The Aligarh Beradari Hindering Change

This is ironical. The friends from Aligarh were expected to be the catalysts for change. But this is precisely what they are resisting! This approach of my friends defies logic and it is beyond comprehension. It is strange that these respected friends keep contradicting themselves day in and day out. This is not that big a problem as the fact that they do not acknowledge this self-contradiction after repeated reminders. It becomes very difficult to communicate in such situations. It just makes one think about the possible reaction from the ‘traditionally’ educated. If this is the level of tolerance in the ‘modern’ educated then the level of (in)tolerance in the former can easily be imagined.

The Aligarh fraternity is not ready to go back to the VISION of Aligarh Movement which is what it keeps swearing by. This resistance is against the crux of the Aligarh Movement of which the fraternity considers itself to be the exclusive upholder! The VISION is the most disliked topic as it is evident from the communications with the friends from Aligarh for over a year. Our friends from Aligarh will demand answers to all their questions but will not provide answers to the questions asked to them. They haven’t satisfactorily answered a single question, namely, why they are so much concerned about Muslims.

In my humble view, these friends have forfeited every right to talk about change and betterment because this is what they are stalling with all the rigidity and might at their command. They have an extremely casual outlook towards highly important matters. If they talk about change and betterment it will be farcical. Also, it will be self-contradictory. Because this is precisely what my friends are inimical to.

The Aligarh Beradari is a shining example of supporting each other on falsehood – giving a clear indication that the Right Hands are empty. A huge number among them are silent spectators. Why should they speak? They have a job and are taking care of their families. This is exactly according to the existing (lack of any) VISION. But it overlooks the fact that they owe a lot to the community and the society. They were supposed to enrich us with ideas. Instead of doing so they are happy sponsoring some children, giving some scholarships and running some institutions here and there. Not to mention the most novel idea of running coaching classes and centres.

The Aligarh Beradari is clinging to the ideas which it has conveniently inherited and painlessly borrowed from the previous generations. The friends are ready to say good-bye to all principles except those ‘ideas’. The friends from Aligarh are a highly conditioned lot. Hence, it is very difficult to discuss important issues with them beyond their favourite topics. Despite being highly educated they are abhorrent to talking about ideas.

It is an uphill task to count the number of Alumni Associations all over the world and the number of yearly dinners. Having a count of the office bearers of the known and unknown Association is next to impossible. But the hallmark is directionlessness and lack of VISION. This widespread phenomenon clearly indicates that the forms are more important to us than the contents and the bodies are more significant than the souls. The friends from Aligarh will be gravely mistaken if they think that these observations are from a specific individual. These observations have, in fact, been plagiarized from walls.

My sincere appeal to the friends from Aligarh is to shun casual approach towards significant problems that we are currently facing. My request to them is to spend some quality time figuring out what the crux of the Aligarh Movement is and then act accordingly. My plea to them is to take up the task of bridging the gap between the ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’. My plea to them is to pay back to the society in the required coin and live up to its (unexpressed) expectations.