Syed Ali Mujtaba
CHENNAI — Here is a look at the Islamophobia and anti-Muslim diatribe so assiduously followed by the Hindutva press in India. It obviously is a concerted campaign to demonise Muslims and sow hatred in the minds of the gullible Hindu population of the country.
VHP’s Website Content
The Vishva Hindu Parishad’s website content is managed by its joint general secretary, Surendra Kumar Jain. He openly writes; “one of the most provocative slogan in the world is: ‘La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah’ (there is no deity but Allah and the Prophet is the last Messenger of Allah).”
Jain also questions the allegation of provocative slogans being raised at the Hindu religious procession. “How can ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, ‘Jai Shri Ram’ are provocative slogans while raising ‘Wajib-ul-Qatl’ (deserving murder)? ‘Sar dhhad se judaa hoga’ (you will be beheaded) are not?
Jain further writes that the ancestors of 85 per cent of Muslims are Hindus who converted to Islam at the point of a sword. “That the conquered populace was given the choice of conversion or death. The converted people should naturally have hatred, not reverence for those Muslim invaders. Unfortunately, the ones who are on the same page with the invaders appear to be leading in controlling the Muslim psyche.” Jain meant that upper-caste Muslims are representing the community and not those who have converted from Hinduism.
Jain also wants those who attack Hindu processions to be booked under the National Security Act (NSA). “These attacks are an act of terrorism. Exemplary action should be taken under the NSA against every attacker. Their supporters and hosts are lone wolves, and sleeper cells,” Jain writes.
Panchjanya weekly magazine
Panchjanya’s cover had a silhouette of a Muslim man offering prayers with a mosque with loudspeakers in the background asking a question; “Why azaan on loudspeakers? Can a person’s freedom to live in peace be curtailed under the guise of religious practices?”
It also asks: “Can a particular religion be given the freedom to challenge the faith of other believers? And is it justified in a democratic and civilised society to ignore the instructions of the courts on the insistence of a particular religion?”
Panchjanya’s editor Hitesh Shankar in his column writes: “Riots are related to Muslims and to Islam. This is not a region-specific problem, nor is it the case that Muslims are facing more problems in this period. If stone-pelting was limited to only one place, then one could consider it an accident, but it has happened at more than a dozen places, so riots are related to Muslims and Islam.”
Organiser Weekly
Organiser, the English mouthpiece of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has called the recent communal clashes “synchronised jihad.” Organiser published an interview of Himanta Biswa Sarma where the Assam Chief Minister says: “Modern India does not accept the history of Nizams and Owaisis, I am echoing the sentiments of new India.”
Dainik Jagran
Rajeev Sachan, senior journalist and right-wing leaning author in an article in Dainik Jagran wrote the narrative of ‘Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb’ (syncretic culture) is false. “If there is really a Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb in the country, then why did the Supreme Court have to resolve the Ayodhya case, and what is the reason that many Muslim leaders are not ready to accept its decision.”
“After all, the Ganga-Jamuna, whose origin is in the Himalayas at the same place and which meet at Prayagraj, how can they be a sign of different cultures?” Sachan wrote.
He further wrote; “Whenever Owaisi or other Muslim leaders have to mention ‘Jai Shri Ram’, they prefer to say ‘JSR’. Similarly, ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ is ‘BMKJ’ for them. They had already said that Indian Muslims are going through a difficult time in terms of their religious customs and traditions — can there be a more provocative statement than this?” he wrote.
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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com