Yet another report on international religious freedom for the year 2023 by the State Department of US has flagged “a continuing increase” in anti-conversion laws, hate speech and demolitions of homes and places of worship belonging to minority communities in India.
This report was released on Wednesday, June 26, by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. As usual Indian officials summarily rejected it as not based on facts, misinformed and biased. It is feared that if we do not take serious notice and make amends, India may be listed as one of the Countries of Particular Concern. It would be extremely damaging to our reputation as a democracy.
The report is based on facts and figures, meticulously gathered from press reports and on-the-ground surveys from India. Special focus on conditions in India has become necessary as India is emerging as an important player in the international field and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is never tired of claiming that India is the ‘mother of democracy’.
The wearer only knows where the shoe pinches. Muslims, Christians and other religious minorities are facing continuous attacks and onslaughts on their faith, rights, honour and dignity and life and status. This can be attributed to the hatemongering by the Hindutva stalwarts and functionaries. More and more people are feeling that hate has assumed such dimensions that even travelling in the length and breadth of the country has become dangerous. Demolition of houses on false charges has become so common that a new term ‘bulldozer justice’ has gained currency in the country. At least two chief ministers have been nicknamed Bulldozer Babas. Houses of Muslims are being bulldozed on trumped-up and false charges or on mere suspicion of some wrongdoing. The judiciary has yet to awake on this ‘mob justice’of cow vigilantes or irresponsible officers. The world is not blind to these undemocratic events taking place in India. The Government should not forget this.
As regards hate speech, which has been referred to in the report, it has come from even the highest seats of governance. Every Indian citizen is well aware of hate-filled terms like love jihad, land jihad, IAS jihad and recently-introduced vote jihad and vote jihadis. These abusive expressions are being used brazenly by “the king to the commoner”.
Recent general elections added to the abuses and “hate words”. We heard new abuses like ghuspaithias (infiltrators), ziadabachchepaidakarne wale (child proliferators), jihadis, vote jihadis, etc. Recently a renowned journalist has petitioned the Supreme Court against the hate speeches of PM Modi. It is yet to be seen if cognizance is taken or not.
Even the Parliament witnessed the use of unparliamentary words by a ruling party MP. No action was taken against him. Likewise, no action is being taken against those who give calls for the genocide of a certain community.
Last but not least, it is not only a question of damage to India’s reputation in the world. It is more a matter of loss of our moral sense, widespread poisoning of minds, discrimination and spoiling of social ambiance.
Therefore, a compulsive campaign against hate speech, hatemongering, discrimination, irresponsible speeches, false propaganda must be launched by the intellectuals, writers and thinkers against the irresponsible politicians and leaders of the country. Thus, we will be able to protect our unity and safeguard the integrity and sovereignty of the nation.