Issue 290

21 22/03/2019 NEWS LITERATURE POLITICS FASHION ART & CULTURE KIDS RELIGION FILMS
www.samajweekly.com
Hatred can not be allowed as a tool
to win elections in democratic polity
The Great Replacement”, stated that
“the invaders must be removed from
European soil, regardless from where
they came or when they came. Roma,
African, Indian, Turkish, Semitic or
other. If they are not of our people, but
live in our lands, they must be
removed.” This is the statement by the
white supremacist who along with other
accomplished killed innocent worshipers
at different mosques in New-
Zealand on Friday. Those killed including
older people as well as children who
had gone to pray in the mosques. The
terror attack on these mosques in a relatively
tiny and peaceful country reflect
major challenge for all the people as
how Islamophobia is growing faster in
relatively peaceful societies. If it was in
the United States, Great Britain or
France, I could have understood a bit
but when it reach the peaceful shores of
New-Zealand then it send a warning
signal, a new reality of today's world
whether Islamophobia is growing silently
in the Western world with an active
role of media portrayal of the events
happened recently.
Several years back we witnessed
such a mass shooting in Norway which
shocked the peaceful Scandinavian
nation but the Newzealand killings have
send shock waves across the world.
While there is a unequivocal condemnation
of the incident yet western
media still fall short of a categorical terminology
for such a ghastly crime.
'Suspect', gunman, shooting are the
terms used by the media. Now, this is a
terror incident and the terrorist happened
to be an Australian white who
hate immigrants. It is tragic that the US
President is not alarmed by the growth
of white supremacists threatening the
immigrants everywhere and his own
policies have contributed a lot.
After Trump's elevation to power the
United States witness many hate crimes
particularly against the African
Americans. In India crime against
minorities particularly Muslims grew
with active encouragement of the ruling
party and its leaders who actually need
Muslims to get their votes through
polarisation of the votes.
Amidst all this, the best could
be reflected by the statement of the
Prime Minister of New-Zealand Ms
Jacinda Ardern who not only assured
that the nation would remain proud of
its religious and ethnic diversity but
also not allow their place become a
center for harboring hatred. You can
see how the police responded to the
entire issue and people irrespect of
their nationalities and ethnicities
expressed shock and grief.
Let us first read the text of her
statement : "Our thoughts and our
prayers are with those who have been
impacted today. Christchurch was the
home of these victims.
For many, this
may not have been
the place they were
born. In fact, for
many, New Zealand was their choice.
The place they actively came to, and
committed themselves to. The place
they were raising their families, where
they were part of communities who they
loved and who loved them. It was a
place that many came to for its safety. A
place where they were free to practice
their culture and their religion. For those
of you who are watching at home
tonight, and questioning how this could
have happened here, we -- New Zealand
-- we were not a target because we are a
safe harbor for those who hate. We were
not chosen for this act of violence
because we condone racism, because
we are an enclave for extremism. We
were chosen for the very fact that we are
none of these things. Because we represent
diversity, kindness, compassion, a
home for those who share our values,
refuge for those who need it. And those
values, I can assure you, will not, and
cannot, be shaken by this attack.
We are a proud nation of more than
200 ethnicities, 160
languages. And
Vidya Bhushan Rawat
social and human rights activist
amongst that diversity
we share common
values. And the one
that we place the currency on right now
-- and tonight -- is our compassion and
support for the community of those
directly affected by this tragedy.
And secondly, the strongest possible
condemnation of the ideology of the
people who did this. You may have chosen
us -- but we utterly reject and condemn
you." If we compare it with the
leadership back home who find no time
to even mention those killed in mob
lynching. The Muslims and Christians
in India have a history of several centuries
as they came here nearly in the
seventh century so they are no immigrant
but part and partial of this soil.
Many of those who were humiliated in
the caste system embraced Islam and
Christianity for their spiritual liberation
but India's right wing has not accepted
them and want to send them to Pakistan.
The New Zealand Prime minister
address press, assured minorities and
immigrants saying that was their home
and their country is proud of them.
Mark her word and pain getting reflected
and there is a concern world over in
the Western World about the growth of
white supremacists but back home in
India we do not feel any concern about
the rise and growth of the brahmanical
fascism which want to maintain the
hierarchical caste order and target the
minorities directly.
