Rabiya_Khan
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India, the world’s largest democracy and one of the fastest growing major economy seems a picture perfect place to live in but the reality is quite different from what is portrayed. The so called cheerers of Secular India are actually practicing the worst form of violence against minorities.
The list of fascist behavior faced by minorities at the hands of Hindu majority is quiet long. If we turn back the pages of history, there are numerous heart wrenching incidents that have made the life of minorities miserable. Hindus have shown hatred towards not only believers of other religions such as Sikhs and Muslims but also their own Hindu brothers of low caste known as Dalits (The untouchables).
Although the Hindus who are a definite majority in India have always shown a cold shoulder towards minorities but Hindu nationalism has gotten even bolder since Narendra Modi came into power. Modi’s govt is led by the Bharti Janta Party (BJP) that has deep Hindu Nationalist Roots. The social and religious tensions have increased in the country due to the right wing Hindus who believe in theory of one nation, one culture, one religion and one language which is not an acceptable theory for any sensible, educated person.
The increasing cruelty against minorities is a clear sign of creeping majoritarianism in the country. Subramaniam Swamy (an Indian economist / statistician / Member of Indian Parliament in Rajya Sabha) stated that “we plan to unite Hindus and rule on Muslim by dividing them”. His hatred towards minorities also showcases in his book: “Hindutva and National Renaissance”. The book states why India belongs to Hindus and those whose ancestors are Hindus. He states in his book that if Muslims want to stay in India they have to accept that their origin is Hinduism.
India is widely known as the most populous democracy on earth where Hindus make up 81%, Muslims makeup 13%, Christians 2% and rest of the percentage is comprised by Sikhs and Buddhists out of the total 1.2 billion population of India. Although, India has a history of inter religious violence but the nature of a renewed wave of violence against Christians and Muslims was never heard or seen in India before May 2014, after which people were killed or beaten for eating beef or trading in cattle skin.
There have been incidents where minorities were treated worse than animals. Members of Gau Rakshak Sena (Cow Protection Army) not only humiliated the members of the socially marginalized Dalit community, but, also made a video of the whole episode as they were confident that the government won’t arrest them because their party holds power in the state. After this incident and the 2016 incident of lynching a Muslim, a leader rightly stated: “a dead cow is more precious than the life of a Dalit or a Muslim”. In another incident four Dalit men were stripped down for trying to skin a dead cow in Una by a Hindu fanatic group. The numerous killings of Christians and burning of churches including attack in Odisha in 2018, 85 major incidents of alleged persecution of Christians across 20 states in 2015 and many other narrate a very sorry state of affairs for India today. These incidents are leaving an inerasable mark on the pages of history of atrocities against minorities, their crime being following their religion (Dharam).
Minorities are also facing a climate of uncertainty and anxiety because of the Ghar Wapsi (religious homecoming / conversion) campaigns. Despite the state’s Anti-conversion laws, extremist Hindus are forcing Christian and Muslims especially from poor and remote areas to convert to Hinduism for social and financial benefits. Hindu Extremist groups portray it as people returning to the fold. Since Dec 2014, hundreds of Christian families have converted across the region[1] and numerous Muslim girls are being forced into converting to Hinduism in Uttar Pradesh state of India[2]. Dharm Jagran Samiti (DJS) functionary[3] said Muslims and Christians will have to convert to Hinduism if they want to stay in this country. He stated: “We will free India of Muslims and Christians by 2021”[4]. This worst form of discrimination is badly effecting the image of secular India, who portray themselves as the most diverse, united and religious tolerant country.
Although Narendra Modi wears a mask of being a man of mission and broad vision, the sequence of events under his rule uncovers an evil truth - BJP is working on a clear agenda of making India an officially Hindu state. Modi is clearly aware of the atrocities against minorities but he has never tried to stop his party men and other right wing Hindutva groups from their anti-minority atrocities especially acts against Muslims, Dalits and Christians. Ironically over a period of time right wing Hindus have succeeded in penetrating their thoughts to the masses to an extent that some media channels and newspapers have started campaigning for the idea of one Nation, one language and one Religion. India’s diversity is under direct threat from its own leader. Narendra Modi, who actively updates on social media about development and event by the minute, shows sheer unconcern towards the tragedy’s faced by minorities. It is high time that the Indian government realizes Unity in Diversity is their biggest strength, and the Hindutva mindset is leading the nation toward Hindu terrorism. This radicalization and polarization will adversely affect the image of India, whose constitution claims to be a secular state that guarantees Freedom of Religion!
Article by - Umme Tehniyat
Source - https://blogs24seven.wordpress.com/2018/08/03/r-i-p-minorities-in-india/
[1]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahom...nue-ghar-wapsi-plans-restore-Hindu-glory.html
[2] https://nation.com.pk/17-Jan-2017/h...-being-forced-to-convert-to-hinduism-in-india
[3] A western Uttar Pradesh-based Hindutva group
[4]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahom...nue-ghar-wapsi-plans-restore-Hindu-glory.html
