By Sajida A Zubair
NEW DELHI: Muslims worldwide have struggled with many problems in recent years. These range from growing Islamophobic sentiment in the West to conflicts in the Middle East. While one can never match the Palestinians’ resilience, Indian Muslims have also demonstrated a tremendous deal of patience and faith in the Indian constitution
India’s greatest asset has always been its ability to facilitate unity in diversity, religious, linguistic and cultural diversity that makes up India. This colourful diversity is under pressure now, as growing tensions between communities, and sharp ideological divides put pressure on the secularism of India. The intensification of polarisation threatens to erode the core of what it might mean to be Indian: a pluralist project based on respect for difference that has, more often than not, glued the country together.
Through an ideology aiming to make India a Hindu nation, the RSS and BJP are progressively shaping the nation’s political and social environment. They have pushed this idea, which has made things tough for Muslims, with more religious and communal hate.
Interracial and inter-religious conflicts in India have increased in the past few years and the minorities especially the Muslims have always been the main victims of these functions. Out of the reported, 2017-20, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) found 2,076 numbers of communal/religious riots. One of the worst incidents of the recent past is the 2020 Delhi riots where 53 people lost their lives, of which 34 (Around 75%) were Muslims. More than 200 people suffered bruises varying from moderate to severe and hundreds of dwelling places, stores, mosques and business premises were razed down or affected.
Further, between 2015-2019 there were at least 50 reported incidents of mob lynching on the pretext of cow protection, and the victims were predominantly Muslims. The same has risen in some of the states like the Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan and the minutes revealed that Muslim, constituted about 86% of the death in the Violence related to cow. There have been 93 incidences of communal violence in 2018 where 11 people died and 238 were injured. The NCRB also recorded 857 incidents of communal violence between 2016 and 2018 in which 248 people died and 6933 were injured. Such numbers demonstrate continuing risks of sectarian and other forms of targeted violence against Muslims and other minority groups in India; reinforced by the rising levels of polarisation and hate speech.
This divisive movement, which claims to promote nationalism, has time and again painted the Muslims as ‘intruders’ or ‘alien’ breeds that have, however, formed part of the Indian soil for ages. As with most inflammatory communication, the text has appeared in armed form and advocating for discrimination, as well as violence.
Many bills and acts a proof that minorities are targeted. Both the CAA and the NRC are essentially two discriminatory laws that predominantly affect Muslims. Concerns about a large number of Muslims losing their right to vote, particularly in states like Assam, have been brought up by the National Register of Citizens, or NRC. These policies have brought protests in different parts of India with Muslim people leading in most of the protests. But reactions from authorities have been brutal most of the time. When the people of India came on to the streets supporting the anti CAA-NRC movement, police forces were alleged to have used live bullets and pellet guns on Muslims protesters which resulted in many people being shot and killed. The Waqf Amendment Bill, which solely aims to undermine the integrity and autonomy of Waqf holdings and the communities they serve, is the most recent addition to the list.
Apart from that, several attacks on Muslims by mobs which are instigated by the Hindutva outfits. Gang-lynching due to the consumption of beef, mob attacks during riots, and online communal viral posts are some of the reasons which have led the Muslim community to start fearing for their lives. The government doesn’t appear prepared to take conciliatory action to repair the harm as these “nationalist” notions gain traction. Every morning, atrocities committed against Muslims—sometimes right in front of the police—are reported in the newspapers and on social media.
However, it is promising to see that the Indian Muslims have not turned to violence despite the deteriorating conditions. Instead, they’ve stayed strong and kept their faith. They have been exceptionally resilient in the face of these challenges. For the most part, they have opted to non-violent approach in their form of demonstrations and in their campaigns. The anti-CAA-NRC movement also saw a large turnout in Muslims especially women who went to the streets to stage sit-ins, screening of films, marches, and organised debates. Shaheen Bagh protest in Delhi is one such protest that was a benchmark when Muslim mothers led peaceful protests of several months against police wrath and harsh weathers.
Muslim organisations have also proactively sought court redress, particularly in claims for discriminations on their members. The legal struggle against the atrocities continues; and petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court contending that the law is a blow to the secular character of the Indian Constitution.
It is commendable that the Muslim community has not stopped from positively transforming the Indian society especially in education, business, art, Health care and social work. The fact that they are in a determined position not to merely exist but to grow in a toxic environment, is an affirmation of their loyalty to their homeland.
It can be argued that it is indeed one of the main virtues of the Islamic spirit — to remain faithful, to stay dignified and to keep hope alive when all hope is lost. Being patient, or having “Sabr,” is key to Islamic belief. The Quran often stresses how important it is to be patient when times are tough. In Surah Al-Baqarah (2:153), Allah tells believers: “O you who have believed seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” This lasting idea has given Muslims strength throughout history. It has helped them stay tough even when they’ve faced harsh treatment.
This resiliency regarding oppression by power by responding through peaceful protests, seeking justice through the law, and by continuing to produce for society positively, is something to emulate by other such societies. Thus, the experience of Indians Muslims directs to patience, fidelity, and justice in periods of emerging new exclusionary ideologies.
However, the continuing conflicts also attests to the need for unity of the religious and social divides. This crisis should not be seen that they are okay, and we do not need to do much for the oppressed, but it should instead act as a wakeup call for all Indians to fight for the rights of the minorities and endeavour to maintain the secular fabric of the country. It is for the people of the nation to unite and prevent anti-social forces from disturbing the fabric of Indian society and to make the country a secular nation for its citizens.
Indian Muslims, intelligentsia and academic institutions have the ‘onus’ of ensuring that the Indian Constitution is effectively invoked as the Constitution of justice and equal opportunity for all residents of India and to preserve the nation’s secular and pluralist heritage. These groups should continue with their discussions on the issues negating the stories that fuel the divisions. In other words, they could foster the spirit of tolerance in the coming generation and gradually evolve the society by persuading the public to embrace that form of education that promotes ideas and principles such as secularism as well as recognition of all religions.
It is the responsibility of Muslim leaders and educators to work toward fostering connections across different communities and dispelling myths, bigotry, and prejudice in order to achieve social justice and ensure that every Indian feels safe and at-home in his own nation. Muslims must maintain their commitment to the nation’s values and their beliefs while avoiding any actions that could harm the community’s standing or damage its reputation.
