hello mr. saif..your views has deffinately outspoken the fear of the common muslim youth..we all agree with you that TERRORISM HAS NO RELIGION..these are the repeated practice of our traditional foes to disturb the unity,tranquility and peace of our socity we all must hav to stand together to fight it..our govt should wake up now and should take some stringent measures to avoid these types of situations and according to me all the RELIGIOUS BODIES who in the name of religion spread hatred and violence in the society which no religion has taught usthey hav manipultaed the religions according to there own whims and fancies which puts them on recieving ends.........WE ALL MUST STAND TOGETHER AGAINST THEM AND DISMANTLE THEIR INTENTIONS TO DIVIDE TO INTEGRATED SOCIETY OF SECULAR INDIA...

They do not belong to communities. Guess what, Saif? You are wrong! Noone claims that all Muslims are terrorists, but the fact remains that all terrorists are muslims. Tough. Deal with it.

Best ways to stop Islamic terrorism: 1. Educated muslims should come forward and take up this issue with fellow muslims. Discuss the humiliation u face (Like u did in this blog) 2. Muslims should avoid receiving political favours. Reject any facilities provided specially to muslims. These are just political gimmicks to get ur votes, dont fall in those traps. Political parties like Congress are the biggest enemies of muslims. Their muslim pleasing agendas harm the community by bracketting and isolating them from the mainstream. Bottomline: muslims should realise that killing innocent people in busses and trains is doing more harm to their own community than anyone else

I think the dilemma of an educated Muslim youth is whether to join the religious war against everyone else on earth and please the Allah, in search of heaven or live like a ordinary human being , study, find a job,live a family life.

Hello Mr.Saif. Dont get perturbed by the present nonsense arguments and definitions. carry on. Everybody both from your side as well as from ours hasnt understood the basic concept that islamic terrorism presently is a global phenomenon. India is no exception to that. Nobody argues anywhere as to why this is happening only to Islam, globally? Why there is nothing called as budhist terrorism, Hindu terrorism, christian terrorism, communist terrorism identified globally,where people belonging to respective sides bomb the larger public? The reson is Islam hasnt dissolved in other societies and moderated itself. And the current process is the churning within which makes it dissolve and moderate with other societies where it is present. During this process islam is facing two pressures 1)Immediate urge to moderate from non-islamic societies and 2)stiff and voilent resistence from the orthodox islamic proportion. the current bloodshed is only due to this. Well this process cannot be directed or commanded by your or our side. It is a gradual process that take its own course. Moreover the editors and policy makers baffling in India is very riduculous. Thier assertion that these terrorists are made out of ordinary citizens who are angry on Babri issue and Gujarat issue, also they are feeling alienated and that is the cause sounds farce and disgusting. If every voilent issue turns a number of citizen to bombers then how many hindus should have turned bombers for all the blood they have spilled during partition and beyond the border gimmicks post partition till now. How many sikhs shouls have turned bombers due to the 1984 bloodshed. If alienation and discrimination are the reasons for terrorism, then by now we should have a massive battalion of Dalit and tribal suicide bombers or bomb planters. If poverty and hunger are the cause of terrorism then there is a wole continent called Africa whose majority should have converted by now as notorious bombers whole of the world. Is it so presently? These present arguments of causes of terrorism in India will not stop it, but will make a form of response justified and also market it to the future generations. Our thoughtfull civil society has dipped its brain in the finding reasons drainage.

