Mujeeb Jaihoon on Indian Muslim woman’s response to her self-proclaimed patrons who exploit her pain and pride for their selfish motives.

For the Turban-headed Orthodox
I am their headline of meets and seminars
Yet, they keep me out of every stage
And gloat about Islam’s Equality age

For the self-serving Extremists
I am the trump card of revolution
They appropriate my name and form
To escalate their identity game

For the liberal Agnostic
I am the eternal victim
Of God and the Creed
They see me with pain bleed

For the malefic Islamophobes
I am the dreaded Mother Wolf
Who reproduces day and night
To wipe out their endangered sheep

For the Corporate Brands
I am yet another segment
To sell the Hijab and Halal-brand
I am their favorite guinea ‘bitch’

For the con-Artist tribe
I am their incredible imagination
They sell my dreams and hopes
But give no damn to my soul’s essence

For the Sangh-Wing bigots
I am the oppressed slave
Shedding crocodile tears
Only to realize their Rashtra wet dreams

Hey you,
The Establishment.
You curb my rights
Grab my choices
Nab my books
And then blab for my rights?

You know not a grain
About my dreams or hopes
And yet claim to be my patrons
Exploiting my pain and pride

You great bigots
Think and brag alike
But words without action:
Everyone’s piece of cake

May 11 2022

NOTE: This was also published on Sabrang India (https://sabrangindia.in/article/great-bigots-think-alike-indian-muslima-establishment), Countercurrents.org (https://countercurrents.org/2022/05/great-bigots-think-alike-indian-muslima-to-the-establishment/) and Ummid.com (https://ummid.com/news/2022/may/11.05.2022/great-bigots-think-alike-indian-muslima-to-establishment.html)