August 3, 2019
Grubby Politics In India
By Syed Rifaquat Ali
Playwright George Bernard Shah said: politics is the last refuge of scoundrels. Shaw was right. The present politicians are truly scoundrels, and so are the Indian politicians.
The politicians are responsible for the violence we are witnessing today the world over. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. India is the most befitting example of such horrendous scenario if the current political situation in the country is taken into account.
Lynching, murder, rape, financial bungling and other big and small forms of corruption are order of the day. And what is most baffling is the fact that the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has buried his head in the sand like an Ostrich and thinks everything is fine in India and the country is progressing rapidly in all fields of human activity.
The fact is just the opposite. It seems India is moving towards the Dark Ages since life has become chaotic and unsafe, particularly for the minorities. A majority of TV anchors in India are stooges of Modi and are relentless in his praise, they are dangerously unctuous which is detrimental to the country.
Narendra Modi is an RSS man and obviously plays to the tune of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who recently said in a public meeting that Muslims in India should call themselves Hindus since they live in Hindustan: a bizarre logic.
Today the Muslims in India are being targeted in every nook and corner of the country. And the police are silent spectators to the crimes committed by the goons of the ruling party or RSS and its offshoots. The BJP won the general election in 2014 and returned to power in May 2019 with a massive mandate, thanks to EVM and the Election Commission.
Narendra Modi is the same man who, as chief minister of Gujarat, sullied his image when about two thousand Muslims were killed in a most unprecedented communal attack in the history of Independent India. Seen as a villain, Modi was declared persona non grata by the United States and his entry in USA was banned.
Today, Modi is being criticised the world over for communal hatred and suppressing the freedom of speech. But for TV anchor Ravish Kumar, the Godi media in India is licking Modi's boots and giving distorted picture of most gruesome incidents in the country, and in the process misleading the country, and of course, the world.
If a newsman asks Modi questions which have national bearing, he is uncomfortable. So much so that, when the renowned journalist Karan Thapar confronted Modi with a ticklish question of national importance in an interview the latter called off the interview, scowling at Thapar. Such is the poker face persona of a man in whose hand is the destiny of over a billion people.
Activists from all walks of life are keeping an eye on Modi and if the present trend in India continues, there could be anarchy in India, and the country could be fragmented as it happened in 1947. If the treatment against the Muslims gets worse, there could be a call for another Muslim state in India since the population of the Muslims is more than that of Pakistan. It is time that Modi stops his rhetoric against the Muslims in India before it is too late to anticipate damage control.
Show sagacity, statesmanship and large heartedness Mr Modi or India is doomed.
Syed Rifaquat Ali is Sydney, Australia-based journalist.
The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
Special Correspondent
Maryam Turab
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