India inherited the culture of communal hatred from her coloniser and over the period it has taken deep roots in each strata of diverse society. This has not only distorted the cohesiveness and social fabric of the once civilised nation but also diluted the secular essence of the vast country. Communalism is an exotic invention that British colonisers used to obfuscate the orchestrated intrigues and grim reality of their oppression to endure their supremacy for long run over India and others third world nations, although their ostensible motto was to plunder her worthy resources.
Britishers bequeathed this communal legacy to India before they left. Perpetrators who now dabble in communal abominations to inflame communal riots that affect ordinary people do so to pursue their narrow political interests. Recent outbreak of COVID19 that has ravaged the world regardless of territorial jurisdiction was again used by these vested interests in India to polarise people by giving it a religious colour.
At a time when the entire world is grappling with the crisis with sagacity and mutual coordination in order to find a cure for the dreaded infection which has left no nation untouched, India is busy stigmatising its Muslim minority as if that will save it from the virus.
Communalising of Covid 19 is manifestation of the failure of a large section of India to come out of the inferiority complex it carries with it even 200 years after the end of Muslim rule. The prejudiced mind inculcated by their colonial masters lingers on. It’s also a manifestation of Indian establishments failure to inculcate a rational thought among its populace. However one can not also dismiss the stark reality that successive governments have deliberately allowed communal virus to grow so that they could keep people form raising burning issues of bread and butter which remain unaddressed seventy years after freedom.
Time and again minority of the country has found itself at the receiving end as it is now being postulated as culpable of Corona spreader. Persistent raids on Muslim homes across the country is a new normal. Orthodox Hindutva mobs with the tacit support from the police is on the rampage tearing apart whatever is left of the Idea of india. Weaving the dreams in vacuum to make the nation exclusive,”these hyper nationalists are tearing apart the fabric of India.
A wave of discontent is sweeping through the stigmatised and traumatised Muslim communities and there is palpable fear haunting them day in and day out. Adherents and political ideologues of Rightwing are building the hype and subservient media is helping spread the fear among the poor religious minorities of the country. One such ideologue while responding to a foreign journalist in head to head interview had the cheek to declare that any country where Muslims population exceeds thirty percent is under threat. Subramaniam Swamy declared that Muslims are not equal to Hindus. Indian law has not dared to take its course and held him accountable for such communal comments.
Law enforces aside the Indian media is equally complicit here. Instead of highlighting the Inhumane treatment meted out to the minorities and the vulnerable sections of the society anchors of TV channels are beating drums of war and hatred against them. A sad state of affairs indeed!
Sajad Malik
[email protected]
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
