Various naval staff, air marshalls, senior officers and people’s collectives signed an open letter by rights group Dhanak of Humanity on December 31, 2021 raising concerns about the open call for communal genocide of Indian minorities in recent times.
Dhanak of Humanity Condemns Haridwar and Delhi hate speeches https://t.co/b5USKYM7tf
— Dhanak of Humanity (@Dhanak_Humanity) January 3, 2022
Particularly, the letter raised concerns about the Dharma Sansad in Haridwar between December 17-19 and another event organised by the Hindu Yuva Vahini in Delhi on December 19. It appealed to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb such attempts of hate. The group appealed to Opposition leaders and other political parties to do the same.
“Both events have endorsed violence against religious minorities and called for a Muslim Genocide. The alarming thoughts expressed at the events to wipe out a particular community for achieving a Hindu nation go against the conscience of our country that prides itself in being a secular and democratic state,” said the NGO in the letter.
During the event, right-wing leaders like Yati Narsinghanand, Anand Swarup Maharaj and other leaders demanded a “Hindu Rashtra”, and advocated for taking up arms against Muslims. Swarup even targeted Christians and announced he would not let the minority groups celebrate their festivals in Uttarakhand. Then just after the event ended, another group of people gathered in Delhi and publicly swore to make India a Hindu nation, by fighting and killing if necessary.
“More such seditious meetings are being organised in other places. Regardless of which persons or parties initiated calls for such genocide, the Government of India and the judiciary, at the highest level, need to take urgent action,” said the letter.
Experts said that such incitement to violence together with public expressions of hate cannot be allowed because it endangers internal security on top of damaging the communal harmony in the country.
One of the hate-mongers also called upon the army and police to join the violent hate crime demanded during the events. To this, the officers’ group reminded that the Armed Forces, Army, Navy and Air Force officers together with CAPFs and Police, are responsible for national security – external and internal. Accordingly, they have a responsibility to uphold India’s Constitution and our secular values. Doing otherwise, “emboldens the inimical external forces”. Dhanak pointed out that such divisive calls also injure the unity and cohesiveness of uniformed personnel.
“It is in national interest that all parties should refrain from using religion in politics and pledge to uphold our Constitution and the wellbeing of our people – thus ensuring both national and human security for all,” said Dhanak.
Other than Dhanak, many people’s collectives have already held conferences and protests to condemn the Dharma Sansad. Yet the consequences of the hate-speech can already be seen as hate-mongers like Bhupinder Tomar alias Pinky Chaudhary who is the Hindu Raksha Dal President chose the campus of J.D. Public school in Ghaziabad to spew more hate on December 31.
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