Communalism 2003 By Ram Puniyani

Communalism 2003

By Ram Puniyani

Issues In Secular Politics
03 January, 2004

The year 2003 had many a disturbing events. These are portents for the polity of India as a secular democracy. The backdrop of Gujarat carnage was too heavy in the social conscience to be overcome. The tragedy of Gujarat violence was followed by the massive victory of the 'butcher of Gujarat', due to
whose acts of commission and omission the carnage took
the honorific scale unprecedented in the post independence India. The nation was stunned to watch the gross abuse of the human and democratic values,
with the active connivance of the state machinery. The connivance of state apparatus was so gross that it will be better to call it a state sponsored anti
Muslim pogrom. Apart from its many firsts, the violation of the women of minority community, the state hostility to those who tried to provide some
relief to the riot victims was unimaginable in any society in the current times. The face of a frightened Muslim pleading for mercy stated the nature of
violence and the state of mind of minorities in Gujarat. The slitting open the womb of Kausar Bano to burn her unborn baby underlined the scale of hatred,
which by now has become the part of social psyche all over and more so in Gujarat.

Muslims in Godhra were presented as the culprits and the whole genocide was presented as a reaction to the burning of the train. Interestingly the Godhra tragedy again highlights the state of the affairs and the manipulation of events. There was no room to question the Modi's spot investigation that Muslims have burnt the train, there was no place for introspecting the reasons for the train burning, who did it, as the aggressive propaganda dished out the theory that 'they' have burnt the train in collaboration with the ISI and international terrorism, 'we' the Hindus are under threat and so lets retaliate. By a sleight of hand the active violence was presented as a reaction of the unfortunate event, which could have been investigated properly and guilty of the crime punished in an impartial manner. This bogus theory exposed itself, but not in the popular psyche, and the well-planned pogrom unleashed itself. The question was that if it was a reaction, than why the neighboring Hindu of Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan are not taking revenge? The questions it raised were innumerable. But the popular psyche did accept the Modi thesis and a
section of people unleashed the first major anti-Minority pogrom of 21st century, well coordinated by different wings of RSS and its affiliates, Sangh
Parivar (SP).

How come that the one who presided over the biggest genocide, of course with due protection from the fellow swaymsevaks in the central govt., the Prime minister and Home minister, could come back to power in such a massive majority? This was simple enough to explain as the polarization brought about due to pogrom was highlighted continuously and majority
community was given the signal that defeat of Mr. Modi is equivalent to victory of Pakistan, the country with our permanent enemy status, and of international terrorism. Also the inroads which BJPs affiliate, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashsram (VKA) has made in the adivisi areas did the rest, by winning over a large to section of Adiviais to the politics of Hate.

Emerging as a Hero from the electoral battles, Mr. Modi's arrogance reached sky high. The process of giving justice to the Gujarat victims is being obstructed in all possible ways. To begin with Justice Shah-Nanvati commission, which has been appointed to investigate the Gujarat riots, has been giving the signals that it is going to play to the tunes of RSS and its affiliates. Mr. Shah is a known RSS sympathizer. Supreme Court had quashed his judgments in TADA cases against Muslims. Mr. Nanavati also once a while drops a line, which shows as do where do his sympathies lie. The FIR's have not been filed in innumerable cases and in few cases, which have come up, the witnesses have been intimidated by the state authorities and the sundry politicians who were involved in the riots. The case of Best Bakery said it all.

Zahira Sheikh, whose twelve relatives were burnt alive, initially gave the evidence against the culprits. Later under the threats and pressures, most of the witnesses along with her turned hostile and retracted their statements and in the court denied that she had seen any of the accused. Many a civil liberties groups helped her and in the case filed in the Supreme court, the court reprimanded Modi for his governments failure to book the culprits of the riots and to provide due protection to the victims and those deposing in the courts. Since it is perceived that situation in Gujarat is totally hostile to the
minorities and those seeking justice, it is being argued that hearing of riot related cases be shifted out of Gujarat since the atmosphere there is not conducive to the proper conduct of the riot related cases so they should be shifted out.

Many a social activists have started perceiving that the menacing grip of the state is strangulating the civil liberties in general and those of minorities in
particular. the same is exemplified times and over again. Mallika Sarabhai, one of the most respected names in Gujarat is being hounded for raising her
voice against the atrocities of the state. She has been one of petitioners in the public interest litigation in the case file in the Supreme Court. She had also raised her voice against the carnage in Gujarat. The state Govt. managed to put up one of the ex-applicants to Sarabhai's dance troupe, and cooked
up a false case. The matter went to the extent of putting hear behind bars, for trafficking, violation of visa laws and for fraud. Sarabhai's Darshana Academy had duly returned the deposit to the applicant, there was no violation of any of the norms of the land. She had to appeal to courts to avoid her arrest and to ensure that the Modi Govt. does not victimize her. After the genocide, it is a different Gujarat, one feel the Big Brother Modi breathing down one's neck all the time. A prelude to a Fascist state?

