New Delhi: In a strongly worded open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr. Khutb M. Uddin, an Indian-origin physician and academic based in Chicago, has raised serious concerns about the state of secularism, inclusivity, and Muslim representation in India’s democratic framework.
Dr. Uddin, while expressing respect for the Prime Minister’s office, questioned whether India is moving away from its secular foundations as enshrined in the Constitution. Highlighting the marginalization of over 250 million Muslims in the country, he noted that despite being one of the largest minority groups in the world, Indian Muslims remain absent from top constitutional and executive posts.
The letter points out that there is currently no Muslim President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Speaker, or Cabinet Minister in the ruling government, nor a single Muslim Member of Parliament from the BJP. Dr. Uddin further underlined the negligible presence of Muslims in senior bureaucracy, judiciary, armed forces leadership, and other constitutional bodies.
“Democracy without diversity is majoritarianism—not leadership,” Dr. Uddin wrote, urging the government to ensure fair representation and restore faith among Indian Muslims. He also questioned India’s credibility as a global leader while one of its oldest and largest communities faces political exclusion and social alienation at home.
Calling on Prime Minister Modi to take concrete steps, Dr. Uddin asked:
What measures will be taken to restore faith among Indian Muslims?
How will the government ensure their participation in decision-making bodies?
Will there be a public commitment to uphold secularism in both spirit and practice?
Dr. Uddin concluded by reminding that India has historically thrived when every community felt included and empowered, not when sections of society were rendered voiceless.