Hi Saif. Your article was very touching. Especially the part where u said u r like other young people with dreams and aspirations. Brought tears. Dont worry. This phase will pass soon. Most people say many things in anger without really meaning it. To be honest even I was so angry when I heard about the blast news and said some nasty things. And I am a minority, christian. Our first impulse is to our country and we all react this way when India is attacked anyway. I can understand your emotions. But I also like to point out that change has to come from within the community. Dont look to or blame the Govt for help. Govts come and go but if the change comes from ur community it will be constant. There are so many poor uneducated people in India. Imagine if everyone turned to violence as an answer. Your are in a position to help. Rope in more people and make a change. Start with the children and youngsters. They are our future India. I have 2 young kids and hope to raise them as good citizens of India. If we all work together we can bring our great country through this. God bless you. Jai Hind

Dear Saif, I share the same feelings of helplessness and terror that you have felt. In this country it is right to kill and burn thousands if they are Muslims, in the country no one ask Hindus to condemn what BJP, RSS or any else extremist does. Muslims have openly come out and condemned but still they are asked to fix it. It is not Muslims, it is Modis, Advanis and Togadiyas are who have made these terrorists. Does any one of you have courage to question them? I have got education from IIT and that was when I got to know Hindus more closely. RSS and BJP has put such a venom in the Hindu blood that I am afraid that it is just the beginning of sufferings for Muslims. I am shocked to read the news of Lawyer’s not taking up the cases. Is there not a single Muslim/non-Hindu Advocate who can stand for truth, who cannot fight against the siege within from RSS/BJP? I am travelling to India and honestly I am scared to death, not to be blasted by terrorists but of being detained and tortured by Police like many other Muslims being detained at airports. NDTV I know you may not publish it because ‘Such Dikhate hai Hum’ not any more.

Mr . saif- you are absolutely right in your thinking of your own religion. Then why your own men are doing all these terrorism? What is that you achieve. We are INDIANS only when there is no terrorism. When the terrorism strikes then in fact it is your community which gives the press statement that YOU ARE PAKISTANIS as in Kashmir !! So what is your answer. Beware you may be the next target from fellow terrorists !! I think you should leave this country for better of your religion and for India. We have now come to conclusion that your community is totally is ANTI-INDIA !

Hi khalid, wellll... i have read all the comments on this topic i humbly request you not to sketch your emotions as no one is ready to accept it although you wrote the truth,we all know what is happening and no dought innocent have been killed in the blasts,being a muslim i must say that we are hundred percent safe in our country and there is no any partiality from the system...i am xtreamly feeling guilty and i couldnt understand that why educated youth are doing all this nonsense as it is highly dangorous to their faimily as well as for whole community..here i must clarify that madarsas are purely built for islamic education and not for teaching the terrorists so Hindu brothers should not thought of such kind of things..here i request you to join hands against terrorism,we all Indian citizens need to be unite once again as we have done it before to make our India free.i am sure no one can stop us and India would be on top soon...(no sympathy please as i am also a part of India) shaheedon ki chitaon par lagenge har varsh mailai-watan par mitne walon ka ye hi baqi nishan hoga

Hello Saif. I fully sympathise with your predicament. Having said that, I cannot but state that The Muslim community has kept itself away from the mainstream since the end of 1857 mutiny. The truth is that the community could not accept the political changes that took place.While the Hindus accepted the changes and took to modern education, the Muslim community in general, for lack of foresight and leadership stayed away. I wish there were more Sir Syed Ahmed Khans.Post independence, the communitys so called intellectuals were hand in glove with political parties in ensuring that the community was treated as a vote bank only.I am not trying to say that I have the right to opine on how a particular community should think. The community will have to think for itself. Poverty is everywhere. Appeasement is a fact.But for whom? When that appeasement has not benefited the common Muslim.The only people who can show the community the way ahead are to be from within the community itself. That is the bitter truth.

