For the past months, the western state of Rajasthan has been peppered with fuelled hate, inciting prejudice against Muslims, the game plan being to polarise voting-behaviour as the assembly elections approach. Rajasthan goes to polls on November 23. The socio-political moves from ultra, right-wing organisations like VHP, RSS and Bajrang Dal and their mushrooming affiliates have considerably grown in the past few months. The opposition either remains silent or feebly attempts to bust the manipulated hate. It is therefore important to take note of the existing reality, the everyday, heart-warming instances of lived positives that are the natural foil to both fake news and hate-speech. We must also question why psychologists suggest to stay away from the toxic news-shows and why independent journalists like Ravish Kumar recommend that the rational citizens should not consume the godi-media news or irrational information from news hour anchors? These everyday stories of hope are a frequent reminder of our treasured Ganga-Jamuni heritage.

The pink city of Jaipur, the light flickers of the Jodhpur, the vibrant folk art, colourful embroidery, the legacy of classic music and dance have been fascinating people from different places and communities for decades. Travellers imbibe these sparks of stars to strengthen their footsteps and invoke the path ahead. CJP has a regular monitor in its Nafrat ka Naqsha. While we log in data of peppered hate —during April, 2023 CJP has taken note of the spiteful Trishul distribution events in Rajasthan, where the speakers provoked the Hindu mob against the minority via manufactured narratives and impelled them for violence—we need to also constantly record the welcome reprieve from everyday harmony. These instances are also important means to counter the injustices caused by hate and exclusion.

Over just a few short weeks, Rajasthan has also witnessed tales of courage and syncretic sagacity which can fortify the foothold of our everyday religious harmony.

Barmer

Rajasthan consists of a considerably low ratio of Muslim population and most of the districts are dominated by the Hindu community. Several times, orthodox norms, misogyny, communalism and casteism have spilt and resulted in the brutal incidents of discrimination, still wise and grounded people have not left believing in the ethos of accord. In the Barmer district of Rajasthan, many villages have celebrated the pious month of Ramzan. Gohad ka tala, Aarbi ki Gafan, Saroope ka tala and Navatala villages own the legacy of partition when a throng of citizens from Pakistan came and got shelter in adjoining districts. Some villagers are even followers of Peer-Pithora who has an enormous fan-following in Sindh, Pakistan.

A report in LiveHindustan tells us they have been following the Islamic rituals during the month of Ramzan for decades. The cultural similarity and parallel values fix them through the yarn of affection where no communal barriers exist to differentiate and boost the trenches. They wake up at Sehri (the early morning ritual), keep Roza (fast), do Iftar (break the fast) and offer Namaz with a noteworthy bravura. Sharing food and prayers on the same ‘Dastarkwan’ ( place food mat) while several streets are swelling up with the clatter and chaos of hateful slogans is beautiful enough to melt down the mountains of prejudices.

Jaipur  

In the similar way, Jaipur, particularly known for its historical- cultural significance has also witnessed a similar instance where citizens have crossed the walls of religion and division of faith.

As reported by The New Indian Express, Rajendra Bagadi from the pink city was suffering from cancer and unfortunately, he lost his life during the brutal Covid-19 pandemic. However, the local Muslims came to the forefront and took the responsibility of rituals while Rajendra’s wife and children accompanied them. Showing a true spirit of fraternity and humanitarian principle, they supported the family during such a fragile time.  At the time, the video of Muslims performing the last rites of this Hindu man also went viral on the social-media portals where netizens hailed this story via powerful comments and appreciation.

Karauli

The recently released Bollywood fiction movie, ‘Afwah’ sheds some light on the element of fake news and hate speech in the city of Rajasthan. But what do people do when a hate-incident takes place or when rumours flutter to rouse ferocity? Most of the time, the herd has no time (nor inclination) to fact-check or scrutinise the veracity of the information being peddled, but they do spend time and energy to spread the poison.

Madhulika Rajput, a middle-aged lady who runs a shop in the town was not among them. She gave shelter to the Muslim men when a ferocious Hindu mob was chasing them. The violent crowd was also repeating the catchphrase of ‘Jai Shri ram’ but she took a sane step by saving the Muslim men inside the complex. While expressing her perplexities regarding the mishap she said – ‘They asked if anyone was hiding, but I said no one was here. I did not want the riot to spread further.’

