Doublespeak? Why India's authorities are silent on anti-Gandhi hate campaigners

Gandhi statue desecrated in US

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*
January 30 was Gandhiji's martyrdom day. He was killed by a fanatic who claimed to be a Hindu and felt that Gandhiji was working against the interest of the Hindus. A fake narrative has been built since then. It was indeed sad to see Gandhi's statue being desecrated in the United States. I don’t think that it served any purpose.
Gandhiji was a political leader who played a big role in bringing anti-colonial forces together in India and led the country’s freedom movement. One may disagree with his views on caste system as well as religion, but one cannot ignore his pivotal role in the freedom movement. It is possible to reject his theories on caste and untouchability as also his socio-economic model. But let us not take away his role as a leader who brought together people from diverse communities and faiths.
The Government of India 'condemned' the desecration of Gandhiji's statue in US. It is strange to see this government is so 'active' to protect Gandhiji's 'honour' in US and elsewhere, but failed to do so in India. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power, he converted Gandhiji into a #SwachchBharat icon, even as completely ignoring his monumental contributions.
The murderer of Gandhiji, Nathuram Godse, was from a dominant Hindu caste. His lunatic followers even today celebrate Gandhiji's killing. Can anyone imagine a Twitter hate campaign in the United States siding with those celebrating Gandhiji’s killers? Twitter and Facebook showed spine to block president Donald Trump in US for his tweets which they claimed were unsubstantiated.
However, the same social media platforms have shown no responsibility and accountability in India on the manner in which goons continue to use social media for hate campaign, intimidating their opponents with active support of the ruling party.
The collapse of institutions in India has ensured that those who fight for their rights are treated as criminals and face numerous cases filed against them while the goons sponsored by the ruling regime become the 'rashtrabhakts' (ardent nationalists), supported by the police.
Whatever happened in the recent past in the Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Aligarh Muslim University, the Jamia Millia Islamia, around the Rohith Vemula case and during and after the Delhi riots are all examples how police have behaved as the militia of the ruling party. This is surely going to have a devastating impact on our democracy and institutional impartiality.
It is not unsurprising to see the hate campaign against Gandhiji on Twitter and Facebook without any action being taken against them. After all, the leader who termed Gandhiji as 'chatur bania' (clever merchant) is the second most powerful person at the moment.
Gandhiji was not killed by a Muslim, or a Dalit or an Adivasi. In fact, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar “saved” his life by signing the Poona Pact, yet none claimed that they saved Gandhiji. But, ironically, Hindutva leaders, who dislike Gandhiji, want to use Gandhiji by chanting his name even as allowing their campfollowers to carry out hate campaign against him. It is hypocritical that those who are seeking to benefit from Gandhism are crying against him.
Today, when the Government of India has condemned vandalism against the Gandhi statue in US, one wonders why it has failed to act not act or did not ask any of the social media heads to take action against those have celebrated Gandhiji's murder. Nobody can beat Indian political leadership at the moment on the issue of doublespeak: Condemn what happened outside India but allow your ‘chelas’ (camp-followers) to abuse. Demagoguery at its best!
---
*Human rights defender

Comments

Defeat of martial law: Has the decisive moment for change come in South Korea?

By Steven Lee Late at night on December 3, soldiers stormed into South Korea’s National Assembly in armored vehicles and combat helicopters. Assembly staff desperately blocked their assault with fire extinguishers and barricades. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol had just declared martial law to “ eliminate ‘anti-state’ forces .”

70,000 migrants, sold on Canadian dream, face uncertain future: Canada reinvents the xenophobic wheel

By Saurav Sarkar* Bikram Singh is running out of time on his post-study work visa in Canada. Singh is one of about 70,000 migrants who were sold on the Canadian dream of eventually making the country their home but now face an uncertain future with their work permits set to expire by December 2024. They came from places like India, China, and the Philippines, and sold their land and belongings in their home countries, took out loans, or made other enormous commitments to get themselves to Canada.

A groundbreaking non-violent approach: Maharishi’s invincible defense technology

By MajGen (R) Kulwant Singh, Col (R) SP Bakshi, Col (R) Jitendra Jung Karki, LtCol (R) Gunter Chassé & Dr David Leffler* In today’s turbulent world, achieving lasting peace and ensuring national security are more urgent than ever. Traditional defense methods focus on advanced weapons, military strategies, and tactics, but a groundbreaking approach offers a new non-violent and holistic solution: Maharishi’s Invincible Defense Technology (IDT).

