First, let me say that in my humble opinion the Home Minister is right to reach out to Muslims. With the Taliban at our doorstep, it is very important for India’s Muslims to understand that the way of the Taliban is not their way. Muslims in the Indian subcontinent have for centuries had a civilisation and culture that is very different from the Wahabi Islam being promoted by Islamists everywhere. Let me give you one small but important example. It is not part of Indian Muslim culture for women to be treated as human bundles to be veiled and locked indoors, illiterate and helpless. That is the Taliban way and we must make sure that they keep their ideas to themselves or take them back to Saudi Arabia where a woman can be jailed for wandering about without a man. And, whipped if seen in the company of a man who is not a relative. Muslims in India have never subscribed to such barbarous practices.

What puzzles me about Mr Chidambaram’s exercise in inter-faith dialogue is why he chose the Darul Uloom at Deoband as his first stop. Having had the dubious pleasure of a day trip to that institution, I have said more than once that I have never seen a religious institution that has frightened me more. My troubles began at the gate when the bearded gatekeeper told me that the head maulana would never grant me an audience since I was not veiled. I responded that he could veil himself if he was that shy and gave myself a little unguided tour. I met rabid, young Islamists who refused to speak to me because they said they were forbidden to speak any language other than Arabic. In dress, manner and beard they affected what they thought was proper Arab culture. In the hour I spent wandering about among the fine buildings and manicured gardens of the Darul Uloom, I saw only one woman and she was so heavily veiled that all I saw of her were her eyes and the tip of her nose. It was as if I had strayed into a little patch of Saudi Arabia.

... contd.