Indecent, Infamous Vandalism of the 20th Century India
By MOHAMMAD YACOOB
In city after city, paramilitary and police troops fired aging single-bore rifles and sub machine guns into unarmed crowd. In some cases, police personnel joined or at least stood during anti-Muslim rioting. Unofficial sources say 80% of the victims were Muslims. “The lesson this week for 100 million Muslims is that we have no protection, said Saeed Khan, a print-shop owner and former Delhi municipal counsellor. ‘Our mosque could not be protected. And once the riots began, we were the targets, not only of the Hindus but of the police.” (Bob Drogin, Times Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, Dec. 15, 1992)
“Sociologists say there is a hardening of attitudes by Hindu [Hindutva] activists, who have been recruiting since the 1984 riot and want to see India declared a Hindu state. Many Muslims have accused the police of siding with the Hindus, a charge swiftly denied by Bapat. Whatever the truth is, many Muslims now feel betrayed by the police and disillusioned by conventional politics.” (India West, December 18, 1992)
In the last 66 years the partiality of the police and the paramilitary forces has been on the side of bias and hate. Inder Malhotra, a leading journalist of India, analysed this situation in 1973 and said:
“Jabalpur, Ranchi, Rourkela, Ahmedabad, Biwandi, Jalgaon, Jamshedpur, Aligarh, communal riots have erupted in these and many more places since independence. Although Muslims are being a minority are most likely to invite trouble, they are invariably branded as the instigators of violence. The notion persists despite the tragic revelations of the post-mortems: nine out of ten killed in riots are Muslims; nine out of ten homes or business houses destroyed belong to Muslims; and nine out of ten arrested, beaten and shot by the police are also Muslims.” (The Illustrated Weekly of India, April 22, 1973.)
The lies that the Muslims are instigators have been explained by Mr. K.F. Rustamji, Director-General, Border Security Forces:
“A misconception which is common is that Muslims want to attack the Hindus and the police, in actual fact, it is the fear of the police and the fear of the large majority community that makes them gather together for self-defence. To raise their spirits, they shout ‘Allah-o-Akbar’ which is replied to with firing and scores are innocent lives are extinguished, because all the bridges of understanding with Muslims are steadily being destroyed.” (The Statesman, June 19, 1986.)
TENDENTIOUS SPEECHES, AUDIO TAPES
The destruction and demolition of Babri Masjid was prepared, in advance of the Rath Yatra taken by the leaders of the BJP on December 6, 1992 that ended up near the Babri Masjid, through speeches and tapes.
“Hyderabad – India – Mohammed Kasim, one of the hundreds of Muslim refugees who have taken shelter in makeshift camps at Hyderabad’s largest mosque, the Mecca Mosque, and inside several marriage halls, said that the day before the violence erupted, a local politician delivered a fiery speech in the shadow of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi near Kasim’s house. The politician vowed to pay 5,000 rupees ($275) to every Hindu who killed a Muslim.” (Mark Fineman, Los Angeles Times, December 28, 1990)
“The VHP denies its campaign is anti-Muslim but some of the taped speeches, such as the best seller by Member of Parliament Uma Bharti, imply otherwise. ‘We cannot suffer anymore the descendants of Babar, who raised the sword of oppression in this country, and who now proclaiming with pride they are Muslims,’ she told a crowd in Ayodhya in October. ‘Let us build a grand temple to Ram. And if this means a bloodbath, let there be a bloodbath. For an honor, we are ready even to complete annihilation. But before we sacrifice ourselves, we shall exact thousands of sacrifices from the other side.” (Ruth Pitchford, Reuter, published in India West, January 4, 1991)
The following incident may explain the anti-Muslim feelings of the militant Hindutvawadis who were bent upon destroying Babri Masjid. Politicians belonging to the BJP travelled from city to city in India and delivered speeches to drum up support for BJP candidates. In some political rallies they would declare that they want all Muslims who may be present there to leave because anti-Muslim speeches are scheduled to be delivered to the crowd.
“Police has registered a case against the VHP activist Ms. Sadhvi Ritamba for allegedly promoting enmity and hatred between two religious groups in the Najafgarh area of southwest Delhi by delivering provocative speeches on January 2. If convicted, she will have to undergo imprisonment up to three years, either with or without a fine. Police have already banned audio cassettes which contain her speeches on the Ayodhya shrine controversy.” (India West, January 11, 1991)
ENGINEERING RIOTS
The religious processions of the majority community and the utterances of anti-Muslim slogans at many religious processions are responsible for thousands of anti-Muslim riots. A Hindutva procession consists of chariots carrying statues of gods. The devout followers accompany the chariots, including armed band of devotees carrying spears, swords, daggers, trishuls (tridents) and other crude weapons. The music, drum beat, constant dancing bring out the wild and beastly feelings. Another group engages in chanting slogans. As a result the atmosphere gets charged with hatred against Muslims.
