Uploaded on January 10, 2022
VIEWPOINT
SACRIFICE IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR ONCE AGAIN TO SAVE THE COUNTRY
Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam
Democracy, secularism, and composite culture constitute the peculiar identity of India. For centuries, followers of different religions, cultures, languages, racial groups, castes, and regions have been living together. All these features have conferred on India a peculiarity and significance, but in the present time, conspiracies are being hatched to destroy the fabric of the composite culture of India. In the cover of religious extremism, the country is being ruined. By putting forward extremist religious predators, plots are being made to pitch followers of different religions against each other. In recent times, incidents are happening which speak a lot about this plot. Mob lynching of Muslims is committed; Muslims are forced to speak against Islamic beliefs, failing which they are threatened with death; there are instances when Muslims are hounded and threatened with elimination; Mosques, madrassahs, khanqahs, churches, Christian missionary schools are attacked; videos are made of all these events and made viral on social media, but police take no action against such notorious persons, which emboldens them and they unleash more attacks on Muslims. Giving long rope to such nefarious persons and taking no action and instead giving them support from behind are the reasons responsible for passing a resolution to massacre Muslims at a Dharma Sansad held in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. This Dharma Sansad was organized in Uttarakhand from 17 to 19 December 2021 in which extremist Sadhus resolved to massacre Muslims, telling people that they will convert the country Into Rohangiya; one Sadhu expressed the desire to fire six bullets into the chest of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh; slogans extolling the first terrorist of Independent India Nathu Ram Godse, proclaiming him as a benefactor of the country. Similar Dharma Sansad was held in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur where rude remarks were made against Mahatma Gandhi; extremely unbecoming words were uttered against the Father of the Nation, which offended the entire country. A video has gone viral on social media wherein an extremist journalist is urging upon the attendees of a function to take an oath to make India a Hindu Rashtra, to draw the sword and unleash attacks and kill people who don’t belong to them; a school teacher is also repeating similar talks amidst children, inciting the citizens to shed blood, that is inciting under oath even the children to make the country a Hindu Rashtra, to commit extremism and take up arms. Hatred is being cultivated against Muslims constantly. Enmity, bigotry, and hostility have reached such an extreme that well-known Muslim women found active on media and social sites, their photographs were uploaded along with their auction price. First, six months ago, Sulli Deals, and now on the eve of the New Year, Bulli Bai Deal apps have been launched to upload the pictures of eminent Muslim women damaging their dignity and honour. This activity is most shameful, cheap, and inane. People involved in such activities are the worst enemy and ill-wishers of society. Generally speaking, such people get off scot-free; action is not taken against them. This is the reason that first through Sulli Deals and then through the Billi Bai app, Muslim women were put on auction. Had action been taken six months ago when Sulli Deals first appeared, such elements would not have committed a similar crime once again.
These are some of the incidents we have mentioned above. However, there are countless similar incidents happening on a daily basis. Muslims, Dalits, Christians, and Sikhs are being constantly targeted. Misunderstandings are being infused into the minds of the majority society. Society is being misled. The media has failed to play its positive role by bringing to people the news based on facts; instead, media is promoting Islamophobia and spreading lies after lies; unfortunately, civil society is silent; human rights activists are not as active as they used to be before. Incidents of great size are occurring, but it seems as if nothing has happened.
All Indians joined hands to throw the yoke of slavery under the British Raj. Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Lingai, Dalits, and Adivasis participated in the freedom struggle; under the overall leadership of Gandhi Ji, all Indians rose in opposition against the colonial rule; their desire, efforts, and sacrifices were directed to get rid of the English rule and make the country strong, prosperous and peaceful. Muslims were at the forefront in making sacrifices. Under the leadership of ‘Ulama, Muslims joined the freedom struggle in the greatest numbers. By accepting the leadership of Gandhi Ji, ‘Ulama and Muslims in general strengthened unity and integration. This sacrifice and struggle bore its fruit; the country got rid of the western colonial rule, a new era was heralded; a comprehensive and firm Constitution was framed and adopted which concedes equal rights to all citizens; the Constitution affirmed the rights of all the people; everyone expressed trust in the supremacy of the Constitution. The main aim of freedom struggle and all sacrifices was, after forcing the English to quit India, to put in place a Constitution which will ensure the rule of law, the poor and labourer will not be subjected to atrocities and no discrimination will be made on grounds of caste and religion. However, the sad part is that all guarantees enshrined in the Constitution are not being observed; Constitution is being torn into shreds; the law is not being followed; criminals get off scot-free; while implementing the law, caste, religion, and race are brought into play. Those who didn’t participate in the freedom struggle are being placed on a high pedestal. Contrarily, those people who offered sacrifices are being dubbed as traitors; those who gave up everything for the love of the country are being placed behind the bars in prisons; those who had spied for the British are being awarded certificates of valour; the law is being misused. After coming to power, instead of establishing the supremacy of the Constitution, what is happening is that under the cover of the Constitution, plots are being made to deport or massacre those who made sacrifices for the country. In other words, we may say that we have entered into a Jungle Raj (state of lawlessness)- this is what is called ‘might is right’. All this is happening in today’s India leading to a state of anarchy, decline, damage to prestige at the international level, progress is getting arrested, the economy collapsing, prosperity turning into distress, the country losing its identity as a cultured nation.
Why intellectuals of the country are silent? Why judges are not delivering their duty? Why political leaders and opposition leaders are not launching movements to stop the country from slipping into Jungle Raj? Why journalists and media houses are turning away from fulfilling their obligations? Why human rights activists are not launching any international movement against the devastation of humanity? There is surfacing a plethora of disturbing questions. Are the prevalent conditions signs of a cultured country? Won’t this lead to a decline of the country? Is not the country registering a bad name across the entire world? Is our position not getting damaged? Is the observation that minorities are unsafe in India not getting reported abroad? Is it not now being said that here the proverb ‘might is right’ is coming true? Then, why in such a grave situation, the intellectuals of the country, prominent leaders, people holding responsible positions in NGOs and other organisations, leaders of the opposition are observing silence and not fulfilling their obligations? Don’t the descendants of those who fought for India’s freedom have the obligation to come forward and once again offer sacrifice to protect the country’s freedom, democracy, secularism, and the Constitution? In this scenario, when talks are afloat to bring in Manusmriti replacing the Constitution drafted by Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar, will justice for all be maintained? Will after the imposition of Manusmriti, the concept of justice, equality, freedom, and fraternity stay or erode? Will all citizens get complete religious freedom? Will the freedom to write and express be there? Will the educated youth continue their efforts to contribute towards growth or will they surrender to the conditions they are confronted with?
(The writer is General Secretary, All India Milli Council)