Isnot it ironical that the Hindu
Mahasbha people celebrated the rise of
Trump, his birthday in hope that he will
eliminate the Muslims. A few days back
they celebrated the birthday of Queen
Elizabeth while abusing Gandhi and
enacting drama of his killing. We did
not find the government and its machinery
feeling outrageous on this as they
feel rise of Trumpism is basically anti
Islamic but if they see the neo fascist
growth in Europe, they hate everyone,
the blacks, the Romas, the immigrants
which include Hindus and Muslims
both. The Christchurch incident is a
reminder of dangers of majoritarianism
which is bound create further poliarisation.
Politically it may suit some right
wing groups anywhere including India
but in longer term if will be defeat of
democratic polity if we are unable to
contain such hatred constitutionally and
legally. It is time for stronger international
mechanism against such forces
which get legitimacy through democratic
process and winning elections. The
world need to unite and find ways and
means to defeat such forces ideologically,
democratically as well as through
well built international mechanism so
that hatred does not become a tool to
win elections. In the meanwhile, we
stand in solidarity with all those who are
peace builders and believe that this
planet is meant for all of us irrespective
of her gender, caste, region and nationalities
and we all have to protect it.
Let us work harder to defeat hatred
which is only possible through building
bridges and respecting people's right to
chose their faith and live life on their
own. States need to protect law abiding
citizens and stop the mob mentality and
those holding kangaroo courts in their
TV studios. They need to be made
accountable in the greater interest of
democracy and human rights.
Vidya Bhushan Rawat is a social
and human rights activist. He blogs
at www.manukhsi.blogspot.com
twitter @freetohumanity
Email: vbrawat@gmail.com
The debates on the forthcoming
elections have already started.
Activists and people’s movements
who have been contributing
actively without the representations
in Parliament have
started discussing on strategies.
The usual debates are on. All
these debates have been repetitions
of the debates we have
heard for decades. Some will
Searching a right
candidate – KP Sasi
decide to opt out. Some will
decide to back those political
forces which can effectively
form an alternative to BJP
Governance, while these opposition
political parties are still
negotiating and fighting for their
presence in power among themselves.
Some would say, `vote
for the eligible candidates’. And
others will follow the `mainstream
opinion within the alternative’.
We have seen that enough in
history. It is also a matter of
irony that this Parliament
Election in 2019 has become so
crucial for many discourses and
discussions at a time when
Parliament itself has become
more or less a rubber stamp. The
data of the number of millionaires
and billionaires as sitting
members in the Indian
Parliament are available. The
corruption details are heavily
debated within the mainstream
press itself. And it is an open
reality that most of the MPs that
we elect do not even read and
reflect crucial Bills that affect
the lives of the majority of people
in this country, before they
decide to `vote for’ or `vote
against’. Many of them are also
`sleeping members’. The influence
of the investment of money
in these campaigns to determine
the success or loss of a candidate
has also transformed drastically
in recent times. Therefore, the
crisis is to find eligible candidates
who worked for the people
and articulate the concerns of
the people, if we have to protect
this important institution of
democracy. In this situation,
there are some candidates also
fighting without the backing of
money power and with the
intention of raising important
issues they have been representing
for decades as activists. In
Bangalore North, Cynthia
Stephen has decided to contest.
She is not an unknown face for
the activists in Bangalore. I have
seen her presence in many
protests and public programmes
and seminars for a long time.
She has been consistently raising
the issues of Dalits, Women,
Religious Minorities, Child
Rights, Rights of the Physically
Challenged and other issues of
the marginalised as well as various
developmental issues. Her
contributions in research, writings,
advocacy, activism are
known to the activists in
Bangalore.
In this context, it is too
appropriate that the activists in
Bangalore support their own
candidate whole hearted and
work for her success. I do not
see this from a perspective of
`winnability’, but as a matter of
`principle’.
When decisions are based on
`winnability’ and not on `principles’
then I can assure you that
there will be no transformation
in the structure of Indian
Parliament. And if people dare
to vote on `principles’ and
work for this candidate, she may
win also. My best wishes to
Cynthia Stephen.