Aurangzeb Alamgir
PM Modi re-elected in 2019 elections, his party secured 303 seats in Lok Sabah with the core sentiments of ultra-nationalist messages in their campaigns. The prime target of their ultra-nationalist sentiments was Muslims and other lower casts. Hate and division was the main agenda of BJP during elections and dozens of incidents of attacks on minorities were reported. Ultra-nationalist sentiment of RSS is highly devilish and according to experts on Indian politics, after re-election of Modi, the process of alienation of religious minorities will further increase. For the five years in government since 2014, the BJP had taken a number of extreme steps against minorities such as Christian, Sikhs Dalits and particularly Muslims in almost all spheres to make them feel they are part of a Hindu-dominant country BJP govt also made Muslims to believe that irrespective of the equal political and constitutional rights like all other Indians, India is practically a Hindu state, governed by the values and norms of Hinduism rather than by democratic and secular values.
Here I want to discuss an interesting and humorous article which has published in an Indian newspaper The Sunday Guardian. The topic of discussion in the article was Modi’s victory in elections and the celebrations in Gilgit Baltistan (GB). The author wrote in his article that people of disputed territory of Baltistan are quite happy on modi’s victory and want to become India’s part. After reading this article I laughed at loud and gave the remarks that Oh my Lord! How hilarious they (Indian) guys are. Recently I was in Gilgilt Baltistan on vacations I observed that like the beautiful landscape of GB the people were also calm, kindhearted and incredibly loving. I saw Pakistani flag on almost every house in Gilgit city. I observed the level of patriotism and devotion to die for motherland in GB as equal as other parts of Pakistan. So, guys (Indians) please be realistic and stay positive. And by the way you should think about the diverse culture which is as per your narrative is the “strength of India”. This diverse culture of India is unfortunately under severe threats by saffron terrorism which is sponsored by Modi government.
I am not the only one who is highlighting the worst condition of minorities in India, rather the US State Department, in its annual 2018 International Religious Freedom Report, said, “Mob attacks by violent extremist Hindu groups against minority communities, especially Muslims, continued throughout the year amid rumors that victims had traded or killed cows for beef.” Similarly Human Rights Watch in its annual report wrote that “Dalits, formerly “untouchables,” continued to be discriminated against in education and in jobs. There was increased violence against Dalits, in part as a reaction to their more organized and vocal demands for social progress and to narrow historical caste differences.” Along with it, Indian Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen in a recent interview termed these atrocities as the “biggest blot on Indian democracy” as he blamed the Modi-led BJP government of grossly mishandling the situation.
Without the shadow of doubt, the situation is worst for minorities and lower casts in India. It is unfortunate that BJP is quite unlikely to put aside its ideology and work merely for good governance and economic development of India. Secular class in India is highly disappointed about the fate of secular India. Nobody is clear that what Hindu fanatics will do with other minorities in India and with its neighboring states. In addition, India is a nuclear state and under RSS and BJP extremists, Indian nuclear bomb could be the “saffron Bomb”. So for rational thinkers, the situation could be nastiest. In this regards, Indian secular class must think about the future of secular India which is seriously at stake under Modi regime. And as far as so-called celebrations in GB is concerned, let me ask a candid question; How Muslims in GB will be happy on Modi’s victory and will be pleased to become India’s part in the situation where Indian Muslims are in miserable condition? So guys think rationally!
