The Worst Day of Democracy, its shame full

Syed Javed-ur-Rehman Turabi

India celebrates Republic Day on January 26 every year, but it would not be wrong to call this day the worst day of democracy. Democracy in India is only on paper, the ground realities are very different. This is a society where minorities are not safe. Muslim women are stripped of their veils. They are tried to be exposed by those government officials who have also taken the oath of the Constitution of secular India and hold state positions. What kind of secular and democratic country is this where Muslim students are also forced to recite Bande Mataram in schools and educational institutions? Why is there an attempt to imprint Bande Mataram on the innocent minds of school children? This song is sung in official gatherings and other ceremonies in which people of other religions are forcibly included. An attempt is also being made to automatically include Bande Mataram in the school curriculum. Last year, when Muslim students in Patna refused to sing this song, the doors of educational institutions were closed to them. Such a situation was created. Muslim students were expelled from schools and had to make their own arrangements for education. Muslim students in CP’s local government schools also had the same complaint. The irony of it is that Muslim students in Wardha’s Normal School are not even allowed to touch food in the school mess. In this regard, be it BJP or any other Indian political party, they all have the same mindset. In India, a country that celebrates Republic Day, it is becoming impossible for Muslims to live with dignity. In CP and Bihar, where Muslims are a small minority, we often read and hear incidents of Muslims being forcibly thrown out of ceremonies. In the past, it was a fact that there was always at least one Muslim in the local debt settlement council, but now the situation has changed. There are many such councils where there is not a single Muslim member. The majority of workers and farmers in this province are Muslims who are burdened by the debts of moneylenders. Their issues require special attention. Muslims are discriminated against in welfare schemes. Minority groups, especially Muslims, are deprived of their benefits. In India, it is becoming impossible for Muslims to follow Muslim law. Cow sacrifice is considered a crime, and the matter reaches the point of murder. In such incidents, Muslims are becoming victims of the unfair policy of the Modi government. Similarly, the issue of cow protection has become very serious in India during the Modi government’s rule. There have been numerous examples in which Muslims have been threatened and intimidated to stop slaughtering cows and eating their meat. Regular pickets are held against the sale of cows. Regarding the importance of cow protection, Mahatma Gandhi said: “Historically and economically, cow protection must be there. We have not given serious thought to cow protection. In ancient times, kings used to receive the title of ‘Gau Pal’, i.e., protector of cows. Nowadays, nothing is done for cow protection, which results in cows becoming an economic burden.” It is also a ground reality that licenses for cow slaughter have been suspended in municipalities in most of the provinces of India. These measures are being taken in those areas, there is no doubt that due to the Modi government, Hindutva is flourishing and India is directly embedded in the extremist concept of Hindutva. Apparently, the country that calls itself the world’s largest democracy has today practically become a staunch Hindu state where land is being restricted for religious minorities and dissent is being declared as anti-state. This ideology of Hindutva is not only destroying the internal social balance of India, but is also confronting India with diplomatic isolation in the region and serious challenges at the global level. There are factual reports that India is becoming a threat to the peace of the region and the nations of the world. But our armed forces have taught it a good lesson during the war of justice and it will be treated the same in the future. Rather, its every aggression will be met with a greater response than before and our entire nation is ready for it. Now, due to the actions of the Modi government, the impression is emerging in the whole world that India is indeed a threat to peace. But the way it suffered the worst defeat in the war of justice, India is also losing its nerve. However, it is not stopping from stinging. Countries like Burma, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh are making their new diplomatic alignment in this region. Countries in this region are now looking towards Pakistan and China. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi government is facing criticism from the opposition there for separating itself from Iran’s Chabahar port. The opposition The Congress party is lashing out at the Modi government. It is clear in India that the Bharatiya Janata Party under Modi’s leadership has given Hindutva the status of state policy. Hateful narratives, legislation and state repression against all minorities in general and Muslims and Christians in particular have become the norm in the Modi government. Recently, Christians were treated very badly on Christmas Eve and were subjected to violence. Their places of worship were attacked. International human rights organizations have also expressed concern about the deteriorating situation of religious freedom in India. The United Nations should take notice of this situation because the conditions for religious minorities in India are becoming more difficult day by day. Muslim mosques