Sonia’s selective outrage at ‘ Humanity being on trial’, tantamounts to a harsh slap in the face of Hindus!
Vivekanand Jha Ranchi: Writing in his autobiography My Country My Life, the contemporary patriarch of BJP, Lal Krishna Advani, had dwelt at length on myriad issues and dimensions of Indian politics. Significantly, many of such issues underscored, reflected the intrinsically felt urges and aspirations of the great leader for whom the vision of ‘ Nation First’ guided all his actions and omissions throughout his life. One of such notable incidents which the book so evocatively envisages, pertained to Rajiv Gandhi’s unwarranted succumbing to the Islamic fundamentalists in Shah Bano case where, Rajiv Gandhi, despite his giving an unconditional commitment to Advani that he would not bow down to the wish of the fanatics for scuttling the verdict of the apex court in the famous Shah Bano case. However, Lal Krishna Advani writes, ‘his surprise knew no bounds, when Rajiv Gandhi had no qualms in pandering to the worst form of chauvenism by kowtowing to the fanatical elements by overturning the grand verdict by bringing a legislation in the parliament. Apparently, the fact became obvious to one and all: The Congress Party, in the garb of parading the bogus and preposterous version of secularism, was actually taking Hindus for a ride; the fragility of Hindus, as against the robust consolidation of Muslims as monolithic voting unit, was the trigger behind Rajiv Gandhi’s volte face. Ironically, Rajiv Gandhi’s blatant partisanship exhibited to the full public view, a surer step towards the appeasement of Muslim fanatics, he had no apprehension, far less any pricking of conscience of putting to shreds the ethics and morality for the sake of electoral politics. Worse still, where Rajiv Gandhi had no fear of public backlash, especially from Hindus, is the clear vindication of the political insensitivity of the larger community of Hindus’ stoicism to the ongoing political repercussions having its pitfalls in the future. Rajiv Gandhi knew that it was the appeasement of Muslim sentiment which exclusively mattered for his electoral triumph, for Hindus divided as they were along the caste and creed, hardly give a damn to any such decisions which gravely impacted their very raison d’etre and summum bonum. However, the aftermath impacts of Rajiv Gandhi’s blatant submission before the Islamic fundamentalists had its unexpected consequences too: BJP gave an unexpected fillip to the whole issue of Muslim appeasement of Congress Party to jeopardise the interest of majority Hindus. Unequivocally then, Rajiv Gandhi’s move to open the lock of Babri Masjid to placate Hindus for bruising their sentiments, began to unfold which, as the later incidents had urreversibly established, proved to be the graveyard for Congress Party.
Speaking on the birth anniversary of Veer Savarkar in Pune, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had articulated few points, which deeply resonated with me, as it would with the like-minded people: ‘ Hindustan ka bhagya ka faisla ho raha tha, aur jo log Plassey ke maidan mein lad rahe the, unse jyada log bahar mein khare hokar tamasha dekh rahe the; unka bhagya ka faisla honey ja raha tha, magar wo tali peet rahe the'( ‘The very destiny of the people was sought to be decreed, yet those who were fighting the battle were far outnumbered by those who were spectators watching from outside, cheering them; their collective destiny were in the process of being re- written–East India Company was on the threshold of snatching power–yet they were celebrating with their thunderous clappings’). Unequivocally, the lack of complete political consciousness of Hindus vis- a – vis their Muslim counterpart; whereas Muslims sought their own Islamic nation, Hindus oblivious of their own existential challenge visiting them in next few decades, remained cocooned to their individual agenda of being engrossed in whataboutery with each other; one upmanship among the its very constituents prevented the community from presenting a united face, even when the enemies within as well as without, are bidding for their times to unsettle them, Hindus remain at loggerheads with each other: The latest Caste Census in Bihar, is an ostensible means to further divide them in the name of Reservation. Regrettably, the caste dimension to the angle of Hinduism, has triggered the rise of casteist leaders across the northern India who, by the dint of their caste imprimaturs, have transformed themselves as leaders; in fact, the very meritocratic structure of the polity is in for a big overhaul: The casteist affinity has become a cohesive for the gullibility to assume its overwhelming prominence in the polity.
Significantly, whereas Hindus, paradoxically though, remain blissfully obvious to the proverbial ‘ between the Devil and the deep blue Sea’–on the one hand the escalating danger from Islamists, both from inside as well as outside, seeking to tear them apart–the politicians, on the other hand, are feeding upon their pitiable state of helplessness. Unequivocally, if Hindus have anyone to look up to for their own inspiration, they are the brave community of Jews: much like Hindus, Jews too, are encircled from Islamists from all sides. 7th October, the horrendous day for the proper of Israel being slaughtered like animals; their children, women being hacked to death, as well as taken hostage. The terrorist Hamas inflitrated the territory of Israel by breaking the fence, and unleashed the naked tandav over the innocent citizens of Israel. The terrorist Hamas sought to unleash the worst form of terror on humanity which the entire world had witnessed with deep horror. However when Israel began retaliating, suddenly the world began sobbing; the selective outrage of Muslim victimisation has begun its resounding propaganda across the world, wherein the Israel military is being painted as the villain for unleashing its toxic venom upon innocent women and children at Gaza strip. Significantly, the deadly terror of Hamas in killing the innocent old and children, raping women, inevitably took the back side, with the orchestrated backlash against the Israel army has assumed its overwhelming importance in the world media. This selective outrage for Muslims, while blissfully ignoring Jews, is the lubrication of propaganda machine to strangle the barbarous fangs unleashed on Jews at the first place. Significantly, the gory nemesis afflicting Jews today, has an uncanny resemblance with Hindus in Kashmir–more than five lac Hindus from Kashmir fled their homes; their women too were brutally raped and murdered, yet there was hardly any sympathy for them, let alone an iota of empathy, from the global community, especially the Islamic world or Muslims from within.
Sonia Gandhi’s latest article in The Hindu, when she sheds her crocodile tears on the ongoing war in Gaza strip, expressing her selective outrage on ‘ Humanity being on trial’, was motivated by an upcoming election as well as winning the support of Muslim population for voting for the party. Significantly, Sonia knows that all her support extended for Palestinians, will directly influence her Muslim vote bank in rising enmasse in support for the party, for she knows it pretty well that Hindus, irrespective of their existential challenges staring nakedly at their faces, remain blissfully oblivious of the same. In other words, her Hindu vote bank will remain intact, even if she goes bonkers in empathising with Palestinians for their separate homeland. Worse still, the CWC resolution expressing solidarity with Palestinians, while refusing to condemn the brutality of Hamas, is the vindication of the fact that how Congress’ continues to express the selective outrage for Muslims, remaining mum on the sufferings of Jews and Hindus back home. Unequivocally then, it is the clarion call for Hindus; the problems that Jews are confronting today, has been bedeviling Hindus for millennium. It is the time Hindus begin reflecting on their own state vis- a – vis that of Jews. After all, Jews have their own country; Hindus have none. Also, the problems of Jews have striking resemblance with that of the people of Israel and, therefore, Hindus and Jews are brothers in arms. There cannot be a second thought to it. It is for Hindus to take the serious note of Congress’ design to be inimical to their strategic interest. However, Modi government’s siding with United Nation’s resolution in condemning the terrorism of Hamas is, unequivocally, the recalibration of India’s foreign policy in tune with the evolving nationalistic vision in light of the new geopolitics.
Vivekanand Jha
Author, Academician and a Public Intellectual.
