Indian Muslims had always been at the forefront of the freedom struggle. When the country got Independence, they remained in India saying this was their motherland, they were born and brought up here and would die here. But everything changes when a Sachar Committee report (tabled in the Parliament on November 30, 2006) confirms that Indian Muslims do not feature in mainstream India. They have no representation in the job market, in politics or any other area of growth, development and therefore, prosperity. They lag behind to the extent that even in education, they are one of the most backward communities of the country. They are grossly under-represented in government organisations such as the army and the police. They are few Muslims who hold public sector jobs.

So the question is what went wrong? Why did they not get their share of progress and prosperity? One of the answers is the hypocrisy of the political class. Politicians, especially those belonging to the grand old party called the Congress, have failed Muslims. They always try to pamper them, but do nothing to address the real issues of education, employment and a decent life. They are pushed to the ghettos where there is no sanitation, poor roads, inferior educational institutions and hospitals. And I could go on.

Yet, the same politicians always make their presence felt in the community, or so they think, by organising iftar parties. They think that will garner them the community's support, especially for the upcoming elections. So they wear skullcaps in an attempt to show solidarity with the community. But as soon as the show is over, they dump the community in the political dustbin.