“The basic reason for the disturbance was the surcharged atmosphere. The VHP, the Hindu Mahasabha, the BJP – all derived inspiration from the RSS – had under a plan made the air tense. Pamphlets had been circulated, challenging the Hindu pride and self-respect, exhorting them that ‘if Hindu blood really flows in their veins’, Hindus should boycott Muslims at all levels. Muslims should be ostracised. Hindus should have no business or contact of any nature with ‘the snakes’. It was in this background that the Rath Yatra (Chariot Procession) of Lord Jagannath was organised in Ahmedabad on July 9. The procession consisted of about 50,000 persons. Its salient features were 85 trucks having 60 to 85 slogan-shouting young activists, eight elephants trained to break doors and walls, 19 ‘akaras’ comprising young men armed with swords, shields and spears to perform feats for processionists’ amusement. The slogans they were shouting zestfully were significant. (1) Jai Ranchor Miaji Chor (Long live Krishna, Muslims are thieves); (2) Jai Ranchor Baandiya Chor (Long live Krishna, the circumcised are thieves; (3) Miaji Pakistan Jao (Muslims go to Pakistan); (4) Mian Ko Pakro Aur Maro (Get hold of a Muslim and kill him.)”. Amid these obscenities, the Jagannath Rath Yatra started from the revered Jagannath Temple, which happens to be in a purely Muslim locality, known as Jamalpur. It takes three hours for passing and coming back to its point of origin.” (Radiance Viewsweekly, Delhi, August 17-23, 1986)
“While chanting anti-Muslim slogans and enjoying the wild dancing, the procession moves along the street towards its destination. Any rumour or assertion, which would not stand the test of common sense that the Muslims have attacked the procession or throwing stones from a nearby Mosque, is enough to turn these charged up credulous Hindu dancers, intoxicated with wild and beastly feeling, toward Muslim houses, businesses and Masajid. Looting and burning follows, and a reign of terror is let loose on the Muslim community. Muslims are dragged from their houses and burned alive. This has been going on for decades. The minority community can attack an armed procession of the majority community only when it has decided to commit a collective suicide. And so far death wish has not been detected in Muslims.” (Radiance Viewsweekly, Delhi, April 15-21, 1979)
The problems of Muslims in India started becoming complex after India gained Independence in 1947. The Zamindari system was abolished in India. The doors of employment were closed in the face of the Muslims. Admission to schools, colleges and universities for the Muslim young men and women became extremely difficult. Lack of adequate work opportunities for those coming out of schools and colleges presented a grim picture of uncertainty and hopelessness because of discrimination. This became a source of frustration and discouragement for those already in colleges, not counting the frustrations of skilled and unskilled Muslim workers and labourers. Therefore the source of income for millions of Muslim families became their own small businesses and shops.
The explosions and the thunders of communal and anti-Muslim riots, pre-planned and engineered by racist and fascist forces belonging to the Hindutva forces along with the connivance of the police are consuming like wild fire the Muslim businesses on which the survival of families depend. These riots are part of a holocaust-in-progress in India and are threatening the very survival of democracy in India. The Muzaffarnagar riots of September/October 2013 are the current example of the anti-Muslim riots engineered by the Hindutva extremists to destroy Muslim economy and make preparation for the 2014 general elections. This is the naked display of grand strategy to intimidate Muslims and their voting power.
The situation should not be allowed to deteriorate any further. The fanatic Hindutva forces that have an upper hand should be exposed. These fanatics are not only the enemies of Muslims but also the enemies of decent Hindus who are hanging their heads down with shame because of the demolition of the Babri Masjid and continuing anti-Muslim riots. The culprits, criminals and sections of the police who strengthened the hands of the arsonists, looters and murderers should face swift justice. Yes, swift justice and punishment to all those bent on destroying the fabric of democracy in India be carried out in the best interest of protecting the Constitutional rights of the Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
Muslims have a very important role to play in bringing peace and tranquillity. We must increase two-fold our activities in the area of communal harmony. The anti-Muslim riots taking place in India have pushed back India into the dark ages, placing social and educational progress on hold and destroying economic growth. Destruction of Muslim economy is also the destruction of Indian economy.
At the international level, the Indian secularism and democracy are on trial because of the anti-Muslim riots, confrontation between two communities, police connivance, police firing, indefinite curfews, rumours, killings, murders, arson and looting.
We, the Indo-American NRI, will continue to raise our voice against the forces of evil engaged in injustice in India. We will also continue to identify the NRI extremists and militants who are collecting funds and sending those funds to India to support Hindutva terrorists in India. We want Hindu-Muslim harmony and tolerance to prevail and democracy to take a strong hold in India.
(concluded)
[MOHAMMAD YACOOB, a retired Industrial Engineer and Engineering Proposals Analyst, lives in Los Angeles, California. He is the former Chairman of the Consultative Committee of Indian Muslims in North America, Chicago, USA]