Right wing meetings and calls for attack against minorities have been an unfortunate norm rather than an exception, especially after the infamous Dharma Sansad in December 2021. Such meetings thrive as they appear to enjoy impunity from state and law and order authorities. Organisations affiliated to the right-wing ecosystem, often new and different outfits, but often linked to the VHP-Bajrang-Dal and even the RSS are behind this. The legal impunity accorded to the speakers have emboldened the right-wing groups to continue with hate-mongering ceaselessly.
As per a report in the Wire, such meetings often lead the frenzied mob to take the law into their hands and set on vendetta and arson often culminating in grave communal tensions. The inaction of the police to bring the culprits and the failure to act preemptively compounds the problems, as the tacit political support in the run-up to 2024 election makes the hate industry more widespread.
In an article in the Earnegie Endowment, the ‘triumphant attitude’ of Hindutva mob incites them to violence against minorities. Of the late, Muslim-bashing has been the favourite political recipe of right-wing politics.
In a far-right meeting at Phulambri, Aurangabad in Maharashtra leaders brazenly called for economic boycott of Muslim and hurled conspiratory theories of ‘Love Jihad’
The Video circulating on social media may be viewed here
Location: Phulambri, Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Sakal Hindu Samaj organized Jan Akroash Morcha, where far-right leaders resorted to hateful speeches against Muslims.
Swami Vishuddhanand of Gayatri Ashram Akola pitched for an economic boycott of Muslims & peddled conspiracy… pic.twitter.com/AUz6yA023p
— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) July 31, 2023
Jan Akroash Morcha organised by Sakal Hindu Samaj, Swami Vishuddhanand of Gayatri Ashram, Akola, pitched for an economic boycott of Muslims and peddled conspiracy theories of ‘Love Jihad’ and Muslim population explosion. Sakal Hindi Samaj has been notoriously dotting the state of Maharashtra and others with meetings and speeches that spew targeted hate and venom.
Citizens for Justice Peace has, since December 2022, been raising some concerns about various events organised by Sakal Hindu Samaj (February 9) in Baramati, Maharashtra and other parts of the state. Sakal Hindu Samaj is the same organisation that has been giving a platform to hate speech offenders to make hate speech by organising events demanding central laws against ‘love jihad’, religious conversion and cow slaughter.
The CJP has, through several complaints and memoranda to the Director General of Police (DGP, Maharashtra) as well as the police chiefs (Superintendents of Police-SPs) of districts where such venom has been spread or where such events were planned.
Swami Vishuddhanand alerted the cheering audience to prevent Hindu girls from falling into the snarl of Muslim fake love. “Check the call details of your daughters regularly, do not allow them to eat them outside. If you are buying fruits from the market, ensure that you are buying from Hindu fruit sellers only. Remember that when you buy from Muslim fruit sellers, they spit on the fruit, my own colleague saw this. They are doing ‘love jihad’ with the money you spend on fruits. Hindus should start their own businesses”, he added while suggesting ways to stop the ‘Love Jihad’ threat.
His focus was on indoctrinating women in Hindutva ways, which will be antidote to Muslim efforts. He lamented the lack of Hindu tradition and culture among the growing generation.
Further, Swami Vishuddhanand wanted the community to keep tabs on ‘bearded Muslim’, out for luring Hindu girls. He also questioned the sincerity of Muslims in approaching Hindu girls for various purposes.
‘Love Jihad’ is a favourite bogie claim peddled by a right wing organisation to tarnish interreligious friendship and love. It assumes if a Muslim male befriends a female, it’s to convert her to Islam and thus increase the population of Muslims to capture the country.
In 2020, as reply to a written question on whether the government was aware of Kerala High Court saying there was nothing called Love Jihad, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said : “The term ‘Love Jihad’ is not defined under the extant laws. No such case of ‘Love Jihad’ has been reported by any of the central agencies”, as reported by Indian Express
‘Love Jihad’ accusation fits perfectly into right-wing political and cultural agenda. Politically it is employed to consolidate votes against ‘imagined enemy’. Culturally it is a potent weapon to raze down syncretic culture of India and promote exclusive Hindutva ideology.
The ‘Love Jihad’ tirade paves way for moral vigilantism and often curbs the individual freedoms of the people. It is widely used by right-wing ecosystems to foment hatred against Muslims.
Second speaker spews hate at same meeting
‘Muslims could not be Indians, ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims vindicated’ claims Hindu Rashtra Sena President Dhananjay Desai
In the same meeting, Hindu Rashtra Sena President Dhananjay Desai, claimed Muslims were not true Indians as their loyalty is at Makka (Mecca). “India is our holy land. Only those who abide by this idea in thoughts and action are true Indians”, he claimed insinuating Muslims are fifth column in the country.
‘Hindutva is not only a thought process, it is the nation itself’, he exhorted the listening audience. He referred to Muslims as virus hellbent on destroying the lofty ideals of the nation. By calling some Muslims names, he depicted Muslims as traitors.
Later he extolled the internationally condemned ethnic cleansing of persecuted Muslims at Rakhine State in Myanmar. He blamed Rohingya Muslims as perpetrators and blatantly justified state sponsored violence. “In Myanmar, these Rohingya people tormented the peace loving Buddhist. They raped and murdered the daughters of Buddhists. After this, the people of Myanmar woke up and chased these Rohingyas out of the country. Today, these Rohingyas have settled down in our country. These Rohingyas have been demanding the Supreme Court to provide them with citizenship of India. The people of India are still sleeping.”
Later he cautioned Hindus against any such moves by Muslims in India. He also accused Christians fomenting religious conversions in North India. “In Manipur, the Meitei tribals, the ones who are the original indigenous tribe of Manipur, they are being attacked by the Christians of Manipur. Whole villages belonging to the Meitei are being attacked by these Christians.”
Hindu Rashtra Sena and its president Dhananjay Desai are infamous for hate speeches accused in murder cases too. The organisation stands for establishment of Hindu Rashtra.
Although acquitted by court, Dhananjay Desai was accused in the murder of Mohsin Shaikh in Pune in a communal clash in 2014. He was also arrested for fomenting violence after CAA-NRC amendments.
The failure of law enforcement agencies to rein in such bigots is a cause for concern.
The obvious laxity and even leniency on the part of the state in controlling the hate speeches stigmatise a section of Indians, already socially and economically marginalised and bodes ill for the overall social peace and integrity of society and the nation.
Related:
https://sabrangindia.in/how-did-uttarakhand-govt-allow-calls-muslim-genocide-haridwar/