FOR a long time, a barrage of words has been continuously pouring out like cannon fire or showers of sparks from guns, one after another. It shows no sign of stopping, nor does any serious effort appear from any side to address the issue. This series of hateful statements continues without any concern for the fact that through these words, people’s hearts and minds, human bodies and souls, social relationships, and indeed the entire society are being wounded and pierced.
This chain, which started some time ago in Delhi and Gujarat, has continued uninterrupted. In recent years, it has grown significantly in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, and Assam, and has now made West Bengal its new target. The proverb says, “Once the word is uttered, it travels far.” Those who are spreading this barrage of words are not doing it without reason or purpose. They are fully aware of their objectives. The difference is that their objectives are not one but many. The interesting thing is that each of them has separate goals, and to achieve them, they are ready to do anything and go to any extent.
Yes, there is agreement among them regarding ‘hate’ and its ‘target’, and each one of them believes that it is an accurate and effective formula. In recent years, whatever anyone has gained — whether position, office, fame, or power — has come through this very path. The acquisition of wealth has also been easily linked to it. Provocation, mischief-making, sabotage, gathering of crowds, and showing readiness to cross every limit — the real driving force behind all this is wealth. The masses, troubled by recession and unemployment, caught in drug addiction and waywardness, do not even realise when sadness and despair make a home inside them. They lose control over themselves and, without thinking or understanding, come out of their homes at a single ‘voice’. They have no idea in which direction their steps are moving or where they are heading. They do not ask the reason for that ‘voice’ or the incitement; they simply set out and do whatever is told to them.
Whatever is happening at this time is, obviously, being done by politics. At present, one ideology and its politics hold power and authority. The politics of the opposition facing it is currently weak and scattered. Although the ruling class’s style of politics has a greater role in this weakness and disunity, the opposition’s own position is also largely responsible for it. No matter how much they talk about the country, the nation, and the people, no matter how many claims they make about protecting democracy, secularism, the Constitution, and humanity, their party interests are clearly visible. The reality is even more bitter: personal and individual interests take priority even over party interests. In this matter, they are two steps ahead.
However, there is one point where ruling ideological politics and opposition politics find unity and appear standing in one row. That point is the ‘target’. At this time, the politics of the entire country is stuck on this ‘target’. It is not any other thing but the desire for power that has brought them together here. The ruling party is trying to intensify hatred and prejudice against this ‘target’ to save its chair and keep its voters attached to itself, and wants to turn it into enmity. On the other hand, the opposition also wants to make this ‘target’ a sacrificial goat (scapegoat) for gaining power.
This ‘target’ is none other than the Muslims of the country. The world knows this, and the Muslims themselves are fully aware of it. The Muslims of the country are by no means ready to allow themselves to become political fodder or a sacrificial animal. The change in circumstances has taught them a lot in recent years. There is no harm in admitting that in the beginning, emotionalism, fear, and despair tried to find a place among them, but eventually even that had to be disappointed. The Muslims of the country not only quickly regained control of their senses but also turned themselves toward construction and a positive direction. It is another matter that this behaviour of the Muslims has started troubling the politicians and their sycophants. Sometimes, many of them have expressed more anger and irritation than surprise in front of the media, in their speeches and writings, saying that even after enduring so much oppression, the Muslims are silent — why are they not coming out on the streets? This surprise, irritation, and anger do not indicate their sympathy or goodwill toward Muslims; rather, it exposes their intentions and motives and reveals what they are truly concerned about.
If we talk about Muslims, they are not facing the severity of circumstances for the first time. They are well aware that the sky changes colours in so many ways. In the past, the sky has changed countless colours. Many Pharaohs and Nimrods, Rustams and Sohrabs, Halakus and Genghis Khans have become dust. In our own country, there have been countless periods of trials and hardships that came again and again. Conspiracies were made not only against life and property but also against religion and faith. But the power of faith, the divinely granted understanding of matters, and the wisdom of the believers provided support, and the divine light showed the way. In its light, Muslims not only crossed dangerous and distressing paths but also became a support for common people, especially the oppressed and the helpless.
Even today, attempts are being made to encircle the Muslims from all sides. Attacks are being launched on them from every direction. Their lives, property, honour, and dignity are being attacked. Going further, places of worship, religious centres, madrasas, mosques, and even religion and faith are being targeted. Even in this situation, fear and terror are not frightening the Muslims.
The world is watching how, even in unfavourable conditions and amid continuous attempts to push them to the wall for a long time, Muslims come forward with dignity and without discrimination to help the oppressed. They fearlessly jump into seas and lakes, rivers and streams, fire and water to save human lives. Whether there is a stampede in religious programmes or natural calamities, floods and storms, they open the doors of their places of worship along with their hearts for the protection of humanity. When helping people caught in troubles and accidents, they make no distinctions. They call evil an evil and wrong a wrong. They dislike oppression and injustice and raise their voices against it. They do not respond to evil with evil, nor do they utter any wrong words in response to insulting attitudes or wrong words regarding religious matters, personalities, concepts, and beliefs.
This character of the Muslims is in front of the common citizens of the country, and they openly acknowledge it. It is this character that can reduce the force of the fast and furious storm of hatred currently being spread with the help of lies, propaganda, and allegations. It can stop oppression and injustice, show the right path to ordinary citizens, and lead the country in the right direction. Along with taking everyone forward together, there is also a need to create ways and manners with those accustomed to oppression, to engage in dialogue, to explain, and to prepare them to walk on the right path.
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Mohammad Alamullah is a UK-based academic, author, and journalist, holding two Master’s degrees from Swansea University, UK, and Jamia Millia Islamia. He has authored three books: A Brief History of Muslim Majlis Mushawarat, Few Days in Iran, and Media: Paper to Screen — Scenarios, Problems and Possibilities. The views expressed are solely his own.
