“The Perilous Path of Sectarian Hatred and Its Impact on India”
By Vir Sanghvi
India is sinking deeper into the abyss of division and hatred. The hatred that was once propagated by political parties for electoral gains has now permeated so deeply that no one can stop it. Neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi, nor the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), nor any religious fundamentalist organizations, nor those who want to divide India through propaganda campaigns.
We know why the Modi government is not criticizing the divisive ideologies – it’s election season once again. They need the loyal support of the staunch Hindu nationalist factions in states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. This is evident from the fact that Bhopal’s MP Pragya Thakur was given another opportunity to call Nathuram Godse a “patriot.” When she praised Godse on previous occasions, she was reprimanded, but this time, there is no such action. Assembly elections are approaching in Madhya Pradesh, which explains BJP’s online army’s reactions. As Bhadralok stated, it seems BJP has chosen to support Baduria rather than punish her.
It’s unfortunate that very few politicians want to stop it. They are willing to sacrifice the long-term future of a happy and united India for their short-term electoral gains. Writing about it won’t change the way the Hindu Brigade operates. And why should it? The painful truth is that sectarian hatred polarizes the nation, diverts attention from governance failures, and wins elections.
However, I hope enlightened liberals in India will realize that they are also playing into the hands of those who want to focus on religious fanaticism and division. When I criticized the unnecessary and incendiary attacks on Sattan Dharam by Stalin Junior, I had to face the criticism of a well-meaning liberal. My point was that many of us know that the Dravidian movement defines Sattan Dharam in a particular way – in terms of hierarchy and casteism – a definition now adopted by the Singh family regarding Hinduism.
BJP knows very well what the Dravidian parties believe. When Adityanath made this comment, BJP was in alliance with AIADMK. Clearly, BJP has no objection to allying with parties that have such thoughts about Hinduism. But BJP Junior was ready to twist Stalin’s views to present the entire Indian Union as anti-Hindu. PM stated that India Alliance is obsessed with destroying Sattan Dharam.
I now fear that in the matter of purity too, something similar could happen. No enemy of the Sikhs of India is greater than the leaders of the Khalsa. Sikhs have no interest in a separatist movement that caused Punjab considerable damage in the last 15 years due to terrorism. But after Canada’s allegation that we were involved in the murder of a supporter of purity, the minds of some crazy Sikhs living in British Columbia turned into a mirage and the issue of the red turbans became significant.
There is a lesson in all this. In a divided country steeped in hatred, those who believe in our unity should strengthen our unity and not pay attention to our differences. Secular politicians shouldn’t focus on religion; they should focus on governance.
By unnecessarily attacking Sattan Dharam or creating an imaginary threat of religious purity, liberals are falling into the trap of those who want to polarize India.
The news published through ‘Roznama Khabren Urdu’ has been translated into English and published.
