RESPONSE IN ADVERSITIES – N A Farooqi

N A Farooqi

Last two and half years world has seen one of the most dreaded pandemic in the history. Insurmountable loss to human lives across the globe and the grave consequences badly hit the world. Equally India and Indians have also become the victims of the deadly pathogen. Indian Muslims have been suffering all through this period more than any other community on the socio economic employment and psychological fronts. During the past six months or more a number of unpleasant incidents are being reported every other day from different parts of the country. Undoubtedly Muslims on most of the occasions have shown restraint kept their cool inspite of facing extreme provocations at times. Yet Indian Muslims still need to continue to proceed with the same endeavour. Please don’t believe the rumours first analyse and authenticate a news without forming any preconceived opinions. Better to acknowledge appreciate and share the good deeds of the government and put them on SM, which has become the main medium of communication particularly for Indian Muslims. Nowadays diligent and sensible handling of SM plateforms is of paramount importance.

The messages predicting India heading towards genocide inundating SM for quite sometime. It seems that the main causes the hypothesis gaining momentum are the alleged hate speeches against Islam and Muslims delivered by saffron clad persons during the meeting called “dharam sansad” held in Haridwar in Dec 2021. The perpetrators allegedly belonged to a fringe group claiming to be the custodians of Hindu interests. Similar diatribes keep repeating from other radical individuals or groups. There is a general perception that these groups have emboldened ever since BJP came to power in 2014. A more intense urest cropped up amongst the minorities was the aftermath of enactment of CAA in Dec 2019 along with the rhetoric of NRC and that had led to a mass scale street protests across the country. So far as the rhetoric about NRC it was unfortunately misconceived that GoI has decided to implement Nationwide NRC on the pattern of Assam though it wasn’t like that.

After the psychological overlay of protests on CAA+NRC+NPR was over the SM has started bustling in with the superfluous messages predicting mass Genocide of Indian Muslims. I have been countering this hypothesis ever since it was initially appeared on SM. Sinse then I have been trying hard to make the society understand it’s implications. The trend if continue to haunt us it will be extremely disturbing and harmful for the development and growth of the community.

The perception of India heading towards genocide has surfaced nearly two years after the anti CAA protests in Dec 2019 and the same gained momentum as I said after the infamous Dharam Sansad held in Haridwar in Dec 2021. The threads of prediction of genocide and speculation of exclusions of names of Muslims from future NRC are interconnected. Since then it has become a routine on SM where the source wants to prove emphatically that India is heading towards mass genocide of Indian Muslims. An interview on one of the SM channel of a Virginia University Prof Gregory Stanton known for predicting Rwandan Genocide-1994, has further fuelled the idea. According to the prediction of G Stanton, India has crossed 8 or 9 out of 10 stages when genocide takes place.

The government of India was never serious about NRC’s nationwide implementation and I don’t think they will ever do. If the ruling coalition does it so they will certainly face debacle in the subsequent elections. From my standpoint no Indian citizen is going to lose Indian citizenship whenever government proceeds with the most stupid idea of inforcement of nationwide NRC ( on Assam Pattern ). Neither a large scale genocide predicted by Gregory Stanton can ever happen in our country.

It is easy to provoke the public and turn their anger in the form of mass street protests. This can be triggered by even an ordinary person leaving the unorganised people at the mercy of God to face the worst and most dreaded consequences thereof. On the other hand a statesman is a difficult task master who appeals and advises the public discipline self restraint for maintaining peace and tranquility at any cost ( the only exception is war or war like situation ).

I may be allowed to make a fervent appeal to the Muslim community that you please be cautious and vigilant and don’t get trapped in any kind of antithesis. Make a promise to yourself to behave most responsibly on SM. It is far better not to forward messages for ages than to forward a single wrong fake, false or debilitating message. Finally this is not the time to engage in street protests led or dominated by Muslims. Leave the matter of alleged provocations, hate mongering, atrocities etc to be dealt by the recognised or designated organisations only. Whether they take them up by engaging with the government or seeking judicial remedy, should be left upto them for using their discretions and wisdom.

N A Farooqi