EDITORIAL: Rahul Gandhi’s first speech as leader of the opposition during the motion of thanks on President’s address to a joint sitting of parliament created quite a stir as he lambasted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological fountainhead, Rashtriya Swayamsevak (RSS), for “full-scale and systematic assault on the Constitution” and “the idea of India”, calling them out for “threatening minorities and spreading hatred and violence against Muslims, Sikhs and Christians”.
Confronted with the uncomfortable truth Home Minister Amit Shah and some others demanded an apology from Gandhi for linking ‘violent Hindus’ with the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also rose to intervene, saying “accusing the entire Hindu community of violence is very serious”.
To which the Congress leader aptly responded: “Narendra Modi ji is not the entire Hindu community, the BJP is not the entire Hindu community, and the RSS is not the entire Hindu community.”
The opposition leader’s comments irked PM and company so much that several portions of his speech including about Modi, the BJP and RSS were expunged from the House record.
Nevertheless, they cannot delete from the history being written of the organised violence they have been perpetrating against the minority communities. BJP draws inspiration from the RSS founder and ideologue Damoder Savarkar, who preached that anti-Muslim violence was the only way to unite Hindus as a nation.
Modi, an RSS youth member, presided over the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom as chief minister of Gujarat state. Since he became prime minister in 2014 Hindutva, a term coined by Savarkar, defines his government’s policies that include turning India into a Hindu Rashtriya (Hindu state).
Hence, Muslims face increasing violence, discriminatory laws, destruction of property and businesses, and a general atmosphere of fear.
Hindu vigilante groups have lynched several Muslims on suspicion of eating cow meat and even transporting cows, others get badly beaten and forced to raise the Hindu slogan “jai Shri Ram [hail Lord Ram]”.
In BJP-ruled states, women and girls wearing hijab are banned from entering schools and colleges. Many old mosques are being demolished or their premises allotted to Hindu groups on the false pretext of having been built by destroying Hindu temples.
Back in December of 1992, Hindu hordes led by the BJP, RSS and allied organisational tore down the 8th century Babri Masque at Ajodhya, claiming it was erected on the birthplace of Hindu god Ram.
That triggered riots in which more than 2000 lives were lost. Last January, amid much fanfare, PM Modi inaugurated a grand temple to god Ram at the site of that ancient mosque.
Despite resorting to violence in pursuit of its religiously divisive agenda, Modi and his men acted offended at the Congress leader’s remarks that only held a mirror up to them. They may not like to hear the truth, but actions speak louder than their protests.
Besides unleashing a flood tide of intolerance against Muslims and other minority communities, they viciously attack civil society activists for trying to protect the country from creeping fascism.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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