Would you deny that we exclude minorities from our lives ?

The signs that we are alienating minorities more and more are all around us.. or that we make little effort to embrace them.. same thing, isn’t it ? 

See this article in yesterday’s paper : Raising a Muslim child in India: A recently published book presents an unsettling narrative.

Christians were alienated some years ago by attacks on churches widely reported to be by Hindu right groups. Now it is Muslims, as well as Dalits..

Ofcourse Tribals and Dalits in rural areas have always been badly exploited in our country, constitutional protections and positive discrimination, notwithstanding..

What we forget is that we are ALL minorities in one context or the other .. North Indians in Maharashtra for instance.. People from any part of India in other countries.. 

The oft-heard poem below comes to mind again.. From Wikipedia : "First they came ..." is a poem written by German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984). It is about the cowardice of German intellectuals following the Nazis' rise to power and subsequent purging of their chosen targets, group after group. 

First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Ofcourse we hear news of how ultra conservative Muslims don’t let others of their community breathe freely either. But we – the majority community, certainly need to do more to have normal relationships with Muslims.

A friend in Chennai shared that earlier they had a festive spirit around Christmas as around other religious festivals.. but now it is felt to be a crime to bring a small tree home to decorate around Christmas.. and her children dared not wear the red santa caps they had bought at a fair..

I am ashamed we have allowed the Hindu right to do this to our people.