While Sir Syed’s advocacy for realism and scientific thinking drew attacks such as being labelled a ‘satan’ and ‘a leader of thieves,’ Altaf Hussain Hali’s poetry, which promoted reason and advised moving away from artificial metaphors, was largely deemed un-Islamic.
Since the bulk of citizens did not regard drinking as a crime, they had no respect for the prohibition laws and did not cooperate with the police, wrote MV Venkata Rao in 1962.
We now live in a world order that will keep shifting. India must use this window. This also means we remain disciplined enough not to be knee-jerked into reacting to what Pakistan sees as its moment in the sun.
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