The last year 2021, and the year before last, 2020, were very painful and torturous. India had to wage a war against Corona-19 pandemic, and had to suffer the loss of lakhs of lives. According to the New York Times, the death toll might have exceeded to several millions. The 1.4 billion Indians had to bear the brunt of economic losses, unemployment, closure of educational institutions and educational loss of millions of students.
The above were in addition to the difficulties we had to face because of faulty policies of the government like demonetisation and haphazard implementation of GST. Besides this, the frustrated and suffering farmers of India staged the longest agitation in Indian history lasting for a year, on the borders of national capital. The farmers tasted the atrocities of an insensitive government which made them suffer untold miseries throughout the year. Finally, the Modi government made a tactical retreat and announced the repeal of the three black farm laws. PM Modi did this in his usual dramatic style. Yet, the problem remains unsettled because the Minimum Support Price (MSP) demand has not been accepted and is yet to be decided by a joint committee of the government and farmers.
The end of the year witnessed certain disgusting and dangerous events. First was the Dharam Sansad in Haridwar in Uttarakhand, which gave a call to take arms and start genocidal attacks on the Muslims, Christians and other groups, whom the Hindutva stalwarts, in saffron garbs give the name of anti-national ‘others’. This was followed by another sansad in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, which abused the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi with unacceptable and most derogatory words.
As usual, PM Modi and responsible persons of the government and the ruling party have been maintaining a calculated silence. They have not distanced themselves from the abusing of the Father of the Nation. Not a single word of condemnation or disapproval from the highest seat of governance!
Of late, half-heartedly and reluctantly, some legal action has been initiated by the relevant states’ police authorities. On the other hand, we see, sharp reaction from human rights organisations from all over the world and echoes of disapproval from capitals of several countries.
It is heartening that the Indian civil society is responding positively. First, more than 70 leading advocates of the Supreme Court have given a petition to the Chief Justice of India, VR Ramana, to intervene and initiate action. Another positive action has been initiated by more than 100 renowned personalities of India including five former Chiefs of Staff of Indian Armed Forces. They have sent an open letter to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Modi, requesting them to take urgent legal action against the open threats of genocide of Muslims and others, sounded in Haridwar Hate Conference. They have said that such hate-filled and anti-constitutional threats would produce serious consequences for national security and communal amity. Let the government act and save India from confusion and communal polarisation which may do irreparable damage to the nation.
Meanwhile, we appeal to the Muslims that even in the wake of such provocations, they should remain patient and continue their efforts of serving the people with sincerity.