Around 35 people got wounded during the bout but her wisdom has set an example against growing communalism. It’s also a powerful response to those chauvinists who underestimate the bravery of their women among conflict.

The word ‘Rajasthan’ translates into ‘the land of kings’. Now it depends on us whether we want to nurture the kings of hate, autocracy and oppression or we choose ordinary people who display, every day, a deep understanding of humanity while saving the crux of democracy.

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Like any syncretic cooperative compass of festivity, the Durga-Pooja has also transformed over the years and has grown into more than a matter of faith! This year as earlier, Muslims, and other minority communities have actively participated and contributed to the merriments and heralded India’s unique communal congruence!        

 Deoria, Uttar Pradesh 

In the city of sugarcane farmers and sugar-mills, a sweet instance of communal brotherhood has overpowered the uprising hate-wave around the east of Uttar-Pradesh! There is a ritual of ‘Kanya-puja’ during Navratri and each year the religious heads or the committee organises a grand feast for small young girls who have not reached the stage of puberty! [Feminists have questioned this practice that is still observed in many parts, however.] Young girls are adorned, celebrated and worshipped in between the early days of Navratri! 

In the Bhujouli colony of district Deoria a Muslim man has presented an exquisite example of shared fraternity! Breaking the stereotypical structure, he has taken the charge of Kanya-pooja and offered scrumptious Thali & flamboyant Uphar (gifts) to 1500 girls.   

देवरिया- नवरात्रि पर हिंदू-मुस्लिम एकता की दिखी झलक,मुस्लिम युवक ने 1500 कन्याओं को कराया भोजन,जन सहयोग से सभी कन्याओं को गिफ्ट भी दिया,देवरिया के भुजौली कॉलोनी में हुआ कार्यक्रम.#Deoria pic.twitter.com/dCimLlGrq8

— भारत समाचार | Bharat Samachar (@bstvlive) October 23, 2023

This Muslim man has proved that the love and respect for the daughters must not be alienated on the name of religion! The daughters are ‘Lakshmi’ for the Hindu community and ‘Rehmat’ for the Muslim believers!

Mumbai, Maharashtra

By the same token, following the Gujarati tradition of vivacious, ecstatic and jovial Garba nights, the city of dreams has also witnessed several beautiful accounts of communal harmony! A post on the Instagram handle of singer Salim Merchant has widely grabbed the ogles of netizens!  In the posted video, three Muslim singers Salim-Merchant, Osman Mir and Aamir Mir are leading the stage while a throng of people is seen dancing and rejoicing on the beats of Maari Maavdi! 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Salim Merchant (@salimmerchant)

Bollywood and the creative arena are known to diminish borders of prejudice! Art has no religion and when the artist picks the path of faith, religion turns into a potion of love, empathy and concord!   

Dantewada, Chhattisgarh 

Dantewada, mostly identified as the tight-spot of political hurricanes, has also perceived a stunning example of religious synchronization!  According to the report of Speed News Desk a Muslim family has ignited seven lamps on the names of seven family-members inside the Maa Danteshawari temple. Sweety Alam, Manan Miraz Hussain, Zahida Khatun, Soham Kabir, Sheikh Sahid, Shakeel Ahmad and Salim Raza Usmani were going through a perilous phase of a serious disease when they promised to kindle Ghee-lamps. Later, they recovered and completed the promise during the blessed days of Navratri!   

Both religions have inspired the other one and the treasured devout values in order to hold the heirloom of syncretistic past!  This family is another example of the intertwined faith and mutual enlightening ethics!  

 Kolkata, West Bengal 

In the similar row the city of joy, Kolkata has presented a quite unique example of beading faith into a powerful tool to change social mathematics. As per a report of FII a Pujo Pandal is breaking the menstruation taboos via women-oriented themes and revolutionary sculptures. The Pujo is the most imperative festival of West Bengal and this initiative to establish a comforting positive atmosphere for the women is pathbreaking and truly inspirational! 

