Hate-mongers have now coined the phrase ‘corporate jihad’, aimed at defaming educated Muslim youth
RECENTLY, Nashik city in Maharashtra was in the news twice. First, Ashok Kharat, a fraud posing as a baba, was allegedly found to be sexually exploiting women, particularly from privileged sections of society. His cunning methods involved a unique technique in the world of babas: impressing people by claiming to know their past, present, and future, and brainwashing women into becoming his followers and demanding their submission for his sexual demands.
If that was not effective, he used a snake and other wild animals to frighten the women into submission. In the same vein of blind faith came the visit of retired Chief Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai to Dhirendra Shastri, known as Bageshwar Dham Baba. Ironically, Gavai claims to be a follower of Babasaheb Ambedkar, a rationalist to the core!
Both these events were picked up by the media only in a limited way, and the vigilantes of Bajrang Dal and company kept quiet, despite the physical exploitation of Hindu women by a baba. They did so, obviously, because there was no Muslim angle.
Right in Nashik, fodder for hate-mongering vigilantes came from a police report where a Hindu girl claimed that she was being sexually harassed by a Muslim employee. The Muslim employee, who was in a relationship with her, had allegedly promised to marry her but then backed out. This complaint activated both the police and vigilante groups, and an undercover police investigation was initiated.
As per the police investigation, praised by none other than Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, there was a well-planned racket in Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for conversion. It was alleged that some Muslim employees, seven in number, were tempting and forcing Hindu employees to perform namaz and eat beef. All this was circulating in the media, and the term ‘corporate jihad’ was coined. As per this allegation, Muslim employees were indulging in “love jihad” and then conversion. TCS suspended all the accused employees, citing a zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct. Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran termed the allegations “gravely concerning”.
The matter was investigated by the ‘Citizens Committee Mumbai’, comprising the Association for Protection of Civil Rights and PUCL, with senior journalist Niranjan Takle and others. Addressing a press conference after investigating the matter, Takle pointed out that the police investigation had several holes. First, the police report says that Nida Khan, who was the “chief of HR department,” was forcing female employees into the “racket”. The argument that the “racket” had been going on for the past four years holds no water, as there is no case of conversion to Islam. Meanwhile, one case of conversion was found: that of a Christian girl, Johana, to Hinduism.
The Citizens Committee dismissed the charge that the arrested accused were “forcing beef” on others. Is it possible that a few of them could force it on other employees?
Also, the main accused, Danish Sheikh, who has been charged with rape and with not revealing his marital identity to the girl, seems unlikely to have hidden it, as Danish’s wife and the alleged victim were in communication on WhatsApp. Also, the girl had gone with Danish on a bike to a resort in Trimbakeshwar, 27 km away from Nashik.
When asked what the motive of such a plan to tarnish Muslim employees was, Takle stated that, for one, it seems intended to intensify hate against Muslims in general.
Teesta Setalvad, noted human rights activist, who also attended the press conference, said it seems the plan was to ensure that companies do not employ educated Muslim youth and to defame them. The communal forces have twin goals in this whole episode.
The committee members also pointed out the laxity of the media in cross-checking facts before creating this scare as “very disturbing”. Nida Khan, who was being projected as a “mastermind,” was transferred to the Mumbai office months ago and is staying with her family. She is not an HR manager but a telemarketer.
The whole theory of ‘Hindus in danger’ is being reinforced again. The propaganda about conversion and “love jihad” seems to be the main theme. On top of this, it aims to cut the employment of Muslim youth in companies like TCS. The media’s contrasting approach to sexual harassment, as seen in the coverage of Ashok Kharat versus Danish, is totally condemnable.
Where do we go from here? The narrative created by communal forces grips society in a few hours or days, while it takes weeks for the whole truth to come out. The machinery set up by communal forces, aided by the media and the biased attitude of investigating authorities, is a dangerous combination, intensifying hate and the marginalisation of the minority community.
As far as “love jihad” is concerned, it has given huge ammunition to divisive forces to control Hindu girls’ freedom. Serious investigations into this “love jihad” have shown that it is make-believe propaganda. Most cases that go to court, like that of Hadiya, Akhila before conversion, show that girls make free choices in their decisions. The film The Kerala Story was a big piece of propaganda in this direction.
The propaganda that Muslims are trying to raise their population through “love jihad” and conversions has been countered ad nauseam. It seems the mechanisms cultivated by Hindutva forces are working like a well-oiled machine aimed at targeting the Muslim community. Now they are bringing the employment of Muslim youth into jeopardy.
We recall that during COVID-19, the phrase ‘Corona Jihad’ was coined. At that time, the propaganda was that Muslims were spreading coronavirus, so Muslim hawkers should not be permitted to enter localities. Open calls are now being made to boycott Muslim shopkeepers.
As many claim that incidents of communal violence are coming down and that no major violence has taken place, sub-radar scattered violence is badly gripping Indian society; it is an extension of violence anyway. This is going on in various ways and erecting walls of hatred against the minority community.
The authorities must come out with an honest report of the incident, and companies like TCS should highlight the falsity of the propaganda and reinstate innocent employees. And the guilty must be punished.
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Ram Puniyani is an eminent author, activist and former professor of IIT Mumbai. The views expressed here are the author’s personal and Clarion India does not necessarily share or subscribe to them.
