RECENTLY, riots in Delhi led to the burning of houses, businesses, mosques, shrines and several deaths with injuries to hundreds of people. Photos and videos on social media are harrowing and are a clear manifestation of jingoism by Hindutva.

These devastating riots took place owing to the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, which shows the narrow-mindedness and bigotry over pluralism.

Many in Assam also fear that it could see a large influx of Hindus to the region, outnumbering the regional distinct indigenous groups and changing its religious and ethnic makeup. Nearly, two million people in Assam were ignored by the controversial National Register of Citizens, which worsened their plight.

Not only has the public lynching of Muslims been intensified, it has spread across India. A set pattern is visible — a victim is identified and a Hindutva mob surrounds him or her. A lame excuse is made to attack the victim and it is up to the mood of the perpetrators to kill the victim or spare him/ her with broken limbs. Sadly, in many cases the policemen were found to be mere spectators.

This apathy points to a trend which encourages non-state actors to spread hatred against Muslims with the connivance or at least knowledge of the state machinery.

Such a situation has been created with a plan which has been there in the RSS closets for the last many decades. RSS publications are full of hate material asserting Hindu supremacy and subservience of minorities, especially Muslims. The untouchable Hindus (Dalits) are equally at the receiving end.

The RSS agenda is rooted in the creation of fear psychosis to such an extent that Dalits, Muslims and other minorities dare not raise their voice. Imagine what would be the state of the country where minorities are pushed to the wall.

Mohammad Ali Jinnah rightly anticipated this fascism and racism at the time of the British Raj. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan’s two-nation theory and the Quaid’s endeavours have made it possible for us Pakistanis to live in a separate homeland.

In order to sustain secularism and democratic principles, the Indian leadership must stop this barbarity, while the world community should ensure the restoration of human rights to Indian minorities.

Muhammad Ali Hussain Dogar
Islamabad

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THE world’s ‘largest democracy’ is burning in communal politics, while Modi’s fascism and an aggressive wave of Hindu nationalism have added fuel to the fire.

Modi’s rhetoric against Pakistan during his election campaign along with his ideological yearning for a Hindu nation played a major role in his re-election. But at the recently held Delhi elections amid protests against Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens we saw surprising results, for the people of Delhi turned their back on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and elected Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal as their chief minister for the third time.

However, little did they know that they will have to pay a hefty price for choosing education over ultra-nationalism, for selecting healthcare and sanitation over violence and mob lynching while chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’, for siding with pluralistic society rather than religious bigotry.

Incidentally, more than 40 per cent of BJP lawmakers face charges of terrorism and hate speech.

For instance, BJP’s Kapil Mishra was recently accused of inciting violence against CAA/NRC protestors, mostly Muslims, giving it a communal look, like the 2002 Gujrat pogrom.

Till now, the death toll has climbed to at least 38, with 200 injured. The country which once boasted about its secular values is now paying a huge cost for rejecting Hindutva/RSS ideology in Delhi. The people of India must realise that their country is on the path to destruction. They must act before it is too late because fanaticism and religious intolerance lead to bloodshed.

Mohammad Daniyal Pervaiz
Islamabad

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THE recent Delhi carnage speaks volume about how the BJP has held the so-called ‘democracy’ and secularism hostage in India. Muslims are being butchered, injured and forced to chant pro-Hindutva slogans.

Their sacred places such as mosques and shrines are being set on fire or damaged. All such actions are against international law. Why was the UN established?

It is high time the world body UN came forward to safeguard the defenceless Muslim minority in India which is in a heart wrenching situation.

It is said that nations learn from other nation’s failure, but in the case of India it has been following in the footprints of fascism which challenged the whole cartography of the world in the mid of 20th century.

International human rights bodies must halt gross human rights violation by Nazi-like BJP which is hell bent upon exterminating the very existence of the Muslim minority in India.

Pakistani Muslims’ prayers are with Muslims of India. May peace and harmony prevail!

Zeeshan Saleh
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2020