SIKANDAR NOORANI
Shocking disclosures about India’s state sponsored religious bigotry in recently released annual report of USCIRF have shocked the world. Commission has recommended US to blacklist India for mercilessly crushing the fundamental rights of the Muslims and rest of the minorities.
Discrimination and religious hatred has got a more violent manifestation in India with recent attribution of virus to the Muslims. Delhi city, after witnessing the worst anti- Muslim riots few weeks back, is again taking lead in Islamophobia campaign. Hindus have denied entry to the Muslim vendors in housing societies! Violent Hindus demand identity card to check the religious identity prior to buying fruits and vegetables. History of ‘Hindu Water’ and ‘Muslim Water’ is being repeated! When the world is busy in finding a vaccine to cure the disease, Hindutva lab of RSS has explored the religion of the invisible virus with the microscope of bigotry and hatred.
As usual, Indian media is vigorously fueling the anti- Muslim sentiments by propagating highly volatile terms of ‘Corona Jihadis’ ‘ Virus Bomb’ and ‘Virus Jihad’. Commander of 15th Indian corps blamed Pakistan for sending virus infected patients in IHK. Hospitals are denying treatment to the Muslim patients until they prove themselves corona free. Few hospitals have separated wards of the Muslim patients. India , in all practical terms , has become a violent and non – flexible ‘Hindu Rashter’ under Modi Raj. RSS and BJP have opted for a blood soaked populism by patronizing and steering anti-Muslim and anti- Pakistan rhetoric . Hatred against Muslims projected the image of BJP as a ‘ Savior of Hindus’. BJP candidates openly promised to demolish the mosques and Churches.
They assured the voters about forceful conversion of the Muslims and Christians to Hindu faith. Eventually, BJP paved her way to power corridors by crushing the fancy constitutional principles of secularism and human equality with the hammer of Hindu extremism. Pakistan is directly encountering the consequences of rising Hindutva and Islamophobia in India . Indian state ministers openly threatened Pakistan to teach a lesson through terrorism. Central leadership of BJP believes in disintegrating the Pakistan in four parts.
Head of the political cult, PM Modi, made a public statement to orchestrate a massive drought in Pakistan through water blockade. These are just few of the shocking highlights of horrible extremism which took birth from the womb of Indian secularism. India opened a new military front with Pakistan by intruding in Siachin glacier. Openly organized disintegration of East Pakistan through X- border terrorism and patronized the terrorists of ‘ Mukti Bahini ‘. Crushed the Sikh minority to a level that sitting PM Indra Gandhi was murdered by her own Sikh body guards in retaliation. Continuation of similar policy subsequently took life of her son Rajiv Gandhi in a suicidal attack later credited to Tamils. This worst form of state sponsored violence, religious hatred and cross border terrorism kept looming under the umbrella of secularism. One can fairly guess the uprising of devil once BJP took the charge with loud slogans of ‘Hindutya’ and Muslim annihilation. Rise of ‘Modi’ was just the beginning of disaster and later the electoral victory of a figure like ‘Yogi’ in Utar Pardesh was undoubtedly the uncontrollable tide which would sweep away the remnants of peace and tolerance from India.
Who does not know that it was India which initiated and accelerated the arms race in the sub-continent. New Delhi viciously dragged ‘Pakistan in nuclear marathon through her aggressive postures. Surprisingly, few dubious journalistic quarters always blame Pakistan for spoiling bilateral relations with India by totally ignoring highly objectionable conduct of the later. Indian intent was never proved reliable in the past and no positive hopes can be set for the future. Indian coercive manipulation has widely affected the regional peace. India never had positive approach towards China. All foul moves were made to convert Nepal and Srilanka into Indian satellite states. Persistent brutalities have given birth to the worst human tragedy of this era in occupied Kashmir. Oppressed Kashmiris have got nothing from India except violence, rape, genocide, illegal arrests and now a prolonged lock down. Sikhs still mourn for the past genocide and desecration of Golden temple. Dealing with Indian extremist mindset through a befitting response remains a major challenge for civil-military leadership as all the interlinked problems of security like internal stability, Pak – Afghan relations, unrest in Kashmir and stand off at LOC have traceable arteries leading towards volcano of extremism steaming up in our neighborhood.
Rapid spread of Hindu extremists in decision making tiers of India is an alarming development for whole region. Dark night of human sufferings in Kashmir seems to be stretched over an infinite period. State sponsored anti-Muslim riots in Delhi and persistent atrocities in occupied Kashmir have shocked the world . Fresh wave of Islamophobia in India amid pandemic is generating extra ordinary fear among the Muslims. This fear will give birth to retaliation for survival. It will be unfair to label any such Muslim retaliation as militancy or terrorism. Pakistan is already facing the onslaught of Indian distracting propaganda and malicious diplomacy. Pakistan should launch a diplomatic offensive to warn the world that rising Islamophobia in neighboring India is a major threat to humanity and regional peace.
