High Pitch Trolling of Naseeruddin Shah and Refuge under the Past
Naseeruddin Shah, who brought Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib to life in a popular TV serial produced by Gulzar (Sampooran Singh Kalra) and married a non-Muslim lady, was cursed for lamenting the killing of police officer Subodh Kumar Singh in UP in another incident of mob-violence of right-wing ‘cow-vigilante’ frowned over the carcasses of some cows found in the sugar cane fields.
Shah was expressing his concern over “how the death of a cow has become more significant than that of a police officer!” He was speaking to Karwan-e-Mohabbat India, a mission to stand against hate crime and to help victims thereof. He felt concerned over the “impunity provided for those who take the law into their own hands”.
“The poison has already spread and it is difficult to put this jinn back into the bottle. There is complete impunity for those who take law into their own hands,” he said. In this atmosphere, he also worried about the safety of his children if encountered by a question about their religion and beliefs.
These are not stray feelings but common among weaker sections and minorities since many have been lynched irrespective of their identity. In Bulandshahr activists of various ‘right-wing’ Hindutva organisations killed Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, SHO PS Siyana, on 3 December. They had blocked Bulandshahr-Garh State Highway in front of Chingrawati Police Post under Siyana P.S. by tractor trolleys with some animal carcasses. Mr. Singh immediately reached the spot and assured action if any cows were slaughtered. He was sympatric to the mob demand led by Bajrang Dal district leader Yogeshraj and started the process to register an FIR.
Meanwhile, he wanted the irritate people to move the trolleys from the road and let the traffic move smoothly. Instead of behaving sensibly, they started pelting stones, attacked the police officer, his gunner and the driver with iron roads, etc. The three-man police team was cornered and the Inspector bristly killed, his service revolver snatched. It was clearly a murderous attack on the state and the political leadership, instead of taking it seriously, the CM called it “an accident” and under his leadership priority of investigation was switched from the killing of SHO to an unfounded allegation of cow-slaughter.
Mr. Naseeruddin Shah’s comment was in this context. It was not a political or communal statement that from UHM to ordinary workers started abusing him by trolling. None of them tried to address the real concern of Mr. Shah.
UHM EXCUSE
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh invoked the past to negate Mr. Shah’s distress. Denying the fact that intolerance has fast risen in the BJP regime, he said, “No nation in the world was as tolerant as India.” According to him, “The tolerance that exists in India, I don’t think can be found in any corner of the world.”
“India is the only country in the world where people from various prominent religions co-exist peacefully… They have contributed to making India empowered, self-reliant and prosperous and will continue to do so,” he added.
His cabinet colleagues Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Prakash Javadekar and Uma Bharti also followed the line. Mr Naqvi said, “Shah’s children need not feel scared”. Naqvi also said, “Tolerance and harmony are in the DNA of the country and despite any circumstances, nobody succeeded in destroying the strong legacy,” Naqvi told PTI.
“There is no need for his (Shah’s) children to be scared. The country is moving ahead on the basis of the Constitution and in a democratic country, there is no need to fear anybody,” the Minority Affairs Minister added. While making his remarks, Mr Naqvi forgot the from young Mohsin Sadiq Shaikh to Hafiz Junaid killed by Hindutva influenced mobs, all were like the child of Shah.
Another Minister Prakash Javadekar had lambasted Shah, saying, “If anyone feels insecure in the most secure country then it reflects their insecure mentality. The truth is people of this country irrespective of their caste or religion have the freedom to express their views. Therefore, I believe such an accusation is not appropriate.”
GOOD TRADITION AND BAD PRACTICES
We cannot deny that our society has had a tradition of harmony and compassion but that is in danger due to political partisan movements. But this is also an undeniable fact that inequality and untouchability had been deep rooted is a religious necessity. Disparities, discrimination, bias and even injustices and violence had been widely prevalent; the Dalits were not permitted to take water from public wells or ponds. Even today a “lower caste Hindu” may be thrashed and killed for riding a horse, raising moustaches, entering garbha pandal or a place of worship.
Whatever tolerance and communal harmony is floating over the seas of religio-social norms of inequality and intolerance is the making of the Muslim saints, sufis, and scholars. They taught and practised norms of piety for the poor and equality among all humans. They followed the edict of the Prophet of Islam,
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; a white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have any superiority over a white; [none has superiority over another] except by piety and good action.” (Prophet’s last sermon)
Now what is being taught to Indian masses by right-wing politicians is the notion of hatred, denial of human values and fear-mongering against non-Hindu minorities. Love for animals and their protection is not controversial but human life is most sacred and should not be degraded. This is the punch line of Naseeruddin’s comment and should be addressed.
THE OTHER TROLLERS
Uma Bharti, another Union Minister, alleged that Shah’s remark is a part of “bigger conspiracy”. She said, “There is a conspiracy going on in the country right now and Naseeruddin Shah’s remarks are part of the same conspiracy. Some people are playing divisive politics and we will give them a befitting reply soon.” This is a perfect example of the saying, ‘thief scolds the guard.’
Another RSS trained BJP CM of Haryana M. L. Khattar dared to ask Shah to leave India and go where he feels safe. “To say you feel scared in the country you live is not right. Naseeruddin Shah should go where he does not feel scared.”
Such unfounded comments of the people in position are guilty of instigating hate, discrimination, and intolerance and make people blind to human values for their political mileage. Their nationalism is ‘anti-national’ as Tavleen Singh felt in her recent column.
THE TWO FACES
The irony of the day is that intolerance and hatred are being instigated systematically and vigorously in the name of Hindutva and pseudo-nationalism. Social media and right-wing leaders are of replete with hate and malice. They are highly intolerant if anybody calls for tolerance. This mix of disharmony and bias is being spread since 1920. It is remarkable that their intolerance is not defensive, but offensive. In some places, even construction of a mosque or offering slat in congregation at private places is obstructed. And the elements that create ruckus in the society are being protected by the state. The Bulandshahr incident is a classic example where a Hindu Police Officer was killed and the state is seemingly protecting the killers. Not only Naseeruddin Shah, but every member of the society who loves civility and values human life is bound to raise his voice against them. The trollers cannot suppress the soul of India to speak.
[The writer is a civil rights activist, based in New Delhi [email protected]]