Controversial comments on Taliban draw ire

sedition Image Courtesy:indianexpress.com

It was only a matter of time before the term ‘Taliban’ would enter the political vocabulary in India in its new avatar as it were. The events in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over power in the nation, have had a resonance the world over. India was one of the first to shut down its embassy, and evacuate the officials from Afghanistan. The government of India, continues to watch the ongoing development in the country and is yet to officially make any statement on the Taliban declaring it the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan”.

However, their question “Why are Indian muslims not condemning the Taliban’s actions in Afghanistan?” has continued to be fuelled. As if the onus is on Indian Muslims to answer for the actions of Islamic groups such as the Taliban. It is true that there have been some voices allegedly “supporting” the Taliban’s control of government in Afghanistan, those are few and far between. The rest of the country is watching with horror the chaotic and heartbreaking scenes of ordinary Afghans, especially women and children, desperately trying to flee the country fearing persecution. The world is also watching with awe the immense bravery of the Afghan women, who are protesting the draconian Taliban, and are demanding their rights as equal citizens, and the Afghans who are demanding that their National Flag remain as it is, and the Taliban’s flag not be raised as a national symbol.

However, it is the few in India who are commenting on Taliban and Afghanistan, who may have fueled the ongoing vilifications of Indian Muslims as well.

In Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal Shafiqur Rahman Barq was reportedly booked for Sedition after he allegedly drew “a parallel between the struggle of freedom fighters during India’s Independence and the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban”, UP police told the media. An FIR was lodged based on a complaint of one Rajesh Singhal, who was reportedly a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member. Shafiqur Rahman Barq, a five-time MP, was also charged with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, and promoting enmity between different groups. According to news reports, SP Sambhal Chakresh Mishra said Dr. Barq’s comments made on Monday were inflammatory when he allegedly said the Taliban wanted to free their country that was captured by the U.S. and Russia before that… adding “when India was fighting for Independence against British rule, the entire country came together.

Dr Barq had called it all an “internal matter of Afghanistan”. According to SP Mishra, two others, identified as Faizan Chaudhary and Mohammad Muqeem, who allegedly posted comments in support of the Taliban, were also booked in the FIR as they had “made inflammatory statements regarding the Taliban”. The police have identified the complainant Rajesh Singhal as a private citizen and not a BJP politician.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on the floor of the Legislative Assembly, spoke up against those he alleged were supporting the Taliban’s capture of Afghanistan. According to a news report, the CM said, “Some people are shamelessly supporting them,” and called for “exposing such leaders”. However, such calls may be interpreted at will by the cadres, as they have done before when it came to the Tabhilgi Jamaat. At the receiving end of the call, since then has the ordinary Muslim citizen.

The CM said, “Some people are supporting the Taliban. Women and children are being subjected to cruelty there, but some people are shamelessly supporting the Taliban. All these faces should be exposed.” Adityanath’s remark reportedly came in response to the Shafiqur Rahman Barq’s statement as well as that by All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) secretary Maulana Umrain Mahfuz Rahmani, and national spokesperson Maulana Sajjad Nomani reportedly “praising” the Taliban saying “this Hindi Muslim salutes you”.

Meanwhile in Tripura, BJP MLA Arun Chandra Bhowmik landed in hot water when he reportedly asked his party workers to “attack” Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders in “Talibani style” if they land at the Agartala airport. According to a report in the Indian Express, the TMC leaders are demanding that Bhowmik be arrested over such inflammatory remarks, alleging that they were attacked at a hotel Wednesday night.

Bhowmik was speaking at a felicitation ceremony of the newly-inducted central social justice and empowerment minister of state Pratima Bhowmik when he reportedly said, “TMC leaders from West Bengal are trying to damage the Biplab Deb-led BJP government in Tripura at the instigation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee… I appeal to all of you to attack them (TMC leaders) in Talibani style. If they land in the airport here, we need to attack them in Talibani style. We shall protect our government here with every drop of blood.”

Complaining about petrol prices? Go to Afghanistan!

The taunt ‘Go to Afghanistan’, which was so far trending on social media, also got some traction thanks to Hari Bhushan Thakur Bachaul, BJP MLA from the Bispi in Madhubani district of Bihar, who said those having problems living in India should go to Afghanistan. His bizarre comment came as a reply to a question on rising petrol and diesel prices. The MLA decided to use this as an opportunity to taunt people asking them to go to Afghanistan where the petrol and diesel were sold at a lower price. He added, “Our country is divided into religions. If people of this country don’t become cautious, India would soo turn into a Taliban country like Afghanistan. The patriots of our country should analyse the situation of Afghanistan and learn from it. They should take measures accordingly in the interest of India.”

Adding fuel to the controversy he said many in India were “against the policies of our government. They are raising questions over rising fuel prices. The fuel prices are high in the country but the living conditions in India are far better than any other country. Still if anyone has problems living here, they should go to Afghanistan and avail petrol and diesel at a lower rate there.”