Aakar Patel, the renowned author and internationally acclaimed human rights activist, has brought to you a new gift for 2021. It is a documentary book entitled “Our Hindu Rashtra”, which brings out vividly the dangers ahead for our democracy and pluralism and the unity and integrity of India as a country.
He argues that Hindutva is not an ideology, because an ideology in modern times means a socio-economic programme for comprehensive development of a nation and a society. On the contrary, it is a prejudice aimed at persecution of minorities, especially the Muslims who are a 200 million strong largest minority of India. He produces detailed data to bring home the point that India is being pushed towards a majoritarian rule based on exclusion, marginalisation, demonisation and brutalisation of Muslims.
Aakar Patel substantiates his claims with tell-tale facts.
He says that the Hindutva forces raised the bogey of Muslim appeasement to hoodwink the people (remember the high decibel slogan of Advani, “Justice for all, appeasement of none”). He says that there should have been 74 Muslim members in Lok Sabha, but there are only 27. He further strengthens his argument by quoting the figures that there are only 3.2% Muslims in IAS, IPS, IFS; 4.9% in paramilitary forces and less than one per cent in the military. Out of BJP’s 303 members in Lok Sabha there is not a single Muslim. He states that in 15 states in which the BJP holds power Muslims have been given the portfolios of Minority Affairs ministries only. This, he argues, is in pursuance of the well-thought-out policy of the Hindutva party. He also cites how the only Muslim majority state Jammu & Kashmir has been divided and reduced to the position of a union territory, where virtually military rules.
Mr. Patel gives details of imposition of CAA and NRC and how it is a clever plot to degrade the Muslims to second class citizens position.
While delivering a speech at Aiwan-e-Ghalib in Delhi some 15 years back, the late Ram Vilas Paswan said, “BJP is not concerned with uplifting Hindus; it is more interested in harming Muslims.” Patel proves beyond doubt that BJP is engaged in implementing that agenda. His book is a clarion call to sincere Indians to save India from falling into the abyss of autocracy, mobocracy and Hindutva rule.
Muslims have to rise with the egalitarian message of love and respect for every Indian. They should embrace every fellow citizen as a brother and win the hearts of one and all with true love and service. Remember that Allah loves all His servants and calls them towards the bliss of everlasting Jannat and gives the responsibility of bringing down that heaven of love of God and love for all on India’s soil. Let us be steadfast and be faithful to God and dedicate to serve all our Indian brothers and sisters. Therein lies India’s salvation and ours also.