During the time of the pandemic, literary historian and writer Rakhshanda Jalil wrote a piece in The Wire, with the headline – In New India, a Muslim Rose Smells Different From a Hindu Rose. She argued that ‘the mask of political correctness’ is fast slipping away and giving way to ‘a militant and muscular majoritarianism’. Every day new words are being added to Indian vocabulary. Besides ‘Paki’, slurs like ‘katua’ and ‘mullah’ have been added now to show off how Islamophobic one might be.
With much fanfare, the gigantic new parliament house has been inaugurated. This edifice is being built to show off the might of one man, who is engrossed in projecting him as ‘Vishwa Guru’, a political catchphrase now being used at random.
We did not know, however, or should we say, we knew but we could not perceive it beforehand – a bunch of lunatics would run amuck inside the sanctum sanctorum; hellbent on reducing it into a place of vituperation within a short span of time.
Ever since the Modi government came to power organised violence against Muslims has been on the rise. It has reached such a level that constant fear is plaguing many ordinary Muslims throughout the country. Reports after reports have documented accounts of hatred against the Muslim community. Islamophobia has gripped the country. Hatred has been spread at such a level that gory incidents are taking place at regular intervals. Lynching has become a neo-normal affair in the country. An RPF constable shot dead three Muslim passengers aboard the Jaipur-Mumbai Express a couple of months back. His murderous spree stands out because of his invocation of Narendra Modi and Adityanath – murder in the name of paramount leaders.
Lunatics were outside the Parliament it seemed. But now they are inside. The BJP MP from South Delhi, a relatively posh area of the nation’s capital, Ramesh Bidhuri launched a vile verbal attack against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Danish Ali marking a new low in the history of the Indian Parliament. We are left benumbed. It was equally horrifying to witness two senior BJP MPs, Dr Harsha Vardhan and Ravi Shankar Prasad drooling over the hurling slurs by their party colleague.
Needless to say, words have power. It can rejuvenate but it can tear apart too from the core. It stays in our system and causes psychological damage long after they have been uttered. The Sanghis know it well enough and use it viciously. Thus the real face of its political outfit is exposed forthright. By labelling the Muslims as the sub-human other, perennial enemy and cancer, it has set the record straight.
(The post was first published on backgroundenglish.com)
