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Hate Watch: Communal hatred spread at Rajghat on October 2?

Professor Vipin K Tripathi, a renowned Gandhian, witnessed hate speech by a retired professor allegedly fueling anti-Muslim, anti farmer sentiments

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Professor Vipin K Tripathi, a renowned Gandhian, activist and physicist went to Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi’s samadhi on October 2. What he witnessed there this year, however, shook him to the core. He recalled that when he went to the tent, where around 30 people were spinning cotton on a charkha, as is done to mark this day, he heard a woman he identified as retired Prof. Sita Bimbra speaking to the audience. According to Prof. Tripathi, Sita Bimbra in her speech “blamed earlier prime ministers for not doing enough to promote Hindi” and allegedly “termed farmers movement as dalaal movement”. 

She allegedly added that “Hinduism was in danger and narrated a tale of a Hindu boy expressing his resentment to conversion by pulling beard of a Muslim”. Prof. Tripathi said this was “inhuman and vulgar” and so he objected. “I said from the margins of the tent, Sita ji aap aisa kaise bol sakti hain, (how can you say such things?)”, he said. His daughter academic and peace activist Rakhi also expressed her resentment at the hate speech, which she recalls was delivered “in a low voice”.

“It was disturbing to hear what she was insinuating here,” recalled Rakhi, adding that the crowds were clapping at the hate-speech which was using words like “Hindu khatre mein hain (Hindus are endangered” fuelling anti-Muslim, and anti-farmer sentiments. However, some in the crowd raised their voices at Prof. Tripathi when he and his daughter objected to the hate speech, accusing them of “disturbing the peace”.

She says she saw at Rajghat, a “communal hatred being spread at Rajghat” that too on Gandhi Jayanti. “I had to shout my lungs out when a woman in the tent said ‘Hindu khatre mein hain’ and against Islam.” Rakhi told the gathering that hate speech, even when delivered in low tones, is still hate speech. “It was worse to see people applauding her,” she added.
 

 

Professor VK Tripathi recalled that on October 2, he visited farmers at Ghazipur border in the morning then reached Gandhi Samaadhi, Rajghat at 12 noon. He shared this note that detailed the visit:

“My daughter Rakhi and granddaughters also reached there with the posters they had made on Gandhi. After spending some time at the samadhi, we went into a Shamiyana (tent) where 30 people were spinning on charkha. Prof. Sita Bimbra was giving a speech. She blamed earlier prime ministers for not doing enough to promote Hindi. She termed farmers movement as dalaal movement. Then she said Hinduism was in danger and narrated a tale of a Hindu boy expressing his resentment to conversion by pulling beard of a Muslim. This all looked inhuman and vulgar. I said from the margins of the tent, Sita ji aap aisa kaise bol sakti hain. Rakhi also expressed her resentment.” 

According to Prof. Tripathi, it was disturbing to hear such words there, as “Gandhi samadhi used to be a place that inspired truthfulness, humility and spirit to fight oppression and hatred. Now it is filled with soldiers and such people.”

He also recorded his observations on video from the spot, it may be viewed here: 

YouTube video player

Related:

Gandhi’s contribution to Communal Harmony

150 years of Gandhi: A legacy of Ahimsa and Communal Peace

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