In our society, a ‘Ritumati’ woman is considered profane, someone who can’t touch the religious sculpture or participate in the ceremonies. There is a lot of social stigma and discernment around menstruation. This art of empowering women by combining the crucial question of exclusion with spirituality has set an astounding landmark of equality! 

New Delhi – The Urdu Ramayan 

The Jashn-e-Rekhta, an annual celebration of Urdu literature, has organised an ‘Urdu-Ramayan’ drama to celebrate the combined cultural bonds! The Hindu scriptures in Urdu language are not a new thing. In the previous records of this beautiful Indian language there exists a splendid history of unrestricted morals. 

This innovation must be seen as a modest and creative revolt against the pro-Hindutva politics of labelling the Urdu language. The easy to understand, friendly dialogues and the mesmeric tone of the Urdu Ram Kahani not only adds a magical charisma to the epic but also boons Urdu as a ‘Dilfareb Hindustani Zaban’ (Striking Indian Language).

Precisely, this year the Durga-Pooja celebrations have established the humane virtues over typecasts, politics of abhorrence and discrimination! These tales of harmony have unbolted the empathy, love & care among common people. It’s true that the wonder of this Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb is founded on the evergreen paradigm of collective pain and happiness!  

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In the wake of attempts to polarise public-opinion, the current government has shown an inclination towards Sanskrit but the controversy around this language subsists around the suppression of the lower-castes. Despite the spellbinding and beautiful sounds of the character set, we cannot ignore the widespread prejudiced parameters, social stigmas, educational subjugation of lower-castes and some bigoted tendencies evident in the processes of appointment of Sanskrit teachers, professors or pandita (scholars) in temples.

Fundamentally, a language is meant to develop the freedom of expression and imagination, and provide a space for diverse thoughts. The snag of Sanskrit is not caused by the profound and flamboyant entity of the dialectal showground but through the discriminatory approaches of a particular sect.

Academics and historians have emphasised the primeval roots of Sanskrit with other ancient Indo-European languages. Apart from an enhanced vocabulary and mesmerising tenor it preserves a strong scientific and reflective grammatical pattern which matches with that of Persian structural arrangement. The initial Greek, Latin and Persian and the contemporary modern languages like English, Spanish, French & German, both have the imprints, traces and essence of Sanskrit. Hindi is not quite close enough in the match.

Today, in Hindi, English and south-Indian languages, we use many Sanskrit words on an everyday basis. For instance, the English words like ‘Mother’, ‘Father’, ‘Brother’, ‘Path’, ’Yoga’, ‘Mantra’ have been directly taken from the ‘Matra’, ‘Pitra’, ‘Bhrata’, ‘Patha’, ‘Yoga’ and ‘Mantra’, which also bear a similarity to the parallel terms in Hindi dictionary. Then what has led to the dismantling of the “divine” Sanskrit?

On August 31, 2023 PM Narendra Modi requested the Indian public to tweet in Sanskrit language to celebrate World Sanskrit Day. Does Sanskrit symbolise Hindutva? Does Modi really believe in the democracy of language? Do contemporary promotion techniques to boost Sanskrit really respect the ideas of equality and justice? Or is this just one more diversionary tactic to sow confusion and affect voting-behaviour?

विश्वसंस्कृतदिवसे मम शुभकामनाः। अहं सर्वान् अभिनन्दामि ये एतदर्थं भावुकाः सन्ति। संस्कृतेन सह भारतस्य संबन्धः विशिष्टः।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2023

Despite preserving its place among mother-languages, Sanskrit is nearly irrelevant in everyday life.

According to the prominent Urdu author and researcher Gopi Chand Narang, languages which exclude the impression of other pertinent languages and don’t change with the times get diminished. It is precisely this orthodox approach towards other languages and a prejudicial urge towards dominance by a particular community that can turn out to be a slow poison. In contrast, a growth- aptitude can flourish the flow of expressive- strength! So, who slayed Sanskrit? …. Those who play the politics of words!

It’s also crucial to take note of the current chauvinist trends regarding the alleged ‘purity’ of the Hindi- language which highlights the Sanskrit-oriented approach by prohibiting Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali expressions, words and epithets nor the influence of the south-Indian languages. All through the initial phases of her literary career, the famous Hindi author Krishna Sobti was asked to remove Punjabi- words from her writing, by Rajkamal Prakashan. She refused to do so.

