INDIA: Modernity is a Process to be Imbibed, Not a Product to be Acquired – Vice President

The Vice President, Mohd. Hamid Ansari addressing after releasing a book

entitled “Azadi’s Daughter”, authored by Ms. Seema Mustafa, in New Delhi

on November 09, 2012. The former Chief Election Commissioner, 

Dr. S.Y. Quraishi is also seen. Photo © PIB

NEW DELHI (PIB) ---The Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari has said that the sub-title “Liberal Muslim” used together, qualify each other. Besides being definitional or descriptive, they seem to attribute values and are tending to be used as a sort of social, official or quasi-official description with an implied if not explicit disparagement of the anti-thesis: liberal – illiberal; traditional – modern; conservative – radical; scientific – superstitious; Muslim - other than Muslim, and so on. He was addressing after releasing a book entitled “Azadi’s Daughter -The Journey of a Liberal Muslim Woman” authored by senior journalist Ms. Seema Mustafa at a function here today. The book is both a fascinating account of an intrepid liberal Muslim woman’s personal journey and a political commentary on a secular way of life. 

The narrative of the book covers a number of overlapping and intersecting themes – autobiography, gender, modernity, social values, and political judgments. Each is valid in its own right; together they tend to induce what logicians call ‘category mistake’, he said.

        

Ansari said that the book portrays vividly the situational backdrop and the personal endeavour of the author. It shows that modernity is a process to be imbibed, not a product to be acquired. Rising levels of education and awareness, particularly amongst women, would further it in all sections of society.