In one of the other ongoing court cases, Dara Singh the culprit involved in the murder of Pastor Graham Stains was sentenced to death. One recalls here that Dara Singh has nebulous links with different wings of Sangh Parivar. After he committed this crime, the Home minister, Advani, went on to exonerate his links with Bajrang Dal. M.M.Joshi and others went into assert that the murder of Pastor stains is part of an international conspiracy to destabilize the BJP led coalition. Also Dilp Sing Judeo who is the champion of Gharvapasi, reconversion of Adivasis to Hinduism, vowed to fight Dara Singh's case in the courts. On having been reprimanded by the RSS-BJP top brass for this, he retracted. Incidentally, Judeo's brother took the brief for Dara Singh.

The NRI funding of RSS and its progeny has been brought to the surface by the human rights groups based in US. The web site SACW and Sabrang prepared a report on this expose. RSS sympathizers have set up IDRF, and have been projecting it as a charity organization supporting the work in India. The report points out that most of its funds go to the RSS affiliates and a large chunk of this is used in the hate propaganda and in Hindutvasing the Adivasis.
Those NRI's looking for an avenue to do charity are presented with IDRF as a non-sectarian charity organization. These funds have played a major role in
doctoring the psyche of the masses leading to various acts of violence against minorities.

As per the order of Allahabad High Court, Archeological Survey of India (ASI) undertook the excavation at the site where Babri mosque was demolished. The report goes on to say that a massive structure of 10 century, the one like the temple existed at the site. This conclusion of ASI totally goes against its own findings. It has conveniently ignored uncomfortable findings in order to forcibly prove the existence of temple. While the Sangh Parivar has quietly picked up on this and is going around saying that a massive Ram Temple existed and was demolished, the discerning archeologists have quashed
the ASI thesis in a very convincing manner. The report has not "taken into account" certain features of the western -wall of the pre-Babri Masjid
chamber. The burnt brick wall of the pre-Babri Masjid structure had a carved stone laid in the foundation. If this finding is analyzed it precluded the
possibility of the structure being associated with Hindus, since they never used carved stone in foundation. Many an outstanding archeologists-historians have refuted the possibility of the temple being there on the ground of the same findings.

The project undertaken by the MHRD to saffronise the school textbooks reached it culmination in the release of new textbooks. These new lots are a blot on the academic standards so far achieved by Indian historiography. Not only is there a heavy Hindutva slant in these, they are also blatant in their
anti-Minorityism, anti-weaker sections of society and these books eulogize the fascist type of Nationalism. What shows the caliber of the writers of the books is that have lifted paragraphs and pages from the US books in the matters of World affairs. And on the top of this, the naked plagiarism is being defended by the MHRD minister. One is sure that these books will create a havoc in the times to come as the central core of these is paying blind obeisance to the traditions, glorification of all the obscurantist values and to spread hate against the Muslims and Christians in blatant and subtle way.

The fact that communalization process is not just restricted to North Indian states became clear in various incidents in other states. In Madhya Pardesh
Uma Bharati tried to kick start her election campaign with by making an issue around Bhojshala/mosque issue. Fortunately her ploy did not work. The Baba Budan giri dargah in Karnatkak has been repeatedly brought to fore and the Sangh brigade aims to convert it into Ayodhya of South. Every year they are holding a rally to declare that it is Datta Pitham, which has been converted by Muslims rulers into a Dargahg. In current year's function, the peace protesters were arrested in large number while the state Govt. silently watched
the rally by Sangh Parivar, which spewed poison against minorities. Kerala is another state giving the danger signals. This state has large number of RSS
shakhas. The Marad incident of clash between two groups of fishermen was communalized and the Muslim residents of the village had to flee and take shelter in a refugee camp. The subtle undercurrents of RSS work are getting visible in most of the states. With BJP led coalition coming to power at the center this has got a boost and lot of official patronage is being showered on the organizations related to RSS, which primarily aim at its usual agenda, which spread myths against minorities which in turn form a fertile ground for the riots and other processes in due course of time. Also the flood of dollars in the RSS affiliates is another worrisome problem, adding grist to the already existing threats posed by their activities.