The fresh scars of the Sanskrit skirmish  

The past has witnessed numerous such brutal incidents when Dalits have faced humiliating violence and the incidents of caste-based slurs & derogatory terms for simply reading the Sanskrit scriptures. Even after independence, when untouchability has been declared illegal; by the Constitution, people have faced several such incidents and the drive continues till now! In November, 2019, a controversy over the appointment of a Muslim professor Feroze Khan at the Sanskrit department in Benares Hindu University (BHU) broke out. At the end of the attacks, he was forced to resign and change his faculty. Similarly, in September 2022 a Dalit Sanskrit teacher at a government school of Barabanki, Uttar-Pradesh got mistreated by staff. A staff-member cut his choti (A segment of hair on the head-top known as a symbol of Brahman-roots) in order to degrade him for his choice of language!

According to The Hindu, there are around 14,000 people in India who treasure the remnants of Sanskrit in their own regional dialects. Most of them are locals from the states of Uttar-Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana & Uttarakhand. Hence, a country which celebrates the diversity of culture and language, the sense of dominance over a language seems ridiculous. The claim of nourishing a supremacy of ideas is even more abhorrent. Those who see Sanskrit as a pious language need to raise their voice against the attacks on the very entity of the language and with a belief in the democratic right to education.

The wounds of a Vedic past

Manusmriti, a significant scripture –read dominant caste Hindu dogma—has, arguably, played a dominant role in building the foundation of such classifications by dividing people in four separate parts and deciding their roles, limits and contributions. We have the story of Karna and Eklavya who faced snags in acquiring appropriate education, despite their bursting passion for education. Some Vedic texts speak of the hegemony of Brahmans over Shastra (Theology).  A Shudra (ST/SC) who dares even touch the holy scriptures was considered blasphemous who earnt inhumane and violent punishments.

Sanskrit language educational institutions, schools and universities are still governed by upper-caste Hindus and this dominance is the real obstacle in the linguistic growth of Sanskrit. As the promoter of this ancient language has or will the government remedy this exclusivity?

Attempts to impinge on linguistic rights

India has 22 official languages protected under the VIIIth schedule of the Indian Constitution. This government has shown, however, a distinct partiality for Sanskrit and Hindi. The slogan of  ‘Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan’, has been ill-received especially with Kannada, Bengali and Urdu speakers. Southern states have spoken sharply against Hindi supremacy.

Custodians of ‘Shastra’(Scriptures) do not merely limit Sanskrit’s growth but damage the country’s plurality and cultural harmony.

The possibilities

Citizens and netizens, both, need to understand these manipulative political tactics Twitter-trends, however flashy, can never calculate, estimate or wipe away the marks of the past. What we need is fair and equal treatment of all languages in the VIIIth schedule, diversity not uniformity. This will ensure an inclusive  freedom of both expression and equality.

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The post Sanskrit & the democracy of language appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Two diverse yet comparable incidents of hate with other interlaced patterns that disclose the silts of rusted bygone criminal mechanisms. The rancorous practice of ‘Stripping’ is a predominant form of targeted harassment and an instrument to snatch away the very essence of human-dignity from women and even, sometimes men.

If we factor in records of our bloody partition, the accounts of communal riots, ragging incidents around educational institutions and also miscellaneous criminal cases, India has witnessed several such criminalities; where, “taking off clothes” is used as a tool to throw a person down the shaming and embarrassment-tunnel.

These acts, if we look at social, political and legal parameters are violations of Article 21 which establishes the value of human dignity, life and privacy etched by Article 14, 15,16,17,18 of the Indian constitution which together ensure protection against each & every sundry act of discrimination.

But what are the key drives, psychological pits & politics of this felonious practice?

First, we need to amass some criminal instances to reach a condensed and prolific conclusion.

