Imam.
Hectic partying intense seminaring is the Delhiwalla's contribution to the world
and the world is divided into the black and the white. There is no room for the
grey. Delhi's Muslims, drawn largely from Uttar Paradesh and Bihar, are no
exception. They live in this black and white world. One comprises the visibly
conservative Muslims, beards, topis, right length pajamas who play what has come
to be known as 'Muslim politics'. That is they are for the status quo-which means
the continuing ghettoisation of the community where all efforts towards progress,
gender justice, modern education are resisted, with violence if necessary
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