Where hate speech is an achievement!

“Everything you do, everything you say, every choice you make, sooner or later comes back around,” the writer of the famous quote is not known but the exact essence of the quote can be traced to the present situation in India.

Hate speech on the prime time at TV in India has been the hall mark! It started with targeting the opposition parties, went on to aim the Muslim Community. However, the vice of hate-spewing by shrill spokespersons of the Bharatiya Janata Party has dented the image of Narendra Modi government worldwide, as BJP faces the criticism of rampant Islamophobia in India’s political discourse. Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizenship, Triple Talaq were certain issues on which the Muslims registered their protest, however the government didn’t find it appropriate to respond. Then came use of bulldozers to bring down premises of Muslims found in any kind of protest.  The spokespersons  involved in hate speech got carried away and maligned Prophet Mohammad. Modi government that was not responding to the plight of the Muslims in India, but now, led by international pressure, it is forced to address the issue.

Nupur Sharma, now a suspended BJP spokesperson, and Naveen Kumar Jindal, the party’s former Delhi media in-charge, not only   damaged the  image of Prime Minister of India  Narendra Modi, India and his party in front of Islamic nations, but also  causing a strong reaction from a host of nations who have condemned the remarks and  three of them — Iran, Qatar, Kuwait — have to summon Indian envoys. As of now, 16 Islamic nations have expressed their displeasure on the words used by Nupur Sharma and Navin Jindal.

The suspension of Sharma and expulsion of Jindal following international pressure is no small matter. Nupur Sharma’s abominable remarks on Prophet Muhammad and his wife angered Muslims around the world. The ruling party in alliance with Indian media has earlier called India’s Muslims as jihadis, stone-pelters or  Covid super spreaders; and the reactions from the other countries were brushed aside as “internal matters”. However, by

but attacking Islam and the Prophet has now become an international discussion. And has exposed the atrocities that the Muslims in India off late have been subjected too.

However, the government has erred again by not taking action against Nupur Sharma and Navin Jindal. They could have been arrested. Their suspension by the ruling party is an admission of their wrong doing, but not charging them for hurting religious feeling of Muslims is an act that the police is India not under free but is under the ruling party.  This has even left the Vice President of India embarrassed, who had to cancel a press conference in Doha.

The approach of not accepting the reality of the barrage of hate that the Muslim community of India is facing on a daily basis has precipitated in its worse form on ground. ‘Dharam sansads’ led by prominent Hindu seers and attended by hundreds of people give genocidal calls and asking Hindus to weaponise themselves against Muslims have gone unnoticed by the Government.

India is facing a precarious situation as described by Charles Reade: “Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow and act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” Charles Reade