Azmal Hoque is a human being, not a statistic

The case reveals more about us than it does about him

I wonder if the Prime Minister and his Bharatiya Janata Party colleagues realise how hurtful it feels when an Indian is asked to prove he’s a citizen of this country. It suggests you don’t belong and aren’t wanted. Worse, it’s an experience that’s probably limited to the minority communities and, perhaps, primarily Muslims. I doubt if the police ever question the citizenship of a Hindu.
 
The story behind the treatment of Mohammad Azmal Hoque is both astonishing and distressing. After serving in the Army for 30 years, he retired in September 2016 as a junior commissioned officer. A year