Hi Saif, My sympothise with you. but certain things you are missing from your thought or to write in this blog. The problems related to unemployment and basic facilities even we(hindus) are facing in this country, dont ever think it is just for muslims it is happening, this thought is what many politicians and human right activist , Media are talking about this will give moral boost to perpetrators, kindly come out of this. certain things - Why Madaras education required ? even if it requires, let such subject should be included in the main carriculum and some educated person should teach. actually madarasas are spoiling because you are giving fresh educated/uneducated muslims to Mullas, their indirect message to the students is we are great and we rule the world, infact these things are coming from saudi as they are giving lots of money to mullas in the name of religion development. this is actual global problem not local. it is sad that you like educated indians face the problem - Media is also responsible for the image of the situation, now they have forgotton the people who got killed now they are sympothising with mullas and muslims, dont you trust the law is taking its course, let the things get clear why they are giving different image about the police this is not a robbery or murder where some reason will be behind. Here this is a unthinkable situation as they dont like india under democracy they want to make it islamic nation, the perpetrators are not simple muslims thye are highly educated and doing their task very professionally, these unprofessional police have to handle such things it is possible that some innocents are also getting picked - Why muslims dont think about birth control, if you have one or two kids you can give better education, why if govt proposes birth control they think ISLAM dont allow, which religion would have thought about this is coming if future centuries.... just a thought improvements are also within requires.

Dear Mr. Saif, I would like to compliment you on your writing abilities for penning your emotions so wonderfully. Coming to the context, it is rather difficult not to generalise either good or bad. There are exceptions in each case but are not showcased. Being born a muslim is no course, if relegion is followed for its core values rather than for its existence and perpetuation. Politically, these provide advantages to select identities. I suggest, you may rather look up to the advantages that a muslim has by living in India and educate even 10 people around you. This way, the human network that you create is enough to fight away terrorism. If you need a solution, it has to come from us and not from the government alone. Being in a socially responsible position like yours, you could bring about a small change in the communities / dwelling that you have described in your article. Do you have the willingness to do it? We are with you!!

Dear Mr. Saif, I would like to compliment you on your writing abilities for penning your emotions so wonderfully. Coming to the context, it is rather difficult not to generalise either good or bad. There are exceptions in each case but are not showcased. Being born a muslim is no course, if relegion is followed for its core values rather than for its existence and perpetuation. Politically, these provide advantages to select identities. I suggest, you may rather look up to the advantages that a muslim has by living in India and educate even 10 people around you. This way, the human network that you create is enough to fight away terrorism. If you need a solution, it has to come from us and not from the government alone. Being in a socially responsible position like yours, you could bring about a small change in the communities / dwelling that you have described in your article. Do you have the willingness to do it? We are all with you.

It is a sad state of affairs not only for muslim but also hindus.It is better to address root cause of the problem.Religious leders must inculcate the concept of tolerance,humann values and service to society to all their followers.poverty and social disorder should be addressed not from majority and mionrity.It is the duty of the society to to take care of downdroden irresprctive of caste creed and community. unless we put our mind on this only god can save this society k,govindarajan

as usual the cowards and NDTV didnt publish my comment. Thanks. And this NDTV talking about freedom of speech. This is crap. Long Live NDTV like insular media.

Hello Saif. I live in the US and when I look at India on the map, I look at it as a place where there are several of my people without food, shelter,water, access to banks and hospitals,etc. Its just not about a mmuslim dominated areas. The lack of ATMs, banks, water supply can be seen in several areas of all parts of India. As a journalist, Im sure you should be the first to agree with that. However, I do agree that muslims in this country are being segregated as other. Well educated muslim youth are taking up terrorism these days. How would you expect someone to rent their house to an educated muslim family, when you keep seeing news channels which show educated muslims being involved in terror attacks and mass murder day in and day out. I would also like to point out that I know quite a few number of muslims who celebrate when Pakistan wins a match against India, trust me. Nothing can be done to change all this overnight. We can only wait for another 50 years and hope that most muslims in India have access to good education and hence, access to good jobs and hopefully draw away from religios extremism. Its in the hands of journalists, the moderate Muslims like you and the sensible Hindus like me to help fasten this process by just being sane!

