At the recent launch of the book Shikwa-e-Hind: The Political Future of Indian Muslims, held at the India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC), former Union Minister Salman Khurshid sparked significant controversy by suggesting that India could face a crisis similar to that of Bangladesh. The event, attended by politicians, academics, students, and diplomats, was marked by heated discussions on the current and future state of Indian Muslims, against the backdrop of the rise of Hindu nationalism.
The book, authored by Mujibur Rehman, a professor at Jamia Millia Islamia, critically examines the political landscape for Indian Muslims, contrasting contemporary movements with historical events like the 1857 revolt and the partition in 1947. Rehman argued that while the Shaheen Bagh protests of 2019 were significant, they did not qualify as a transformative movement for Indian Muslims. He compared the protests to more profound historical events, suggesting a qualitative difference in their impact. “Imagine France and Germany, people of those two countries decide to organize a protest movement and compare that to the protest movement that we saw by Indian Muslims in Shaheen Bagh,” Rehman remarked, positioning Shaheen Bagh as a temporary, albeit important, shake-up.
This perspective was met with strong disagreement from other panelists, which included prominent politicians like Congress’ Shashi Tharoor, RJD’s Manoj Jha, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, TMC’s Jawahar Sircar, and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi. Tharoor expanded on Rehman’s argument, pointing to the steady increase in the marginalization of Indian Muslims over the past 25 years, which he said had culminated under the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. He praised the book as an “excellent work of scholarship,” but cautioned that the last decade had significantly intensified the process of Muslim marginalization in India.
Khurshid, while acknowledging the importance of Shikwa-e-Hind, expressed hope that a more positive narrative could emerge in the future. He highlighted the critical issues raised in the book but suggested that it was just the beginning of a broader conversation. “I hope one day you will write a book, Jawab-e-Shikwa,” he said, referencing Allama Iqbal’s famous poem that responds to the grievances of Indian Muslims.
Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha also took issue with the downplaying of the Shaheen Bagh protests. He argued that the movement represented more than its immediate outcomes, embodying a broader belief that not all was lost in the struggle for Muslim rights in India. Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi echoed this sentiment, asserting that Shaheen Bagh forced the country to recognize the need for every citizen’s voice to be heard.
As the discussion moved forward, the ongoing crisis in Bangladesh became a focal point. Khurshid expressed deep concern over the destruction of Mujibur Rahman’s statue in Bangladesh, describing it as a shattering moment and drawing parallels to potential threats within India. He warned that the kind of unrest seen in Bangladesh could happen in India, particularly given the growing sectarian tensions.
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Khurshid’s comments were quickly met with backlash, especially from political opponents. Union Minister Anurag Thakur accused Khurshid of attempting to incite anarchy with his statements, while Khurshid defended his position, citing the dangerous parallels between the situations in Bangladesh and India. He also lamented the failure of Muslim leadership in addressing the concerns of young Muslims in India, a sentiment echoed by other panelists.
The entry of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who arrived late to the event, shifted the discussion towards the issue of Muslim representation in Indian politics. Owaisi criticized the current political establishment for failing to adequately represent Muslims, noting that the optimism expressed by some was not reflected in the number of Muslim parliamentarians. He provocatively stated that the 2024 elections would likely result in a majoritarian victory, regardless of whether the BJP or another party won, and he questioned whether the situation for Muslims would change under a non-BJP government.
Owaisi also highlighted the persistent underrepresentation of Muslims in political offices across all levels of government. He praised the book for correctly identifying Muslims as the “new untouchables” in Indian political society. Owaisi’s vision for the future, as he told the audience, was for a Muslim woman, wearing a hijab, to one day become India’s Prime Minister—a statement that was met with enthusiastic applause.
The event concluded with a passionate exchange between Owaisi and a young audience member from Bihar, who questioned why Owaisi’s political strategies did not involve more grassroots efforts, akin to those of political strategist Prashant Kishor. The exchange underscored the deep frustration and concern among Indian Muslims regarding their political future in the country, a sentiment that Shikwa-e-Hind captures and attempts to address.
