Generally and mostly, Indians are good people. The same is not true of its Government. Since independence, generally and mostly, the government in India has not been good, particularly towards its minorities and neighbouring countries. Short sighted, filled with arrogance of Hindutva, or the utopian concept of Akhand Bharat, bigotry being the cornerstone of its domestic and international policy, Vallabhai Patel, dealt with the minorities, with an iron hand; since then the effort of all successive governments has been to decimate and marginalize the minority, involving the Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, etc. Democracy, most unfortunately, is still considered the best amongst the worst forms of political system and governments. At best, democracy is a big sham. A farce. It’s unique strength is to bring to fore the worst of individuals from amongst the best of the populace. To prove my assertion which is anchored in the deep sea of unshakeable conviction, let me illustrate -Imagine there is a constituency of 100 people; of them, four decide to stand for being elected to Parliament. (It is a given that the one recognized with a solid reputation of being a ruffian, a thug, a deceptor intimidator and corrupt would win the election). Post elections, when results are announced, the first candidate gets 40 votes (inclusive of his own) and the remaining three get 20 votes each (inclusive of theirs). So the one who gets 40 votes, acquires de jure authority to represent the 60 other voters who could be the just, innocent and honest constituents. Democratic process enables the rogue to sit on the parliament floor, while the good citizens who are splintered are left in the cold. Such parliament therefore has a disproportionate representation of the electorate; by this mechanism the members so elected, cease to be true representatives of the constituency. The militant and violent BJP is one such party in India, which by virtue of this idiocy of democracy has come to represent the peaceful India of Gandhin-Nehruvian principles of ahimsa (non- violence).
Sad transition from the ideals of Gandhi to Modi’s politics of hatred. The central tenet of Gandhi’s ideology has been guillotined by Modi and his cohorts. Hate begets hate, violence begets violence, said the Mahatma, and he vowed that the forces of hate will be met with soul force. In today’s India, Gandhi sounds terrifyingly unrealistic with his approach to even civil disobedience that he felt must be expunged of defiance, ill-will or hatred. He once remarked, “Neither should there be excitement in civil disobedience, which is a preparation for mute suffering”. God alone knows if Gandhi truly believed that his countrymen would uphold his lofty principles and thought pattern. Regardless of what Gandhi may have imagined, the fact today is, that India of Gandhi and Nehru is in utter ruins; deformed from its original character of years of peaceful coexistence, with all and sundry. History does inform us of battles for economic gains, but not of ethnic cleansing. The subcontinent is facing Hitlerite Modi, who is unfazed by the persecution of the large minority population of India. Muslims ruled India or Hindustan for over 1000 years. During these years India was introduced to the values of Muslim culture which the local assimilated with great acceptance. The invading Muslims were congenitally inclined towards the local traditions involving culture, faith and variety of religious practices. There was respect for various religious ideologies, including Hinduism. Muslim rule gave economic development and related benefits to the locals.
There was tolerance and harmony in society. A nau rattan (Knight) at Akbar’s court gave the best land reforms and revenue tax collection structure. Today the handful bigoted have conveniently consigned their history to the dustbin and limbo of faded memory; in fact, they appear to wish to avenge the Muslim rule, by marginalisation of the Muslim population that happens to be the largest minority. After the annexation of Hyderabad and Junagadh States, India having pledged internationally through the United Nations Resolutions to give the Kashmiris the right of self-determination continues to be in violation of its commitment. The fascist government of Modi and his accomplices who are guilty of crimes against humanity, have exacerbated the denial of rights by revoking Sections of the Indian constitution that gave special rights to the territory. They have allowed purchase of property by non-Kashmiris and also given people from other states to settle in Kashmir. The idea is to change the complexion of the population, with the Kashmiris ultimately being reduced to a minority in their own state. The state sponsored acts of terror upon Kashmiris go unnoticed by the world powers. The lip service paid by passing resolutions does not deter India from the ruthless killing of innocent Kashmiris. The uprising in the valley so often is brutally crushed under the boots of the occupying Indian army.
They plunder, loot, maim youngsters, rape and pillage at free will. The world turns a blind eye to the fascist tactics of Modi. The minority are marginalized under the agenda of promoting Hindutva. So deep is the current government’s hatred for the Muslims in India, that the posting on WhatsApp, about Pakistan’s victory in a cricket match, by a lady teacher in Udaipur, led to her dismissal from service. Muslim students in Kashmir were beaten mercilessly for celebrating Pakistan’s victory. A BJP satanic politician, Vikram something, had the gall to say that all Muslims in India who supported Pakistan in the game of cricket should be skinned alive. So deep is the hatred. Mr. Jinnah is reported to have said that the Muslims in Hindu India, will spend all their lives trying to prove their loyalty to India. So true. A very heavy price they indeed pay. Modi is inherently inhuman. The memories of the carnage in his city of Gujrat, are fresh. The international media may have forgotten it, but the 2000 odd families, whose loved ones, were either butchered or incapacitated cannot sleep peacefully ever. Nature will eventually avenge his dastardly acts upon the innocent and hapless Muslim of India. So grave was his crime, that the United States refused to give him a visit visa, but then entered the unpredictable Trump, who not only granted him a visa, But in true Indian tradition literally kissed Modi’s feet to seek ashirwad (blessings). The evil blessing desired being the containment of China, whose growing presence and influence in the Asia- Pacific rim is giving jitters to policy makers at the Capitol Hill. The partnership of self-interest will actually yield in mutual betrayal. The memory of Sino- Indian conflict of 1962 has to be fresh in New Delhi. -Courtesy: Pakistan Observer