Well, I think there is something fundamentally wrong somewhere. few years back, I was also under the impression that education might help in order to get rid of terrorism but its not completely true. If you go through the profile of the terrorist involved in US, UK and now latest in India are all very well educated people some even had decent jobs but they have chosen the path of terrorism. I might sound rude but my suggestion lets start taking the responsibilty of our actions and correct the problems. Finding escape goats like governments, ATMs, education to blame the problem on someone else is not right. A Proud Indian

I can understand your position.But muslim leadership has to come out open and help investigations. There should be inter religious dialogue. Police has to investigate and only then conclude.

One more article to gain sympathy. I Dont blame you Saif. But I dont really see many valid points in your article. This only portrays your feelings and gives it a more emotional Touch. As Always you blame the government for not bringing minorities to the mainstream, what a childish complaint. The onus and effort to get onto mainstream lies among the community itself and not somebody else. As the proverb goes.. you can only take a horse to the water..The article also succeeds in portraying the entire community as victim and easily puts the blame on the rest for being so. You say people look at the police with suspicion, but if they do so even after the death of an upright Police officer, it shows the mentality. Truly speaking was not impressed a bit with the article and offcourse it was not surpirsing either. Jai Hind.. Vande Mataram

Saif, your dilemma is understandable. You are an educated person and a patriotic Indian. You are embarrased and angry with those people who are doing these things in the name of your religion. But I would request you to dig deeper as a way out of your dilemma. Do the unthinkable-check . Dig deeper into Quran and Hadith and read what they say. You may be surprised at what you find. There is a reason why there are no significant minorities in any Islamic country - you will find the reason in the way true Muslims are supposed to treat kafirs. This is unfortunate but true. I would say, IMHO your dilemma is because your definition of a good Muslim (as a peaceful, law abiding, treating all religions as a path to God)may not match the Quranic definition of a good Muslim.

hi saif, being a mother of a boy of your own age,Ican understand your feeling but as the same time you forgot that all Muslims are not terrorist and all terrorists are Muslims why so,first of you must understand that Hindu is not a religion but the way of life all inidans are Hindus,no places where Hindus are to be in majorities,this communal riots take place if there are Muslims immediately the fire breaks,madrass are meant for teaching good points in Islam to lead a peaceful life,if they are used for hiding weapons and ammunition,no Muslims points out to the police or public that they are being there they keep it as the religious secrets until the blast take place.no mullah none of the Muslim leaders raises any fatwa against as they are enemies of mankind why so?in quran where it says it you kill the innocent people you will be aboded to heaven. if Muslim convert to any other religion he will be kept out of the community why the islam is not implementing this to the terrorists wht is the solution young Muslims should gather to form and unit to isolate and point out there terrorist groups. become as it is formed and framed in madrass only young generation can solve that for that not his type of crying but a spirit of being an Indian is required.India being a country of contrasts and controversy enjoyed and enjoys patience. it never allows any discrimination to any religion irrespective language/caste see the entire world everywhere there is a muslin terrorist group behind every blast, still non of the Muslims organizations came up to say that they will be isolated and should be banned. instead of defends them as they are right.we have Hindus Muslims Christians everybody wants to be the majority using brains or brauns but unfortunately no Indians. Muslims are awarded the best in inida even better than a Muslim country still theyre saying they are backward this is a feeling and not the truth.people of your generations should come forwarded to stop these activities irrespective of their religion national spirit should come first, and not the religious feelings and i have bad experience like Mr. naveen i seen many times our own coun try men exploding crackers whenever Pakistan win against Indians a cricket match and i felt so sad, the new face of terror is making scary how now onwards i allow my son to mingle with Muslim boy even though he is educated.

Saif, great article, i wonder about the last line which says... Saif Khalid is a Senior Copy Editor with NDTV.com. The views expressed here are his own and not of NDTV. Why NDTV cant take responsibility of views expressed by their Senior Copy Editor.?

