A balm being applied post the recent Delhi riots is the showcasing of acts of inter-religious amity that sprung during those days of barbarity. The message of humanity triumphing religious hate gives hope to many. The fact that such messages are still needed suggests that India chooses to ignore the lessons of partition.
Religion and politics have been a potent mix for some time now. That the rightwing nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was able to make citizenship a matter of religion proves they are a class act.
The government’s discrimination against people of one religion in a secular country initially led to nationwide student-led protests. The government, elements of the BJP and their philosophically aligned groups, tried to violently put down these protests. Ultimately this became a pan-India citizen’s movement.
Many protesters are Muslim because they are going to be inordinately affected by the NPR and CAA. Citizenship of other Indians could be revoked too if they do not have requisite papers.
Prime Minister Modi, during the early days of these protests, alluded to anti-CAA protesters being Muslims by stating one needs to look at the attire of those protesting. He was building on the Muslim against India trope. There are many reasons for opposing the CAA. In the northeast, the indigenous protest because they fear loss of their culture. Others oppose it because it goes against the secular credentials of India. A third reason for opposition the CAA and NPR is that the socio-economically disadvantaged will not have the papers to prove their citizenship. However, the BJP was successful in making it an issue about Muslims.
Media focus has been on an anti-CAA sit-in in a Delhi locality called Shaheen Bagh.
Thus, the recent Delhi legislative assembly elections became a litmus test for the BJP and their plan to implement the NPR and CAA. The party blitzkrieged the city with rallies by Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah – India’s Home Minister, Yogi Adityanath – Chief Minister of India’s most populated state – and many Members of Parliament. The message of their rallies was that anti-CAA protesters are anti-India. In one rally, Anurag Thakur, the Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs led the crowd in chanting Desh ke G******n Ko, Goli Maaron S****n Ko (Shoot down the traitors of India).
This became the rallying cry, along with Jai Shri Ram, of fanatical marauders as they systematically targeted Muslims and Muslim neighbourhoods in Delhi, proving BJP’s success in painting the anti-CAA protesters as Muslims and against India. Muslims in other parts of Delhi retaliated targeting Hindus.
The BJP came to power on the wings of Hindutva and nationalism. In his maiden speech in Parliament as PM, Narendra Modi spoke about the centuries of enslavement and the supposedly slave mentality that besets the country. The media spent columns on discussing the historicity and period of this enslavement and not way he would resolve it.
Over the last few years increasing intolerance to other religions, minorities and other opinions ride pillion with a supposedly resurgent India and a population proud of its Hindu roots.
The BJP is the political wing of the nationalistic Hindutva espousing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), founded in 1925. But they were political minnows when the Congress, under Indira Gandhi, began to use religion in politics to disastrous consequences. She was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards resulting in over 3000 Sikhs being massacred in retribution. The Congress was also unable to prevent the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 90’s. They literally opened the gates of the Babri Masjid and then did nothing to prevent its demolition by the BJP and the Hindutva brigade. What was worse was that the victims became victims of political machinations to hobble the justice system while many perpetrators enjoyed political success.
For many, Indira Gandhi’s emergency was a black mark on India’s democracy. They forget that socialists like George Fernandes and others were asking the Army to revolt against her government. In an interview some time back Ms Jaya Jaitley, a confidant of George Fernandes, played down his planting bombs on railway tracks. George Fernandes became India’s Defence Minister during the 1998-2004 BJP fronted NDA regime.
Such political expediency was to be countered by other pillars of Indian democracy. Unfortunately, India’s socio-political decline is a consequence of years of political meddling in the administrative, legal and judicial system. What the Congress sowed the BJP is reaping – Justice Arun Mishra calling Narendra Modi a “versatile genius” and an “internationally acclaimed visionary” – and the BJP’s blasé nomination of former CJI Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha so soon after retirement. That the Election Commission seems to have become ineffectual proves how well the BJP has learnt.
The bigotry that pervades Indian politics and society may have percolated into the police. The role of the police in the Delhi riots suggests so. Probably this malaise festers in the Indian armed forces too. Retired officers of the Indian Armed Forces serve the BJP and the RSS. This is not to say that retired officers are not linked to other political parties. Several schools founded on RSS principles provide their students training for the defence services entrance exams. The RSS is starting an Army School too. While BJP ruled states are changing school curriculum in line with Hindutva.
The BJP’s political philosophy has been successfully embedded in India. To survive this new reality, political parties are peddling a soft Hindutva. Congress-I has tried it out, unsuccessfully. One reason for AAP’s victory in these Delhi elections was its own lite version – a mix of Hindutva, nationalism and development. Thus, their non-reaction to the targeted violence against Muslims in Delhi.
One understands the concept of inoculation. But minute doses of bigotry won’t build the country’s immunity to hate nor will it prevent its proliferation. These tiny doses will normalise discrimination. The only way to deal with prejudice is to call it out and to celebrate differences – and India has enough reasons to celebrate. But will it allow itself to?
(Samir Nazareth is an author and writes on socio-economic and environmental issues).
