News Analysis |
All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for laying the “red carpet” for those who targeted school children during the protest against the film “Padmaavat”. This is the latest in a barrage of criticism against the double standards of the BJP government that treats minority groups and majority differently.
“The unemployed are burning buses, attacking bus of school children, setting afire vehicles and shopping malls,” he said. He also alleged that those indulging in violence had the tacit support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
It is apparent that the monster long fed by Hindutva aspirations and Indian apathy has finally come of age and started wreaking havoc across the nation without any regard of creed or age.
“The prime minister, in Davos, rightly said ‘I have removed the red tape and we have laid a red carpet (for investors). But the prime minister’s party and the prime minister have laid a red carpet for these people who are indulging in violence against small children…who have become a law unto themselves,” Owaisi told reporters.
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Anti-Padmaavat protesters had stoned a bus carrying school children in Gurgaon yesterday. “All this is happening because of tacit support of the BJP. The BJP and Mr. prime minister have meekly surrendered in front of these people,” the Hyderabad MP said. “The so-called big 56-inch chest is no more, it is only for Muslims,” he added.
The forces that “killed Muslims and burnt Dalits” are now “intruding into our homes, coming after our children”, said Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal yesterday, condemning the attack on a school bus by a mob protesting the release of Padmaavat in Gurgaon.
Pansare later succumbed to his injuries on 20th February 2015. On the morning of 20th August 2015, an activist for scientific understanding, Narendra Dabholkar, was gunned down by shots to the head and chest fired at point blank range by two men who immediately escaped on a motorcycle.
Kejriwal said it was imperative to “speak up” against “divisive forces” as people cannot afford to remain silent anymore like “they were” when Muslims and Dalits were targeted in the country in the past. “I appeal to everyone. We cannot afford to remain silent anymore. They killed Muslims, burnt Dalits alive, thrashed them. Today, they have started pelting our children with stones, have started intruding into our homes. Don’t remain silent now, speak up,” said Kejriwal.
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The Delhi chief minister was speaking at a state-level event to celebrate Republic Day at north Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium. In the nearly 40-minute-long speech, marked by a combative tone, Kejriwal said it was a matter of “shame” that school children were pelted with stones a few kms away from the national capital ahead of Republic Day.
Kejriwal said people involved in yesterday’s incident should be given strong punishments, “harsher than the punishment Lord Rama had given to Ravana. He further said “It is the land of Rama, Krishna, Gautam Budhha, Mahavira, Guru Nanak, Kabir and Meera, followers of Prophet Mohammad and Jesus Christ. I want to ask, were the people who hurled stones, Hindus, Muslims or Christians? Which religion preaches violence against children?”
Lankesh was the daughter of famous poet-turned-journalist P Lankesh, and was known for her weekly Kannada tabloid ‘Gauri Lankesh Patrike’ which was critical of communal violence, the caste system and right-wing Hindutva politics.
“I am raising this issue ahead of Republic Day with a heavy heart as I love my nation. I cannot see such violence in the country. People here love their country and want peace and love. I request the powers at the centre (Hukum marano), please spare us”, he said.
While non-Hindus such as Muslims and Christians have largely been targeted by Hindutva extremists, Hindus have also been killed. There has been a string of assassinations against public personalities who are critical of the Hindutva thought. Senior journalist, activist, and dissenter Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her Bengaluru house on September 5th. Lankesh was the daughter of famous poet-turned-journalist P Lankesh, and was known for her weekly Kannada tabloid ‘Gauri Lankesh Patrike’ which was critical of communal violence, the caste system and right-wing Hindutva politics.
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On 16th February 2015, Govind Pansare and his wife Uma were returning from their morning walk. Two men on a motorcycle shot at them five times at close range outside their house. Pansare later succumbed to his injuries on 20th February 2015. On the morning of 20th August 2015, an activist for scientific understanding, Narendra Dabholkar, was gunned down by shots to the head and chest fired at point blank range by two men who immediately escaped on a motorcycle.
On 30th August 2015, ten days after Dabholkar’s murder, two men on a motorcycle came to the residence of M. Kalburgi in the Kalyan Nagar locality of Dharwad and knocked at his door. After gaining entrance, one of the men shot down Kalburgi and fled the scene. It is apparent that the monster long fed by Hindutva aspirations and Indian apathy has finally come of age and started wreaking havoc across the nation without any regard of creed or age.