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My take on the term “Minority”: I detest
Saadia Azim
The Indian Constitution has providedus two sets of rights for minorities which can be placed as in ‘common domain’ and ‘separate domain’. The rights which fall in the ‘common domain’ are those which are applicable to all the citizens of our country. The rights which fall in the ‘separate domain’ are those that are applicable to the minority communities only and these are reserved to protect their identity. The distinction between ‘common domain’ and ‘separate domain’ and their combination have been well kept and protected in our Constitution.
Yet I believe that the term “minorities” should go away from our society because I have a different take on the term itself.
I use some important quotes on the community that impacts me:
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect” ―Mark Twain
“Truth always rests with the minority, and the minority is always stronger than the majority, because the minority is generally formed by those who really have an opinion, while the strength of a majority is illusory, formed by the gangs who have no opinion — and who, therefore, in the next instant (when it is evident that the minority is the stronger) assume its opinion… while truth again reverts to a new minority.”
SørenAabye Kierkegaard– Danish Pholosopher
“The only tyrant I accept in this world is the ‘still small voice’ within me. And even though I have to face the prospect of being a minority of one, I humbly believe I have the courage to be in such a hopeless minority.”
― Mahatma Gandhi, The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas
Learning about this is great but when we atlk of our country the issues differ. We are one country with deep diversities across the nation. Just calling a Muslim or a Parsi a minority, a women or regional diversity an example of minority community is not appropriate. I strongly believe that people need to overcome these thoughts and work towards the complete, unified uplift and development of the nation. Moving ahead with the timesis demand of the hour. There is too much of poverty and ill health around and the focus should be improvement for all and that means not to discriminate the population as a ‘Majority’ or a “Minority” but as one and all.
Being “Minority” “is the still small voice” within me but that leads me out for a more unified struggle.
Nipunika Shahid is an academic and teaches at Amity University, Delhi
