CAA and hypocrisies galore

This article is an attempt to highlight the bigotry and sanctimony of various stake holders and their attempts to wreak havoc in the country in the aftermath of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Political Parties

Having agreed to partition country along religious grounds and woefully failing in forcing the undivided Pakistan to maintain the sanctity of Nehru-Liaquat pact the grand old party has mercilessly staked the lives of millions of minorities. For over the past seven decades, lives of religious minorities these Islam nations is hanging by tenterhooks. Left to fend for themselves, the grand old party which is at the forefront to claim all the honours for the independence of the country, shirked away from shouldering its responsibilities. It has displayed neither the political will nor conviction to correct the historical blunders and unfinished tasks of the partition. Like other unfinished missions which begged for a fair conclusion, BJP government promised to bring some shine, respect and honour to the millions persecuted minorities tabled the historic Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in the Parliament. Instead of hailing the monumental effort, initiated to rescue minorities in this geographical continuum, congress party vociferously opposed the legislation tooth and nail. With unassailable, evocative and inspiring replies, BJP rebutted the arguments of the opposition which pretentiously held on to the dubious narrative of religious discrimination.

Stalwarts of the Congress party- Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Vallabhai Patel have alluded to the fact India has moral and civilisational responsibility towards non-Muslim communities who are left behind in Pakistan. In 2003, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh then, the leader of opposition voiced out “it is moral obligation that if circumstances force people, these unfortunate people (with reference to minorities facing persecution), to seek refuge in our country, our approach to granting citizenship to these unfortunate people should be more liberal” in a debate with Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani. Similarly, Prakash Karat of CPI (M) in 2012 reminded then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the need to grant citizenship to Bangladeshi minorities. In 1958, CPI passed resolution in 1958 to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities.

To woo the Bengali Hindu population before the 2015 Assam Assembly election Congress party President Anjan Dutt demanded citizenship to minorities of Bangladesh. Elaborating on Congress party’s intent, he reminded that party brought cabinet resolution in 2011 sought refugee status and asylum for them. In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister in 2012, Tarun Gogoi, pleaded that persecuted minorities shouldn’t be treated as foreigners. Switch to 2019, dawned by political amnesia, in contravention to its earlier position, prevaricatingly stoking the religious divide, argued that CAB is against basic tenet of Constitution.

Leading from the front, the peerless spin master Congress shamelessly muddled the debates in both houses of Parliament undermining the promises of its legendary leaders. Ensuring the successful passage of this bill in the both houses of the Parliament, BJP has not only proved its mettle but gave a reality check and much needed moral drubbing to the party which has abdicated its principles and ethics as a political party.

As a proof of political depravity, Congress announced Bharat Bachao Andolan in the aftermath of the CAB becoming enforceable Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Kickstarting modus operandi of protesting the ruling dispensation, bizarrely, unrepentant about the prospect of tarnishing India’s image Indian Overseas Congress staged a rally before the Indian High Commission, London. The rally attended by barely handful of people received support from Pakistan centric groups marking the complete metamorphosis of GOP into B-team of Pakistan. For Congress Party’s statements be it on CAB or Article 370 have become almost indistinguishable from Pakistan’s baseless tirade and ludicrous rants.  Brazenly defending Congress party’s new position Rahul Gandhi called CAA “unconstitutional” and ominously endorsed the protests that ensued in the national capital ever since.

Not to be left behind other political parties made dramatic U-turns. Notable among them was Shiv Sena which voted for the bill in the Lok Sabha and abstained voting in Rajya Sabha. Coming of ages from being a strong advocate of Hindu causes, Sena as a token of its servility even likened the police action against violently protesting Jamia students as Jallianwala Bagh giving testimony of its sycophantic attributes. Cognizant of the limited purview of CAB, other parties needlessly circumvented from the whole issue by repeatedly pointing at the absence of such provision to Hindu minorities from Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

The vast majority of the persecuted minorities included Dalits. But the champion of Dalit causes, BSP and even SP voted against the bill and termed it “divisive and unconstitutional”. Arguing that CAA is discriminatory, refrained from endorsing the bill. The complicity of TMC and AIMIM who vociferously opposed the bill in orchestrating violent protests and the latter’s collusion with PFI is under investigation. Ever since legislation of this bill, both the parties known for pandering and appeasement of Muslims dubiously incited people in their pocket boroughs.  Tacitly giving a religious colour to the bill, parties allowed   protests to degenerate into chaos for their political mileage.

Media

The fourth pillar of democracy instead of holding mirror to various stakeholders whose unbecoming conduct is proving to be inimical to the country have resorted to yellow journalism. Devoid of the patience to read and comprehend a 2000-word CAB document media has turned themselves into the mouth pieces of political masters regurgitating the falsehoods and churning reams of orchestrated partisan editorials.

Not satisfied with the peddling of facts and distorted commentaries established players of the media have unveiled a new episode of manufacturing sheroes. To suit to their narratives, they diligently identified renowned Jihadi propagandists native of Kerala and latest imports to the Jamia University. Downplaying the role of students and vandalism heaped on the capital region and elsewhere pictures of heroism of sheroes were skilfully captured through high-resolution, wide-angled cameras and hoisted onto the front pages of the leading newspapers. Besides perpetually solidifying the victimhood narrative, they used pictures of newly-minted vicious protagonists to stoke anti-CAA passions and highlight the highhandedness of the state. Indian media which frequently manufactures a new crop of Kannhayia Kumars and Umars Khalids to justify every anti-India act has propped up the new cult of sheroes- Ladeeda Farzana, Aysha Renna who called India fascist for executing terrorist Yakub Memon and extolled extremist ideology.

