Communal violence has been the bane of Indian politics. It has been over a century old. The violence is generally a planned one; according to most scholars of this phenomenon. This violence is followed by rise of communal polarization. The scholars have also opined that “riots produce ethnic polarization that benefits ethno-religious parties at the expense of the Congress”. They maintain that while the Hindu-Muslim riots are electorally costly for the Congress, these riots in effect strengthen the “ethno-religious parties at the expense of multi-ethnic ones like the Congress”. True to this observation more and more pretexts are generated to instigate violence and to reap its electoral benefits.
The new pretexts continue to be added on to the long list, loud music in front of Mosque, throwing beef in temples and spreading rumors which have been the central to hate spreading phenomenon. To this has been added the demonization of Muslim Kings, temple destructions by them, spreading Islam by sword, their large families being threat of Hindus becoming minority in this country, were added to the hate creation mechanisms. Last few decades has also seen the addition of cow, beef eating, love jihad, many other jihads most important being Corona Jihad, Land jihad and the latest being ‘Paper leak Jihad.
All this; one recalls as currently the country is seeing violence constructed around an innocuous slogan “I love Mohammad”. It began from Kanpur when on Mila- dun- Nabi the procession celebrating the birthday of Prophet Mohammad, some people objected to the banner ‘I love Mohammad’ on the ground that a new tradition is being added to the religious festival. Section in the police accepted this argument and filed FIRS against those carrying such posters. This is in total violation to the norms that a peaceful procession expressing their respect for this prophet is not a violation of any norm. The violence around this spread in many districts in UP.
The Kanpur incident was the first one and it saw a repeat in Bareli, Barabanki, and Mau district in UP, and in Kashipur in Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand, and in many other places.”
In turn the poster tearing and violence followed and the atmosphere was vitiated. So far as per the documentation of Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) FIRs related to I Love Mohammad are as follows: 21 FIRS, affecting 1324 people and 38 arrests. In Bareilly Internet was suspended for a few days and a local leader Maulana Taukeer Raza Khan, a local Muslim leader was under house arrest for a week. He accused that Muslims are being harassed indiscriminately. He had called for submitting a memorandum on the Kanpur incident. In this he himself did not turn up creating mayhem. This irresponsible act led to the arrest of many Muslims.
This whole sequence of events also brought forward the inherent hate against Muslims. As happens most of the time the top communal leaders give the dog whistles which trigger the communal elements to intensify their hate campaigns leading to violence. Mr. Modi time and again has been doing it regularly, mostly around election time. This time around their campaigns is bringing to the fore the word Ghuspaithiye (Infiltrators). This phenomenon has become the curse for Muslims in Bihar and Assam in particular. One of the justification for dreaded SIR (Special Intensive Registration) which is planned to be taken to the whole country after Bihar, where over 47 Lakhs voters disenfranchised.
This time around, UP, where maximum incidents have taken place, Yogi Adityanath the Chief Minister of the state came out with statements which don’t suit a CM of the state. He stated that he would ‘give tickets to hell’ to those dreaming of raising ‘Gazwa-E- Hind’ slogan. From where does this Gazwa-e- Hind come in here? Indian Muslims, a section of them have been raising an innocuous “I love Mohammad” not Gazwa…. This slogan of Gazwa has been used by Taliban types and Hindu right wing is accusing the whole Muslim community for this. As such Gazwa-a-Hind does not find any place in the Koran. In one of the doubtful Hadis this word figures but Hind here is referring to Basra not India. There are many hot heads in Pakistan who claim that every war against India is Gazwa…
Yogi further stated that “I love Mohammad’ posters are being given to instill Anarchy. He asked Hindus to stay alert against anti Hindu and anti National activities… (Indian Express, Mumbai Edition, 29th September, page 6) This is a worst example of creating ill feelings against India’s largest minority. How can this slogan create anarchy? How is this slogan anti National is beyond one’s comprehension. His statements defy the democratic norms, which give us the right to express our sentiments in a peaceful manner.
This whole episode of ‘I love Mohammad’ is further worsening the intimidation and marginalization of Muslims. Such a display of affection for one’s prophet comes very much within the democratic expression of speech. As some Taliban type elements in Pakistan claim that every confrontation with India is Gazwa… , here our Prime minister is taking the matters in a similar direction. After the victory over Pakistan in Cricket, he said this was an extension of Operation Sindoor.
In this situation how does the Muslim community respond? Bringing out such peaceful processions is totally normal in contrast to the Ramnavami procession with DJs playing loud music and putting a saffron flag over mosques! Some of our Hindu festivals are being weaponized! Irfan Engineer and Neha Dabhade’s book “Weaponization of Hindu Festivals” in their ground level investigation show us that Ram Navami procession in particular is being used to create nuisance around mosques and Muslim majority areas. The obverse of this is to demonize Muslim festivals. Mila dun Nabi with ‘I Love Mohammad’ is the painful example.
Such hateful responses to Muslim festivals, as seen lately, add to the partitions of the hearts, the polarization of the community and very undermining of the values of our Fraternity, an integral part of Indian Constitution. Also the type of statements being made by the UP CM totally defies constitutional morality. Muslim community needs to be realistic and avoid giving any pretext to the Hindu communal elements to pounce upon them or to demonize them further.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGI7Ch1r6CE&authuser=0
