By Sajjad Shaukat
Although apparently,
India claims to be the largest democracy, acting upon the principles of
liberalism and secularism, yet since the leader of the ruling party BJP
Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of India, various extremist developments
like unprecedented rise of Hindu extremism, persecution of minorities, forced
conversions of other religious minorities into Hindus, ban on beef and cow
slaughter, inclusion of Hindu religious books in curriculum, unprovoked firing
at the Line of Control in Kashmir and Working Boundary across Pak-Indian
border, creation of war-like situation with Pakistan etc. clearly show that
encouraged by the Hindu fundamentalist outfits such as BJP, RSS VHP, Bajrang
Dal and Shiv Sena including other similar parties have been promoting religious
and ethnic chauvinism in India by propagating ideology of Hindutva (Hindu
nationalism). Especially, assaults on Christians
and Muslims including their places of worships and property have been
intensified by the fanatic Hindu mobs.
Indian Constitution
which claims India to be a secular state was torn into pieces when on February
9, 2016, a group of students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) organised
an event to mark the death anniversary of the extra-judicial killing of Afzal
Guru and shouted anti-India and pro-Pakistani slogans, and for liberation
of the India-held Kashmir.
JNU Students Union
president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on sedition charges and a case of
sedition against several unknown students was also lodged. The university also
initiated action, barring eight students from academic activity pending an
enquiry.
On the other side,
students of JNU protested, saying that they would not allow classes to be held
on the campus till students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar is released.
Meanwhile, teachers of the university also joined the students in boycotting
classes and stating that they would take classes on nationalism. Earlier,
teachers had rallied behind its protesting students and questioned the
administration’s decision to allow the police crackdown on the campus.
In this regard,
extremist policy of the Indian government could be judged from a shocking
sequel to the incidents of February 15, 2016 in the Patiala House courts
complex which witnessed violence, when a mob of the government-backed Indian
fundamentalist parties, wearing lawyer’s robe, attacked supporters of Kanhaiya
Kumar. The assault began when Kumar was scheduled to appear before metropolitan
magistrate Loveleen and continued for about 45 minutes during which whoever ran
into the mob, looking young and carrying a mobile was slapped, kicked and
chased away from the premises. Journalists and students were also targeted, and
the older men and women were intimidated by the mob.
In this respect, even
some Indians criticised the BJP rulers. Pointing out the lawlessness in New
Delhi in the wake of Patiala House court attacks and the way the government has
handled the JNU row, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi who also visited the
JNU campus along with senior leaders and MPs of the party criticised the BJP
government, remarking it of “bullying the prestigious institution—every
compelling issue the students are facing in India today and place them in its
anti-BJP narrative.” The Police of Delhi played the role of a silent spectator
as attackers defied the Supreme Court’s order for restricted entry to the trial
court complex, smashed Kumar en route to his court hearing.
In fact, these students
believed that Afzal Guru did not deserve capital punishment and also have their
skepticism about his alleged involvement in connection with the attack on the
Indian parliament. Notably, in its judgment of August 5, 2005, Indian Supreme
Court admitted that “the evidence against Guru was only circumstantial, and
that there was no evidence that he belonged to any terrorist group or
organisation.”
However, India champions
the slogans of shining India, “Democratic India” and “Secular India” every now
and then to hide the dark face of its extremism. Incident is still haunting
India and hard earned perception of secular and democratic face is fast
eroding. The recent wave, emanating from Jawaharlal Nehru University is, in
fact, linked to the consciousness and self-actualisation by few honorable
people of India. These are the sane voices which carry the bitterness of
reality. Afzal Guru was a Kashmiri youth who was dragged in and convicted by a
biased justice system, deeply entrenched in the great India mentality. Hanging
of Afzal Guru has entered Indian society in the form of Guru Virus and is
expressing at its own. However, the hardliners thoughts are caught in a
quagmire of self-accusation. Those who gathered on the commemoration of Afzal
Guru’s hanging anniversary were opposed by Hindu youth. Mantra of anti-India
slogans is reflective of the guilt carried by the radical India.
It is notable that while
in custody and on their appearance before the court the educated youth was
subject to torture by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists
in presence of police. According to some reports of Indian Media, on March 3,
2016, student leader Kanhaiya Kumar (after he was released on bail on 2 March)
gave a speech to a packed auditorium on the JNU campus, in which he said that
he was seeking, not FREEDOM FROM INDIA, but FREEDOM WITHIN INDIA. He
appealed to his fellow students to free the nation from the clutches of
the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh, which he said was
trying to divide the nation. Referring to the right wing student party, ABVP,
whose members were instrumental in bringing about his arrest, he called them
his “opposition”, not his enemy. He urged his supporters to keep raising the
slogans of azadi (freedom).
Nevertheless, Indian
Government is silently as well as openly supporting extremism in all its forms
and manifestation. All ills of Indian society are being diverted to Pakistan
and even the saner voices are not allowed to echo. Cancellation of
Pakistan-India Cricket match from Dharam-shala, media publicity on Pathankot
incident and blatant denial in case of Kulbhushan Yadav (Indian secret agency
RAW agent captured in Pakistan) are a few examples of Indian leadership guilt.
The BJP led government has exposed the true face of India, wrapped in the myth
of secularism. Indian involvement in state sponsored terrorism and extremism is
haunting India, thus forcing the international community to review their links
with India.
In this context, there
is a divide between enlightened and moderate Indian youth vis-a-vis extremist
and radical Indian leadership. Whereas, a segment of youth stands for sanity
and freedom of expression, the majority supports radical as well as extremist
behaviors prevalent within their society.
Intolerance is eroding
the very foundations of so called democratic India. Denying basic rights of
expression to the well-educated university students reflects the guilt of Afzal
Guru’s killers. Guru Virus is haunting India and the Intolerant India is
refusing basic rights to its saner citizens and minorities.
Indian secular structure
and the democratic skeleton are no longer able to withstand the burden of its
inner weaknesses. It is not the question of Kashmir, Pakistan or Afzal Guru which
has become a dreadful dream for the intolerant Indian leadership, but it is the
fear of inner implosion that is behind this phenomenon.
If the leadership of New
Delhi was saner, there could have been a way out, but with the existing Modi’s
rule, no miracles are expected. Reaction by Indian artists, intellectuals and
the international community are indicative of the bad times India is likely to
face.
While, blaming Pakistan
for every folly is no more effective. The episode of Kulbashan Yadav has shaken
the Indian stance on terrorism. Now, international community is well aware
about the misdeeds of India, but due to commercial gains of the West, it is
trying to please the Indian leadership by closing their eyes. Within
Indian media, now, opinion makers are raising serious concerns about Indian
intentions and state sponsored and state executed terrorism.
If India is to survive
it has to stop interference in neighbouring countries, de-radicalize their
leadership, grant people freedom within India, otherwise they will have to
get freedom from India, as the Jawaharlal Nehru University incident is wake-up
call for India.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on
international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
Email:
sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
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