ABSTRACT
This chapter redefines the meaning of 'minority' and understands the situation of Indian Muslims today within that framework. In the process, it dwells on various historical facts, philosophical and religious issues, and current attempts by the Indian government to empower the Muslim community and its politics. If democratic India presents an opportunity to Muslims for genuine development, then this can also be a source and seed of learning, change and development for a majority of Muslims living in other parts of the world. The elimination of Mughal rule in 1857 initiated the age of Muslim depression, the prelude to angst and anger. 'Disempowerment' created real anxieties, particularly among the elite, who were the principal opinion-builders within the community. However, there are optimistic signs: there is evidence from Bengal and Bihar in particular that Indian Muslims have begun to understand that if they vote out of fear, they will be fed fear; if they vote for development, they will get development.
