See to it that the fabric isn’t ruptured | Humra Quraishi

MUSINGS 11 August, 2021

Hate and hatred-laced speeches and slogans have reached right up to New Delhi’s Sansad Marg. All out in the open. Last week-end several Hindutva communal brigades and their promoters and organizers reached right up to that significant central spot of this capital city and rendered anti-Muslim hate filled slogans and speeches. In fact, this was a repeat of what took place a week back at Delhi’s Dwarka locality where a Hajj House is coming up.

Such blatant targeted horrifying unleash against the largest minority community of the country, yet not a single ruler shed a tear or two! Nah, not even those crocodile tears! Perhaps, not to be expected, as not to be overlooked the basic underlying fact to the rulers/members of the present Right Wing government. They carry RSS backgrounders to them; several former pracharacks and mahapracharacks.

I have been hearing communal comments for the last several years. And as an Indian Muslim I find these obnoxious comments not just humiliating and painful but highly disgusting and dangerous! Forewarnings of eerie build-ups!

And in these recent years there’s only been an acceleration in the number of the Right-Wing brigades and the communal characters stuffed in them and the communal poisoning that’s been made to spread around.

Surely this communal unleash cannot be taking place without the direct or indirect backing and support of the present day Right-Wing government in power! And who on earth can fight those who are governing, with all possible official machinery and ministries under their control?

In fact, in these recent years I have been focusing on the grim and painful realities spreading out, but does the establishment cares? Apparently not!

Horrifying communal propaganda has been on and ongoing against the Muslims! Today the very governmental machinery looks at every second Muslim as a potential trouble maker if not a potential or an upcoming terrorist! Nobody even bothers to question or query - how could ISIS or the Al-Qaeda or any of the much-flaunted terror outfits survive or exist without the support of the Right- Wing lobbies and the superpowers of the world. The tragedy is that today nobody even bothers to question the very authenticity to the terror outfits; fed that we are on a heady dose of outrageously biased propaganda against the Muslims.

Do the political men and the administrators and planners realize what this ruthless and communal attitude would lead to? What’s left of our democracy! Correct me if I’m wrong, a day could come when each one of the liberal progressive citizens would have to carry a ID card or a placard with this one liner scribbled on it - ‘I’m a Muslim / Dalit / Christian/ Sikh/ Tribal / Leftist / Marxist / Trade Unionist …but no terrorist!

Also, one will have think a hundred times before uttering the K word ( Kashmir ) or the M word ( Musalmaans ) or I (Islam ) or D (Dalits) or R ( Refuge-seeker ).

Recently an Indian Musalmaan uttered- muttered these introductory lines to his very existence : ‘I’m a Musalmaan-Dalit, trying to survive in a Hindu Rashtra ruled by a bunch of pracharacks and maha pracharaks. Don’t know till about when I can survive before I’m lynched and murdered by the ruling political mafia, on any given pretext - cow trader, beef consumer, talaq giver or taker, azaan-lover, mosque-goer for namaaz!’

Mind you, a Muslim’s anger is not against the Hindu but against the fascist communal forces. I would go to the extent to say that whatever little chance of survival holds out for the Indian Muslim community is because of the liberal and progressive Hindus and Sikhs and Christians and Atheists and Parsis, who refuse to be part of the Hindutva brigades. Today hundreds and thousands of non- Muslims are taking on the fascist Hindutva brigades. They are risking their lives and livelihoods and careers, by taking on the communal characters. Yes, today its a clash between the non- Sanghis and the destroyers of this land!

True nationalists are all those who are striving against all possible odds to see to it that the fabric isn’t ruptured. And we co-exist and live on. Un-ruptured, that is.

VK Tripathi’s recent visit to the Kashmir Valley . . . his observations!

Last month, the New Delhi based former IIT Physics Professor turned full-time activist cum crusader, VK Tripathi, visited the Kashmir Valley . He told me in detail about some grim aspects that came to his notice To quote him on this “I visited Kashmir for 4 days on July 6-10, 2021. I met a cross-section of people in Anantnag and Srinagar. After August 5, 2019 the Valley has been mostly in lockdown fully or partially and the economic activities have been at a very subdued level. Schools and colleges have remained closed. IT graduates and other professionals told that new jobs have not come up. Tourism has come up in last one month but at a low level. A meeting with dozens of taxi men in Anantnag revealed that eight months ago 250 taxis were hired by the District Commissioner for DDC (District Development Council) and BDC elections. Their dues (Rs. 40,000 and above per taxi man) have not been paid as yet while they are in deep financial hardship due to prolonged lockdown. Next day I went to Lt Governor’s residence to request him to intervene but could not get appointment; I left a letter for him. It reflected there is no channel to communicate peoples’ grievances to the government as there are no peoples’ representatives, no democratic process.”

Tripathi also told me that the Kashmiris feel extremely hurt by the fact though they receive all tourists with immense warmth but when they travel here, to our towns and cities, they are looked upon with suspicions and distrust. To quote him on this- “Two and half days I met people in Anantnag and Srinagar. I felt the pain of people and was touched by their intrinsic truthfulness, simplicity and love. Their inherent desire is that people of the rest of India love them the way they (Kashmiris) love them… One major concern that emerged in our discussion was that Kashmiri masses welcome visitors from other states with an open heart. The people of Kashmir also deserve to be welcome in Delhi and elsewhere without suspicion and restrictions. August 5, 2019 order has heightened the wall of suspicion and alienation. This I consider to be the foremost problem of Kashmir, besides the restoration of their democratic rights and phasing out of army from civilian areas …I met people seeking azaadi from repressive regime in Delhi but they hardly had clarity on what azaadi meant. I suggested concretize freedom and change the imperialistic character of the regime (government plus administration). The probable course for it is nonviolent action.”

And What M. Y. Tarigami States On The Present Day Situation In The Kashmir Valley . . .

M. Y. Tarigami, well-known political figure of J&K and the spokesperson of the PAGD, had a lot to state on 4 August, 2021...Space constraints coming in way, in putting down his entire statement but will try to put in the crux. To quote him,

“August 5 marks the completion of two years since the unprecedented assault on the constitution of India was to nullify article 370 of the constitution - thereby damaging the very bond of our relationship with the union of India. By demolishing the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir by the government it has crossed all the limits of constitutionality …J&K remains as far from Delhi and from the Dil/ heart as it has ever been. Rather the distances are further widening and dis-heartening is deepening. We earnestly appeal to all sections of our people in each region and community to remain united and not fall prey to the false and slanderous campaigns and divisive attempts aiming at dividing and disarming our people. We are sure that at this time of serious crises we shall not succumb but continue our struggle in defence of our rights using every opportunity through peaceful and legal means.”