The wall of shame 

1. On August 23, 2023 an undergraduate has been forced to undress and walk through the hostel corridor at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal. Police have embarked on an investigation after the pathetic death of the adolescent and reported involvement of hostel- seniors in the case.
2. Recently, the disturbing video of two Kuki women parading naked, had captured the eyeballs of an otherwise desensitised public discourse, igniting anger and revulsion against the brazen act. On May 4, 2023 these women got both assaulted and raped in the midst of the internet shutdown in the first outbreaks of Manipur violence. Has this incident rekindled the snoozing sensitivity of collective consciousness but still the raised concerns on women security issues or do we still have a long way to go?
3. On July 6, 2021 another such video had set social-media abuzz, in which a tribal woman is getting punished by her husband for fleeing with her lover. The police officials testified that the incident took place in a tribal-vicinity, in which the woman was undressed and paraded before villagers in Dahod, Gujarat.
4. A 38-year-old person was forced to walk naked for 45 minutes on an open street in Rajkot, Gujarat after he indulged in an angry “Facebook live” in December 2020. The virtual intolerance exploded in the scandalous vehemence when the man allegedly mentioned the involvement of known figures behind “bootlegging during a cricket-game”.
5. On June 10, 2018, two minor boys from the Dalit community purportedly got stripped, tortured and paraded naked by upper-caste chauvinist goons for accessing water from a well which was forcibly denied their community. This act of violence took place in Jalgaon, Maharashtra before it was widely viewed on social media.
6. Phoolan Devi, the bandit queen, legendary Phoolan Devi also suffered the same fate. She survived after having undergone through caste-based humiliation, brutality & violence. It is said that a clique of Thakur community undressed and postured her naked across the village, Behmayi in Madhya Pradesh.
7. Partition & riots: The partition of the Indian sub-continent contains several sub-texts of such anecdotes of communal riots where people have particularly targeted women, showcasing an upsurge of misogynist violence. Many Sikh, Muslim and Hindu women got stripped, raped and murdered during this cycle of partition produced hate. Forced abductions, conversions and marriages followed.

This peculiar type of hate crime has a special motive. It stems from a desire to humiliate, establish dominance over a particular caste, religion, gender; it is often also just an act of delinquency.

Stripping as an act of ‘voyeurism’

The Indian Penal Code (IPC) provisions classify ‘stripping’ under the definition-shade of ‘voyeurism’, which catalogues the act of doing, watching or spreading an undressing mishap or sexual activity.

This also includes capturing photographs, creating videos or using hidden cameras to record such content. The IPC puts on an imprisonment punishment of at least one year which can outspread to three years and contain a fine for committing such felonies. However, Voyeurism doubled by rape or murder transforms the character of the offence itself.

A tool to invade human-dignity

As clothes are but basic necessities, the act of snatching away clothing is indeed a vulgar attempt to demolish the fundamental sense of human dignity. It shatters any sense of self-respect and self-worth in the prevalent social arrangement. Subsequently, even after the acknowledgment of such activity, legal-aftermaths & police-action, the victim feels embarrassed, mortified and shamed while the criminal does not face commensurate blame, or punishment. Little can be compensated for the mental trauma, loss & and personal-social outcomes of such crime.

The psychology of social exclusion

Earlier dominant sections used social exclusion as a means to “punish”. The act, and repercussions of stripping someone naked translates into creating psychological pressures of and another category of abandonment. It can also goad a person into self-harm or suicide

Experiments with human-nature

A Mob never proclaims liability!

Marina Abramovic, a revolutionary stage performer once experimented with her body to capture and understand the patterns of social behaviour. She stood still for six hours, kept 72 different soft & violent objects on the table and allowed the public to adapt anything. Surprisingly, people undressed her, cut her skin, gave her a gun to check out senses and actually behaved an eerie and sick criminals.

In contrast, Rousseau believes in the genuinely good nature of the human-race in its natural-state.

Today, however, we reside on the rock-hard grounds of the “modern 21^st century” where violent video games, sensational events, fake news, hate-speech, propagandas, manufactured rumours and mediocre triggering films dominate the scene. This encourages a vast section of the people to “consume hostility” by providing them the liberty to remain unidentified. Several criminals who plan, agitate or fuel such crime never get recognised, in the “crowd”.  A nuanced and elevated public consciousness towards such hate crimes couples with responsive administrative and legal mechanisms need to be in place to correct collective sensitivity and, then, step two, alleviate this kind of violence.

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