Saif, people like you those who feel the gulit and shame are a miniscule minority. Otherwise we would have seen hundred Fatwas by all Imams (too) against the terrorists. Nevertheless poverty does not seem to be cause - because those who have done the crime are well educated and had jobs. Secondly, your essay, does not provide any real pointers for the community to take corrective action. Rather it blames the environment for the ills. Corrective action on both should go hand-in-hand. I did not see a single comment from a friend from Muslim community. NDTV is probably not their favored channel. You should probably post this in other sites/channels as well. All the best in your efforts though.

If I didnt know better, I would have thought the article was from my country from the 1960s. After 100 years, our black people were still being persecuted and held with a lot of suspicion. Not to mention, the occasional hangings (lynchings) which occurred for no other reason than they existed in most cases. I like to think we have come a little way since then, but our current election has brought out some prejudice from the old generation. Education, integration and exposure seems to have made a big difference in our very mixed society. Cutting oneself off only makes the mystery and the fear deeper. Terrorism, yes, after 9/11 I thought all of the Muslims were going to come and kill us in our sleep. But now, having met some fine Muslim people, and reading the Quran, I am also a Muslim. Fear can be overcome, but education and getting to know your fellow man makes the difference. IMHO

Nice analysis and comments from BB!! I agree with you except the sympathize part. the article was written to get sympathies of the people. Ask about sympathy to these attackers from the families and friends who have lost their dear ones in these attacks. It is bound to happen that people will curse the whole muslim community when all the attackers are muslims and that is not only in india its all over the world. Why do you just ask people to change their thinking about the muslim by just writing about how you feel. If you feel soo much out of place than why dont you gather some like minded people and start a organization which will educate people in your own community to educate the youth against terrorism, not getting involve with such anti-national people, go out and help the victims families etc etc.... Dude its easy to sit and blog abt how u r feeling being secluded but u will find the reality when u go out there in your own community and try to transform people.

On one side I read this article on other side I read Jamia univ is going to help the terrorists caught to defend themselves...Doesnt that show lack of trust in the government ? Well, if u talk about muslim atrocities etc.. Congres has ruled for more thatn 50 yrs and u ppl vote them everytime...Also I wonder why the author has talkd abt having just one ATM in his area ...Do u know that there are many non muslim areas where even this facility is not there ...so everyone is suffering not just you!

...if any one killed a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed the whole mankind: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole mankind... Holy Quran Verse 5:32. In this Noble Verse we clearly see that Allah Almighty honors all the innocent souls that He created. Killing any innocent soul is so hated by Allah Almighty that He considers it as a crime against all of Mankind.

Dear Saif I completely understand what you have gone through, and you are not alone. I personally have to hear my friends tell me that iam different why arent other Muslims like me.Iam confused at what to say am i to feel happy that they consider me different or feel sad that the image of my community has been tarnished by a handful of ignorant extemists.The religion I know teaches pateince and tolerance and to serve the country that you live in. I try to find solace in praying to my God for peace as i dont understand which God these fanatics pray to.

Hi Saif I too agree with your views with some excaption. As you told that poor or unemployed educated students may involve in terrorist activity, but news say that some S/w engineers were involved in this actvity. These are nither poor nor unemployed. Second thing related to low amenities in muslim areas is because most of the muslims a fanatics and normal pepole fear to go in their areas. which will definitely hinder the development. It is a time that all indians should think like you. So that every one will be real indian.

Hi Saif, These are terrible times and I am trying to understand your situation. Change will have to come from within the muslim community for the malaise is deeper. Most oppressed communities in India are not muslims but dalits. They are now taking to education and feeling empowered. Muslims cannot be given reservations since they were never oppressed. Hence educational change would need the same direction as (rest of the country - dalits). Absence of education cannot explain these bombings for there are other communities also who are illiterate. Mr Jinnah who created Pakistan was also not a bearded muslim, and creation of Pakistan is the biggest terrorist act in Bhartiya history. So a beard has nothing to do with terrorism

I felt so much about this story Saif! It is very unfortunate. But things cant be changed so fast. I totally agree with all the points you mentioned, I totally understand too! I have 2 comments here - 1. The dialogs you heard, that muslims have to be thrown out of India, 99% of the people who told it didnt mean it. It is just a spontaneous reaction. And i admit even i have felt that way so many times even if do not hate muslims or christians or any other religion! 2. If you think that lack of education and hence lack of employment opportunities is the reason behind these acts, I totally disagree with you. Employment is never given to a Hindu or a Christian. And there is almost an equal percentage of hindus who are suffering from all these problems! Anyways, do not worry, i hope this is just a tide and wind will settle down soon.

