Rising Islamophobia in India

Ram Puniyani

According to the “Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad”, minority communities in Bangladesh faced 205 incidents of attacks in 52 districts, since the fall of the Hasina government on August 5. Prof Yunus was the choice of students to lead the interim Government. There was a massive rally of minorities calling for their protection. Prof Yunus immediately issued an appeal. He “…urged the student protesters to protect all minority communities, including Hindu, Christian and Buddhists, from being targeted. Are they not the people of this country? You have been able to save the country. Can’t you save some families?” he asked the student protesters.

This was a powerful appeal and as per Mahfouz Anam, editor of Bangladesh’s Daily Star, the violence against Hindus stopped, to the extent that the right-wing Jamat-E-Islami formed teams to protect the temples. The learned Editor, in an interview given to Wire’s Karan Thapar, also pointed out that rightists in Bangladesh and India feed each other. As per him after fifth day the attack on minorities came to a total halt. He and many other YouTubers have pointed out that in India many of the rumours and fake news have been circulated without any fact check.

One major example is the news and visual that cricketer Leepan Das’s House was put on fire. The BBC fact check revealed that it was the house of another cricketer, who is close to Awami League and had been MP for two terms. Similarly, another visual shows the burning of a temple in Chittagong. The fact check showed that what was put to fire was Awami League office, which was near the temple. Such examples abound, showing the burning of Hindu temples and the killing of Hindus. “Both, Hindus and Muslims are victims. But they cherry-pick and highlight the politically motivated attacks as communal. When the victim is Hindu, all incidents are widely propagated as communal persecution, which will increase anti-Muslim hatred in India.”

Now the two major powers in Bangladesh are Prof Yunus and the students who led the protests. Both these are taking the line of the inclusive character of Bangladesh, and strong position about the protection of Hindus and other minorities. Undoubtedly Jamaat-e-Islami dreams of an Islamic state, there is Khaleda Zia of BNP, which is also pro-Right, pro-Islamic state, while the major scale is tilted towards the attitudes that Yunus and Students are displaying. Prof Yunus, true to his pluralism visited Dhakeshri temple (13th August 2023) and met Hindu leaders to assuage their pain and ensure their safety. That is so reassuring.

Here in India the hate mongers and votaries of Hindu Nationalism are spreading Hate and sending inciting messages with gay abandon. BJP’s MP, Kangana Ranaut, tweeted, “Peace is not air or sunlight that you think is your birthright and will come to you for free. Mahabharata hoya Ramayana biggest battles in the history of the world have been fought for peace. Pick your swords and keep them sharp, practice some combat form daily.”

 Along similar lines, many trolls and leaders of BJP are spreading such things which incite the people. What is needed at the moment? People must stand for the rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh. As the interim Government is calling for protection of minorities and as minorities could successfully stage a demonstration for their rights, it seems there is some space for the democratic secular values which need to be appreciated and supported.

Tommy Robinson who has been criticised for posting inflammatory messages about the violent riots targeting Muslims and immigrants across the UK, has been sharing unverified videos from Bangladesh, where he says there is ‘a genocide on Hindus’.

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Vol 57, No. 12, Sep 15 - 21, 2024