Junaid Malik
THE known part of the universe which is inhibited by human race is divided into groups based on ethnic or religious identities like caste, religion or the economic barriers makes divided groups of society.
India soon after its independence declared itself as republic with no state religion of its own and equal opportunities to all faith and practices. But the sequence of events before and after independence has only proved that minorities particularly Muslims have been the worst victims of brutal and deadliest violence which has not only annihilated their existence, but has also eroded the constitutional identity of secular India.
The so called secular flag bearers of this country had themselves sown the seeds of communal frenzy in this country from very beginning. Even when the Muslim League was formed Ali brothers approached Mohammad Ali Jinnah to be its constituent but he refused to accept the idea due to his secular ethics. However, as time passed he was stung and betrayed many a times by his counterparts that sowed the seeds of a separate state.
It was on during these days in 1947 when Muslims were perished through a planned pogrom with more than three to four lakh Muslims killed alone in Jammu to change the demographics under the direct control of Maharaja and prime minister Mehar Chand Mahajan. Any helping hand needed to persecute Muslims was provided by RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh (RSS) and adjoining principalities of Patiala. Their only fault was that they belong to a land which was last the last hope secular India.
The massacre was carried with such a precision that there is no official record of this biggest genocide of the world except the accounts of few foreign authors and memoirs of survivors.
Muslims have been persecuted, punished both by the state and non-state actors in South Asia which stretches both to pre and post independence era which subsequently led to division of country on religious parameters.
Those who blame Muslims for neutralising its ethnic identity forget to assimilate that India who prides in his culture and civilisation has been brought in by the Muslim rulers who not only brought art, culture and architecture ideas but also explored the country to the rich and civilised world of Gulf and Persia. It is such a fact that is evident at every nook and corner of the country.
But what Muslims got in return? It is only the persecution at the hands of fascist and right wing groups. Their minds and ration is etched in Islamophobia who drag every issue to its corners. Some take the plea of medieval subjugation, some take refuge in conversion and others have every plea to kill, perish and persecute Muslims at their whims and wishes.
Pages of history are smeared with the blood of innocent Muslims like Kolkata genocide, Gujarat pogrom, Bombay riots, Muzaffar Nagar and Muslim genocide at the time of partition in Jammu. The ratios were reversed in a jiffy through loot and plunder. The state of Muslim persecution and their alienation has not changed barring its character and manifestation, but in a more organised and planned manner which can take its ground from a morsel of food to that of sedition and treachery thrusted upon them according to the exigencies of the persecutor.
This acceptance, approval and tacit support to the fascist forces of the country is evident from the fact of state recognition and its law makers.
Ever since the BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) came to the corridors of power through its policies of polarisation and communal hatred, these forces have taken their heads out ranging from parliament to the streets and labyrinths of the country. These forces under the banner of rakshaks and senas are daggers drawn every moment to kill and punish the Muslims on their own set of agendas.
The murder of Akhlaq Ahmad in Dadri on the plea of storing beef in his kitchen, its approval and registration of FIR against the whole family shows the lawlessness for Muslims in this country. The same accused who is involved in lynching of poor Akhlaq is given a state type funeral draped in tri-colour.
Another issue of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students for the last so many days is the disappearance of Najeeb from the campus and slapping of draconian sections of sedition on gullible students clearly shows the war against a particular community by the government.Such type of episodes under full media glare and their approval gives alienation to the Muslim community to find refuge in disassociation. They find themselves disillusioned and fragmented from the system. Besides thousands of Muslim youth are arrested on false and fabricated charges only to be released after decades to live a purposeless life and those who are under trials are bumped off in fake encounters.
The perpetrators of violence poke their nose in the religious matters of Muslims to subjugate them and derail them from the progressive issues of the community. The Sachar Committee report fully explains the parameters of Muslim backwardness and remedial measures which are never to be implemented by these parochial minds.
Jammu Kashmir which is the only Muslim majority state in India. The position of Muslims is not encouraging. Thousands of youth have been turned blind, lakhs are languishing in jails, hundreds are disappeared and countless women have been raped with thousands of children died in infancy and every single soul is in trauma.
Nowhere in the chronicle of history has it ever been seen that Muslims who have been part and parcel of this country, who have added glory to its culture and civilisation, who have brought world to their door steps by every means and measures are today persecuted and killed on minor skirmishes as if the law emanates from these forces themselves and executed on only Muslim community.
Castigating, killing, and lynching is the biggest evidence of patriotism for these forces who are more concentrated and virulent in sena, sang and rakshak groups.
Muslims are already lagging behind in every sphere of life and all reports, recommendations are thrown in dustbins like the one presented by Sachar Committee.
The backwardness of Muslims and their exploitation is not a good omen for the country. If this country has to progress in real sense and brag about its secular character, then it must give Muslims their due share in every walk of life lest these widened gaps could never be abridged by broad chest and chameleonic tongues.
[Kashmir. at malikjunaid22@gmail.com]
