- Of late, the jingoistic bigotry resonating across the country from fringe groups claiming affiliation to the majority community is on the rise which should not deserve to go unnoticed and unactioned. The administration looking another way when a particular community targets other minority communities never bodes well for the health of a secular country like India which thrives on upholding the virtues of remaining unified despite diversity. It is worth reiterating that India is a huge conglomeration of diverse identities vis-à-vis culture, tradition, region, language, lifestyles, and religion living harmoniously over centuries.
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- The admirable binding of humanity here is unique even as the primacy accorded to the Constitution ensures each of us is protected by the Rights. Of course, there are loose elements from every other community hell-bent on disturbing the peace and tranquility by whipping up communal frenzy. One such effort was witnessed recently when a so-called religious enclave in Haridwar, Uttarakhand challenged constitutionally guaranteed religious freedoms as well as the rule of law. It is extremely unfathomable to notice why the law enforcing agencies, who never fail to apply the dreaded Unlawful Activity (Prevention) Act for the most trivial actions and critical posts on political leaders leading to arrest, is keeping silent over the potentially serious matter.
- Neither the Uttarakhand police deemed such outrageous statements fit for arrest, and nor has governing BJP responded. Most surprisingly, even Congress never used to miss an opportunity to showcase their secular credentials at the drop of a hat, has neither condemned nor demanded any meaningful action over such despicable statements. For people unaware of the same, the Dharm Sansad saw participants taking an oath to fight die, and kill to make this country into a Hindu Rashtra, called for every Hindu to bear arms to finish off their (non-Hindus) population and for a Myanmar-style safai abhiyaan, sanitation drive.
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- Many might say such statements are not worthy enough to take seriously. However, in a democratic and secular country, politicians cannot ignore calls for community cleansing by a group claiming to represent the majority. It is worthwhile to connect Sansad’s chilling rhetoric with reports of dozens of disturbing incidents across the country recently. To name just a few, regular obstruction of Friday namaz in Gurgaon, disrupted Christmas celebrations from Assam to Karnataka, forcibly shutting a shop that carried the word Sai in its name which was run by a Muslim.
- One thing common in most of these incidents is the apparent unwillingness of police and many politicians to take these groups on. Needless to mention, such inactions encourage these groups as mobs feel increasingly confident that no lawless action or even violence will get punished as long as they claim to act for the religion of the majority. It is incumbent that politicians, irrespective of party affiliations, should come out in the open to condemn religious bigotry in no uncertain terms. Otherwise, the country will bear the highest cost should today’s small fires turn into a huge communal conflagration soon.