Giving a free pass to largescale destruction of public property carried out by instigated mobs, they have normalised the vandalism of mobs. Whitewashing the violent protests and the stone pelting accompanied by chants Allahu Akbar and Naara e Takbeer which left 12 police personnel injured, media even turned a deaf ear to the blatantly communal rants of “Hinduon se Azadi”. Unfortunately, media which tamely ignored to dwell on the communal overtones of these protestors who hurled bombs was quick to demand high-level probe on Police entry into the Jamia institute. Secret report now reveals that the men who indulged in stone pelting and vandalism are actually illegal Bangladeshi Muslim migrants.

Media’s bigoted coverage and misleading propaganda is exacerbating fissures and opening fresh fronts of confrontation. The newfound student solidarity and the concomitant anti-CAA rallies by motivated chunk of student organisations is just a fallout of this distorted reportage. The falsities, heightened fear mongering perpetuated by the Indian media is amplified by International media which is giving a dangerous religious and authoritarian colour to the whole issue. These recursive biased snippets are quickly picked up international bodies and enemy countries which are using it to portray India in a poor light overshadowing its image as a responsible nation. Needless to say, mendacious journalism has become a bane on India.

International Bodies

After the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, religious organisation US commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) known for its religious bigotry and bias slammed India for “setting a legal criterion for citizenship based in religion” and called for sanctions on Home Minister Amit Shah if it is passed in Rajya Sabha. Known for its jaundiced perceptions, India rejected its remarks and questioned its locus standi.

Soon enough, UNHRC whose leadership is currently hijacked by religious bigots, dictatorial regimes and human rights violators termed it as “discriminatory”. Surprisingly, the commission which is muted towards religious persecutions and confinement of around 1.5 million Uighurs lashed out at India for a legislation that grants citizenship to minorities facing persecution. The irony is not lost on council which failed to pull up Pakistan, whose blasphemous laws reduced the population of minorities from 23% in 1947 to just 3%.

Meanwhile, the US in a cautiously worded statement with regard to CAA said that it is closely monitoring the developments in India. Frankly, it doesn’t have any moral authority to lecture India since the government remained a mute spectator when Trump explicitly demanded a religious specific ban on entry to the US and stalled the government till funds were granted for the construction of great to infiltration of illegal migrants. 

Civil Society and Religious Organisations

Leftist who operate under the garb of the Civil society organisations are doing a great disservice by justifying violent protests under the ruse of freedom in a democratic nation. Working hand in glove with the media which is best known for obfuscation of the facts, they are misleading people and lulling them into accepting the violence carried out the illegal migrants at the behest of vested interest groups. Islamists and Leftists the inalienable partners across the World and united by their penchant for violence and anti-India agenda are now working overtime to exacerbate the anti-CAA protests. Aided by leftists, radical Islamist outfit Jamaat-e-Islami, PFI, SDPI have emerged as anti-CAA front steering the protests. They even threatened to exterminate Hindus and other who support the bill and warned of replicating the Malabar Hindu genocide of 1921.

Hypocrisy of the Leftist-Islamist brigade is inexplicable. Ironically, the brigade, (apostles of secularism and messiahs of peace) prevailed on the government to settle fleeing Rohingyas Muslims don’t have an iota of empathy for the persecuted religious minorities. Portraying CAA an attempt to exclude Muslim from obtaining citizenship, the brigade is creating fear and panic.  Ever since Modi’s ascent to power, Urban Naxals, castigated his regime as intolerant and inimical to Muslims. Then what explains their browbeating if Muslim brethren are saved from these travails in India? On the contrary, Modi government substantially increased scholarships to the Muslim community and initiated several social welfare schemes for minorities. Deemed as minorities, Muslims enjoy special privileges in India then why should they object to minorities from the neighbouring countries fleeing religious persecution be denied a dignified life through grant of citizenship?? 

Determined to rectify historic blunders imperilling country’s sovereignty, days into second term Narendra Modi government swung into action. Bestowed with an absolute majority, barely hundred days into power, he expedited passage of various bills including the contentious Triple Talaq and the long awaited, abrogation of the article 370. Wary of losing the support of minorities, political parties dilly-dallied over these bills. By taking the bull by its horns, Modi has consolidated his leadership like no other leader. Additionally, Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict ending the seven-decade long stalemate has bolstered the political fortunes of BJP as an unassailable political party.

Modi’s incorruptibility, forthrightness, uncompromising attitude and his refusal to co-opt the Lutyen’s brigade turned him into an inveterate enemy of left brigade and vested groups which leeched India and crippled its progress. Like a juggernaut on roll expending his prowess and energies Modi endeavoured to resurrect India’s position as a fountainhead of invaluable civilisation and rising power. BJP began to reap political gains from Modi’s burgeoning popularity. Expanding from the confines of traditional Hindu belt, BJP became pan-India party sweeping the traditional bastions of regional and national political parties. Staring at irrelevance and oblivion parties itched for an opportunity to throw Modi-led BJP out of power.

In cahoots with vested groups, political parties made several unsuccessful attempts to create large scale public dissent to malign BJP. Congress party’s reprehensible collusion with external agencies to orchestrate protests on foreign lands is a case in point. Desperate to wrest back control with perilous disregard towards national interests, political parties waited for an opportunity to build an atmosphere of fear and paranoia in the country. CAA had thus become the fodder canon for the survival of the political parties which are far losing their political and electoral relevance. Through obfuscation, flagrant U-turns, propaganda and fear mongering they began instigating violence.  Sparing no efforts, parties connived with vested groups to drive a wedge in the social harmony of the country. Else, nothing can explain the sudden antipathy towards CAB which was recommended by various political parties and leaders cutting across the ideological spectrum. Hope the Indian electorate who are no longer taking to violence kindly can see through this insidious political game at display.

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