Saif.. I felt really sad and angry at the same time reading ur article.I can almost feel how you would have felt when your name was the same as that of the terrorist. Terrorism has no religion,and almost all of us believe so.I say almost ,cause some people who believe otherwise may be our own politicians.But I feel India as a whole is secular and will remain so.People like us living in urban cities belive so.Sadly that may not be the case in all parts of India,which is a result of misleading.Therefore ,it is extremely important for people like you ,in the media ,to have a voice which is heard again and again.Do not stop.Its our country,our problem,lets solve it by being heard.

Saif,i empathise with u,however whenever we try forget these incidents and such strikes reminds us to rethink our opinion about a perticualr community.Why is that only people from a perticular community are involved in acts of treason and why profcient religious leaders come in open support of such people.Take example of arrest of a person in Azamgarh and u had scores of religious leaders from that community opposing police action..this is pure DOUBLE STANDARDS.If those people think India and Indians are not good..then we dont need them or the community..we can and will live without them...anyways apart from pain dont get anything from that community..

I sympathize with you. No doubt the entire community will be victimised (since we cannot tolerate the bloodshed of innocents), which is very unfortunate. There are many questions that could be raised after reading your column. First, why do you think you are a progressive educate ¨Muslim¨? Why cannot you think of yourself as a progressive educated Indian? Remember you are a journalist, and your strength is immense. You like other politically motivated people cannot speak positively about minority appeasement, since this appeasement is not about opening banks. I wish to know honestly do you understand minority appeasement and when and where its done? Do you realise this policy of appeasement is creating all sorts of problem in our society? Muslims are causing damage to themselves by voting en block and wanting favour for their religion blindly, not for their true progress. If you are honest and really want your area to progress you will speak and interpret the whole thing in a correct light I am sure. I can tell you a small thing.. once a hoax phone call came to our office asking for my friend, saying there is an arrest warrant against her name, regarding some blast. Instead of getting scared she took it like this.. even if there is some, I would have to cooperate, since I know the damage was huge. I feel that’s how a true peace loving Indian should think. Incidentally she was one of the cleanest person I have ever seen.

Hey Saif, dont worry yaar. The terrorist were not muslim. They were some mindless barbarous creatures who have their names like muslims. Just try to,like every indian, educate the people around you so that they would not become mindless. Buck-up man life is very beautiful in India.

Hi Saif, Your article was very touching. In order to prevent such hurting incidents, education should spread amongst Muslim community. Muslim youths should take up challenges of jobs and other opportunities in their stride and should strive for constructive things. The State should also look after them in terms of giving job opportunies in proportionate basis. These together will assuage the hurt feelings amongst the Community. As for the Community, the educated youths shhould not fall prey to fanatic preachers of religion and should try to assimilate in the mainstrem

Why can we not just sue people who comment about Muslim in general instead of talking about terrorists! People who feel that Muslims should be thrown out of India should be thrown out of the secular country and/or should be devoid of anything that comes from a Muslim, be cricket, art, movies or anything. What happened in Gujarat a couple of yrs back did involve terrorism from Hindus and Muslims, so what is their say on this?

Saif, Very well argued. Your dilemma is quite understandable. Moderate voices like yours are very important and have to be heard much more. I think it is the most effective weapon in this fight against terrorism.