The results of the assembly elections (MP, Rajasthan, Chattisgargh) are the major worrisome factor. Every victory of BJP leads it further to its tightening grip on the civil and democratic institutions. By now the other opportunist political formations have started lending a ladder to the BJP's rise to power. The ilk of George Fernandez, who is a symbol of the opportunist politics to the core, is rising and BJP is able to use such people to the hilt for its agenda and the dirty work. In order to retain their privileges and power this type of leaders are the one's to defend the rape of women in Gujarat or to put a cover to the acts like ghastly burning of Pastor Stains. This victory of BJP gives another signal and that pertains to its 'success' in social engineering. By now the affiliates of BJP have infiltrated in the remote areas through Vanvasi kalyan Ahsrams which are not only Hinduisng Adivasis but also Hidnutvaising them.
Gujarat showed as to how cleverly RSS can use Dalits and Adivasis as its foot soldiers in conducting the anti minority pogroms. These elections are showing that RSS grip on Adivasi areas is risesing and now through the medium of identity politics it can draw the adivasis to its electoral fold. In a way BJP seems to be emerging as a core pole in the electoral arena.

One, it is able to negotiate coalitions, taking advantage of the power hunger of the opportunist electoral formations. Two, it is able to give them the RSS-Hindu identity through VKA etc. Three, by providing upwardly mobile channels to a section of them they are able to increase their base. And lastly, the Sanskritisation process, which ensures that this semi affluent section of Adiviasis falls in the lap of SP, also grips a very small section of Adivasis.

The policies in external affairs are leading the country in the lap of the US imperialism. One knows during the colonial period of our country, RSS was not opposed to the British rule as such but was focusing its energies on opposing the political stream, which trying to build India as a modern Indian Nation state, the national stream under the leadership of Gandhi. Even during America's aggression against Vietnam, RSS might have been one of the few organizations in the world to blatantly support the American policies. India, which was the leader of Non Aligned movement has been gradually shifting its stance to become the client state of Unites states. This became very obvious when India offered all the support to US in its aggression against Afghanistan. The same wavelength is continuing and US is recognizing that India under the BJP can become another reliable ally for its global ambitions of imposing Globalization on his terms.

The impact of this Modi type intimidation on the Muslim minorities is in the adverse direction. The ghettoization of Muslim minorities, which increased in
the mid eighties, is rising further. This in turn is leading to the further growth of Muslim fundamentalism in the pockets of population.

Overall the scene is quiet dismal, especially after the results of three state assemblies. If one analyses the electoral percentage, one is clear that the total votes polled by BJP are not significant except in parts of the country. But combined with the different strategies and with the coalitions, it is able to walk
away with the cake. It is a clever Machiavellian move, which is keeping it in the center of power. Since BJP is tied to the apron strings of RSS and is electoral wing of Sangh Parivar, the danger becomes all the more. If the trajectory is not checked it will aim at a majority on its own, then subduing the allies it will manipulate the social and political processes in such a way that over a period of time it brings in the agenda of Hindu Rashtra.

The response of the communities has been very divers. A sign of hope has emerged from the Human rights groups who have undertaken the work of spreading the values of pluralism and harmony in the communities. This being done through various channels, though most welcome is too little too late. Amongst the Muslim communities while on one hand there is rise of obscurantist values, on the other various groups and trusts working amongst them have been taking up the issues related to education and self-employment in a serious way. Again the efforts are miniscule compared
to the problem on hand.

The efforts at political level will fructify only if the society gets a respite at electoral level and at social level. The need is to ensure that under no circumstance the communal powers come to power. Every stint in power leads them to strengthening their grip at the social level. This further erodes the pluralistic values and its impact is on all aspects of National life. The Nation is at the crossroads once again. The threat of communal fascism is rising by the day and the efforts to deal with this should aim at forming a sort of platform for egalitarian society, addressing the issues of people at day-to-day level.

The positive alternative of a society where the values emerging from our freedom struggle and those enshrined in our constitution is strengthened has to be our priority. The fragmentation of secularists at political and social level is most detrimental. One can say with some degree of confidence that even now the overall majority of society is fed up with the impact of communal politics, the adverse effects of the politics of Hindutva. The majority of Nation wants the issues to be brought back to the one's related to bread, butter, shelter and employment. The tragedy is, the center of gravity of our polity is gradually shifting. The challenge is not only to hold it but also to put forth a positive alternative of secular democracy, the one committed to not only to the people of one or other religion but to all Indian citizens. The issue is that we all deserve the status of equal citizens irrespective of our caste creed and gender. The issue at stake is that the choice of those who struggled for our freedom has to be brought back as the major concern of the nation, the concerns related to a decent social and political existence.

Communalism is rising by default, it is as much the success of the long work of RSS and its progeny as much it is due to the failure of the progressive
people to understand the multiple dimensions of social, economic and cultural life of the people inall its rich complexity.