Arousing world’s conscience toward Modi’s policies

Prime Minister Modi’s leadership poses the greatest threat to Pakistan and to the Muslims of India. Having brazenly abandoned democracy in pursuit of his dangerous Hindu ideology, he is set on an unfettered course with his zealot party members toward despotism and tyranny.

Gone are the days when India was idolised as a model of democracy for developing nations. The Congress party, which was in the forefront of the freedom struggle of India and a harbinger of secular politics, has itself faded into a nonentity. Regrettably, the Muslims of India — disorganised and lacking unified and effective leadership — seem to be in no position to stand up to this Hindu fanatic outrage.

The greatest paradox is that with the exception of Turkey and Malaysia none of the Muslim nations have uttered a statement in sympathy or support of the beleaguered Kashmiris or the Muslims of India. For these countries, in a world dictated by no other criteria than self-interest, the treatment of Muslims or conditions in Kashmir are of no consequence. This should come as no surprise for us when we see the struggle of the Palestinians abandoned and left to be an easy prey to the manipulations and exploitation of the expanding Israeli state. Similar is the insensitivity toward Rohingya Muslims in Burma or those of Xinjiang in China. One wonders if there is anything such as the world’s collective conscience or brotherhood inspired by solidarity of the Muslim ummah.

How the world watches with indifference the deliberate and planned demographic changes that the BJP government is introducing. Apart from Pakistan and a few human rights organisations, none other voices have been raised giving a free hand to Modi to brutalise the Kashmiris.

Moreover, Pakistan’s own political internal weaknesses and heavy foreign economic dependence reduces the weight of its protests.

Sadly, Pakistan’s government, though it projects the atrocities and human rights violations in Kashmir, it hardly exposes the plight of Indian Muslims. I would also like to remind my fellow countrymen that it is the sacrifices of the forefathers of Indian Muslims that largely contributed to building the momentum for Pakistan.

The most disturbing aspect is that the Muslims of India are leaderless and disorganised giving greater space to Modi for their exploitation. It would be pertinent to remind our readers that the Indian Muslims now fall in the lowest income category. Their average per capita income is even lower than the Dalits’. This is in sharp contrast to what the Indian leaders in the early years of independence talked of — a people-oriented social contract that is supported by a mixed economy and social order.

The pathetic plight of Muslims and certain other minorities of India should be actively agitated at appropriate regional and global forums.

One of the major reasons for the drift of Muslim nations and their inability to pursue just causes is their internal weaknesses. These are of political legitimacy or economic bankruptcy or lack of technological and scientific base or all of these. This has made them heavily dependent on the West or on China or Russia. Not to mention that internal weaknesses coupled with intractable conflicts are draining the energy and vitality of Muslim nations.

The British who had deliberately created divisions in the Indian polity on the policy to divide and rule made sure that the Hindu identity was strengthened to take on the beleaguered Muslim community. Political parties with narrow religious agendas such as Arya Samaj spearheaded the concept of Hindu nationalism. This led to the emergence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of which Modi had been a passionate member since his young days.

Even as a chief minister of Gujarat state, Modi’s hands were soaked in Muslim blood during the pogrom of 2002 in which state-motivated Hindu mobs went for killing thousands of Muslims mercilessly. It is important that these incidents are not forgotten. For anyone to expect that a leader with such a record is likely to change, irrespective of the garb of innocence he wears today, would be a victim of wishful thinking and living in a world of make belief. In fact, Modi’s policies towards Muslims have hardened even more since his days as CM Gujarat. These find expression in the way he brazenly got laws passed that have adversely affected over 120 million Muslims in Assam and deprived voting rights of more than 70 million. The plight of Muslims and Dalits in these states is rated to be even more pathetic than in other places in India. As they live constantly under pressure of being deported.

Unfortunately, Modi’s anti-Muslim policy has huge support among the Hindus that could have far-reaching consequences for the Muslims. Apart from other factors, one of the major reasons why Modi is getting away with his highly prejudiced policies toward Muslims is the general anti-Muslim sentiment that prevails almost in several Western and Asian countries. More significantly, he has found President Trump an ardent supporter who unfortunately has shown no qualms in expressing his disdain for Islam. This is reflected in the immigration policies and his present support of Israel’s creeping annexation of Palestine.

To Modi’s advantage is the fact that there is a resurgence of the far-right in several important countries of the West. Moreover, his Hindu nationalist policy is apparently supported by 70% of India’s population. All these trends and positive responses encourage him to suppress Muslims without any serious backlash. By pursuing these ultra nationalist policies, Modi is altering the very character of the Indian state with long-term consequences for its minorities and international relations.

It is the fallout of these narrow bigoted policies and his unbridled ambition that has landed India in a major economic crisis with attendant negative political fallout.

For Pakistan, the best course is to continue speaking in support of the freedom struggle for Kashmiris and highlight India’s bigoted policies towards its minorities. Its voice, however, would carry greater weight if its economy, politics and human rights record gets better.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2020.

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