Open Forum
New
Delhi, 24 November 2015
Hindu
Hotheads
CLEARLY MODI’S
ENEMIES
By Proloy
Bagchi
Prime Minister Modi is reported to
have stated the other day while addressing G20 leaders at Antalya (Turkey): “We
need to involve religious leaders, thinkers and opinion makers for a social
movement against extremism, particularly addressed to the youth” This was
needed the most in countries where extremism was most prevalent, he said, and
highlighted the urgency for promoting broader peace and stability in West Asia
and Africa. He added: “We don’t have a comprehensive global strategy to combat
terrorism. And we tend to be selective in using the instruments that we have.”
Platitudinous and preachy, his words
would not wash with most of his audience, given the recent adverse reportage in
international media from back home. He seems to have overlooked the apparent
radicalization of the Hindu fringe that has raised its ugly head in recent
times. True, most of the reportage was contrived by the so-called liberals and
secular elements, who do not let go of a single opportunity to go after Modi
but the fact is that the Hindu extremists, of late, have become more active,
intimidating and violent and Modi seems to have forgotten about them.
Besides, Modi’s words sound somewhat
hypocritical as he did not use the means that he possessed to deal with the terrorism
that recently emanated from the Hindu Right. He cannot wash his hands of saying
that the incidents happened in States ruled by non-BJP parties. The instance of
lynching at Dadri and the later statements by his Minister of Culture did not
quite tally up what he said at Antalya.
While initially Minister Mahesh Sharma, glossed over it by saying it was “an
accident” and, later, a case of “misunderstanding”, there was no perceptible
move from the BJP to admonish him or the hoodlums who went in strength and
lynched an elderly helpless person killing him on the spot on mere suspicion of
having consumed beef. If this is not terrorism what is?
True the State Government ruled by a
non-BJP party has treated the incident as a matter relating to law and order
but what of the BJP? It seemed to provide a protective umbrella to those under
the leadership of whom the highly condemnable act was perpetrated. Wasn’t it a
case of selective non-use of the instruments the Party possessed to discipline
its foot soldiers?
As no serious note was taken of the
“unfortunate incident” (this is how Modi described the Dadri incident) another
incident soon followed at Delhi, wherein Kerala House had to be raided by the
Police on a complaint of keeping beef on offer in the menu of its canteen. The
Police found the complaint untrue and yet no action was taken against the Hindu
activists by the BJP or its sister Hindu radical organizations for trying to
arouse communal passions. In any case, consuming beef is no crime unless it is
banned by an order of the State which, if imposed, would not be quite secular.
A cow may be holy for Hindus, but that
does not mean people of other communities should treat it likewise. India is a
country of multiple religions, multiple sects, multiple tribes and multiple
communities of different castes and creeds. If Hindus do not eat beef, others
would perfectly be within their rights to consume it unless it is banned by the
State. The policing by the Hindu fringe elements in this matter, therefore, is
reprehensible as they thus encroach on the freedom of others. For this kind of
intimidatory behavior they should be hauled up under the country’s criminal
laws.
This was not the end of it all. An
unabashed threat was issued to the well-known play-write and theatre-person
Girish Karnad reportedly for supporting the celebration of the birth
anniversary by the Karnataka government of Tipu Sultan, the 18th Century feudal
ruler of Mysore.
Hue and cry was raised against the Government’s decision by the Hindu fringe
and for supporting the celebration it gave Karnad a death-threat. They said he
would meet the same fate as one Kalburgi, a Hindu rationalist, who was gunned
down, as is now evident, by the Hindu extremists.
Ever since the BJP came to power the
Hindu Right became more aggressive and its representatives in the BJP also
started talking in a manner that was out-and-out communal. The utterance of a
few MPs from the BJP caused deep embarrassment to it. This had been happening
during all the past 18 months but what happened in recent months was more
aggressive and violent. No wonder, the so-called liberals made a song and dance
about it. Writers and authors, scientists, artists, film-makers, et al launched
a campaign of “award-wapsi” (return
of State awards) as a measure of protest.
International media was flooded with
features by the country’s liberal (sometimes biased) journalists communicating
to the wide world that India had become a highly intolerant society under Modi,
stifling freedom of thought, speech and action and that the country’s age old
pluralistic tradition had been ruptured. One recalls a highly motivated talk by
an award-returnee, Ashok Vajpayi in Canada
in which he talked of the growing intolerance in India and ran down the Hindu
Religion.
The sentiments of disaffection and
alienation seemed to have risen in a crescendo all of a sudden because of
several unseemly incidents. While elimination of free-thinkers was something
certainly unheard of, religious violence was nothing new to the country. And,
then consumption of beef became an issue and a debate raged about it. The print
and electronic media also fanned the flames. It appeared that the country was
in turmoil and had become unsafe for minorities and those who did not subscribe
to Hindutva.
The apologists for the Government
claimed the Opposition in Parliament and its sympathizers had planned and
fabricated the issues to embarrass the BJP and its Government at the Centre.
That may have been true but only partially, as their own Hindu loudmouthed
hotheads played no mean role in provoking the people to mount concerted
protests.
Those of us who were apolitical and
had nothing to do with any of the political parties watched in dismay their
dreams of a developed and rising India crumbling. Manmohan Singh’s was a decade
lost to corruption and paralysis. They had voted for Modi as they felt that
neither Manmohan Singh nor Sonia nor Rahul Gandhi could ever take the country
forward. It was only Modi, they felt, who could tear away the political or
bureaucratic cobwebs to march ahead. He had no axes to grind; not only was he
incorruptible but also had a vision for the country. His decisive manner of
functioning held out promises of development and progress.
Thankfully for them, the “award-wapsis” and the debates on
“religious intolerance” ceased suddenly soon after the Bihar
polls where BJP got a sound thrashing. Seems like the liberals and the lefties
were aiming at keeping BJP out of Bihar. And,
numerous election rallies of Modi could not pull it out of the morass that the
Hindu roughnecks had pushed it into.
Modi had asked people for two terms
in office for achieving his vision for the country. For that to happen he will
have to live up to his words uttered in Antalya
and be more proactive and deal with the Hindu hotheads with an iron hand. Or
else, he will be done in by them again in 2019. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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