Govt of India asked to work for release of 217 Indian fishermen detained in Pakistan since 2021

By A Representative Members of the fishing communities from Gujarat and Diu, Union Territory, held a press conference in Ahmedabad, urging the Union Government to take proactive measures to secure the release of Indian fishermen currently detained in Pakistan. Presently, 217 Indian fishermen, mostly from Gujarat and Diu, are held in Pakistan’s Malir Jail. Of these, 53 have been incarcerated since 2021 and 130 since 2022.

This book examines dialectics of complex caste and class relationship

By Harsh Thakor* In Caste and Revolution by N. Ravi, the author addresses questions raised by Dalit and Bahujan intellectuals inspired by revolutionary parties. These questions center on caste issues and seek to formulate a profound diagnosis to chart a path toward the annihilation of caste. The book explains how caste-based feudalism and comprador bureaucratic capitalism intertwine to perpetuate the caste system. It asserts that only the path of a New Democratic Revolution can eradicate caste. The book delves into the need for an equal position for oppressed castes in all layers of society to abolish caste discrimination and oppression. It offers an analytical diagnosis, a penetrating navigation, and a detailed account of the dialectics of caste and class across diverse spheres. Annihilation of Caste and the New Democratic Revolution A revolutionary party develops a perspective document on the caste question, integrating its understanding of caste and the program for caste annih...

34 Dalit families in IIT Kanpur without toilets in Open Defecation Free India

By Sandeep Pandey When Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur was set up in 1959, two villages were uprooted. The farmers were given meagre compensation for the standing crop. No compensation was given for the land to build this institute of national importance. Each family was promised a job but what was not told to them was that one would require specialised skills to get a job at IIT. Some members of these families were, of course, absorbed for menial work. Some washerfolk families were also invited from outside to live on campus to take care of the laundry needs of students, staff and faculty members. One of these men was cajoled by IIT authorities then to forego a regular employment at IIT and instead take up clothes washing work.

प्राकृतिक संसाधनों के दोहन करने की प्रतिस्पर्धा: बढ़ रही पर्यावरणीय और सामाजिक चुनौतियां

- राज कुमार सिन्हा प्राकृतिक संसाधनों और कॉमन्स, जैसे सामुदायिक भूमि, वन, चारागाह और जल निकाय स्थानीय समुदायों के लिए महत्वपूर्ण हैं जो इन संसाधनों पर निर्भर हैं और उनके सतत् उपयोग एवं संरक्षण के लिए पीढ़ियों से प्रयासरत हैं। कॉमन्स न केवल हमारी पारिस्थितिकी को संतुलित रखते हैं, बल्कि ग्रामीण आजीविका, जैव विविधता, और जलवायु अनुकूलन के लिए भी महत्वपूर्ण हैं। दुर्भाग्यवश, हर साल इन संसाधनों में 4% की कमी आ रही है, जिससे पर्यावरणीय और सामाजिक चुनौतियां बढ़ रही हैं। इन कॉमन्स के संरक्षण और पुनरुद्धार के लिए दीर्घकालीन योजना पर कार्य करने की आवश्यकता है। जिससे एक बेहतर, समान और टिकाऊ भविष्य का निर्माण हो सके।

Balod tech fest tests students’ interest in innovative ideas in the fields of science, engineering, start-ups

By A Representative A techno fest scheduled on December 20 and 21 in Balod district of Chhattisgarh will test the innovative ideas of school students in the fields of science, engineering and start-ups. For this two-day fest organised at Maheswari Bhawan of the district, a total of 824 models made by students were initially registered. Out of those, a selection committee chose 200 models from several schools spread over five blocks of Balod. These will be on display on these two days from 10am to 4.30pm. Out of many ideas, one of the most interesting models is a smart glove which can be used by children with impairments and disabilities. For those who cannot speak at all or have speech difficulty, they can ask for help from caregivers by pressing their fingers on the glove after wearing it. This will attract attention.

Local businessman subjected to physical assault, verbal abuse: Demand for accountability, justice

By Kirity Roy* On October 9, 2024, a disturbing incident of harassment and abuse took place in the Swarupnagar Block of North 24 Parganas district, involving a local businessman, Hasanur Gazi, who was subjected to physical assault, verbal abuse, and religious discrimination by a Border Security Force (BSF) constable. The incident, which occurred at the Hakimpur Checkpost, has raised serious concerns about the safety and dignity of citizens living in border areas, especially those belonging to religious minorities.

Search This Blog