VP Hamid Ansari on Muslim Minority Living in Secular Polity

The Vice President of India, Mr. M. Hamid Ansari addressed an esteemed gathering at the event of book release of 'Fikr'. The book has been brought out by National Institute of Faith Leadership.

Vice President M. Hamid Ansari releases book 'Fikr' brought out by the National Institute of Faith Leadership pic.twitter.com/cTNe1IO5jh

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Mr. Ansari at the book release said that Indian experience of a large Muslim minority living in secular polity having a composite culture could be a model for others to emulate.

The Vice President at the book release also said that 'Fikr' is an effort to remove the popular and prejudiced impressions about Islam as a faith and Muslims as a people. Quoting the Algerian-French philosopher Mohammed Arkoun, the Vice President said that it was the challenge of our times to rethink modernity.

The Vice President also suggested that thinking minds should look beyond questions of identity and dignity in a defensive mode and explore how both can be furthered in a changing India and a changing world.

He also added that this would necessitate sustained and candid interaction with fellow citizens and the actual implementation of the principles of justice, equality and fraternity inscribed in the Preamble of the Constitution and the totality of Fundamental Rights.

VP ended his speech by complimenting the National Institute of Faith Leadership in taking forward this initiative and wish that this book will reach its message to a wide audience.

Some quotable quotes from Vice President's address:

"The book is an effort to remove the popular and prejudiced impressions about Islam as a faith and Muslims as a people."

"The National Institute of Faith Leadership has undertaken this, to reiterate traditional values which are of contemporary relevance and reposition them in a secular, plural and national context."

"The aim is to celebrate Islam, rooted in its core values and expressing them in their inherent flexibility, progression, reception and interaction."

"Many years ago the Algerian-French philosopher Mohammed Arkoun posed the challenge of our times: to rethink modernity so that, 'critical thought, anchored in modernity but criticising modernity itself and contributing to its enrichment through recourse to the Islamic example could open up a new era in social movements."

"Some months back, I had occasion to suggest that thinking minds should look beyond questions of identity and dignity in a defensive mode and explore how both can be furthered in a changing India and a changing world."

"The Indian experience of a large Muslim minority living in secular polity having a composite culture could even be a model for others to emulate."

"I do feel there is a crying need to look at the unexplored or inadequately explored requirements of all segments of the community particularly women, youth, and non-elite sections who together constitute the overwhelming majority who remain trapped in a vicious circle of a culturally defensive posture that hinders self advancement and well being."