The policy of “Divide and Rule” was used as a mechanism by the Britishers to create a rift between the Hindus and Muslims. Before leaving our country, they made sure that our country undergoes a division based on communal lines, which eventually led to the creation of Pakistan in 1947. However, even after 70 years of Independence, the ghosts of the infamous British policy continue to haunt the Indian subcontinent.
Since the election commission of India has announced the dates of Lok Sabha elections and we all have left those glorious “Ache Din” behind us, let’s recall some of the incidents that took place over the last five years and violated the secular and democratic ethos of our country blatantly.
Religion has always been an issue behind conflicts all over the globe, so as well in our country. But last five years were outstanding in terms of communal harmony and peace because you could have disrespected any religious beliefs or practices on national television, without fearing any sort of legal action. You could have brought any sensitive religious issue on the table and derive a straight judgment right in the studio, without considering the fact that judgments are best left to judges. Interestingly, you could also discuss which religion is superior to others and set precedence shamelessly.
To empower all these decade-defining, Gandhivadi (pro-Gandhi) thoughts and movements, we had active religious mobs on our streets. They were there to make sure “very calmly” that all these good efforts to create a great nation do not face any hindrance.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs itself, in the year 2016-17 mob-lynching increased by 16 %. Whether it is a conflict on Sabarimala temple or Ayodhya issue, religious mobs, fanatic elements and political parties have left no stone unturned to tear the country’s social fabric apart.
On September 28, 2015, Muhammad Akhlaq of Bisra village, Dadri, Uttar-Pradesh was murdered in cold blood, as his assailants suspected him of consuming beef. To make things worse, the investigating officials were instructed to find out if the meat in his refrigerator was that of a calf, before investigating anything else.
In the last five years, religion and caste-based discriminations have escalated to another level. If you are assuming that only the common man was at the receiving end of such ordeals, then you must be unaware of the cases where reputed journalists were subjected to bullying for defending public interests, instead of furthering political propaganda.
Students of certain universities were termed anti-nationals when they raised their voices against the tyranny of the ruling party. The irony is that we can’t blame any government official because they were busy in making a ‘New India’, and reaching all the way to Mars, but not without pointing out which religion a person belongs to and which caste is superior.
If these things continue to happen then ‘Future’ of our country will be in state chaos and probably a day will come when yet again we will stand divided on the basis of communal lines, the way we did 70 years back. We have to understand that as a secular and democratic nation it is our responsibility to be respectful towards every caste, community, religion, and region, while also ensuring that the ‘Government’ that we choose also follows the same entirely.