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Godhra and our double standards The
reactions of 'secular parties' to the massacre at Godhra has once again exposed
the double standards which define the contours of public life in independent
India. The victims of the pre-planned and mindless violence were not criminals. They
were only 'guilty' of chanting 'Jai Sri Ram' and 'Jai Bajrang Bali' and such
other socio-religious slogans. The opinion of people at large may be sharply
divided on whether or not the Vishwa Hindu Parishad was right in taking up the
temple agitation now. But none can contend the VHP's right to demonstrate for a
cause that it considers right, regardless of what others might think. Democracy
also allows every one to raise slogans in support of one's cause so long as it
does not hurt anyone else. Nobody can claim that slogans in support of the
construction of Sri Ram Mandir can be offensive to another community. Plurality
of demands is the essence of democracy even when some of these demands might be
in conflict with others. Many
'secularists', including a top CPI(M) leader while expressing lip-sympathies
with the victims, however, are practically trying to justify the gruesome
incident. A former Governor of UP, a savvy Congressman, defined the incident as
a 'but natural corollary of the VHP's temple movement'. According to these
apologists, the behaviour of Ram Sevaks were 'provocative' and called for just
retribution. The
CPI(M) leader's finding an excuse for the Godhra attack on the pilgrims is not
surprising. For long Muslim communalism has found a niche in the lap of
Communism and the two are intertwined. It was the undivided CPI that supported
the demand for division of the country. The Communists have always held that
India is a conglomeration of nations and not an integrated country. In
West Bengal, several discoveries of arms and ammunition in minority-dominated
areas have been pushed under the red carpet by the CPI(M)-led government. The
recent backlash when the Left Front Chief Minister called for the regulation of
madarsas is another clear instance of this Communist-communalist collusion. The
way the Marxists are going out of the way to cover up these communal incidents
from Godhra to Kolkata is simply outrageous. Similarly, the endeavour of some
other self-styled 'secularists' to whitewash the ISI's inroads into Indian
society is dangerous. The
1993 serial blasts in Mumbai and Coimbatore clearly indicate what such links can
do. The ISI is depending heavily on this linkage to magnify its capacity to
damage the Indian State. If political parties in India are prepared to turn a
blind eye of this link to get some vote bank advantage, they would indirectly be
serving the ISI's interests. Whether that will damage India is something I leave
to their conscience. Less
than three years ago, a father and his two sons were torched to death in the
darkness of night in the jungles of Orissa. It attracted immediate countrywide
condemnation. Secularists went all over town to paint it red. Without
any evidence whatsoever, the heinous crime was attributed to the Sangh Parivar
and the face of the country was painted black as an intolerant nation. Why
are they less than belligerent today in condemning the present carnage? Is it
because the three were White, Christians, and were involved in the 'noble
mission' of converting the 'rustic tribesmen'? On the other hand the
Ram Sevaks were local Hindus, belonging to the lower middle classes of the
society and returning from a pilgrimage. There is no doubt that the assault was
carried out by the same forces that were responsible for the fidayeen attack
outside J&K Assembly on October 1, storming of the Parliament on December 13
and the recent slaying of journalist Daniel Pearl. The
attack at Godhra is a wake-up call for those who cherish the institution of
civil society and believe in democracy.
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