Rise in Rage against Hate Assemblies in the Name of “Dharm Sansad”
In the national capital Delhi, in Haridwar (Uttarakhand), and Raipur (Chhattisgarh), assemblies have been held in which saffron clad leaders gave calls for genocide of Muslims and administered oaths to convert India into a Hindu Rashtra. These assemblies, termed “Dharm Sansads” (Religion Parliaments) are being spearheaded by a dangerous network of hatemongers.
They openly declare allegiance to the ideology of Godse – Gandhi’s assassin and the first terrorist of independent India – and proclaim their aim to transform democratic and inclusive India into Godse’s India. Their words are echoed by elected legislators and leaders of the Bhartiya Janata Party – like BJP MP Tejaswi Surya of Bangalore who recently called for wholesale ‘ghar wapsi’ or conversion of Muslims and Christians in India before ‘withdrawing’ his statements in view of ‘avoidable controversies’. As we approach the new year, the saffron brigade’s violent terrorist agenda, patronised by the BJP and its Governments is the biggest danger that faces India.
At a time when the country needs ‘sansads’ (parliaments/assemblies) of farmers, workers, youth, women to raise the issues of jobs, hunger, health, education, social justice and equality, who are these forces busy organizing hate Assemblies under the garb of religion and faith? The answer is obvious. With their eye both on upcoming elections, these hate assemblies are intent on diverting people’s attention away from the BJP’s criminal failures on the fronts of jobs, farming, health, and education. At the same time, these assemblies serve their sinister purpose of turning democratic and inclusive India into an authoritarian “Hindu Nation”.
These hatemongers invoke the Hindu religion to ask Hindus to boycott Muslim vendors and businesses; wield weapons; embrace Godse’s ideology; and wipe out entire communities of Muslim minorities. Meanwhile there is resounding and shameful silence not only from most of the Shankaracharyas, acharyas, sadgurus and various leaders of the Hindu faith, but even from the Prime Minister and Home Minister who pledge allegiance to India’s Constitution.
Christmas Day, a sacred day for Christians and a festive occasion for all, was an occasion for saffron brigade to burn Santa Claus in effigy. These attacks follow on the heels of violent attacks by these outfits on schools and other institutions run by Christians. The Missionaries of Charity, founded by Mother Teresa and known for its charity work among the destitute and dying people in India, have just had their funding blocked by the Modi regime. Along with Muslims, Christian minorities too are targets.
It is very clear that the people of India are fast getting disillusioned and the BJP is losing ground. The Chandigarh corporation election results where the BJP has suffered a major decline in terms of both seats and votes give us the latest indication after the BJP’s bypoll defeats in Himachal Pradesh. Communal polarisation and frenzy is the last resort for the Modi regime. Perhaps the Modi government believes that with the repeal of the farm laws, the farmers’ movement and other people’s struggles will take a back seat and the solidarity and fighting mood inspired and energised by the struggles will relapse into passivity. And the BJP can take advantage of this situation to unleash its communal venom and suppress the people and reinforce its grip over power and political agenda.
Every people’s movement in India, every citizen of India, should see it therefore as a duty to actively organise to resist such terrorism in the name of the Hindu faith. Silence is nothing but complicity. Every city, every town, every village, every street, lane, and locality must organise to protest the dangerous Terror Assemblies. This must be the resolve for the New Year.
