From #GharWapsi To #DadriLynching, 10 Instances That Show How Intolerant India Has Become
India's rising intolerance has descended into a chaotic state; such that the country has never witnessed before.
Seventeen months ago India formed a new, majority government for the first time in 3 decades. Modi promised development, jobs and empowerment for poor. But the road hasn't been smooth, there have been several road bumps in the form of the RSS-backed Hindutva brigade, idiotic bans and the rise of religious intolerance among citizens.
On some fronts things have changed a little on others a little more. Here's how.
Like all other previous governments, this government too came up with huge plans and new schemes- 'Swachch Bharat' initiative, 'Beti Badhao, Beti Padhao' campaign, 'Make In India' initiative and 'Jan Dhan Yojana' for the betterment of the nation and the citizens. Apart from these programmes, the government also came up with a few legislations and proposals for which it was highly criticised like the beef ban, the porn ban etc.
DNA
For the last year and a half government has been in news for all the wrong reasons. It came under scanner for various acts across the nation which reeked of the rising religious intolerance in the country. It's also alleged that the right-wing Hindu group RSS is actually running the government and BJP is merely a puppet in it's hands. Many also say that the development agenda for which the government was voted to power has taken backstage and Hindutva has taken centerstage.
Several instances in the recent past show how we have increasingly become intolerant and ignorant towards each other's faith, ideologies and even food !
1. Beef Banhabits
India is a Hindu majority country and cow is considered scared in the religion. Among the majority of upper class Hindus in North India eating beef is considered a sin.
To protect gow mata, slaughter of cow and its progeny was banned in most parts of the country but consumption of beef was not. In some states, cow slaughter attracts a hefty fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh and in others it you may land up in jail. But in recent times, many BJP ruled states have imposed a blanket ban on beef and that has caused a huge uproar.
secularism.org.uk
This legislation, when implemented across states, sparked a huge debate across the nation questioning how a government could decide what a person should eat and what not! The beef ban wasn't welcomed but nonetheless was forced on the citizens.
2. #DadriLynching, MLA attacked inside Assembly
The beef ban gave religious fanatics an opportunity to further divide the masses. Instances of non-Hindus being lynched, murdered, injured over consumption or even rumours of consumption of beef were on the rise. The Dadri lynching was an eye opener. A 58-year old man was dragged out of his house for 'allegedly' storing beef in his fridge! His son was critically injured.
In another instance of intolerance, an independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid was thrashed by some BJP legislators in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for throwing a beef party.
Probably independent India had never witnessed such intolerance before.
Man Lynched To Death Over Rumours Of Consuming Beef, Police Sends Meat For Forensic Test #WTF
#BeefBan Takes Another Ugly Turn, Now MLA Beaten Up Inside J&K Assembly For Hosting A Beef Party
3. Alcohol Ban
Like beef ban wasn't enough, the government decided to go after our alcohol too.
DNA
Who called for temperance- the RSS.
Not Satisfied By Just The #BeefBan, Government Is Now Going After Your Booze Too
4. Porn Ban
Yes, this too. After our food and drink, government wanted to control what we watched too.
Porn was banned but after facing a huge backlash the ban was removed. We had taken enough, but not with the porn! We got it back, finally!
#PornBan Several Porn Websites Blocked Already! More Under The Scanner
5. InkAttack
A group of Shiv Sainiks smeared top diplomat Sudheendra Kulkarni's face with ink for organising the launch of a book written by a former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri in Mumbai.
ANI
Citing the neighbouring country's support to terrorism as the reason behind the opposition, the party warned that the function will be disrupted if not canceled.
6. Ghulam Ali
As if it was not enough, Shiv Sena illogically demanded the cancellation of Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali's concert scheduled for 9 October in Mumbai. The reason for such a demand, citizens of Mumbai haven't forgiven Pakistan for 26/11.
tribune.com.pk
Someone should tell Shiv Sena that even we haven't forgiven the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, but are artists and performers to bear the brunt of what terrorists do? Should Ghulam Ali bear the brunt of what Kasab did? Well, it's difficult to figure out what's going on in the country!
7. Kalburgi murder
Prof Kalburgi, who was a Sahitya Akademi member, was gunned down by two unknown assailants in Dharwad on August 30.
indiatimes
A rationalist, he had angered several right-wingers with his rationalistic and anti-pagan views. Police strongly suspected the involvement of Hindu fundamentalists in his killing.
Controversial Writer-Scholar M M Kalburgi Shot Dead. Hindu Fundamentalists Suspected
8. Churches attacked, vandalised
Last year, just before the 2014 general elections, the nation saw a streak of attacks on churches in the capital and in some states across the country. Some blamed it on the Hindutva agenda of some groups, others saw it as an attempt to polarise the nation just before the polls.
Whatever it may have been, the attacks are a black spot on the nation's image as we are failing to protect our secular nature. Some others rightly saw it as a sign for many more incidents to follow.
Yet Another Church Attack Adds To the List Of Increasing Violence Against Christianity
Goons Vandalise Yet Another Church In Delhi
This Is Why Haryana Is Losing It: Church Vandalised, Beef Banned, Bhagavad Gita In Schools
9. Legal Cases Against Movies "Bajrangi Bhaijaan', 'PK'
According to a report in a Hindi daily both Salman Khan and Kabir Khan were sent legal notices over the use of the word Bajrangi, which is the name of a Hindu God, along with the word Bhaijaan, which most Muslims use, meaning brother.
albums.songspk.link
We aren't very good at accepting reality, so we protest. The movie 'PK' faced huge protest and criticism from Hindu activists for its dialogue 'Jo darta hai vo hi mandir jaata hai'.
10. Ghar Wapsi
Right after coming to power, the government got involved in its first big controversy- Ghar Wapsi.
Ghar Wapsi became a household phrase last year when Hindutva activists, by the VHP and the RSS (Modi's alma mater), converted poor non-Hindus to Hinduism. With no action from the government, leaders of saffron parties claimed that such a thing was constitutional, while the opposition and liberals heavily criticised the Prime Minister.
Even after PM's address where he mentioned that religious discrimination won't be tolerated, 'ghar wapsi' continued. Citizens believed that all of it had the approval of the government since no action was taken. Gradually the activists withdrew and conversions were stopped.
Not that all of us fall under this ambit of religious intolerance, but the trends show a dangerous and grim image of the India that we did not dream of. We must at an individual level discourage such acts or thoughts and encourage religious harmony.
