By Masihuzzama Ansari
NEW DELHI – With the bulldozer becoming a weapon in the hands of majoritarian forces and the unlawful demolitions of Muslims’ homes, businesses, and places of worship being normalized, strong voices are emerging from civil society to stop the injustice without delay. There is a deep sense of anguish and outrage over the government’s illegal action to destroy the homes and livelihoods of the Muslim community in several states.
India’s first Chief Information Commissioner and former Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, Wajahat Habibullah, gave voice to the distress felt by Muslims over the illegal punishment meted out to them through bulldozers. Habibullah highlighted various aspects of the issue while releasing a report on “Bulldozer Injustice” at the Press Club of India in New Delhi recently.
While sharing his views in the programme, Habibullah said all the organs of the administration were failing in the “Bulldozer Raj”, because there was no legal status of punishment by a bulldozer even if a crime was proved to have been committed by anyone.
“This report has made it clear that all this is being done to take revenge on Muslims. All of this activity is illegal. This is a criminal action which is being implemented against Muslims by the government, media and judiciary together,” Habibullah said.
Habibullah, who was an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from 1968 until his retirement in August 2005, said his last position in the government was not under the Right to Information Act, but in the National Commission for Minorities. “As the Commission’s Chairman, I witnessed a lot of things. The incidents that are being noticed now have been happening for a long time,” he said.
On the growing communal atmosphere in the country, Habibullah said the hatred on religious grounds and communal violence had been going on for a long time. “But earlier the atmosphere was not like this. When such things happened earlier, the government and the local administration tried to explain to the people that there should be unity in the society and such incidents should not be repeated. Attempts were made to promote fraternity in the society,” he said.
Though the government and administration used to make mistakes even earlier, but now there is a lot of difference. Habibullah said there was a huge difference which left him worried, as an attempt was being made now to convince the public at large that some people of India are indeed Indians, but 20% of the people are not Indians at all. All these actions were being taken to establish this thinking, he added.
Citing the report, Habibullah said, “This report explains why bulldozers are being used only against Muslims. It is written in this report that similar crimes have been committed in other cases as well, but bulldozers were not used there.”
“I think Yogi Adityanath was the first one to start using bulldozers in Uttar Pradesh. When peaceful protests were being held against the CAA, he started bulldozing the houses of the people participating in the protests. This led to one method and one path in the entire country and its target is only Muslims,” Habibullah said.
Expressing concern over the emergence of demolition by bulldozer as a form of justice and its acceptance in the society, Mr. Habibullah said an attempt was being made to create a divide in the society. All the youth, intellectuals and educated people should try to understand this.
Referring to the terms “nationalism” and “patriotism” being used in the country, Habibullah said he would describe nationalism as worship of the country and patriotism as love for the country. “Hitler established his rule on the basis of these two terms. And now efforts are being made to establish a fascist state in India as well,” he said.
Holding the communal politics responsible for this trend, Habibullah said the game was being played only to gain votes. “A party is saying that we are suppressing Muslims who are anti-national, so if you are a patriot or nationalist, vote for us. It is being established that Muslims are anti-national and their houses are being demolished with bulldozers. So, you should clap and celebrate,” he said in his strongly worded observations.
The former Chief Information Commissioner said it was being repeatedly stated by the government and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh that Chanakya’s Arathashastra is the “real Constitution”. “Chanakya says that if a very powerful opponent has to be defeated, then the easiest way is to make the people fight among themselves. In our country, the government itself is doing this work,” he said.
“The British also did this and they divided the nation, but today the government itself is playing this game with us and some people are praising this work and considering themselves patriots,” Habibullah said, while emphasising that one could be a patriot only if he tries to ensure that every part of the country stands united.
“What is the difference between us (Muslims) and you (Hindus)? The clothes, language and way of talking are all the same. There is no difference, but I am a Muslim and you are a Hindu. What difference does it make? Do we ask you to come with us to the mosque to offer Namaaz? We do our work and you do yours,” Habibullah said.
Citing an example from his own career, Habibullah said he had been the Director of Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. All the officers who passed from there from 2000 to 2003 were like his children and all of them respected him like their father. “What difference does it make as to who is a Hindu, who is a Sikh, and who is a Muslim, all are my children and I am their father. India is also like this.”
Commenting on the detailed report released on the occasion, Habibullah said it needed to be delivered at every household so that people could realise the conspiracy of how some Indians were being victimised so that one particular party becomes powerful. “Is the rule of a party more important than the unity of the country? I would call those who think like this anti-national,” he remarked while pointing to the communal politics being promoted in the country.