Saif, I feel said for you and agree with most of what you have written. But its very important for the Muslim community to come out fight against this JIHDI tag. To be part of the mainstream, extremism had to shed completely. You cannot dream of being part of mainstream when you oppose Uniform Civil Code. Population is a big problem in our country, come out to fight against it. There is no denying that most of the terrorists involved are Muslims so you all should come out and help police apprehending them instead of always doubting them. Give me one example of any Muslim helping country in nabbing them. You should be willing to come out ghettos with free mind and you shall be accepted in mainstream. My job takes me to various places in Hindustan and I have seen many Muslim ghettos. Not even once I have seen anyone celebrating Indian victory over Pakistan and I have always seen them exploding crackers when Pakis win. This is a bitter fact whether u agree with me or not. Jai Hind..... Vande Martaram....

Hi Saif, Great article Man! Misguided Youths are there in every religion. Uneducation, Unemployment, Poverty leads them to extreme steps. Government has to take actions which invokes confidence that we can fight this damn thing back. When it is weak, the blame game starts and unfortunately Muslims are caught in this owing to the world scenario. Only ALLAH the almighty will be able to give a whack to those guy who stray their mind and deeds. As a Hindu, I pray to KRISHNA that this situation of a Muslim like you should not suffer anymore with the kind of pain you are in now. But I request you to GO ON. Lets do our jobs and things will take care!

Hi Saif I also agree with your feeling. But media is not giving enough importance to Terrorism. It is always misunderstood that BJP is responsible for terrorism. How many times you have highlighted the mistake fo muslim community ? Why you will not sing Vandemataram? Where were you when crores of Hindus were hurt by paintings of Hussain? Where were you when Hindu Pundis were thrown out of their own country as orphans? Why are you not asking for hanging of Afzal Guru? Where were you when separatis took yatra against Amarnath Issue?

Saif, A very heart-wrenching write-up, indeed! How very true that we Indians stand divided in the name of religion! Only standing hand-in-hand without discrimination, can help us fight back terror (and not the religion the terrorists belong to) and march towards secure India.

I entirely agree with the analysis of Khalid. The tragic thing that is happening in India today is political exploitation for narrow electoral advantage. The communal elements in the minority community are also aggravating the whole situation by playing on the impressionable young minds of the community.

1. Poverty, backwardness, fear and hatred of police and politicians, belief and faith in god is shared by ALL indians - irrespective of Caste and Religion 2. So long as we want to be treated differently - in terms of Civil laws, reservations, minority commissions, special rights and protections, we will stand divided and will always be the OTHER for everyone else. This applies as much to Muslims as to others who seek to stand out, stand alone and be different. 3. Subhuming and dissolution of sub-national identities is what is required to resolve issues. What we see is the reverse - propogation and enhancement of these by non-national parties and midget politicos

U have expressed your feeling from your heart. Extremely well expressed. I feel sorry for people like you who becomes victims for the crimes done by others.

Very well narrated incidence. I can understand how you must be feeling but now its time to take action. We have seen Azamgarh being tagged as “breeding house of terrorism” but what is the Government...for that matter lets leave the Government aside, what are we doing to add value to the society we live in. I respect your opinions and i also think that now is the time when educated Muslim youth like you and others like you to spread your wings and reach out to more people within the community by organising sessions on moving together as ONE INDIA.

I support Mr Saif. You can not stamp a entire community. In every community terrorists are there. What I strongly feel is that they are misguded youths. Defenitely we can change them. There are so many prisoners who commited crime due to their backround, circustance. But their relatived are not stammped as criminals. But, my sincere request to my muslim brothers is that if you know that some one is trying to do crime against our society you inform them to police. In every community hundreds and thousands of families are affected by poverty, unemployment etc. But why only muslim youths are involved in bomb blast. This question has to be analysed and answered and tackled by my muslim brothers. Otherwise as Mr Saif said entired muslim community will be stamped as terrorist which is not correct and should not happen.

