India: Shiv Sena MPs act, its ugly defence and govt’s criminal silence is shocking - Editorial Kashmir Times

Kashmir Times, 25 July 2014

Editorial: Violating religious freedom
Shiv Sena MPs act, its ugly defence and govt’s criminal silence is shocking

The ugly incident of a Shiv Sena MP from Maharshtra forcing an employee at Maharashtra Sadan to break his Roza through bullying tactics inspires shock, not only for the shameful conduct of the parliamentarian but also the brazen defence of the act by the Shiv Sena and even more for the criminal silence of the BJP lead government at the Centre. Neither has the government come out with any statement on the ugly episode, leave alone strongly condemn an incident that is a virtual attack on the religious freedom of an individual and also secular traditions of the country. The minority affairs minister Najma Heptullah, who earlier raised a storm by averring that Muslims do not comprise a minority in this country, has refused to comment on the incident and the Lok Sabha Speaker was unwilling to respond or allow a debate on the issue when the incident sparked uproar in the parliament. At best, some BJP leaders have spoken out terming the incident as “unfortunate” without going into the import of the ugly episode which is a direct attack on democracy and secularism. The Shiv Sena MP Rajan Vichare is guilty of both misusing his position of power and adopting bullying tactics as well as violating the fundamental religious freedom of an individual. Dismissing it simply as an “unfortunate” mishap amounts to criminal neglect of the religious sentiments of a major minority group in the country. Even more condemnable is the open defence of the Shiv Sena chief Udhav Thackeray, who instead of sounding apologetic has gone on the offensive by assuming a victim mindset by stating that the Shiv Sena voice was being suppressed. Shiv Sena’s argument that the MP did not know that the staffer was a Muslim does not hold any strength as the act of bullying itself is one of complete abuse and misuse of power by the parliamentarian in question, besides the staffer’s statement that he was wearing his uniform and name plate nails the lie of this argument. The Sena’s defence that the members were only protesting against the quality of food being served in the Maharashtra Sadan is yet another clumsy and shocking attempt to cover up for their follies. Shiv Sena has had a track record of resorting to bullying tactics, especially to silence the voice of the Muslims. Its unabashed targeting of Muslims, both in rhetoric and attacks, is all too well known.

The manner in which the incident has taken place, is sought to be defended, even justified, or trivialised reflects the true face of the Modi sarkar, which despite its promise of ‘Acche Din’ and ‘Sabka Bhala’ has begun drawing out its daggers and spreading its vicious hate soaked agenda through its crude silence to the increasing footprints of Hindutva and brazen hooliganism of its allies and members. In that respect, the Shiv Sena MP incident is not an aberration but part of a pattern observed since the Narendra Modi government has taken over the reins of power at the centre. Modi and his government have maintained complete criminal silence over a slew of incidents of communalization in the short duration of two months of his tenure, starting from the Pune hate violence and killing of a young innocent Muslim technocrat. However, the government failed to acknowledge the wrongs being perpetrated and chose silence as its tool of patronization. Bolstered by this silence, the saffron brigade loonies recreated the Muzaffarnagar effect in Moradabad, with local BJP leaders deliberately playing with fire, last month. Shortly after that, maverick leader turned BJP loyalist Subramaniam Swamy invoked his hate soaked campaign against Muslims. Instead of allaying the fears of the damage that such incidents can cause there has been no word from the government, much less an attempt to rein in BJP’s own cadres. Such covert ways of patronising elements forcefully trying to enlarge the footprints of Hindutva and pursuing the hate soaked communal agenda are demonstrative that the Modi sarkar is tacitly supporting it, probably even waiting for an appropriate moment to strike and fulfill its hidden agenda in a bigger way. Modi has assumed an extremely responsible post and if he chooses to draw his inspiration from his gory past and allow Gujarat to be replicated elsewhere in the country, he may be doing great injustice to the post he is on and to the country. He ought to think of the responsibility he has been entrusted with and walk his talk of inclusive development and inclusive progress.