Muslims Aren’t Exactly A Minority, Says Hamid Ansari; Regrets Lack Of Focus By The Whole Community, On Education 

Hamid Ansari, former vice-president, has said that among the identified issues faced by the Muslim community, education has been in the forefront and has been neglected by all segments of the community.

“We have identified the issues (faced by Muslims) many times. The issue is of identity and security, and it is also of education. And I feel education is the most important issue,” said Ansari, during the 12th Dr Asghar Ali Engineer Memorial Lecture, which focused on the topic ‘Muslims of India: Past and Present’.

Ansari added saying, “Education has been neglected by all segments of the community and has only been confined to a small section,” reports The New Indian Express.

“Delhi has a large number of Sikhs, and most of them were refugees. They have not only rehabilitated themselves, but have also set up their religious institutions as well as their educational institutions. If a small community can do that, why can not a much bigger community,” he wondered.

Ansari also said that, “190 million (of the population) is not a minority except in terms of legal technicality.” He also suggested that “interacting on a continuous basis with the wider community of fellow citizens is the answer to remove the mental barriers”.