Reflections on Communal Riots

accuse others for your problems, all you need to do is to open your mouth and scream out loud and make a great ruckus. But if someone accepts responsibilities for his problems, he is confronted with the need to exert himself, to act and strive and make necessary positive and meaningful efforts to change the situation in which he finds himself. The fact of the matter is that Muslim leaders want to do nothing more than issue statements and fiery speeches against others. Spouting fiery rhetoric is their means of maintaining their leadership position. They are not ready to engage in any practical work at all. Had this not been the case, their approach would have been entirely different. In life, if you want to make any headway, you must try to avail of the existing opportunities. No matter how difficult or unfavourable the situation you find yourself in might seem, and no matter how bad the situation might become, such factors and opportunities are always available. 16 Nipping Inter-Community Conflict in the Bud E very year, a wrestling match is held in Aligarh, a town in northern India, in which both Hindu and Muslim wrestlers take part. One year, a Muslim wrestler complained that he had been cheated. The target of his ire was a