Abu Siddik
Let me quote a couple of my poems to capture the essence of Hindu-Muslim relations. First one is titled ‘Muslims are to be blamed’. It has two parts. Part 1 holds the prejudiced views of Hindu nationalists who are in the habit of dehumanizing the Muslim community of the country for every faults, be it global warming or abysmal education of the nation. This view has strong support among the conservative Hindu thinkers.
1
Ha ha ha …
Who are foreigners?
Muslims
Who are aliens?
Muslims
Who lack culture?
Muslims
Who are traitors?
Muslims
Who damaged our education?
Muslims
Who killed our culture?
Muslims
Who looted us?
Muslims
Who raped our women?
Muslims
Who rioted in Gujrat, UP, Delhi?
Muslims
Who divided our land?
Muslims
Who destroyed Kashmir?
Muslims
Who destroyed our forests?
Muslims
Who are behind global warming?
Muslims
Who made a hole in Ozone?
Muslims
Who melted ice in Arctic?
Muslims
Who stole our minerals?
Muslims
Who polluted our seas?
Muslims
Who cause quakes?
Muslims
Who kill you with words?
Muslims
Who spread Corona?
Muslims
Who disturb your sleep?
Muslims
Who betray you?
Muslims
Who are fanatics?
Muslims
Who populate our land?
Muslims
Who spread hate?
Muslims
Who lure our girls?
Muslims
And whom you deeply hate?
Muslims
And so on and on…
2
Who are poor?
Muslims
Who live in ghettos?
Muslims
Who are lynched?
Muslims
Who languish in jails?
Muslims
Who die in custody?
Muslims
Who are primary targets of police?
Muslims
Who inhabit in detention camps?
Muslims
Who build your home?
Muslims
Who plough your lands?
Muslims
Who work in kilns?
Muslims
Who are peasants?
Muslims
Who are daily wagers?
Muslims
Who make your quilt?
Muslims
Who paddle your boat?
Muslims
Who run your mill?
Muslims
Who work at tannery?
Muslims
Who work at garages?
Muslims
Who supply you cheap labourers?
Muslims
Who water your seeds?
Muslims
Who drive you home?
Muslims
Who sew your shoes?
Muslims
Who sell vegetables at your step?
Muslims
Who tailor your wears?
Muslims
Who guard your malls?
Muslims
Who labour like slaves?
Muslims
Who have no voice?
Muslims
Who vote you to power?
Muslims
Who are worst hit by digital divide?
Muslims
Who have no claim to civilized blocks?
Muslims
Who bite dust?
Muslims
And who are falling like dry leaves?
Muslims
And so on and on…
Part 2 of the poem presents the lived reality of the Indian Muslims. They do the all sort of menial jobs. They are in majority in informal sectors. They live in ghettos and slums and villages. They are a wretched lot. They are modern slaves. The secularists recognize it. But their party bosses hardy take any policy to change the status quo. The secularists in question of Muslim issues hold the same pejorative view as that of their Hindu nationalist counterpart. So in 2022 fundamentally there is no basic difference among the secularists and the Hindu nationalists in question of Indian Muslim questions. Only difference is that the secularists acknowledge the pathetic socio-economic conditions of the Indian Muslims where as the Hindu nationalists put blind eye to this ugly reality. Moreover, they enjoy the lower status of the Muslims in socio-economic spheres.
Let me quote the second poem titled ‘Betrayers of Indian Muslim’ where I argue that for the dehumanization of the Indian Muslim the RSS or BJP is not solely responsible. In fact many so called secularists and liberals have soft corners for the RSS ideology for making India a Hindu Rasthra. The supporters of RSS ideology have got an unprecedented fillip in the wake of the arrival of Modi in 2014. The majority of Hindus belonging to RSS fold or not, have enjoyed many decisions of Modi government, namely the building Ram temple in Ajodhya, abrogation of article 370 in Kashmir, passing bill for NRC, etc. We have seen such heartening scenes—the sweet being distributed at roadsides, candles lit at homes, thalis banged at rooftops throughout the country.
Today Indian Muslims are falling like autumn leaves,
Hot election days or calm winter nights
Spread the same aroma of blood and deaths,
Alien even to age old ‘good’ neighbours,
Barred to beautiful blocks they live and die in ghettos,
Naked, they are lynched even in resorts,
A poor race known only for wrong reasons,
Used, abused, exploited, killed by better brothers.
A few, however, wear mask of bhadraloks,
They have achingly mastered the art
To be quiet in time of crushing quakes, floods or fires.
The rest, only wagons, carrying filth of masters’ fiefdom.
Who have betrayed the sinless country lovers?
Poor leaders, shady intelligentsia, paid media and they themselves.
And now the luxuriant lands and its sunny skies and wide seas,
Revelling and relishing their routine fall.
We have seen the Modi mania of our good gentle liberal Hindu neighbours. At tea-stall or office, in bus or train or on street the bhakts’ visibility comes to the fore. Online propaganda machines are put in operation for the rise of ‘new India’. Riots held at country’s capital, corona took lakhs of lives, lakhs of workers and peasants lost livelihood. But the propaganda machines operated by the chamchas of the party in power have not halted for a second. Without accusing or finding faults of the Muslims they cannot sleep. One after another the issues are being raked up simply to make the Muslim community villain to the eyes of the people. Hijab is merely a ploy. It is a well researched symbol with which the BJP can profitably play. They can drive the hesitant Hindu voters toe ‘hindu’ space. It is plain and simple.
My argument is that Hindu nationalists are constantly openly brazenly attacking the Muslim space. And our secularists, especially in the case of Bengal, are watching the scene like defeated soldiers. In paper they are taking the side of the Muslims but in reality, they are acting against the interests of the Muslims. Muslims have now accepted this mature view. And they are looking out for alternative voice. They believe that the gap between Hindus-Muslims cannot be bridged unless some concrete measures are taken for strengthening the voice of the Muslims. They also believe that both Hindu nationalists and Hindu secularists are happy with maintaining the status quo that is, accepting the second class status as Indian Muslim. The centre is for the Brahmins. Muslims and Christians must be relegated to the margins. Nationalists or secularists have no arguments in the said claim.
So the Hind-Muslim bhai-bhaism is simply a myth. The reality is Hind-Muslim interests clash, and conflicts between the two communities should be acknowledged and alternative politics should be invited in the field of Indian democracy. More we speak about bhai-bhaism, more we do harm to the structural chasm of the 2022 ugly reality.
