India is successfully fighting Covid-19. Could we give a fight to hate which is destroying our peace, prosperity and future? This is the billion dollar question we face.
Nations rise and fall on the basis of certain time-tested principles. Love, cooperation and mutual respect are essential for building a strong nation and developing a bright civilization. Do we have these qualities in our people and the leaders who preside over the destiny of the masses?
After Independence the framers of our Constitution gave us solid foundations of Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity to build a strong and vibrant nation. But, unfortunately, our ruling dispensations have miserably failed us. What we achieved in seventy years is being destroyed bit by bit during the past seven years. The ruling party has a one-point plan of strengthening its grip on power. It has thrown to the winds the democratic norms in its hunger for power. The people who voted overwhelmingly twice are bewildered and utterly frustrated. Nations move forward with mutual trust or vishwas. But now there remains no shred of trust between the insensitive rulers and the betrayed people.
The most painful thing is the divide and rule policy of the ruling party. Every issue is turned into Hindu versus others issue. Muslims, Dalits, minorities and other sections are being treated as if they were unwanted or second-class citizens. Open calls for violence and extermination of the “others” are being blared day in and day out. Two weeks back in a university in Meerut, one saffron clad Swami Anand Swaroop said that the Holy Qur’ān ‘turns people into brutes and animals’. He exhorted that the Muslims should be forced to renounce the Qur’ān and namaz. Another M.P. Shkshi Maharaj earlier called a Hyderabad leader a swine. Calls from highest seats of power have come to recognise “them” by their dress, and “press the EVM so strongly that the shock reaches Shahin Bagh” and “shoot the bastards”. Such things have poisoned the whole atmosphere and emboldened the desperados that they can denigrate any citizen at will. I was shuddered to see a viral video of Bulandshahr which shows young motorcycle riders shouting “Hindu, Hindi, Hindustan, send them to Pakistan”. These slogans were followed by unprintable and dirtiest words against the sisters and mothers of Muslims with the threats of rape. The Hindutva zealots are drowning this great country in the ocean of filth, profanity and hatred. This unchallenged and unpunished gangsterism may do some good in the elections for the ruling party, but definitely destroy our civilization. It is also possible that the zealots may turn the heat towards the ruling party itself.
For saving our future this virus of hate must be caught by horns and exemplary punishment must be given to these perpetrators of crimes against decency, humanity and civilized behaviour. Why not make 2021 a year against hate virus which is the worst virus human society has ever seen? Come, let us fight this virus before it destroys us as a nation and throws the country in chaos.