It was December 6, 2017, the same day when the Babri Masjid demolition took place way back in 1992, a video went viral with the footage showing an attacker hacking a man and setting him ablaze. The incident took place on the outskirts of Rajsamand in Rajasthan. The assailant was unapologetic and was heard threatening the ‘Jihadis’ (Muslims) to leave the country else meet a similar fate.
The assailant, Shambhu Lal Regar, an unemployed man from Rajasthan is no less than a beast while the victim who was later identified as Mohammed Afrazul Islam. Afrazul Islam was a labourer from Malda, West Bengal who was settled in Rajasthan. Though the motive of the brutal murder is still unclear as Afrazul‘s wife said in her statement that her husband had no affair with a Hindu woman, but according to the murderer, it was a case of ‘Love Jihad’.
The term has its origin attributed to the right-wing extremists who claim that Muslim men/boys influence Hindu women to convert them to Islam by professing false love. When the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution of India declared India a secular nation, where there cannot be any division in the name of religion, then this question arises – Who is responsible for repeated attacks in the name of Love Jihad?
Why suddenly is the Muslim community threatened? Why are they asked to leave this country which is also their home? Why these attacks made in open? Young Junaid was lynched in public when he was returning back after his shopping for Eid.
Apparently, this hate game has taken an upper hand under the current political regime, and it looks like those in power are desperate to make this country a Hindu Rashtra.
On April 17, 2017 Rediff news released a statement: “In 2019, RSS will declare India a Hindu Rashtra. Justice (retd) Rajinder Sachar headed the Sachar Committee which studied the socio-economic and educational status of Muslims in India. A champion of civil liberties for decades, the 93-year-old former chief justice of the Delhi high court spoke to M I Khan in Patna about India today. In recent months, hate crimes against Muslims seem to have increased. Is it a reflection of rising intolerance or something else? Oh yes, hate crimes against Muslims are rising, but it is not mere intolerance. It is far worse than intolerance. As a matter of fact, this danger has become further catastrophic after the BJP’s (Bharatiya Janata Party) victory in Uttar Pradesh. The most dangerous signal came after Yogi Adityanath was made UP chief minister. It is part of a deliberate plan by the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh).
Let us not forget that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is only the face. Earlier, he was chief minister in Gujarat. Thanks to corporate backing, he was propagated as a development man.”
In his statement on Muslim appeasement the 93-year-old former chief justice of the Delhi high court spoke to M I Khan in Patna about India today, reports Rediff news: “The socio-economic status of Muslims is very low and poor. Muslims are still deprived and marginalised. You can see it for yourself if you visit any town across the country. If you are improving the lives of Dalits, who are Hindus, then can you call it appeasement? Like any other community, Muslims are citizens of this country. Their condition is improving, but there is an urgent need for an equality commission. Muslims have been part of this country for centuries, large numbers of Muslims have converted (in the past) for different reasons. Swami Vivekananda said they (the Muslims) converted because they were in the worst conditions. Hindus and Muslims coming together, Vivekananda said, is the only remedy for India.”
On Saturday, December 9, 2017, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi the Union ministry for Minority Affairs stated it is not a case of “Love Jihad” but it is criminal affair provoking a riot and also a threat to the communal harmony. He did not point to anyone but he said it is hate politics of some indisposed people trying to rob the peace and unity among the people. He also said those people, in the long run, will not succeed in their outrageous criminal blueprint.
The essay started with the Rajasthan violence. So let me get back to the subject. Time and again history has been an evidence of the inter-religion marriages, no one can stop anyone from loving a person from a different religion. This “Love Jihad’ is nothing but hate politics. It’s sad we do not have a strong opposition and this current government is only approving this heinous murders/treatment of Muslims. The killing was only a farce, there lays a hidden agenda behind these rise in crimes and killing of innocent Muslims.
Let us all appreciate that the assailant has been arrested and has been booked under several penal codes as per the law books and also the Rajasthan government has announced ₹5 lakh as compensation to the victim’s family but the question still remains – Is this how we are going to treat Muslims? Are we taking any measure to stop this violence? If not then let us be happy and watch the downfall of our country for which the freedom fighters lost their lives under the hands of the British rulers. The media is flooded with news on celebrities, sports, rapes, science and technology which is also justified but what is the media’s take on his growth of violence? Is there any nudge to the Government by media, the most powerful weapon to reach out to the lawmakers?
Those who kill in name of religion or God know nothing about either. Last but not the least, sometimes the only standing ovation the government deserves is that of a finger. The Rajasthan incident is a condemnable cowardice act, let’s unite to stop this killing. If by killing innocents we are going to achieve success, I refuse to call myself an Indian.