Yes, there is peace in India post the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan. But this peace came at a great price.
It was peace that had been purchased at the exorbitant price of an inept judicial system succumbing to the whims and caprices of a vicious Hindutva mob. It was peace that had been purchased at the price of allowing fascism and mobocracy to reign supreme over Supreme Court and democracy. It was peace that had been purchased at the price of the capitulating to the Hindutva forces of RSS and BJP. This is the type of peace that all Indians of goodwill hate. It is the type of peace that is obnoxious. It is the type of peace that even Lord Ram would despise!
I absolutely believe that violence is self-defeating. And these mobs of cow vigilantes, Hindutva rioters and Babri Masjid demolishers will in due time face their judgement. But at what cost? The lives of thousands of poor, helpless Indian Muslims whom these bigoted, criminalised and sadistic people killed, tortured and raped!
Media channels are going on about how a beautiful and never-ending peace has been established with this Ram Mandir Bhumi Pujan. But believe me, this is no peace. There is sadness and a sense of utter dismay amongst Muslims. They are feeling betrayed! And why shouldn’t they feel that way? The land on which Babri Masjid stood was given away as some prize to the same criminals who demolished it in the first place. Supreme Court has not enforced the trials of those accused of demolishing Babri Masjid. LK Advani’s case is still going on.
Of the 53 people killed in Delhi Riots, two-thirds were Muslims. And on top of that, Delhi Police is arresting students of Jamia Millia Islamia and residents of Muslim localities and showcasing them as terrorists and part of some anti-Hindu conspiracy! In 2017, Pehlu Khan was lynched by cow vigilantes. Later, a charge sheet was filed against Pehlu and his sons. On the evening of 15th December 2019, the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia was invaded by the Delhi Police. The police wrecked the library. They thrashed students till their bones broke.
They hurled tear gas shells into reading rooms, rained blows on scared and helpless students. They tried to erase the evidence of their criminality by breaking the CCTV cameras. The police action at Jamia was unprovoked and unreasonable. It was Islamophobic. To this day, no FIR has been registered against the Delhi Police. “What are the officers supposed to do if the students behave like this? Won’t FIRs be filed if students pelt stones?” was CJI Bobde’s reply during the hearing on 17th December 2019.
The Supreme Court has still not stayed the CAA though they are well aware that this act is discriminatory to the Indian Muslims. The court ignored the fears of 20 million Muslims. As Shaheen Bagh protest was nearing its 14th day, the temperature dropped to 3-degree celsius but the protests didn’t stop. Some media houses covered the story but the strong feelings and passion for justice of Muslim women weren’t addressed sensitively by the Supreme Court even after that.
These are just some examples of blatant denial of justice to Muslims. The list is long. Undeniably, the Supreme Court is perceived as prejudiced against Muslims of India. If these unlawful and anti-muslim trends that are creeping into India so brazenly aren’t stopped by the Supreme Court, then a stronger Hindutva anarchy would reign over India. The judiciary has still not established itself as an independent organ of the state. The present Supreme Court appears to be reluctant to defend the Constitution.
One must understand that peace is not merely the absence of communal tension, but the presence of justice. And even though we don’t have this tension, we still can’t have positive peace.
Has The Court Become An Executive Court? Yes!
Yes, it is true that if the Indian Muslims accept their place, accept exploitation, accept discrimination, accept mob lynchings, demolitions of mosques at the hands of Hindutva goons and riots and injustice during court trials, there will be peace. But it would be a disgusting peace. It would be a peace that boiled down to deadening passivity.
If peace means this, I don’t want peace! If peace means Muslims to accept second class citizenship under NRC and CAA, I don’t want it! If peace means keeping my mouth shut in the midst of injustice and evil, and not questioning the Supreme Court for being a mute spectator during the Delhi Riots, I don’t want it! If peace means a willingness to be exploited economically for the past 70 years, dominated politically by Sarkari Musalmaans, humiliated on national TV debates by the likes of Arnab Goswami and Deepak Chaurasia, I don’t want peace.
In a passive, non-violent manner we must protest against this false peace. I totally believe that violence as an instrument of protest or enforcement of law must be delegitimised. Violence should have no place in a democracy.
Also, it is the duty of the Supreme Court to protect Muslims, even from the state if it is violating our rights. It must uphold the values of non-discrimination. Just conditions must be created where Muslims are treated with love and respect. Since the Supreme Court plays such a crucial role in Indian democracy and its judgements could affect the lives of millions of Indian citizens, like all other institutions, it should also be questioned for its shortcomings.
On the night of August 5, multiple violent processions were taken out by Hindutva organisations in the sensitive riot-affected Shiv Vihar in Northeast Delhi. On August 7, a 52-year-old Muslim auto-rickshaw driver was brutally thrashed by two persons in Sikar and allegedly forced to chant pro-Modi slogans. Renewed calls for ‘reclaiming‘ temples in Kashi and Mathura have reached the debate rooms of mainstream media. This has only sparked fears of another Babri like event. These communal tremors are the first ones from the impending Hindutva juggernaut.
I will not be content until justice is delivered upon the real perpetrators of Delhi Riots like Kapil Mishra and his gang of Sanghi goons, Babri demolishers are sent to jail for their crimes, mob lynchers are charged with murder and till our friends who’ve been arrested under false charges are released. I won’t have it any other way!