Great article Saif. My heart goes out to you but you should never ever feel like an alien in your own country. This land, this soil belongs to Muslims as much as it does to Hindus or any other religious community. As a Hindu, I am disillusioned by Hindutva politics, which is definitely the biggest problem in this country. The Hindu fundamentalists (fanatics have no religion) dont realize that they are attacking the tolerant soul of Hinduism, without which we would cease to be Hindus. So while I certainly agree with you about bringing Muslims on par with the rest of the country (thats obvious), I think the real cancer, the real virus is Hindu fundamentalism which needs to be eradicated asap... As for the Muslims, all Indians should be proud of our Muslims brothers and sisters and the heritage, culture and hopefully future they bring to this great country... But I do hope the moderate Muslim majority will take centre-stage and join hands with the moderate Hindus and folks of all communities to wipe out every kind of fundamentalism and create a truly meritocratic India where ones religion, caste, creed or class has no impact on social outcomes... For a start, lets aim for 100% education. Im sure indoctrination of any kind is harder when everyone knows that they have much to lose from going down that road...

We are unfortunately caught up in the USA mode of fight against terrorism and this will only worsen the condition. Terrorism is only a symptom, not the problem. We need to fight the real problems of muslim backwardness and religious extremism.

I fully sympathise with our fellow citizens. Whom we do blame. India is a dream concept among racially fought world. Many forces try to destabilise this dream and try to exploit it to their own advantage. May be our failure to call a demon a demon is the root cause of all this mess. Divided on lines of religion,caste and region we are isloated from each other and continue to drift. May be we all have to pray for rebirth of our National Heroes to raise above this deluge.

Never depend on what politicians will do to help. The only soln to this is bringing in the Indian muslin to the mainstream for which the first basic thing required is proper education(non-religious). I hope to see indian muslims leading Indian growth story some day and wish this should not be wish alone

Great article Saif! Thanks for posting your feelings. What I would suggest to Indians and muslims like you to come out and post more and more positiveness in the environment. Its high time to come up and unite against terrorists. We have to realize that they are from within our society and to remove ill hatred in them, is our work. We have to see how they are being brainwashed. How foreign agencies (like ISI) are playing games to divide India on the lines of religion? Being a journalist, I would suggest you to come up with the inside story of this and aware all muslims and all indians how people are trying to divide this country. Because India is progressing and its neighbors are failed states, so they are jealous. It is time for every Indian to understand their games. Jai Hind.

You are correct on many points Saif. But unemployment and lack of basic facilities are part of India and it is not Muslims alone that are facing this. Educated youths coming into terrorism , be it in any religion, is alarming. It is within the religious teachings these hatred is seeded onto the minds. Politics sees the religious feelings as votes. Cannot rely on them to make a drastic change in this. The feeling of us and them need to removed right from childhood and a healthy attitude towards country and other religions to be cultivated at an early age. I fear the ENEMY is within the religion!

Well said Sir. In fact another article, I read earlier today, seemed to advise Indian Muslims to understand certain things. Why slot your own countrymen as being differrent from you. Whichever community we belong, we go thru the same feelings of hurt and disgust when we read about all this bloodshed. In fact Muslims will feel even more hurt and cheated when they hear of a few other Muslims who submit to such dreadful obsessions. These people do not realize that time and again when they indulge in such dastardly acts, they are in fact bringing disgrace to Islam. Terrorism should be looked upon as a disease, which could effect humans all over irrespective of religion or race. We need to stand up together and guard against this disease, and ensure that gradually the ill-effects induced by this desease are reduced or at best eliminated. Muslims may have a bigger role here, as this disease, for now has mostly affected thier youth, who have been identified as being most vulnerable and easy tartgets by perpetrators of this disease.

Hi Saif, I can understand how you might have felt. We all are Indians. The very political wiliness in India is one of the cause for not removing (eradicating) the terror. If we have a good citizen record, say an SSN number like US, it would have become easy to find out who is an outsider. Also if someone doubts a person, they could easily track his/her records using this unique number. This is my very personal opinion.